The rising of costs of data-processing operations at many financial in

Hi AjiteshArun EducationAisle

Thank you all for your insightful points of view.

Nevertheless, I am still not able to understand the question yet. My problem here is that, even though I realize how quirky "The rising of costs" sounds, in my humble opinion, is the only option correctly addressing the subject of the sentence.

What is creating the opportunity? "The cost" or "The rising"? It is not logical that costs per se are creating any opportunity, therefore the subject of our sentence is "The rise" and only in option a) we would find "The rise" functioning as the subject.

Please, correct me if there is something wrong in my reasoning.

Subject verb agreement only fits fine in answer choice C.

We should consider the rising cost to be one unit. That is, we're not looking at cost, but at rising cost. This is the same as restricting ourselves to a cost that is rising. The sentence says that such a cost has created a growing opportunity for independent companies.

In other words, if you asked these independent companies what has benefited them, they could say "the rising cost of data-processing operations at financial institutions (our clients)."

I'm not sure I've answered your question, but please do let me know if I missed something in your question. I'm also putting one more sentence (from an official question) down below. Let me know how this one sounds. That will tell us whether it's just one question that we're working on, or something more general.

Declining values for farm equipment and land are going to force many lenders to tighten or deny credit this spring. (from here)

Totally understood now, Rising modifies Cost therefore we are only referring to those costs that go up, which are the ones currently modifing the clause.

Thanks for your help!

Correct BunuelWannabe.

Grammatically, the difference is:
(i) Rising cost: Rising is used as an adjective (participle), modifying cost. So, cost is the subject
(ii) The rising of costs: Rising is used as a noun (gerund, as you mentioned in your earlier post). So, rising is the subject

As mentioned in my earlier post, if the intent is to depict rising as a noun, I would have preferred a pure-play noun rise.

Meaning-wise, the difference is:
(i) Rising cost: Costs that are in the process of rising (as Ajitesh mentioned)
(ii) The rising of costs: Does not explicitly suggest that the process of rising is still underway. In fact, it suggests that the rise itself (and not the process of rising) is being discussed.

For this question, a case can be made for either (i) or (ii); however, also notice that (A) and (C) also differ in costs vs cost. Since we have cost in the non-underlined portion (lower cost), it would be preferable to go with cost in the underlined portion as well.

The rising of costs[/u] of data-processing operations at many financial institutions has created a growing opportunity for independent companies to provide these services more efficiently and at lower cost．


(A) The rising of costs -long and awkward as compared to C.

(B) Rising costs - SV doesn't agree in nos. (costs vs has)

(C) The rising cost -SV agree , correct.

(D) Because the rising cost - sentence meaning is distorted, "because the rising cost......did what? we need because X, Y (need subject)

(E) Because of rising costs - same as D.

Kudos !!

The rising of costs of data processing operations at many financial institutions has created a growing opportunity for independent companies to provide these services more efficiently and at lower cost.

A. The rising of costs
B. Rising costs
C. The rising cost
D. Because the rising cost
E. Because of rising costs

First point, choice D and E are fragments; they are simply subordinate clauses without a main clause and therefore are out.

The verb is the singular 'has created' in the non-underlined part in tandem, the subject has to be singular; therefore, B is out.
Between A and C, the use of the term 'rising' as an adjective of the cost is much better than the rising of costs, a gerundial noun.

Dont understand why Option B is incorrect

Hi Bhavya, in B, costs (plural) is the subject and hence, it does not match with the singular verb has.

The rising of costs of data-processing operations at many financial institutions has created a growing opportunity for independent companies to provide these services more efficiently and at lower cost．

As per my understanding, the best way to answer this question is to focus on "has". Now since "has" is present, which is the verb in the sentence, look out for a subject that is singular.

The rising cost --> this is the subject and it has to be singular, therefore A, B and E are eliminated.

Between C and D:

D: Because the rising cost : now complete the sentence.
It says because the rising cost has done something, second part--> something should have happened, but there is nothing for the second part of the sentence which justifies the use of Because.

Hence C is the only correct answer.

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Grammatical Construction

A:
1/ The sentence formed by this answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "costs" with the singular verb "has created".

B:
1/ The sentence formed by this answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun "costs" with the singular verb "has created".

C: Correct.
1/ The sentence formed by this answer choice correctly refers to the singular noun "cost" with the singular verb "has created".
2/ Option C acts upon the independent subject "The rising cost" with the active verb "has created" to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence.

D:
1/ This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; the use of "Because" forms a dependent clause, meaning the resultant sentence lacks an independent subject.

E:
1/ This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; the use of "Because" forms a dependent clause, meaning the resultant sentence lacks an independent subject.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

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