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S-V AGREEMENT A TOUGH ONE

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S-V AGREEMENT A TOUGH ONE

by armaan700+ » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:16 am
The increase in unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, are forcing many homeowners to look into alternative sources of fuel in order to save money on winter heating.
A) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, are
B) rates of unemployment, coupled with significant increases in retail prices and energy costs, have been
C) unemployment rates, coupled with significant increases in both retail prices and energy costs, is
D) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, is
E) rates of unemployment, coupled with significant increases in both retail as well as energy costs, had been
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by clar » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:24 am
IMO C


increase (subject) is(verb) is correct
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by gmat740 » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:38 am
Before I answer this question, here is something related to additives

Eg:1 : Karan along with John, is coming to the party.
Eg:2 : Karan and John are coming to party.

A point to note is whenever AND is used, we consider plural subject and so a plural verb. But for rest of the additives( along with, in addition to etc etc) we consider singular verb.

C and D Qualify.
D) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, is
In D the bold part is awkward.


C) unemployment rates, coupled with significant increases in both retail prices and energy costs, is
Perfect

Hope this helps
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THANKS

by armaan700+ » Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:46 am
OH I GOT THAT , THANKS FOR REMINDING ABOUT OTHER ADDITIVES

OA IS C
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by lunarpower » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:34 am
gmat740 wrote:Before I answer this question, here is something related to additives

Eg:1 : Karan along with John, is coming to the party.
Eg:2 : Karan and John are coming to party.

A point to note is whenever AND is used, we consider plural subject and so a plural verb. But for rest of the additives( along with, in addition to etc etc) we consider singular verb.
yes.
C and D Qualify.
D) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, is
In D the bold part is awkward.
"awkwardness" isn't the major problem here. (as you probably know, official answers are almost ALWAYS wrong for concrete reasons, not just "awkwardness"; usually, "awkward" answers are also wrong for additional reasons.)

the major problem is that "increased" is supposed to modify both retail prices and energy costs.
the way this is written, using "as well as", that doesn't happen; "increased" only modifies the first of these things.
in other words, the expression is parsed as follows:
significantly increased retail prices AS WELL AS energy costs.
that's not the intended meaning, but, there it is.

--

not to mention, you can't use "coupled with" unless you mention only ONE thing before, and one thing after.

choice (d) says "X coupled with Y as well as Z", which is wrong, because, well, that's not a "couple" anymore.
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by rd85 » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:46 am
Thanks for explaining the issue with 'coupled with'. Great explanation!
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by sukkhi » Thu Jun 26, 2014 10:46 pm
lunarpower wrote:
gmat740 wrote:Before I answer this question, here is something related to additives

Eg:1 : Karan along with John, is coming to the party.
Eg:2 : Karan and John are coming to party.

A point to note is whenever AND is used, we consider plural subject and so a plural verb. But for rest of the additives( along with, in addition to etc etc) we consider singular verb.
yes.
C and D Qualify.
D) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, is
In D the bold part is awkward.
"awkwardness" isn't the major problem here. (as you probably know, official answers are almost ALWAYS wrong for concrete reasons, not just "awkwardness"; usually, "awkward" answers are also wrong for additional reasons.)

the major problem is that "increased" is supposed to modify both retail prices and energy costs.
the way this is written, using "as well as", that doesn't happen; "increased" only modifies the first of these things.
in other words, the expression is parsed as follows:
significantly increased retail prices AS WELL AS energy costs.
that's not the intended meaning, but, there it is.

--

not to mention, you can't use "coupled with" unless you mention only ONE thing before, and one thing after.

choice (d) says "X coupled with Y as well as Z", which is wrong, because, well, that's not a "couple" anymore.
would "x,coupled with y and z....blah blah" be ok?
and in this question i thought increase in x should be coupled with only increases in y and z not their increased values....for parallelism am i right?
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by vietmoi999 » Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:17 am
armaan700+ wrote:The increase in unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, are forcing many homeowners to look into alternative sources of fuel in order to save money on winter heating.
A) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, are
B) rates of unemployment, coupled with significant increases in retail prices and energy costs, have been
C) unemployment rates, coupled with significant increases in both retail prices and energy costs, is
D) unemployment rates, coupled with significantly increased retail prices as well as energy costs, is
E) rates of unemployment, coupled with significant increases in both retail as well as energy costs, had been
between C and D
I thing the matter is idiom. the pattern in C is idiom. and the pattern in D is not idiom. there is nothing wrong with D
If anyone in this gmat forum is in England, pls email to me([email protected]) . I have some problems and need your advise. Thank a lot
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by vietmoi999 » Fri Jun 27, 2014 1:18 am
because this is not official answer, I will not take deep study of choice D
If anyone in this gmat forum is in England, pls email to me([email protected]) . I have some problems and need your advise. Thank a lot
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