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Sub 505 Level|   Subject Verb Agreement|                     
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 04 Oct 2017, 09:45
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Term "Diabetes, together with its serious complications" is plural so we have to use ranks. Had it been only "Diabetes" then sentence will be Diabetes rank as third......please note we are ranking based on "leading cause of death". E.g. you can rank any food items based on deliciousness.

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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 19 Oct 2018, 07:55
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer
(a) ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only
(b) rank as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(c) has the rank of the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(d) are the nation's third leading causes of death, surpassed only
(e) have been ranked as the nation's third leading causes of death, only surpassed

Subject -> Diabetes -> Singular

Remove the words between the 2 commas and then read it.

One will notice that a singular verb will follow singular subject, which is happening in two options a and c .

Now between 'a' and 'c', will it be surpassed only or only surpassed ??

Surpassed only in 'a' means that only two diseases will surpass diabetes, whereas in 'c' only surpassed means that there can be more diseases than the mentioned two.

Giving the answer as a
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 11 May 2019, 01:39
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GMATNinja EMPOWERgmatVerbal DmitryFarber

ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassing only

Why is verb-ing modifier wrong here?
Thank You
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 11 May 2019, 11:30
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mallya12
GMATNinja EMPOWERgmatVerbal DmitryFarber

ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassing only

Why is verb-ing modifier wrong here?
Thank You
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It doesn't actually make sense, because diabetes isn't "surpassing" only the other two causes of death. Instead, diabetes is surpassed by those other two causes.

More importantly: that's not actually one of the answer choices! So why worry about it?
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 14 May 2019, 01:50
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Darth_McDaddy
Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer

(a) ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only
(b) rank as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(c) has the rank of the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(d) are the nation's third leading causes of death, surpassed only
(e) have been ranked as the nation's third leading causes of death, only surpassed

Show Spoiler
I understand why the official answer is correct in the question and dont have a problem is that.
However my question is regarding the usage of surpassed only and only surpassed.
As per the OG explanation , "Placed before surpassed , only would more ambiguously limit surpassed."
I am not able to understand this.
To give an example , is there any difference in the following two sentences.

1. Diabetes ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.
2. Diabetes ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed by heart disease and cancer.

Kindly explain my doubt here !!!!
Show more

some verbs in english is considered LIGHT in that they need another action noun or verb to be complete semantically
there is
have
take
are the Light verb.

light verb "have" in choice C makes meaning unclear besides wordy. diabetes can have / own the rank . this is unclear meaning, a nature of light verb. choice C is gone
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 11 Jun 2019, 00:02
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer
Here "together with its serious complications"," ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death" and "surpassed only by heart disease and cancer" are modifying Diabetes. however, It is not a full sentence

for example :- George Bush, as well as Dick Cheney, are politicians ---- "are" is a linking verb used to make it a sentence .
:- George Bernard Shaw, as well as Mahatma Gandhi and River Phoenix, was a vegetarian-----"was"is a linking verb used to make it a sentence.


why there is no need of linking verb in this answer choice A) to make a complete sentence?

need help on this GMATNinja ChrisLele sayantanc2k EducationAisle
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 11 Jun 2019, 05:50
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Smitc007
Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer
Here "together with its serious complications"," ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death" and "surpassed only by heart disease and cancer" are modifying Diabetes. however, It is not a full sentence

for example :- George Bush, as well as Dick Cheney, are politicians ---- "are" is a linking verb used to make it a sentence .
:- George Bernard Shaw, as well as Mahatma Gandhi and River Phoenix, was a vegetarian-----"was"is a linking verb used to make it a sentence.


why there is no need of linking verb in this answer choice A) to make a complete sentence?

need help on this GMATNinja ChrisLele sayantanc2k EducationAisle
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Hi Smitc007,

Yes, surpassed is a modifier, but ranks is a verb here:
Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.

For example, in "the GMAT ranks ahead of the GRE...", ranks is the verb for the GMAT. More examples:

The economy ranks second in the latest surveys on the issues voters care about the most.
The students ranked the companies.
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 25 Oct 2019, 06:07
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer

(a) ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only
(b) rank as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(c) has the rank of the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(d) are the nation's third leading causes of death, surpassed only
(e) have been ranked as the nation's third leading causes of death, only surpassed

The singular noun Diabetes requires singular verb form. In this consideration, options B, D and E will go off.

We can see an unnecessary wordy expression (has the rank of) in option C.

Putting the word ‘only’ before the word ‘surpassed’ distorts the intended meaning of the sentence. This error is prevalent in options B, C, and E.

The correct answer is A.
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 19 Mar 2020, 04:16
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Darth_McDaddy
Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer

(a) ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only
(b) rank as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(c) has the rank of the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed
(d) are the nation's third leading causes of death, surpassed only
(e) have been ranked as the nation's third leading causes of death, only surpassed

Show Spoiler
I understand why the official answer is correct in the question and dont have a problem is that.
However my question is regarding the usage of surpassed only and only surpassed.
As per the OG explanation , "Placed before surpassed , only would more ambiguously limit surpassed."
I am not able to understand this.
To give an example , is there any difference in the following two sentences.

1. Diabetes ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer.
2. Diabetes ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed by heart disease and cancer.

Kindly explain my doubt here !!!!
Show more


(a) ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only - Correct
(b) rank as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed - Wrong: 1) SV 2) Modifier
(c) has the rank of the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed - Wrong: 1) Modifier 2) Wordy
(d) are the nation's third leading causes of death, surpassed only - Wrong: 1) 2 SV Issues
(e) have been ranked as the nation's third leading causes of death, only surpassed - Wrong: 1) 2 SV Issues 2) Meaning
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 25 Mar 2020, 19:37
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Take a moment to truly absorb the usage of ONLY.
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 13 May 2020, 20:54
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@sayantan2k daagh AjiteshArun generis GMATNinja egmat VeritasKarishma

What is 'surpassed' modifying here?

Since it should modify noun phrase it touches, it should be modifying 'cause of death'

And since

Cause of death = diabetes

Therefore surpassed is modifying diabetes right?

Can someone confirm?

Thanks!

Posted from my mobile device
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 14 May 2020, 00:48
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Although generally the past participle words such as surpassed (with or without a comma before) are supposed to logically modify the subject, normally GMAT has taken a technical stand that the 'ed' modifiers should only modify the noun or the noun phrase before. The reason for this weird logic is best known only to GMAT. In addition, in the Diabetes case, the word 'surpassed' has to jump over a verb to find its match Diabetes, which is a foul.

Therefore none of the choices is correct if one were to reason that 'surpassed' modifies the subject Diabetes. The take away is that GMAT urges us not to be fastidious about the modifier aspect of past participle modifiers.

My stand is that we shouldn’t unnecessarily get bogged down by something that GMAT itself does not care much about by putting the controversial point under the non-underlined part.

This question can be tacked by just the underlined part under the SV number agreements and the use of the limiting modifier ‘only’ and its scope of modification.
This is a rare case, where meaning analysis actually leads people astray.
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 26 Jun 2020, 14:50
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A. “Diabetes…ranks…” – good
a. “surpassed only by x and y” – good
B. “Diabetes…rank…” – no.
C. “Diabetes…has…” – good.
a. First part is wordier than A’s correponding piece
b. “…only surpassed by heart disease and cancer”
i. Only surpassed by x and y? Not diminished by x and y? Not exceeded by x and y?
ii. “Only” is modifying “surpassed”
1. We want the “only” to modifying the two diseases that the other disease (diabetes) passes
D. “Diabetes…are…” – no.
E. “Diabetes…have…” – no.
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 08 Jul 2020, 00:02
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Diabetes is the subject and is singular
(a) ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only - CORRECT ANSWER
(b) rank as the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed - singular subject
(c) has the rank of the nation's third leading cause of death, only surpassed - too wordy
(d) are the nation's third leading causes of death, surpassed only - singular subject
(e) have been ranked as the nation's third leading causes of death, only surpassed - singular subject
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 15 Jul 2020, 23:47
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VeritasKarishma GMATNinja

Please explain the usage of only I'm not able to understand how only changes meaning.

Posted from my mobile device
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 16 Jul 2020, 00:39
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saby1410
VeritasKarishma GMATNinja

Please explain the usage of only I'm not able to understand how only changes meaning.

Posted from my mobile device
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Let's solve two examples.
1. He drives only red car. ( Here, only is placed before red car. That means, he drives only that specific colored car, not does blue car or white car.)
2. He only drives car. (Only is placed before verb 'drives'. That means, he only drives, not does other sort of things like washing or maintaining his car.)


Check the original question.
Diabetes ranks.....surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. (Only is placed before other two diseases. There are three diseases. In terms of death, Diabetes is the third. Diabetes is surpassed only by other diseases.)

Diabetes ranks...., only surpassed by heart disease and cancer. (Only is placed before v-ed modifier 'surpassed'. Diabetes is only surpassed. No other event is taken place)
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation Updated on: 19 Jul 2020, 09:07
Originally posted by kornn on 18 Jul 2020, 19:30.
Last edited by kornn on 19 Jul 2020, 09:07, edited 2 times in total.
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Dear AnthonyRitz TheGMATCo GMATGuruNY DmitryFarber MartyTargetTestPrep AjiteshArun GMATNinja IanStewart,

Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer

I wonder whether "COMMA + Verb-ED" at the end of the sentence can apply to the SUBJECT of the preceding clause?

Some experts say "COMMA + Verb-ED" can only modify the preceding NOUN.
So, "COMMA + SURPASSED" modifies the nation's third leading cause of death.
(I've seen this reasoning has been used to reject some incorrect answers)

On the other hand, some experts say "COMMA + Verb-ED" (just like "COMMA + Verb-ING") at the end of the sentence can modify the SUBJECT of the preceding clause.
So, "COMMA + SURPASSED" modifies Diabetes
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 19 Jul 2020, 08:38
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varotkorn
Dear AnthonyRitz GMATGuruNY DmitryFarber MartyTargetTestPrep AjiteshArun GMATNinja IanStewart,

Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation's third leading cause of death, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer

I wonder whether "COMMA + Verb-ED" at the end of the sentence can apply to the SUBJECT of the preceding clause?

Some experts say "COMMA + Verb-ED" can only modify the preceding NOUN.
So, "COMMA + SURPASSED" modifies the nation's third leading cause of death.
(I've seen this reasoning has been used to reject some incorrect answers)

On the other hand, some experts say "COMMA + Verb-ED" (just like "COMMA + Verb-ING") at the end of the sentence can modify the SUBJECT of the preceding clause.
So, "COMMA + SURPASSED" modifies Diabetes
Show more

I'd simply invoke the rule that a participle phrase, at the end of a sentence, set off by a comma modifies the preceding clause and not the adjacent word.

Note that the closest noun is not "cause" but in fact "death" -- there is no way that this participle phrase modifies the closest noun. (You're arguing that it modifies the closest noun phrase; that is at least arguable.)
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 19 Jul 2020, 09:21
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AnthonyRitz

I'd simply invoke the rule that a participle phrase, at the end of a sentence, set off by a comma modifies the preceding clause and not the adjacent word.
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Dear AnthonyRitz,

OA : It can hardly be said that educators are at fault for not anticipating the impact of microcomputer technology: Alvin Toffler, one of the most prominent students of the future, did not even mention microcomputers in Future Shock, published in 1970.

However, in this OA, "published" modifies "Future Shock" (not the subject "Alvin Toffler").
Are both possible?
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Diabetes, together with its serious complications, ranks as the nation 19 Jul 2020, 09:30
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Dear AnthonyRitz,

Quote:
Many of the earliest known images of Hindu deities in India date from the time of the Kushan empire, fashioned either from the spotted sandstone of Mathura or Gandharan grey schist.

(A) empire, fashioned either from the spotted sandstone of Mathura or
(B) empire, fashioned from either the spotted sandstone of Mathura or from
(C) empire, either fashioned from the spotted sandstone of Mathura or
(D) empire and either fashioned from the spotted sandstone of Mathura or from
(E) empire and were fashioned either from the spotted sandstone of Mathura or from
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I've been told that sometimes OE is not perfectly precise.
However, in this instance, OE tries to say that COMMA + VERB-ED modifies the closest noun (as attached below).

I'm curious whether there are any other OAs in which COMMA + VERB-ED modifies the subject?
Attachments

COMMA + VERB-ED.PNG
COMMA + VERB-ED.PNG [ 92.96 KiB | Viewed 3983 times ]

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