The three political parties that make up the Australian coalition

In my opionion the correct answer is A. The verb include agrees with "parties" and which correctly modifies "the Country Liberal Party".

Dear Navinder,

Excellent point, my friend! This lowers my opinion of the question even more. Yes, the "coalition" will include the fourth party. The sentence as it is written is illogical, because the "three parties" wouldn't now include a fourth.

Mike

i have a doubt here.

here we are talking about the coalition party, not the three parties and verb should be singular .

i think correct option should be one among D or E.

I agree with people thinking that the subject should be singular - the coalition.

It doesn't make sense three parties including another one as does the coalition including another one.

Any additional thoughts on this one?

Dear brs1cob & brunoprado,

I'm happy to respond.

Here's the OA of this abysmal question, choice (A):
The three political parties that make up the Australian coalition have been in alliance since 1922 and now include the Country Liberal Party, which was established in 1978 and is known for contesting every NTLA election since then.

The subject of the verb "include" is NOT the "coalition." Yes, "coalition" is a collective noun and would demand a singular verb, were it the subject of any verb. Here, "Australian coalition" is the direct object of the verb "make up," and a direct object of one verb never can be the subject of another verb.

Here's the grammar of the entire sentence:
The three political parties = main subject
that make up the Australian coalition = noun-modifying clause, modifies main subject
//have been in alliance since 1922 = main verb #1 (first branch of parallelism)
and
//now include the Country Liberal Party = main verb #2 (second branch of parallelism)
which = relative pronoun, opens a noun modifying clause that modifies "Country Liberal Party"; this relative pronoun is the subject of the noun-modifying clause
//was established in 1978 = clause verb #1 (first branch of parallelism)
and
//is known for contesting every NTLA election since then = clause verb #2 (second branch of parallelism)

Mike

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