Live GMAT classes with Target Test Prep start Nov 21 and Nov 22. First class free.

See classes
Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 winner: Target Test Prep, #1 Test Prep

Target Test Prep was voted #1 Best Test Prep in the 2026 Newsweek Readers’ Choice™ Awards.

★★★★★5.0563 reviews
GMATLiveTeachStarts Nov 22
Josh Braslow, Target Test Prep GMAT expert
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES

Get Ready for GMAT Test Day Faster with Live Online Classes

with Josh Braslow, 20+ years in test prep

Nov 22 · Josh Braslow
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes + 6 months of TTP OnDemand
  • Attend the first class for free
  • Every class is recorded, so you never fall behind
View classes & enroll
Limited seats availableTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeachOnDemandStart anytime
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Target Test Prep EA OnDemand

Self-paced EA prep. Study on your schedule.

EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

with

165+ EA score guarantee
$05-day trial no automatic billing
Schedule
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll Start free 5-day trial
Limited cohort · enrollment openTrial includes full course accessTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemandStart anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions
Start free 5-day trial
Read 563 reviewsTarget Test Prep

OG Next month, state wildlife officials

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Subscribe topic
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 394
Joined: Sun Jul 02, 2017 10:59 amFollowed by: 5 members
Thanked: 1 times
by AbeNeedsAnswers » Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:35 pm
Timer
00:00
Your answer
Difficulty–

right wrong

Pick an answer to see how members did

Next month, state wildlife officials are scheduled to take over the job of increasing the wolf population in the federally designated recovery area, the number of which will however ultimately be dictated by the number of prey in the area.

A. area, the number of which will however
B. area; the size of the population, however, will
C. area, however the number of wolves will
D. area; the number of which will, however,
E. area, when the size of the population will, however,

B
Top
Join the discussion
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 366
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:35 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 3 times

by NandishSS » Mon Oct 09, 2017 3:20 am
Bumping for experts review!!!
Top
Join the discussion

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pmFollowed by: 247 members
Thanked: 1443 times

by ceilidh.erickson » Mon Oct 16, 2017 11:22 am
This question is testing SENTENCE STRUCTURE, punctuation, and logical meaning.

Next month, state wildlife officials are scheduled to take over the job of increasing the wolf population in the federally designated recovery area, the number of which will however ultimately be dictated by the number of prey in the area.

A. area, the number of which will however
- this is a run-on sentence: we have 2 independent clauses joined with a comma.
- the phrase "a number of which" should only be used directly after the noun that "which" is modifying: "... wolves, a number of which..."

B. area; the size of the population, however, will
- correct usage of a semicolon to separate 2 independent clauses

C. area, however the number of wolves will
- run-on sentence again

D. area; the number of which will, however,
- same issue with "number of which" as in A.

E. area, when the size of the population will, however,
- "when" should refer to a precise moment in time. It should not be used as a contrast marker like "whereas" or "however.

The correct answer is B.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Top
Join the discussion
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 366
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2015 3:35 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 3 times

by NandishSS » Tue Oct 17, 2017 9:46 pm
HI Ceilidh,

Is it not The number of is singular? There are many wolves. Can we eliminate A, C & D?

Thanks
Nandish
Top
Join the discussion
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:50 pm

by yxlucy321 » Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:54 am
Hi expert!

My question is in your explanation in A, you said that the comma joined two independent clauses, why ' the number of which is ....' an independent clause when we have 'which' in the sentence?

Thanks!
Kate
Top
Join the discussion

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pmFollowed by: 247 members
Thanked: 1443 times

by ceilidh.erickson » Wed Oct 25, 2017 2:20 pm
NandishSS wrote:HI Ceilidh,

Is it not The number of is singular? There are many wolves. Can we eliminate A, C & D?

Thanks
Nandish
Your reasoning doesn't make sense here. We can certainly use "the number of [plural word]." The phrase itself is singular, but the thing that there is "the number of" must be plural. You can't have a "a number" of just one thing!
- "the number of books on my bookshelf..." --> makes total sense
- "the number of book..." --> huh?

The problem in A and D was that it said "the wolf population... the number of which..." The "which" here could only refer back to "population" - this makes no sense. In C, "the number of wolves" is totally fine.

The singular/plural issue with "the number of" is really only relevant to the VERB that goes with this subject. Note the idiomatic difference in usage between "the number of" and "a number of":
- "The number of wolves is very high." --> the subject is "a number"
- "A number of wolves are circling me slowly, baring their teeth." --> the subject is "wolves." "A number of" is considered a modifier, like "many."
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Top
Join the discussion

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2095
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pmFollowed by: 247 members
Thanked: 1443 times

by ceilidh.erickson » Wed Oct 25, 2017 2:32 pm
yxlucy321 wrote:Hi expert!

My question is in your explanation in A, you said that the comma joined two independent clauses, why ' the number of which is ....' an independent clause when we have 'which' in the sentence?

Thanks!
Kate
Let's break this sentence down. MAIN SUBJECTS in blue & caps, dependent subjects in blue. MAIN VERBS in red + caps, dependent verbs in red. All modifiers in parentheses:

(Next month), (state wildlife) OFFICIALS ARE scheduled (to take over the job (of increasing the wolf population (in the (federally designated) recovery area))), the NUMBER (of which) WILL (however ultimately) BE DICTATED (by the number (of prey (in the area))).

A "which" is a relative pronoun. You will typically see it performing one of two functions:
1. starting a DEPENDENT CLAUSE that modifies the noun before it: "The book, which I read last year, won the Nobel Prize."
2. the OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION: "The book to which I am referring is on the table."

(There are other functions, notably the use in questions: "which one...?" You won't be tested on these in SC.)

In A, "which" was the object of a preposition modifying "the number." This changes nothing about the fact that "the number... will... be dictated..." is an independent clause.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Top
Join the discussion