BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Subject Verb agreement - Phrase as a subject

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 768
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:46 amFollowed by: 7 members
Thanked: 21 times
by GMATMadeEasy » Fri Nov 19, 2010 3:41 am
Included in the exhibition are books made from 1994 to the present.

Included in the exhibition is books made from 1994 to the present.

Which one is correct and why please ?

Logic 1: "Included in the exhibition" is a participle phrase so it can be the subject of the sentence . hence, first is correct.

Logic 2: Books should be the subject of the sentence, so second is correct.

I am confused.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1172
Joined: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:20 pmFollowed by: 4 members
Thanked: 74 times

by uwhusky » Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:21 am
Page 42 in the MGMAT SC guide:

"In most English sentences the subject precedes the verb. However, the GMAT occasionally attempts to confuse you by inverting this order and placing the subject after the verb."

I believe your example is such case. If you invert the subject, it actually makes more sense:

"Books made from 1994 to the present are included in the exhibition."

"Included in the exhibition," I believe is a modifier rather than the subject.
Yep.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 97
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:39 amFollowed by: 20 members
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanked: 22 times

by Isaac@EconomistGMAT » Fri Nov 19, 2010 2:19 pm
Uhuskey is correct here. Included in the exhibition is a modifier (past participle/non conjugated verb is how you can tell this type of modifier), and the subject is 'books'. It

Also, logically, 'included' cannot 'be' a book, but a book can be included.

Always ask yourself: What is the action; and then ask yourself: Who or what does this action? The answer to the second question ALWAYS gives you the subject, whether it is a single subject noun or a whole phrase.
Isaac Bettan
Academic Director
Master GMAT
https://econgm.at/EconomistGMAT
[youtube]QBNZczg84tU[/youtube]
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1