Researchers do not yet know how the direction in which people gaze

Question

Researchers do not yet know how the direction in which people gaze  when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is  determined by the brain.

A. when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is

B. when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - are

C. while trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - are

D. while trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is

E. when they are trying to answer a difficult question - rightward or leftward - are

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poojaarora1818 · Answer

Researchers do not yet know how the direction in which people gaze  when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is  determined by the brain.

A. when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is  Incorrect

B. when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - are Incorrect

C. while trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - are Correct

D. while trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is Incorrect

E. when they are trying to answer a difficult question - rightward or leftward - are Incorrect

Option C is a winner

TheBipedalHorse · Answer

"They" introduces pronoun ambiguity

Direction is singular

Option D correctly removes both the above errors

Posted from my mobile device

Vartika2525 · Answer

Can someone explain in detail why is the answer D and not C?

fdfd97 · Answer

The sentence is concerned with determining the direction in which people gaze, the direction is singular, hence "is" and not "are". So, Option D

mreynolds · Answer

The "they" refers to the people. But, it could technically also refer to the researchers. "D" removes that ambiguity.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Researchers do not yet know how the direction in which people gaze  when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is  determined by the brain.

A. when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is

Incorrect.

While this answer choice is grammatically correct, it is stylistically flawed. The pronoun  they  is ambiguous because it can refer to either  Researchers  or  people . There is another grammatically correct answer choice which is stylistically better than this one.

B. when they are trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - are

Incorrect.

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. The singular subject  direction  does not agree with the plural verb are.

What helps us identify this question as a Subject Verb Agreement question as well as identify this mistake is the following Stop Sign:

A long complex subject / long distance between the subject and the verb

C. while trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - are

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. The singular subject  direction  does not agree with the plural verb  are .

D. while trying to answer difficult questions - rightward or leftward - is

This answer choice is grammatically correct and stylistically superior to the original sentence because it is both clearer and more concise - the pronoun  they  in the original sentence is unnecessary and creates ambiguity.

E. when they are trying to answer a difficult question - rightward or leftward - are

Incorrect.

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. The singular subject  direction  does not agree with the plural verb  are .

What helps us identify this question as a Subject Verb Agreement question as well as identify this mistake is the following Stop Sign:

A long complex subject / long distance between the subject and the verb

Researchers do not yet know how the direction in which people gaze

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Researchers do not yet know how the direction in which people gaze

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards