OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONProject SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)
Quote:
The finding that senior citizens, unlike younger members of the population, tend to demonstrate relatively homogeneous sleep patterns
suggest that there is a narrower time range in which people past retirement age are able to fall asleep and stay asleep.
A)
suggest that there is a narrower time range in which
B)
and suggests that there is a narrower range of times in which
C)
suggest that there is a narrower range of times when
D)
have suggested that there is a narrower time range when
E) suggests that there is a narrower range of times in which
Don’t be fooled by the presence of the plural noun
patterns, which appears right before the underlined portion.
The real subject of the sentence is
the finding, singular.
• Split #1: subject verb agreementThe subject of the sentence is
finding, which means a
conclusion based on study.
The singular word
finding requires a singular verb.
Options A (suggest), C (suggest), and D (have suggested) incorrectly pair a plural verb with a singular subject.
(Option D also uses
have suggested, which is in a tense called
present perfect. That tense is okay in this situation, but we would never have to decide that issue: in this case, we have no way to decide whether present perfect is better than simple perfect.
A good summary of the present perfect tense is
here. Eliminate A, C, and D.
• Split #2: logic and meaning problemsOption B places the word
and before the word
suggests.First, now the word
finding seems to need two verbs: _____, and
suggests.
No verb exists in the first part of the sentence, but the word
and makes it sound as though there were such a "first" verb.
Second, the meaning is contorted.
This construction implies that senior citizens themselves (rather than their homogeneous sleep patterns) suggest that there is a narrower time range in which they can fall asleep.
Eliminate B
The correct answer is E.Option E more logically implies that senior citizens’ homogeneous sleep patterns shed light on the difference between how older and younger people fall asleep.
COMMENTSArunSharma12 and
iamdivs , welcome to SC Butler.
chaitralirr and
TheNightKing , good to "see" you again.
Most of these answers are outstanding. Nicely done.