GMAT CLUB OLYMPICS: While childcare and education make up a considerab

Although all phrases attempt to convey the same meaning slightly differently, four of them have some agreement errors.

Firstly, A and C have the same error: the coordinate the subject 'costs' with the verb 'stems', not 'stem'.

Then, D is wrong because of a veryawkward usage of 'needing' at the end' instead of 'needed' in relation to housing.

E is wrong because of faulty agreeent again: the 'lion's share' for some reason 'are spent' there.

Therefore, we are left with the only correct option, which is B.

While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of child-rearing during a child's first few years, overall, it is the costs of additional housing, which largely stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, that makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period.

IMO B

A. While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost for child-rearing in a child's first few years, overall, it is the costs of additional housing, which largely stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, that makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period.

B. While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of raising a child during his or her first few years, additional housing, stemming largely from the need to have an extra bedroom, makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period.

C. Even though childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of raising a child during his or her first few years, the costs of additional housing, which in most cases stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, are the ones that make up the lion's share of the expenses incurred during the child-rearing years.

D. Childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost for the first few years of raising a child, but overall, the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period is that spent on additional housing, needing in most cases to have an extra bedroom.

E. The costs of childcare and education make up a considerable part of raising a child during his or her first few years, yet the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period are spent on additional housing, mostly because of the need to have an extra bedroom.

Reasoning
1. in A and C- use of plural costs for singular additional housing is wrong.
2. in E, lion's share is singular- use of 'are spent' is wrong
3. in D, 'needing in most cases to have an extra bedroom.'- very poorly framed. What is it trying to say?

Thus answer is B.

A. While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost for child-rearing in a child's first few years, overall, it is the costs of additional housing, which largely stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, that makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period.

“it is the costs… that makes up” – subject-verb disagreement
“cost of child-rearing” is idiomatic
“which largely stems” refers to “additional housing” rather than “the costs” as it should

B. While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of raising a child during his or her first few years, additional housing, stemming largely from the need to have an extra bedroom, makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period.

Seems free of errors since modifiers are placed correctly as far as I know.

C. Even though childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of raising a child during his or her first few years, the costs of additional housing, which in most cases stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, are the ones that make up the lion's share of the expenses incurred during the child-rearing years.

“are the ones” is a superfluous phrase. without it the sentence would read much more academic “the costs of additional housing… that make up”

D. Childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost for the first few years of raising a child, but overall, the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period is that spent on additional housing, needing in most cases to have an extra bedroom.

Adverbial modifier at the end of the sentence doesn’t make sense with its alleged subject “lion’s share of expenses”.

E. The costs of childcare and education make up a considerable part of raising a child during his or her first few years, yet the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period are spent on additional housing, mostly because of the need to have an extra bedroom.

“expenses… are spent” is illogical. “expenses” can’t be spent; they can be made. “the lion's share of the expenses” - have never seen “share” be tested by GMAT. Probably “share” is a singular noun as used in choice D.

So B

A. While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost for child-rearing in a child's first few years, overall, it is the costs of additional housing, which largely stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, that makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period. - costs is a plural subject, stems is singular - Incorrect!

B. While childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of raising a child during his or her first few years, additional housing, stemming largely from the need to have an extra bedroom, makes up the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period. Fixes all the mentioned errors, correct!

C. Even though childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost of raising a child during his or her first few years, the costs of additional housing, which in most cases stems from the need to have an extra bedroom, are the ones that make up the lion's share of the expenses incurred during the child-rearing years. - costs is a plural subject, stems is singular - Incorrect!

D. Childcare and education make up a considerable part of the total cost for the first few years of raising a child, but overall, the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period is that spent on additional housing, needing in most cases to have an extra bedroom.
Nonsensical meaning!

E. The costs of childcare and education make up a considerable part of raising a child during his or her first few years, yet the lion's share of the expenses incurred throughout the child-rearing period are spent on additional housing, mostly because of the need to have an extra bedroom. - lion's share - singular are is plural - incorrect!

IMO, (B)!

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