The university pointed out their classes not happening regularly because of frequent student strikes as the major reason for lackluster results in the academic year.

A) their classes not happening regularly because of frequent student strikes as
B) their classes that did not happen regularly because of frequent student strikes as
C) that classes did not happen regularly because of frequent student strikes,
D) that classes that did not happen regularly because of frequent student strikes was
E) that classes not happening regularly because of frequent student strikes was


Source: CrackVerbal



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What is wrong with option C. I think "did not" is correct but I think comma is the problem,. AM I right ?

E : that classes not happening regularly ........... was
"not happening regularly" modifies "classes" right ?
so : ,,,,,that classes ,,,WAS ! ???how can we use "was " ?
what am I missing ?

m1033512 and mike2100 , maybe my explanation of E below will help.

I am not a fan of this question, although I admire the effort.
I am not convinced that (C) is wrong.
I also believe that the whole question inaccurately avoids the
issue of possessive use of gerunds . . . a subject that I shall leave alone,
as I have seen exactly two official questions that include the issue.

This question gets a lot easier when we add parentheses to answers D and E.

• Split #1: the verb "point out" needs to be followed by THAT
Point out in this context requires a THAT.
The university (administrators) are not "pointing out their classes."
They are pointing out something about their classes—namely, THAT the classes were infrequent.
Eliminate A and B

• Split #2 - Modifier / meaning inaccuracy— questionable
Option C
The university pointed out that classes did not happen regularly because of frequent student strikes, the major reason for lackluster results in the academic year.

"the major reason" is an appositive phrase, and it refers to strikes.

The major reason for lackluster academic results was student strikes.
I think that construction is reasonable.
Yes, the time sequence is
student strikes → infrequently held classes → lackluster academic results
. . . but do we really want to argue that students strikes are NOT the major reason for poor results?

I eliminated this option because I decided that the question was testing noun phrases. (C) tests modifiers.

• Split #3: Subject verb agreement
Option D in the sentence
The university pointed out that classes [that did not happen regularly because of frequent student strikes] was the major reason for lackluster results in the academic year

The subject is classes (that did not happen regularly . . .), plural.
Option D incorrectly uses the verb was, singular.

Eliminate D

• Why E is correct
Option E is correct but painfully awkward.
The subject of E is a noun phrase set off below in color.

The university pointed out that classes not happening regularly [because of frequent student strikes] was the major reason for lackluster results in the academic year.

The subject of the that-clause is classes not happening regularly.
The subject is a noun phrase and, more specifically, a gerund phrase.
-- See this post, here by Mike McGarry on gerund phrases as subjects.
-- HERE is another post on gerund phrases as subjects of a sentence.

Classes not happening regularly is a gerund phrase that behaves like a singular noun.

Switch the order to make the phrasal subject a little clearer:
The major reason for lackluster results in the academic year was [classes not happening regularly].

This construction can sound really strained.
Easier: The major reason for the platoon's punishment was infighting among the soldiers.
Switched: Infighting among the soldiers was the major reason for the platoon's punishment.

In the negative: The major reason for drought conditions was rain not falling as expected; officials failed to limit water use early enough.
Switched: Rain not falling as expected was the major reason for drought conditions.

Answer E, once again:
The university pointed out that classes not happening regularly [because of frequent student strikes] was the major reason for lackluster results in the academic year.

That sentence is correct.
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