15. Biologists believe that they have found one of the
substances that tell individual genes both when to
become active and when to remain quiescent in the
earliest phases of an embryo's development.
(A) tell individual genes both when to become
active and when to remain
(B) tell individual genes both at which time they
should become active or should remain
(C) tells individual genes both when to become
active or remain
(D) tells individual genes both when to become
active or when to remain
(E) will tell an individual gene both about when it
should become active and remain
Biologists believe !!
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:48 am
- Location: india
- Thanked: 39 times
IMO with A
As B , C and D are using a wrong idiom and E is having a parallelism error
so obvious choice is A
As B , C and D are using a wrong idiom and E is having a parallelism error
so obvious choice is A
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:05 pm
- Location: Ohio, US
- Thanked: 6 times
Idiom goes Both X and Y; where X and Y are parallel.
Substances will take verb tell and not tells.
Thus choice A takes both correct idiom and subj verb agreement.
Substances will take verb tell and not tells.
Thus choice A takes both correct idiom and subj verb agreement.
Its better to burn out than to fade away
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:35 am
- Location: SGP
- Thanked: 5 times
here the agreement is between "one of the substances" (one of them) and the verb "tells", isn't? "that" is optional.blackarrow wrote:Idiom goes Both X and Y; where X and Y are parallel.
Substances will take verb tell and not tells.
Thus choice A takes both correct idiom and subj verb agreement.
-
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 431
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:32 am
- Thanked: 16 times
- Followed by:1 members
Kusumita,Kusumita wrote:15. Biologists believe that they have found one of the
substances that tell individual genes both when to
become active and when to remain quiescent in the
earliest phases of an embryo's development.
(A) tell individual genes both when to become
active and when to remain
(B) tell individual genes both at which time they
should become active or should remain
(C) tells individual genes both when to become
active or remain
(D) tells individual genes both when to become
active or when to remain
(E) will tell an individual gene both about when it
should become active and remain
Welcome to the FORUM!
One of things that you should be strictly adhere is to UNDERLINE the verbage that requires examination. Kindly PLEASE follow the rules of the FORUM.
IMO. [spoiler][A][/spoiler]
[A]- uses correct idiom- both X and Y; one of substances- subject is plural, hence requires plural verb- tell
- wordy- at which time
[C]- wrong idiom
[D]- same as [C]
[E]- wordy and awkward.
what is OA?
Want to Beat GMAT.
Always do what you're afraid to do. Whoooop GMAT
Always do what you're afraid to do. Whoooop GMAT
IMO D
"one of the" should follow singular verb tells
another thing ONE OF THE SUBSTANCE cannot be active and quisent at the same time...it is talking bout one substance.if there were more than one substance then and could have been considered. but since we are just talking bout one substance it shud be X or Y
"one of the" should follow singular verb tells
another thing ONE OF THE SUBSTANCE cannot be active and quisent at the same time...it is talking bout one substance.if there were more than one substance then and could have been considered. but since we are just talking bout one substance it shud be X or Y
- Vemuri
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 682
- Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 2:40 am
- Thanked: 32 times
- Followed by:1 members
PAB2706 wrote:IMO D
"one of the" should follow singular verb tells
another thing ONE OF THE SUBSTANCE cannot be active and quisent at the same time...it is talking bout one substance.if there were more than one substance then and could have been considered. but since we are just talking bout one substance it shud be X or Y
"One of the" + [Plural Noun] + that/who + [Singular Verb]. As per this definition (source: free GMAT Flashcards) we can narrow down to C & D.
But, again idiom "Both X and Y" is correct, not "Both X or Y". So, C and D are out.
What a paradox :roll: Is the free GMAT Flashcards correct?
BTW, the Biologists are not saying that one of the substances is both active and quisent . They believe that the substance will tell individual genes when to become active and when to remain quiescent.
- hk
- MBA Student
- Posts: 532
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 1:39 pm
- Location: Barcelona
- Thanked: 33 times
- Followed by:9 members
- GMAT Score:640
I actually have no answer here. "One of the substances" calls for "tells".
And i would have picked D if the option was "tells individual genes both when to become active and when to remain "
And i would have picked D if the option was "tells individual genes both when to become active and when to remain "
Wanna know what I'm upto? Follow me on twitter: https://twitter.com/harikrish
GMAT/MBA Expert
- Stacey Koprince
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 2228
- Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
- Location: Montreal, Canada
- Thanked: 639 times
- Followed by:694 members
- GMAT Score:780
received a PM asking me to respond.
"Biologists believe that they have found one of the <plural noun> that <verb>"
subject - verb - that - subject - verb - object - prepositional phrase - modifier
The second "that" introduces an essential modifier. The modifier describes the preceding noun: the substances that fall into this particular category. The verb, therefore should be plural, and it is plural in the original sentence. The original also uses the idiom "both X and Y," where X and Y are required to be parallel (and they are). So far, everything looks fine. Let's examine the other choices.
Let's also say that you weren't sure whether it should be tell, tells, or will tell. Ignore that issue for now and see what else you can eliminate.
B, C, and D all use the incorrect idiom "both X or Y." Eliminate.
E uses "both X and Y," but X and Y aren't parallel. Eliminate.
That leaves me with A, which uses the plural verb "tell." So, if I didn't know before, now I know that it should be "tell" - which is important if I'm studying, but not important if I'm in the middle of taking the test.
"Biologists believe that they have found one of the <plural noun> that <verb>"
subject - verb - that - subject - verb - object - prepositional phrase - modifier
The second "that" introduces an essential modifier. The modifier describes the preceding noun: the substances that fall into this particular category. The verb, therefore should be plural, and it is plural in the original sentence. The original also uses the idiom "both X and Y," where X and Y are required to be parallel (and they are). So far, everything looks fine. Let's examine the other choices.
Let's also say that you weren't sure whether it should be tell, tells, or will tell. Ignore that issue for now and see what else you can eliminate.
B, C, and D all use the incorrect idiom "both X or Y." Eliminate.
E uses "both X and Y," but X and Y aren't parallel. Eliminate.
That leaves me with A, which uses the plural verb "tell." So, if I didn't know before, now I know that it should be "tell" - which is important if I'm studying, but not important if I'm in the middle of taking the test.
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!
Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT
Contributor to Beat The GMAT!
Learn more about me
Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT
Contributor to Beat The GMAT!
Learn more about me
- gmat740
- MBA Student
- Posts: 1194
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:42 pm
- Location: Paris, France
- Thanked: 71 times
- Followed by:17 members
- GMAT Score:710
Guys,
I came up with this same question while solving Brutal bangus SC Notes.but the Option C is different
I am modifying the Option C
I am still not convinced.
I find C to be correct.
It uses correct IDIOM Both X and Y
and
one of the Plural Noun + that + singular Verb
Please correct me.
I am getting extremely confused with this rule
I came up with this same question while solving Brutal bangus SC Notes.but the Option C is different
I am modifying the Option C
But the Official explanation given is OA is A(C) tells individual genes both when to become active and when to remain
I am still not convinced.
I find C to be correct.
It uses correct IDIOM Both X and Y
and
one of the Plural Noun + that + singular Verb
Please correct me.
I am getting extremely confused with this rule
GMAT/MBA Expert
- Stacey Koprince
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 2228
- Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pm
- Location: Montreal, Canada
- Thanked: 639 times
- Followed by:694 members
- GMAT Score:780
The text you posted for your answer choice C is identical to the text posted above for correct answer A. So, yes, if that is the text you see for choice C, then it's also right.
This is why I don't study from random stuff I find on the Internet. When people compile problems on their own from a bunch of different sources, random typos and changes creep in. I only study problems from official materials printed by the official test-makers (or my company's stuff, of course ).
This is why I don't study from random stuff I find on the Internet. When people compile problems on their own from a bunch of different sources, random typos and changes creep in. I only study problems from official materials printed by the official test-makers (or my company's stuff, of course ).
Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!
Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT
Contributor to Beat The GMAT!
Learn more about me
Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT
Contributor to Beat The GMAT!
Learn more about me