pkonduri wrote:According to scientists at the University of California, the pattern of changes that have occurred in human DNA over the millennia indicate the possibility that everyone alive today might be descended from a single female ancestor who lived in Africa sometime between 140,000 and 280,000 years ago.
(A) indicate the possibility that everyone alive today might be descended from a single female ancestor who
(B) indicate that everyone alive today might possibly be a descendant of a single female ancestor who had
(C) may indicate that everyone alive today has descended from a single female ancestor who had
(D) indicates that everyone alive today may be a descendant of a single female ancestor who
(E) indicates that everyone alive today might be a descendant from a single female ancestor who

In the above question is "pattern of changes" singular or plural, as in the question "pattern of changes is followed by HAVE"

In know in general it should be treated as singular but in the question the usage of HAVE is confusing me.

Thanks for your time.

pkonduri wrote:What I tried to ask here is usage of "pattern of changes" with have in the question, I agree pattern of changes is singular but why is have used instead of has in the question?

pkonduri wrote:What I tried to ask here is usage of "pattern of changes" with have in the question, I agree pattern of changes is singular but why is have used instead of has in the question?

debmalya_dutta wrote:Yep agree that IMO is D

but
pattern of changes that have occurred - its have (plural) because "changes" is plural . "that" is modifying the "changes" and hence usage of plural