Subject-Verb Agreement

[gmat740]

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 B

My answer is C


Doubt: Is higher Interest rate singular or Plural?

[pJackson79]

A higher interest is singular IMHO.

We would never say "a higher interest rate keep" as this is obviously wrong.

Where is this question from?

[gmat740]

this question is taken from GMAT prep,but I am not sure about its month.

[PinkBox]

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.

cross off "albeit an important one" to keep things simpler
this is the correct structure: one of X (plural) that...plural verb
in this case, X is "factors" so the verb needs to be "keep"

[gmat740]

cross off "albeit an important one" to keep things simpler
this is the correct structure: one of X (plural) that...plural verb
in this case, X is "factors" so the verb needs to be "keep"

Are we concerned with the word "Factors" or with the word" Higher Interest rates"

[lav]

In my opinion "A higher interest rate" is subject and hence "keep"

why is "as" chosen over "like",
Like :- is used for similarty
as: - for example
both sounds fine here. ??

[schumi_gmat]

Higher interest rate is main subject.

The pronoun "one" is referring back to the subject.

but the structure is "one of the Plural noun"

the modifier, that......is modifying factors. and hence that should be followed by plural verb.


B is correct because the actions are compared using as.