Sentence Correction

Hi All,

In the below question, the OA is [spoiler]"C".[/spoiler]. Can somebody please help me in clearing the following doubts of mine:

1. How the subject is plural here ? Why not singular "is" ?
2. What is the significance of "but one" here ? If instead of "but one"...if "one" would have been there then does the subject be "is" ?





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With its plan to develop seven and a half acres of shore land, Cleveland is but one of a large number of communities on the Great Lakes that is looking to its waterfront as a way to improve the quality of urban life and attract new businesses.

(A) is looking to its waterfront as a way to improve the quality of urban life and attract
(B) is looking at its waterfront to improve the quality of urban life and attract
(C) are looking to their waterfronts to improve the quality of urban life and attract
(D) are looking to its waterfront as a way of improving the quality of urban life and attracting
(E) are looking at their waterfronts as a way they can improve the quality of urban life and attract

Thanks
Mohit

The use of "are" here has nothing to do with "but one." The point to notice is "that." Whenever we use "one of the Xs that," we should always use plural verb. For example,

Ferrai is one of the cars that are in the F1 race.

Thanks karmayogi. Got it.

For kicking out "E", I used the the following reason....please tell is my reasoning correct or there is some other better reason to kick out "E"

1. waterfronts as a way = awkward.

I find the exact opposite on BTG flashcard. Experts - help needed.

karmayogi wrote:The use of "are" here has nothing to do with "but one." The point to notice is "that." Whenever we use "one of the Xs that," we should always use plural verb. For example,

Ferrai is one of the cars that are in the F1 race.

IMO correct is C

cleveland is but one of the comms. "but" signifies cleveland is lone exception and the sentence goes on to explain how others are looking to their waterfronts

D has 'its" wrong it should be plural their

E is long and reads awkward, waterfronts as a way they can improve..

the correct answer should be "b"...
looking at is correct..
looking to is wrong..

Cleveland is but one of a large number of communities on the Great Lakes that .....here Cleveland is singular noun

This ? is tricky. Author is hoping we pick subject as singular. However he establishes CLeaveland as communities --> plural subject.

We are left with c, d and e

In d are and its dont agree

Option e is really awkward and wordy.

Hence c is the answer.

re: the sing / plural

my assumption based on seeing similar questions is that "a _____ number" makes this plural regardless of the usage of "one" b/c "a number" / "the number" singular&plural laws trump all others.

Runram87 wrote:re: the sing / plural

my assumption based on seeing similar questions is that "a _____ number" makes this plural regardless of the usage of "one" b/c "a number" / "the number" singular&plural laws trump all others.

There are basically the following rules to be followed:

1. one of the Xs that/who <plural>
2. one of the Xs <singular>
3. "only" one of the Xs that/who <singular>
4. "only" one of the Xs <singular>

goelmohit2002 your analysis is completely wrong!

below is an official GMAT prep question and the OA is B . . . your "only" thoery is false as proven below.


A higher interest rate is only one of the factors, albeit an important one, that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.

(A) that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.
(B) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did earlier in the decade
(C) that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did earlier in the decade
(D) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like earlier in the decade
(E) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade

OA is B

Umar82 wrote:goelmohit2002 your analysis is completely wrong!

below is an official GMAT prep question and the OA is B . . . your "only" thoery is false as proven below.


A higher interest rate is only one of the factors, albeit an important one, that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.

(A) that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade.
(B) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did earlier in the decade
(C) that keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did earlier in the decade
(D) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like earlier in the decade
(E) that keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did earlier in the decade

OA is B

Thanks Umar for bringing this to notice......till now I had the this understanding only..and it worked well with all the questions till date.....But looks like there are some more twists in the story

I searched on the net.....there are two posts which discuss this twist....

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/a-h ... -t732.html
https://gmattoughies.blocked/2009/0 ... ar-vs.html

Let's go through the twist that is there in this story on the above links

BTW thanks a lot for bringing this to the notice !!!

Thanks for the links bro. You know now I am getting confused . . . "keep" is correct, right?

So "only" does not make a difference, it still stays plural?

Umar82 wrote:Thanks for the links bro. You know now I am getting confused . . . "keep" is correct, right?

So "only" does not make a difference, it still stays plural?

Looks like "only" does not make any difference.....

IMO Ron/Stacey are the people whom we can follow blindly.

But I am really puzzled by endless SC rules.....and all those exceptions to those rules.....every next day there comes new SC rule and a exception to the existing SC rule

Can someone please tell what is the problem in E ? Which grammar rule is broken by E ?