KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

(D)

Step 1: Read the Original Sentence Carefully, Looking for Errors

The underlined text begins with the plural pronoun “they,” which correctly refers to “snowflakes.” What follows is a list, so check that all items in the list are in parallel form. In fact, they are: “they are . . ., they do not have . . ., they . . . constitutes” share a subject-plus-verb structure. However, the last verb, “constitutes,” does not agree with the plural pronoun “they.” (The phrase between the dashes, “along with ice,” does not create a compound and thus plural subject.) Therefore, this sentence is incorrect as written.

Step 2: Scan and Group the Answer Choices

While (A), (D), and (E) begin with “they,” the other choices begin with “it.”

Step 3: Eliminate Choices Until Only One Remains

Since (A) has the subject-verb agreement error noted in step 1, eliminate it. Since (B) and (C) begin with the wrong pronoun to represent “snowflakes,” eliminate both of these choices as well.

Now read (D) and (E) in parallel. They differ after the first comma, where (D) has “all have” while (E) uses “all has.” The pronoun “all” represents “snowflakes” and is thus plural, so the plural verb “have” is needed. Eliminate (E) and read (D) back into the sentence:

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.
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My answer is (D). It took me 01:22.

(A) It is incorrect to pair subject "they" (Plural) with "constitutes".
(B) "it is not white" should be “they are not white". There is simply no singular noun (to serve as the antecedent) in "The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes".
(C) See above.
(E) "all has exactly six sides" should be "all have exactly six sides".

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.


A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes
they + plural verb

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute
snowflakes is plural. and it has no antecedent

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes
snowflakes is plural. and it has no antecedent

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute
No Remarks

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes
S-V agreement error

IMO D
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IMO D

A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes --> constitutes is singular verb but we are referring to plural snowflakes hence wrong

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute --> it referring back to snowflakes is wrong

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes --> same as A

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes -->same as A

Posted from my mobile device

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.


A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes
'they constitutes' is incorrect

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute
'it' has no antecedent

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes
'it' has no antecedent

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute
Correct

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes
'all has' is incorrect.

Choice D is the answer.

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.


A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes Incorrect

all uses redundant
SV error - they plural, constitutes singular

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute Incorrect

snowflakes plural, so it uses wrong

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes Incorrect

same as B

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute Correct

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes Incorrect

all plural, has uses wrong
snowflakes plural, it uses wrong

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.

A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes -> "constitutes " is incorrect. We need "constitute".

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute -> we need plural pronoun, "it" is incorrect.

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes-> Same as B.

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute -> Pronouns are better placed and no error as such. Let's keep it.

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes -> Same as B.

So, I think D

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.

Pre-thinking: Subject-verb agreement between subject snowflakes and verb constitute. Plural subject takes plural verb.

A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes
Plural subject snowflakes takes plural verb constitute. Drop Option A.

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute
Plural subject snowflakes takes plural pronoun 'they'. Drop Option B.

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes

IMO Answer should be Option D.
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imo D ..
The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.

snowflakes is plural : So we need plural pronoun

A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes
- SV error

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute
- SV error

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes
- SV error

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes
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IMO D

The visiting lecturer presented some lesser-known facts about snowflakes: for example, they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes about 75 percent of Earth’s freshwater.

Subject is plural so we can see 2:3 split here (they vs it)
Eliminate (B) and (C)

A. they are not white, they have exactly six sides, they do not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitutes

B. it is not white, all snowflakes have exactly six sides, not all snowflakes have a unique pattern, and snow—along with ice—constitute

C. it is not white, it has exactly six sides, not all of it has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute
Correct

E. they are not white, all has exactly six sides, not all has a unique pattern, and it—along with ice—constitutes

Why do we utilize pronoun "they" after the Oxford comma?
If it is the same list, then "they" at the beginning of the list is sufficient, is not it?
In case of two ICs, where is"and" between "all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern"

D. they are not white, all have exactly six sides, not all have a unique pattern, and they—along with ice—constitute...