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25 Feb 2020, 22:51
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B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
97% (00:35) correct
3%
(00:44)
wrong
based on 78
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Learning about how best to use social media, particularly with such complex issues, are challenging, but the marketing department have committed to a firm deadline to resolve these issues by the end of this quarter.
A) are challenging, but the marketing department have
B) is challenging, but the marketing department has
C) are challenging, but the marketing department has
D) is challenging, but the marketing department have
E) are challenging, but the marketing department had
A) are challenging, but the marketing department have
B) is challenging, but the marketing department has
C) are challenging, but the marketing department has
D) is challenging, but the marketing department have
E) are challenging, but the marketing department had
02 Mar 2020, 08:37
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Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
A: This answer choice features two instances of subject-verb disagreement; the plural verb "are" is used to refer to the singular verb phrase "Learning about how best to use social media", and the plural verb "have" is used to refer to the singular noun "marketing department". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
B: This answer choice maintains proper subject-verb agreement throughout the sentence. Thus, this answer choice is correct.
C: This answer choice repeats the subject-verb disagreement between "are" and "Learning...", seen in Option A. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
D: This answer choice repeats the subject-verb disagreement between "have" and "marketing department" seen in Option A. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
E: This answer choice repeats the subject-verb disagreement between "are" and "Learning...", seen in Option A. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.
The confusion, in this question, regarding the subject-verb agreement, stems from two sources. First, the confusion regarding the use of "are" stems from the fact that the verb is right next to the plural noun "issues". However, as the phrase "particularly with such complex issues" is between two commas, it provides extra information and the clause "is/are challenging" modifies the verb phrase "Learning how to...". Secondly, the confusion regarding the use of "have" stems from the use of the collective noun "marketing department"; remember, although a collective noun is comprised of multiple individual constituents, it is treated as a singular noun.
To understand the concept of "Extra Information Between Two Commas on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
To understand the concept of "Collective, Countable, and Uncountable Nouns on GMAT" you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
Raxit85
Learning about how best to use social media, particularly with such complex issues, are challenging, but the marketing department have committed to a firm deadline to resolve these issues by the end of this quarter.
A) are challenging, but the marketing department have
B) is challenging, but the marketing department has
C) are challenging, but the marketing department has
D) is challenging, but the marketing department have
E) are challenging, but the marketing department had
A) are challenging, but the marketing department have
B) is challenging, but the marketing department has
C) are challenging, but the marketing department has
D) is challenging, but the marketing department have
E) are challenging, but the marketing department had
A: This answer choice features two instances of subject-verb disagreement; the plural verb "are" is used to refer to the singular verb phrase "Learning about how best to use social media", and the plural verb "have" is used to refer to the singular noun "marketing department". Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
B: This answer choice maintains proper subject-verb agreement throughout the sentence. Thus, this answer choice is correct.
C: This answer choice repeats the subject-verb disagreement between "are" and "Learning...", seen in Option A. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
D: This answer choice repeats the subject-verb disagreement between "have" and "marketing department" seen in Option A. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
E: This answer choice repeats the subject-verb disagreement between "are" and "Learning...", seen in Option A. Thus, this answer choice is incorrect.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.
The confusion, in this question, regarding the subject-verb agreement, stems from two sources. First, the confusion regarding the use of "are" stems from the fact that the verb is right next to the plural noun "issues". However, as the phrase "particularly with such complex issues" is between two commas, it provides extra information and the clause "is/are challenging" modifies the verb phrase "Learning how to...". Secondly, the confusion regarding the use of "have" stems from the use of the collective noun "marketing department"; remember, although a collective noun is comprised of multiple individual constituents, it is treated as a singular noun.
To understand the concept of "Extra Information Between Two Commas on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
To understand the concept of "Collective, Countable, and Uncountable Nouns on GMAT" you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
02 Mar 2020, 09:53
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A sentence that should be knocked out in under a minute even on a bad day. This sentence essentially only tests whether you can judge what the subject of a clause is and whether a singular or plural verb should be attached to it (IS or ARE).
To the answer choices.
Learning about how best to use social media, particularly with such complex issues, are challenging, but the marketing department have committed to a firm deadline to resolve these issues by the end of this quarter.
A) are challenging, but the marketing department have
Learning is the subject. Learning... is — So this sentence is wrong out right out of the gate for using ARE. Of course, there is also the mistake in the word HAVE following marketing department as well.
B) is challenging, but the marketing department has
Learning...is Ok. Marketing department has... Seems good. Keep this, but eliminate the rest of the answer choices just to make sure.
C) are challenging, but the marketing department has
Nope. We need an IS to start this answer choice off with.
D) is challenging, but the marketing department have
Nope. We need a IS to follow marketing department.
E) are challenging, but the marketing department had
Wrong since there is no IS to start off with. And the use of HAD following marketing department is awkward as well. I daresay, it is because the first clause and the second need to be parallel tense-wise. Even if you said that is not necessarily true as a rule, the meaning of this sentence becomes quite awkward. You would essentially be saying that even though something is challenging, someone HAD committed to do something by the end of this quarter. On the GMAT the use of HAD generally refers to the first of two past events. We only have one in this entire situation.
To the answer choices.
Learning about how best to use social media, particularly with such complex issues, are challenging, but the marketing department have committed to a firm deadline to resolve these issues by the end of this quarter.
A) are challenging, but the marketing department have
Learning is the subject. Learning... is — So this sentence is wrong out right out of the gate for using ARE. Of course, there is also the mistake in the word HAVE following marketing department as well.
B) is challenging, but the marketing department has
Learning...is Ok. Marketing department has... Seems good. Keep this, but eliminate the rest of the answer choices just to make sure.
C) are challenging, but the marketing department has
Nope. We need an IS to start this answer choice off with.
D) is challenging, but the marketing department have
Nope. We need a IS to follow marketing department.
E) are challenging, but the marketing department had
Wrong since there is no IS to start off with. And the use of HAD following marketing department is awkward as well. I daresay, it is because the first clause and the second need to be parallel tense-wise. Even if you said that is not necessarily true as a rule, the meaning of this sentence becomes quite awkward. You would essentially be saying that even though something is challenging, someone HAD committed to do something by the end of this quarter. On the GMAT the use of HAD generally refers to the first of two past events. We only have one in this entire situation.
