Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds. (A) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds. (B) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that causes digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans and other mammals, and in birds. (C) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds. (D) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms, which cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds. (E) Arteriviruses, a genus of microorganisms, cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/opinion/the-next-pandemic-is-closer-than-you-think.html Coronaviruses are a genus of bugs that cause respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, sometimes mild and sometimes fierce, in humans, other mammals and birds . They became infamous by association in 2003 because the agent for severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, is a coronavirus. That one emerged suddenly in southern China, passed from person to person and from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, then went swiftly onward by airplane to Toronto, Singapore and elsewhere. Eventually it sickened about 8,000 people, of whom nearly 10 percent died. If not for fast scientific work to identify the virus and rigorous public health measures to contain it, the total case count and death toll could have been much higher. Probably the easiest decision point to assess first is the obvious subject-verb agreement choice between "cause" and "causes". Since that relative clause is modifying microorganisms (not genus!) the verb must be the plural "cause." This allows you to eliminate (B) and (C). Then note the other important decision point in many of these answer choices - the list at the end of the sentence. Choices B, C, and E, all improperly list the three items that should be in parallel form: in humans, other mammals, and birds so (E) can also be eliminated. And choice D illogically assigns "which cause digestive and respiratory infections" to all microorganisms, when the point of the sentence is to show that this particular type of microorganism, the arterivirus, is what causes those problems. Choice A commits none of these errors, and is correct.

Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 13:11

It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 13:11

Toolkit

Sentence Correction (SC - EA only)

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Nov 20
UCR MBA Impact - Live Q&A with UCR AdCom & Student
07:30 AM PST
-
08:30 AM PST
Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
Nov 22
GMAT RC Masterclass
11:00 AM IST
-
01:00 PM IST
Do RC/MSR passages scare you? e-GMAT is conducting a masterclass to help you learn – Learn effective reading strategies Tackle difficult RC & MSR with confidence Excel in timed test environment
Nov 23
Conquer Algebra on the GMAT Focus Edition
11:00 AM IST
-
01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease.
Nov 25
Try OnDemand GMAT Masterclass
10:00 AM EST
-
11:00 AM EST
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors.

Back to Forum

Create Topic

Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and

1 2

OreoShake

Joined: 23 Jan 2016

Last visit: 31 Jan 2019

Posts: 136

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 509

Location: India

GPA: 3.2

Posts: 136

Kudos: 82

26 Aug 2017, 06:36

Kudos

Bookmarks

i believe this question is incorrect. how can Arteriviruses be 'a genus'? we are not speaking metaphorically; never seen that in gmat. Arterivirus is plural however genus is singular. Dogs are not a 'species', 'dog' is a species. Additionally we see no SANAM pronouns to indicate the the verb must take on the object.

Experts please help here.

arvind910619

Joined: 20 Dec 2015

Last visit: 18 Oct 2024

Posts: 845

Own Kudos:

607

Given Kudos: 755

Status:Learning

Location: India

Concentration: Operations, Marketing

GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36 Verified score

GRE 1: Q157 V157 Verified score

GPA: 3.4

WE:Engineering (Manufacturing)

Products:

GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36 Verified score

GRE 1: Q157 V157 Verified score

Posts: 845

Kudos: 607

26 Aug 2017, 07:53

Kudos

Bookmarks

WaterFlowsUp

Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(A) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(B) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that causes digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans and other mammals, and in birds.

(C) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds.

(D) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms, which cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(E) Arteriviruses, a genus of microorganisms, cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds.

The answer is A

The subject of the sentence is " Arteriviruses " which is plural so we need plural verb
Parallelism should be maintained between in humans, other mammals, and birds
It has to be "in humans and other mammals, and in birds"
or it has to be in humans, in other mammals, and in birds

sandysilva

Joined: 30 Dec 2016

Last visit: 23 Apr 2019

Posts: 191

Own Kudos:

925

Given Kudos: 199

Schools: Schulich Sept '21 DeGroote'21 (S) Alberta"21 (S)

GMAT 1: 650 Q42 V37 Verified score

GPA: 4

WE:Business Development (Other)

Products:

Schools: Schulich Sept '21 DeGroote'21 (S) Alberta"21 (S)

GMAT 1: 650 Q42 V37 Verified score

Posts: 191

Kudos: 925

01 Sep 2017, 05:47

Kudos

Bookmarks

https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/that-vs-w ... -the-gmat/

Here is the link from Magoosh that will surely resolve all the queries regarding "WHICH and THAT" .

Regards
SandySilva

Kudos if post helped.

dabhishek87

Joined: 19 Aug 2015

Last visit: 02 Oct 2017

Posts: 62

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 24

Location: India

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V30 Verified score

Posts: 62

Kudos: 14

29 Sep 2017, 08:14

Kudos

Bookmarks

Can someone please explain why "that" is modifying "microorganisms" and not "genus" in A?

DmitryFarber

Manhattan Prep Instructor

Joined: 22 Mar 2011

Last visit: 08 Nov 2025

Posts: 3,020

Own Kudos:

8,563

[2]

Given Kudos: 57

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT Focus 1: 745 Q86 V90 DI85 Verified score

Posts: 3,020

Kudos: 8,563

[2]

29 Sep 2017, 22:17

Kudos

Bookmarks

dabhishek87 We can use meaning to help with that. What's causing infections: the genus or the microorganisms? The genus itself can't cause infections, so the modifer has to apply to microorganisms.

rishabhdxt

Joined: 27 Mar 2014

Last visit: 10 May 2020

Posts: 51

Own Kudos:

111

Given Kudos: 20

Schools: IIMA IIMB ISB '19

GMAT 1: 660 Q49 V30 Verified score

Schools: IIMA IIMB ISB '19

GMAT 1: 660 Q49 V30 Verified score

Posts: 51

Kudos: 111

30 Sep 2017, 19:56

Kudos

Bookmarks

daagh

Instead of going in tits and bits, let’s look at it in totality and use POE for eliminating as many wrong ones as possible.

1. The prepositional parallelism of ‘in’ is not maintained in B, C and E. We are left with A and D.

In D, the restrictive pronoun ‘that’ limits the coverage to just respiratory infections and leaves out digestive ailments, whereas by virtue of the parenthetical element, in A, both digestive and respiratory ailments are covered. Even if the parenthesis is dropped, it doesn’t matter.

So A is the best.

In option D ; digestive and respiratory modify infections. so this part of sentence seems correct.

"which" is used for non essential modifiers . in this sentence if we remove 'which modifier' then the meaning of the sentence is lost.

so option A is correct.

Daag sir , pls. comment

KGump

Joined: 11 Jun 2016

Last visit: 16 Apr 2020

Posts: 55

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 103

Location: India

Schools: Sauder '20 Goizueta '20 Rotman '20 Schulich Sept 18 Intake

GMAT 1: 680 Q49 V35 Verified score

GMAT 2: 690 Q49 V34 Verified score

GPA: 3.4

Schools: Sauder '20 Goizueta '20 Rotman '20 Schulich Sept 18 Intake

GMAT 2: 690 Q49 V34 Verified score

Posts: 55

Kudos: 27

15 Oct 2017, 08:08

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi Experts, @gmatninja, @gmatninjatwo, @mikemcgarry,

In option B, is the parallelism correct in the "in humans and other mammals, and in birds"

I believe since humans are mammals, this parallelism makes more sense.

Please confirm if "in X and Other X's, and in Y's" is correct in the placement of comma before the second and

Thanks

pra1785

Joined: 20 Jan 2016

Last visit: 10 Mar 2019

Posts: 145

Own Kudos:

130

[1]

Given Kudos: 64

Posts: 145

Kudos: 130

[1]

15 Oct 2017, 08:44

Kudos

Bookmarks

Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(A) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(B) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that causes digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans and other mammals, and in birds. causes is singular and microorganisms is plural

(C) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds. does not maintain parallelism. Should either be 'in X, Y and X or in X, in Y and in Z

(D) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms, which cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds. which correctly refers to microorganisms but it alters the meaning of the sentence. It says sometimes severe in humans, other mammals and birds. Both benign and severe needs to refer to humans, mammals and birds.

(E) Arteriviruses, a genus of microorganisms, cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds.same as option C

Therefore, A is correct.

sayantanc2k

Joined: 14 Dec 2013

Last visit: 09 Dec 2022

Posts: 2,393

Own Kudos:

15,523

Given Kudos: 26

Location: Germany

Schools:

GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V47 Verified score

WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)

Expert

Expert reply

Schools:

GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V47 Verified score

Posts: 2,393

Kudos: 15,523

18 Oct 2017, 07:33

Kudos

Bookmarks

kunal1608

Hi Experts, GMATNinja, GMATNinjaTwo, mikemcgarry,

In option B, is the parallelism correct in the "in humans and other mammals, and in birds"

I believe since humans are mammals, this parallelism makes more sense.

Please confirm if "in X and Other X's, and in Y's" is correct in the placement of comma before the second and

Thanks

Yes, the paralllelism could be considered the way you mentioned. However the comma before "and" would have to be eliminated in that case. ["X, and Y" is not correct (except when X and Y are independent clauses) - "X, Y, and Z" is alright though (here the comma is optional).]

NeverGiveUp- Arpit

Joined: 14 May 2017

Last visit: 14 Feb 2018

Posts: 24

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 112

Posts: 24

Kudos: 9

08 Dec 2017, 22:45

Kudos

Bookmarks

E not just has parallelism error but it has a meaning error as well. As per E Arteriviruses cause digestive and RI but as per original choice microorganisms cause digestive and RI

Arteriviruses, a genus of microorganisms, cause digestive and respiratory infections

chesstitans

Joined: 12 Dec 2016

Last visit: 20 Nov 2019

Posts: 987

Own Kudos:

1,923

Given Kudos: 2,562

Location: United States

Schools: Stanford '19 Carroll '19 LBS '19

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V33 Verified score

GPA: 3.64

Schools: Stanford '19 Carroll '19 LBS '19

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V33 Verified score

Posts: 987

Kudos: 1,923

12 Dec 2017, 05:33

Kudos

Bookmarks

I trap myself because I thought humans and mammals are the same; I have read somewhere about the relation between humans and mammals.

Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(A) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(B) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that causes digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans and other mammals, and in birds.

(C) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms that cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds. (unparallel structure)

(D) Arteriviruses are a genus of microorganisms, which cause digestive and respiratory infections that are sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and birds.

(E) Arteriviruses, a genus of microorganisms, cause digestive and respiratory infections, sometimes benign and sometimes severe, in humans, other mammals, and in birds. (the modifier cannot be left out + unparallel structure)

between A and B, the better choice is A b/c gmat tends to have a clear, direct, unambiguous, simple structure like the one in A.

AweG

Joined: 05 Dec 2016

Last visit: 27 Jun 2018

Posts: 89

Own Kudos:

114

[1]

Given Kudos: 184

Posts: 89

Kudos: 114

[1]

07 May 2018, 05:09

Kudos

Bookmarks

VERITAS SOLUTION
Probably the easiest decision point to assess first is the obvious subject-verb agreement choice between "cause" and "causes". Since that relative clause is modifying microorganisms (not genus!) the verb must be the plural "cause." This allows you to eliminate (B) and (C). Then note the other important decision point in many of these answer choices - the list at the end of the sentence. Choices B, C, and E, all improperly list the three items that should be in parallel form: in humans, other mammals, and birds so (E) can also be eliminated. And choice D illogically assigns "which cause digestive and respiratory infections" to all microorganisms, when the point of the sentence is to show that this particular type of microorganism, the arterivirus, is what causes those problems. Choice A commits none of these errors, and is correct.

VerbalBot

Non-Human User

Joined: 01 Oct 2013

Last visit: 04 Jan 2021

Posts: 18,829

Own Kudos:

986

Posts: 18,829

Kudos: 986

03 May 2023, 23:49

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.

1 2

Moderators:

GMATNinja

GMAT Club Verbal Expert

7443 posts

GMATNinjaTwo

GMAT Club Verbal Expert

231 posts

miag

189 posts