OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONProject SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2)
Quote:
There are currently 192 states with representatives in the United Nations assembly, which annually meets several times a year.
A) There are currently 192 states with representatives in the United Nations assembly, which annually meets several times a year
B) There is currently 192 states with representatives in the United Nations assembly, which meets several times a year
C) In the United Nations assembly, which has its meetings several times annually, there are currently representatives from 192 states
D) In the United Nations assembly, which meets several times a year, there are currently representatives from 192 states
E) In the United Nations assembly, which meets several times a year, there is currently 192 state representatives
• Overview→ Beware
There is and
There are.GMAC does not use these words all that often, but when you see them, start looking for a singular / plural issue.
The subject comes after the verb (and after the word
there). The verb must match that delayed subject.
See #9 on this short page about subjects and verbs from Purdue OWL (
a very good writing resource),
HERE.
Correct: There
are representatives from all over the world at the UN.
Wrong: There
is representatives from all over the world at the UN.
→ RedundancyWhen redundancy is glaring, at the least flag the option as Probably Wrong.
→ Answers whittled down to two? Look for small differences.
• states with representatives vs. representatives?
The difference in wording among the options is mostly a red herring.
(In my opinion, the wording is 100% a red herring, but the moment I write such words, I will inspire quibbles.)
In international foreign relations parlance,
states can indeed be present, as can their representatives.
You would have no way to know that fact and if you were not 100 percent certain, you would look for another error.
• Split #1: There is/ There areIn sentences that begin with
there is and
there are, the subject is
not the word "there."
The subject follows the verb.
The verb must agree in number with the delayed subject.
The words
states and
representatives are plural and should be paired with the plural verb
are, not the singular verb
is.
Correct: There are 192 states with representatives . . .
Correct: There are 192 representatives.
Options B and E incorrectly use singular verbs that do not match those options' plural subjects.
Eliminate B and E
• Split #2: RedundancyTypically, I tell you to wait to eliminate an answer on the basis of redundancy.
So let's pretend that you have read A, C, and D.
Now you are comparing them.
Option A contains fairly glaring redundancy in its concomitant use of
annually and
a year.
→
annually means
every year, or
per year→
a year also means
per yearIn option A,
annually and
a year create glaring redundancy.
Remember: we have eliminated the two worst choices. Now we must choose among the top three.
Options C and D do not contain the redundancy evident in option A.
Keep those two and eliminate option A.
ELIMINATE A
• Split #3: Concision and active voice are preferredIn options C and D, the really big difference between them comes down to each option's verbs.
C:
which has its meetingsD:
which meetsWhich one is better than the other? Think about concision and effective, strong verbs.
Option D's
which meets is more forceful and active than option C's
which has its meetings.
Strong verbs trump weak verbs.
Meets is much stronger than
has its meetings.
Option D's verb also contains two fewer words. Concision really is a thing.
Eliminate C.
The best answer is D.COMMENTSYou all handled yourselves well: if you ended up with A, C, and D, you had three grammatical options.
Strong verbs are preferred to flabby verbs.
Descriptive, active verbs are the sine qua non of good writing in English.
Most of these answers are very good; a few of these answers are outstanding.
Very. Well. Done.