devikeerthansr wrote:
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 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 THATPoint 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— questionableOption CThe 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 agreementOption 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 correctOption 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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