Last visit was: 11 Jul 2025, 08:06 It is currently 11 Jul 2025, 08:06
Close
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.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
sjayasa
Joined: 02 May 2010
Last visit: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 31
Own Kudos:
178
 [29]
Given Kudos: 3
Schools:IU, UT Dallas, Univ of Georgia, Univ of Arkansas, Miami University
WE 1: 5.5 Yrs IT
Posts: 31
Kudos: 178
 [29]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
24
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
raghavakumar85
Joined: 28 May 2010
Last visit: 08 Feb 2012
Posts: 71
Own Kudos:
176
 [6]
Given Kudos: 21
Status:Prepping for the last time....
Location: Australia
Concentration: Technology, Strategy
GMAT 1: 630 Q47 V29
GPA: 3.2
GMAT 1: 630 Q47 V29
Posts: 71
Kudos: 176
 [6]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
mangamma
Joined: 25 Dec 2018
Last visit: 12 Jul 2023
Posts: 506
Own Kudos:
1,750
 [1]
Given Kudos: 994
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Finance
GMAT Date: 02-18-2019
GPA: 3.4
WE:Engineering (Consulting)
Posts: 506
Kudos: 1,750
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
amp0201
Joined: 24 Dec 2009
Last visit: 14 Aug 2013
Posts: 115
Own Kudos:
130
 [1]
Given Kudos: 3
Posts: 115
Kudos: 130
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Pretty easy.

Correct answer choice is C.

consumption - singular subject
hence verb - singular - triggers.
User avatar
daagh
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Last visit: 16 Oct 2020
Posts: 5,264
Own Kudos:
42,345
 [3]
Given Kudos: 422
Status: enjoying
Location: India
WE:Education (Education)
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,264
Kudos: 42,345
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
C is the obvious choice. Let us realize that consumption, a singular noun, is the subject that performs two functions namely triggering and causing, both of which must be mentioned in the singular third person verb forms namely triggers and causes.

This norm throws out A, B both using trigger and cause, D using triggers but cause and E using trigger but causes , leaving the indisputable C, which uses the right verb forms triggers and causes for both the functions .

Besides, the composition of the prepositional phrase bread products should not be changed as done in the given choices. It should be bread products through out and not either products or bread as expressed in B and D, additional reasons to disqualify them
User avatar
devashish
Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Last visit: 16 May 2021
Posts: 101
Own Kudos:
583
 [1]
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 101
Kudos: 583
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Straight C.

The Sentence structure should be :
Consumption often triggers [...], but also causes [...]

Only for Option C both the verbs 'Triggers' and 'Causes' are in agreement in number with the Singular Subject 'Consumption'
User avatar
mvictor
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 17 Jul 2014
Last visit: 14 Jul 2021
Posts: 2,126
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 236
Location: United States (IL)
Concentration: Finance, Economics
GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V30
GPA: 3.92
WE:General Management (Transportation)
Products:
GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V30
Posts: 2,126
Kudos: 1,249
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
manalq8
Consumption of bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth.

the key topic tested here is SV agreement.

meaning of the sentence:
Consumption of bread products - ed-noun modifier coming- made from ergot-infected grains
often triggers (since consumption is singular, verb must be in singular) severly debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene (strange to see a question from MGMAT in which the list is not properly connected)
but (but here does not introduce a new clause, but rather connects the two verbs triggers and causes)
also causes a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth.

a)bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in
verbs in plural for singular subject.

b)products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause significantly reduced
this one omits "bread", now we just have products; this is incorrect. + trigger + cause - same errors as in A.

c)bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction in
rectifies both errors in A. so this one looks good.

d)bread made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in
bread products, not bread.
second verb (cause) is in plural form, so no.

e)bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significantly reduced
trigger - plural form - out.

C is the best
User avatar
ydmuley
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Last visit: 01 Dec 2019
Posts: 809
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 199
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.5
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Consumption of bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth.

A) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in ====> dose --- should be causes
B) products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause significantly reduced ====> dose --- should be causes
C) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction in === > Correct use of triggers and causes
D) bread made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in ====> dose --- should be causes
E) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significantly reduced =====> Should be triggers

Hence, Answer is C
User avatar
hero_with_1000_faces
Joined: 02 Jan 2016
Last visit: 17 Mar 2025
Posts: 361
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 314
Status:Studying 4Gmat
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Entrepreneurship
GMAT 1: 590 Q37 V33
GPA: 4
WE:Law (Manufacturing)
Products:
GMAT 1: 590 Q37 V33
Posts: 361
Kudos: 142
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I have a doubt in the Correct answer choice "C", I understand it is the best answer, however I need to understand how is the parallelism correct in this.

By using "but" in this choice, the sentence demands a strict parallelism:

C) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction in

I think the underlined portion needs to be parallel, as "But" is used in this sentence; How is a adverb+gerund parallel with "A noun phrase" ? is this considered parallel ?
User avatar
AjiteshArun
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 15 Jul 2015
Last visit: 01 Jun 2025
Posts: 5,949
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 732
Location: India
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q83 V90 DI83
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V169
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 715 Q83 V90 DI83
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V169
Posts: 5,949
Kudos: 5,055
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
hero_with_1000_faces
I have a doubt in the Correct answer choice "C", I understand it is the best answer, however I need to understand how is the parallelism correct in this.

By using "but" in this choice, the sentence demands a strict parallelism:

C) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction in

I think the underlined portion needs to be parallel, as "But" is used in this sentence; How is a adverb+gerund parallel with "A noun phrase" ? is this considered parallel ?
It's actually two verbs that are parallel to each other here:

Consumption of bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction...

or

Consumption triggers X but also causes Y.

The X and Y are not particularly important. For what it's worth, both are nouns (symptoms and reduction).
avatar
visheshgarg01
Joined: 17 Aug 2020
Last visit: 13 Jun 2021
Posts: 7
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 145
Posts: 7
Kudos: 1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
anairamitch1804
VeritasKarishma

also cause a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth.
vs
also cause significantly reduced maternal bleeding after childbirth.

Is there any construction that is more preferred?

Also in construction "also cause significantly reduced maternal bleeding after childbirth." , should we discard it thinking that this construction employs consumption is causing maternal bleeding?
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 10 Jul 2025
Posts: 16,101
Own Kudos:
74,258
 [3]
Given Kudos: 475
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,101
Kudos: 74,258
 [3]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
visheshgarg01
anairamitch1804
VeritasKarishma

also cause a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth.
vs
also cause significantly reduced maternal bleeding after childbirth.

Is there any construction that is more preferred?

Also in construction "also cause significantly reduced maternal bleeding after childbirth." , should we discard it thinking that this construction employs consumption is causing maternal bleeding?

Which construction is correct depends on the context, on what you want to say.

A causes significant reduction in B - means A causes the reduction.
A causes significantly reduced B - means A causes B.

So yes, we should discard the second construction for the reason you mentioned.
User avatar
FazliddinKD
Joined: 11 Apr 2019
Last visit: 21 Oct 2024
Posts: 88
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 27
Location: Uzbekistan
Concentration: Finance, Accounting
GMAT 1: 660 Q50 V29
GPA: 3
WE:Investment Banking (Finance: Investment Banking)
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Consumption of bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in maternal bleeding after childbirth.

The question is purely Subject Verb Agreement issue

A) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in
B) products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause significantly reduced
C) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significant reduction in - Correct
D) bread made from ergot-infected grains often triggers severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also cause a significant reduction in
E) bread products made from ergot-infected grains often trigger severely debilitating symptoms such as muscle contractions, seizures and gangrene but, at a proper dose, also causes a significantly reduced
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,435
Own Kudos:
Posts: 18,435
Kudos: 953
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
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.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7349 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
235 posts