SC from MGMAT CAT

[achandwa]

This question is from MGMAT CAT.

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.
keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did
keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did
keeps the housing market from spiraling out of control, as it did
keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like
keep the housing market from spiraling out of control, like it did

I am probably missing something basic but I thought, that this sentence was describing "higher interest rate" and not "factors". So I thought the verb "keeps" would be in agreement with the subject. But I am wrong. The subject is actually "factors". Anyone have a good explanation.

OA is B

[jangojess]

we are talking about a set of factors that keep...blah blah....high interest rate is just one of them....not interest rate but also the other factors keep the spiralling...blah blah....

NOTE - whenever u come across 'one of the' the verb always have to be in plural........

[agni_mba]

we are talking about a set of factors that keep...blah blah....high interest rate is just one of them....not interest rate but also the other factors keep the spiralling...blah blah....

NOTE - whenever u come across 'one of the' the verb always have to be in plural........

isn't usage of "it" incorrect here? (like it did...), if the subject is plural shouldn't "it" be "these"

[Danielle]

It is correct since it is referring to the housing market, which is singular.

[muks]

It is correct since it is referring to the housing market, which is singular.

thats means our subject is Singular and we need to use "keeps". Wat say??

[Danielle]

No, it doesn't. The agreement that I was referring to is the noun (housing market) and its pronoun (it). The subject agreeing with the verb is factors, which is plural.

[yxhh2008]

why does not use "like" but "as" here?

[Danielle]

Because in this case, "like" is used to compare two things which are similar in some way, but not the same. "As" is used to compare two things which are the same, in two different time periods or situations. Usually, "as" is a stronger and more definite comparison than "like".

Here's an example just like our sentence:

Raheem smiled like a cat and wiggled his eyebrows. (Comparing Raheem to a cat, two things which are similar, but not the same)

Raheem smiled as he did four years ago, when Krystal accepted his proposal. (Comparing Raheem to himself)