help wit this SC:A new generation of

[ritish]

A new generation of sophisticated copy machines,capable of unprecedented detail and accuracy, are prompting the development of more complex currency designs to prevent counterfeiting.

a.sophisticated copy machines,capable of unprecedented detail and accuracy, are

b.sophisticated copy machines,capable for unprecedented detail and accuracy, is

c.sophisticated copy machines,capable of unprecedented detail and accuracy, is

d.sophisticated copy machines,capable for unprecedented detail and accuracy, are

e.sophisticated copy machines that are,capable of unprecedented detail and accuracy, are

can someone explain me the solution to this question...?

[chintanjadwani]

First of able ''capable for'' is unidiomatic.. so rule out B D and E,,

moreover the for the subject verb agreement , the subject ''generation'' i.e. is singular has to the agree with the singular verb 'is' ...so ans is C..

[ritish]

how exactly do u identify the subject....?

In the above question i thought copy machines was the subject....!!!

is there any hard and fast rule...?

[ritish]

usually i follow this rule

"In order to distinguish the subject of your sentence, ask "Who?" or "What?" in front of the verb"

when i applied the strategy for the above question

what prompted the development of more coplex currency designs..?

ans:a new generation of sophisticated copy machines...

so hw do u decide the exact subject...?

[mals24]

usually i follow this rule

"In order to distinguish the subject of your sentence, ask "Who?" or "What?" in front of the verb"

when i applied the strategy for the above question

what prompted the development of more coplex currency designs..?

ans:a new generation of sophisticated copy machines...

so hw do u decide the exact subject...?

Your strategy to ask the question 'who' or 'what' is performing the action of the main verb is fine.

Just remember while considering the subject you ignore the middleman, that is your prepositional phrases (phrases that start with 'of' mainly)

So in this sentence your subject is new generation.

'of sophisticated copy machines' is considered a middleman (since it is a prepositional phrase) and hence this phrase can be ignored.

[mikeCoolBoy]

IMO A

from my point of view the subject is copy machines like in "a number of copy machines ..." .

Can an expert clarify this?

[ritish]

thanks mals24...

is this a universal rule or jus works in a few cases...?

[mikeCoolBoy]

thank you mals24, I hadn't read your answer before posting mine.

[mals24]

Your welcome

Yup Ritish it is a general rule. You can find it in the Manhattan SC guide as well (or any other GMAT SC guide under the subject-verb agreeement section). So you can safely use it.

Basically in sentence correction questions, it is usually better to get rid of the middleman, i.e. your prepositional phrases (mainly the ones beginning with 'of') and then analyze the sentence. It'll be easier to find the subject and other major grammatical errors in this way.

[lav]

My ans is C
One can easily be tricked to belive machines is subject but by MGMAT rules it is "generation"
@ ritish .. whats the OA ? Whats the source of ques ?

[ritish]

The question is from Kaplan Gmat verbal work...exercise 1

[lav]

whats the Original ans posted in book ?

[ritish]

@ lav

The answer in the book c