The list of animals that exhibits a preference of either using the rig

Much like Monday's QOTD, this one has a nice idiom... that really doesn't matter. Should it be "preference of", "preference to", "preference in", "preference for", or "preference as"? Answer: who cares? We have lots of parallelism and subject-verb to deal with first.

The list of animals that exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.


"...list of animals that exhibits": the animals exhibit, not exhibits. Plus, the parallelism is wrong here, too: "either using... or the left hand." Eliminate (A).



The parallelism is better, but the subject-verb agreement is still wrong. Eliminate (B).


Same parallelism error as in (A). (C) is gone, too.


Subject-verb looks good, and so does the parallelism. Keep (D).


Same parallelism error as in (A) and (C). (E) is gone, and (D) is the answer.

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is the key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the list of animals that exhibit a preference for using either the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.

Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Idioms

• “neither A nor B” and “either A or B” are idiomatic uses and are only used when referring to two elements; A and B must be parallel.
• The infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + include" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose or intent of an action.

A: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "animals" with the singular verb "exhibits". Further, Option A fails to maintain parallelism between A ("using the right hand") and B ("the left hand") in the idiomatic construction "either A or B"; remember, “neither A nor B” and “either A or B” are idiomatic uses and are only used when referring to two elements; A and B must be parallel.

B: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "animals" with the singular verb "exhibits". Further, Option B alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "and includes"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the list of animals has been expanded, and as a separate action includes the lower vertebrates; the intended meaning is that the list of animals has been expanded for the purpose of including the lower vertebrates.

C: This answer choice fails to maintain parallelism between A ("using the right hand") and B ("the left hand") in the idiomatic construction "either A or B"; remember, “neither A nor B” and “either A or B” are idiomatic uses and are only used when referring to two elements; A and B must be parallel.

D: Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun "animals" with the plural verb "exhibit". Further, Option D uses the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + include" in this sentence), conveying the intended meaning - that the list of animals has been expanded for the purpose of including the lower vertebrates; remember, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + include" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose or intent of an action. Additionally, Option D maintains parallelism between A ("the right") and B ("the left hand") in the idiomatic construction "either A or B".

E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "and includes"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the list of animals has been expanded, and as a separate action includes the lower vertebrates; the intended meaning is that the list of animals has been expanded for the purpose of including the lower vertebrates. Further, Option E fails to maintain parallelism between A ("using the right hand") and B ("the left hand") in the idiomatic construction "either A or B"; remember, “neither A nor B” and “either A or B” are idiomatic uses and are only used when referring to two elements; A and B must be parallel.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Either-Or" and "Neither-Nor" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Another important split is the use of correct parallelism of correlative conjunction ‘either – or’
Only B and D use the correct parallelism of using ‘either the right hand or left hand.’ Then B is wrong because of ‘exhibits’

Hi papua,

'that' in this sentence refers to 'animals' not 'the list'. You have correctly said that 'animals' cannot be expanded so the subject for the verb 'has been expanded' should be 'the list'. On the similar lines, we can say that 'the list' cannot exhibit preference for using either the right hand or the left hand. So, the subject for the verb exhibit/exhibits should be the one that can exhibit this preference. Hence, 'that' refers to animals.

Let’s understand the structure and meaning of the sentence:

• The list of animals
o that exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot)
• has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.


MEANING

• This sentence tells us about a list of animals. This list has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.
• These animals exhibit a preference for using either the left hand or the right hand.

Note that, if ‘that’ refers to ‘the list’, then the meaning of the sentence will become the list exhibits a preference for using the left or the right hand. This does not make sense.



OPTION A

1. The singular verb ‘exhibits’ does not agree with the plural ‘that’, since ‘that’ here refers to ‘animals’.
2. ‘preference of’ is incorrect idiomatic usage.


OPTION B

1. The singular verb ‘exhibits’ does not agree with the plural ‘that’, since ‘that’ here refers to ‘animals’.
2. ‘…has been expanded and includes…. ’ does not convey the intended meaning. It should be ‘…..has been expanded to include…. ’, since the purpose of expanding the list was to include the lower vertebrates.


OPTION C

1. ‘preference in’ is incorrect idiomatic usage.
2. The structure ‘either using the right or the left hand’ is not parallel. The structure that follows ‘either’ should be similar to the structure that follows ‘or.


OPTION D

‘Preference for’ is correct usage.
‘using either the right or the left hand’ maintains parallelism.


OPTION E

1. ‘…has been expanded and includes…. ’ does not convey the intended meaning. It should be ‘…..has been expanded to include…. ’, since the purpose of expanding the list was to include the lower vertebrates.
2. ‘preference as to’ is incorrect idiomatic usage.
3. The structure ‘either using the right or the left hand’ is not parallel. The structure that follows ‘either’ should be similar to the structure that follows ‘or.


Hope this helps!
Manyu

An important bunch of rules that will come in handy.. I guarantee

One of the X's that/who <plural>
One of the X's <singular>
Only one of the X's <singular>
Only one of the X's that/who <plural>
The only one of the X's that/who <singular>


C D and E perfectly follows the above rule - The list of animal's that exhibit <plural>
Using POE u can easily arrive at D
Preference for - idiomatic

Hope this helps

1. The first split : The LIST ...............has been expanded TO INCLUDE.........
Thus B n E disappears in thin air.

Left with A / C / D

2. The 2nd split : ........ Animals ( Plural ) THAT.......Exibit ( Plural Verb )
Thus A goes off

Left with C n D

3. The 3rd split : Either X.........OR.......Y

C : ...................either using the right or the left hand : Parallelism Broken

D : ...................either the right or the left hand : Parallelism Intact

Leading to D - my take

Hello Arpit,


Thank you for the PM. I will be glad to help you resolve your doubt.

Let's get the original sentence here:

The list of animals that exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.

(Blue = subject, green = verb)

In the above-mentioned sentence, the noun modifier that modifies the immediate preceding noun animals because animals can show a preference in using either right ot left hand. A list cannot show this preference. The logic makes the modification clear.

Since that refers to the plural noun animals, use of singular verb exhibits for that is incorrect.

Please note that a noun in a prepositional cannot act as the subject of a clause. This is the ONLY limitation on a noun entity preceded by a preposition. A pronoun and a modifier can very well refer to a noun preceded by a preposition.

And yes, list is a singular noun. Hence, it uses singular verb has been included. The plural of list is lists.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Split it into Clauses:
1) The list of animals...........has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates. SV agrees here

2) that exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e., claw, paw, or foot). SV agreement error. Here that refers to the plural animals. So verb should be in exhibit. Either X or Y is not properly used in this sentence. (X-using the right is not parallel to Y- the left hand)



Leading to Answer D.

Preference for is definitely best, you do not want to say "Preference in" would be used in a sentence such as " The preference in the office is to work for the investment group.

"Preference for", The office has a preference for donuts.

Try to realize though that animals cannot "preference in using there claws". As a native speaker its easy but I can definitley see how its confusing, hope that helps!

Choice D:

The list is singular and hence needs a singular verb - has been expanded

that refers to the preceding noun - animals - plural and hence we need a plural - exhibit -

Idiomatic usage - either X or Y - X and Y to be parallel


The list of animals that exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.

a. exhibits a preference of wither using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include

- Subject-Verb agreement error & incorrect usage of the idiom - --> Correct usage would be: using either the right or the left OR either using the right or using the left -


b. exhibits the preference to use either the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded and includes -

- Subject-Verb agreement error and distortion of the meaning - the list has been expanded with a purpose - intention to include - here the subject "The list" has 2 verbs which is different from the intended meaning.


c. exhibit a preference in either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include

- incorrect usage of the idiom

d. exhibit a preference for using either the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include

- Correct Choice. Corrects all the previous error. Unambiguous meaning.

e. exhibit the preference as to either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded and includes

- Same error as B "and includes" and incorrect usage of the idiom

to solve it i used:

The list (of animals that exhibit XXX)

has been expanded (to include XXXX).

The list of animals that exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include the lower vertebrates.

Here the split comes to clarity in meaning and parallelism issues.

a. exhibits a preference of either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include...Incorrect

1- 'exhibits' implies that 'the list' has 'preference' which is nonsensical meaning

2- Parallelism issue: it should be 'either using .......or using ....' or 'using either........or........'

b. exhibits the preference to use either the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded and includes....Incorrect

1- same meaning problem as in A

2- 'The list.......has been expanded and includes'...the structure implies that two actions in sequence while the meaning is show Why the list has been expand. It is IN ORDER TO include.

c. exhibit a preference in either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include......Incorrect

1- Same parallelism issue as in A

2- It worth mentioning that 'exhibit' refers to animal which have preference. It is right meaning.

d. exhibit a preference for using either the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded to include...Correct

The sentence is error- free in term of meaning and parallelism.

e. exhibit the preference as to either using the right or the left hand (i.e. claw, paw, or foot) has been expanded and includes.......Incorrect

1- Same parallelism issue in A

2- Same problem in meaning in point 2 in B

I doubt that anybody here is interested in the actual substance of the sentence, but this is kind of interesting: it turns out that most blue whales are right-handed, but some species of kangaroo tend to be left-handed. Some cats are lefties and others are righties, but about 10% of cats are "just cats." I don't know what that means.

Anyway, if you need a break from grammar and want to read about "handedness" in animals, here you go: https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/21/world/wha ... index.html

Prashant10692

A context from this post might be useful.

When that is used a noun modifier, it can refer to a singular as well as a plural noun entity as we saw in the case of the two official sentences that you solved.

When that is used just as a pronoun, then it only refers to a singular noun entity.

1. The basic logic is that a list doesn't show any preference, whereas the animals can display a preference. Therefore, it is the animals that exhibit and not the list that exhibits.
2. Pl also see this difference:
A. A singular subject noun of a plural object noun only takes a singular verb. Ex: The list of animals shows lions and tigers
B. A singular subject noun of a plural object noun followed by 'that' takes a plural verb Ex: the list of animals that show aggression
The topic under question is of the B type.

adkikani is correct in his spoiler! "Animals" is NOT the subject of the entire sentence, but it is the noun that "performs" the verb following "that": "animals that exhibit" is correct, not "animals that exhibits." See my explanation above for more: https://gmatclub.com/forum/qotd-the-lis ... l#p1861953.

And welcome to GMAT Club!!!

Hello AbhishekDhanraJ72,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the modified version of Option E is still incorrect.

The use of the phrase "and includes" incorrectly implies that the list has been expanded, and as a separate action includes the lower vertebrates; the intended meaning is that the list has been expanded for the purpose of including the lower vertebraes; remember, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + include" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose/intent of an action.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team