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24 Jun 2020, 00:27
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
75% (00:46) correct
25%
(00:55)
wrong
based on 302
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
The choice and treatment of subject matter, rather than careful attention to visual appearance, defines Realism as an artistic movement.
A) defines Realism as an artistic movement
B) define Realism as an artistic movement
C) define Realism to be an artistic movement
D) define Realism as being an artistic movement
E) defines the artistic movement that is Realism
24 Jun 2020, 00:31
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
THE PROMPT
THE OPTIONS
• The verb defines is singular.
• Subject and verb do not agree.
See Notes for a discussion of compound subjects.
Eliminate A
• define as is idiomatic
KEEP B
• define to be is not logical, either.
→ To define something is to "state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of" of a thing.
→ The thing whose nature is being described already exists.
The people who define the thing describe the thing as it is, as it exists—not as they might want the thing "to be."
Eliminate C
→ In such a case, being is not necessary. If you can say the same thing in fewer words, do so. (Concision.)
→ In part because being is not necessary, its use makes the sentence hella awkward.
• being is not logical in one possible interpretation
→ the sentence implies that the choice and treatment of subject matter are responsible for making Realism an artistic movement. But the more logical interpretation is that the choice and treatment of subject matter are defining characteristics of the Realist movement.
Eliminate D
• the artistic movement that is Realism is cumbersome, wordy, and a stylistic disaster
Eliminate E
The best answer is B
Notes
Compound subject that should be treated as singular?
Some nouns connected by and are singular, such as these ones:
peanut butter and jelly
spaghetti and meatballs
This little article, here discusses compound subjects.
→ The kind of compound subject described immediately above is very rare on the GMAT
→ many of these strange sunjects are too idiomatic and too controversial to test
→ From memory and a few hours' of review, I conclude that you will be "told" whether you're dealing with a "peanut butter and jelly" situation.
That is, the nonunderlined portion will tell you whether you are dealing with one of these weird "two-in-one" compound sunjects. Figure out from the verb whether the author believes that the weird-looking subject is singular or plural.
You will probably be tested on pronoun agreement.
I'm trying to teach you how to "read the tea leaves."
If nothing else in the sentence tells you whether a subject is compound, and that subject contains at least two nouns and the word "and," treat is as a plural subject.
JonShukhrat , your questions are good and your curiosity is refreshing.
First, I'm glad that your citation of OED reminded me to say this part, because a lot of us forget to say this simple piece of advice:
Do not rely on dictionaries for any sort of grammar help on the GMAT.
Seriously.
Not one dictionary.
Not even Longman's.
The GMAT is its own animal.
I have no idea why, for example, GMAC uses 1980's (with an apostrophe).
High level publications except the New York Times use 1980s (no apostrophe).
Furthermore, dictionaries give example sentences that are not necessarily grammatical on the GMAT.
-- This entry is the OED's definition of like: (3) Such as; for example.
-- The definition is here.
These examples come from OED in that definition:
→ the cautionary vision of works like Animal Farm and 1984
→ I guess it's important that he is into the same stuff as me, like cars and that kind of thing.’
OED's
Obviously, on the GMAT, don't pick a sentence that resembles those two.
Second, you asked:
So, can “the choice of subject matter” alone define Realism as an artistic movement? Or should both actions taken together define it?
As a matter of art history?
Well, I have a few semesters of art history under my belt and a deep passion for art.
From a layperson's perspective, my answer to your question is maybe.
The hallmark of Realism is its subject matter: ordinary human beings doing ordinary or banal things in ordinary situations.
The artists sought to represent familiar things in a fashion that was true to life.
The point of my posting this question was to help people learn strategy.
Have you all ever been told that these two words create a compound subject? (Doubtful.)
Would it be fair to expect that anyone had been told such a thing? (No.)
Is there another marker in the non-underlined portion that commits you to a singular or plural subject? (No.)
In these situations, choose what you know: the word and creates plural subjects.
In the official question that you mentioned, JonShukhrat , in the non-underlined portion, the author forces the singular IS on us.
She chose. That author chose. We are stuck with her singular verb and thus should be looking for singular pronouns.
In this question, the underlined portion does not give us a cue about, or commit us to, singular or plural.
Strategy? Treat the question exactly as many of you did:
NOUN and NOUN = a compound subject
COMMENTS
raunakd11 , welcome to SC Butler.
Nicely done, all. Kudos if you explained. Smiley faces if you kinda explained.
THE PROMPT
Quote:
THE OPTIONS
Quote:
• This subject is plural: The choice [of subject matter] and [the] treatment [of subject matter]
• The verb defines is singular.
• Subject and verb do not agree.
See Notes for a discussion of compound subjects.
Eliminate A
Quote:
• subject and verb agree
• define as is idiomatic
KEEP B
Quote:
• define to be is not idiomatic
• define to be is not logical, either.
→ To define something is to "state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of" of a thing.
→ The thing whose nature is being described already exists.
The people who define the thing describe the thing as it is, as it exists—not as they might want the thing "to be."
Eliminate C
Quote:
• being is not necessary. Remove it. No change in meaning.
→ In such a case, being is not necessary. If you can say the same thing in fewer words, do so. (Concision.)
→ In part because being is not necessary, its use makes the sentence hella awkward.
• being is not logical in one possible interpretation
→ the sentence implies that the choice and treatment of subject matter are responsible for making Realism an artistic movement. But the more logical interpretation is that the choice and treatment of subject matter are defining characteristics of the Realist movement.
Eliminate D
Quote:
• the plural subject does not agree with the singular verb defines
• the artistic movement that is Realism is cumbersome, wordy, and a stylistic disaster
Eliminate E
The best answer is B
Notes
Compound subject that should be treated as singular?
Some nouns connected by and are singular, such as these ones:
peanut butter and jelly
spaghetti and meatballs
This little article, here discusses compound subjects.
→ The kind of compound subject described immediately above is very rare on the GMAT
→ many of these strange sunjects are too idiomatic and too controversial to test
→ From memory and a few hours' of review, I conclude that you will be "told" whether you're dealing with a "peanut butter and jelly" situation.
That is, the nonunderlined portion will tell you whether you are dealing with one of these weird "two-in-one" compound sunjects. Figure out from the verb whether the author believes that the weird-looking subject is singular or plural.
You will probably be tested on pronoun agreement.
I'm trying to teach you how to "read the tea leaves."
If nothing else in the sentence tells you whether a subject is compound, and that subject contains at least two nouns and the word "and," treat is as a plural subject.
JonShukhrat , your questions are good and your curiosity is refreshing.
First, I'm glad that your citation of OED reminded me to say this part, because a lot of us forget to say this simple piece of advice:
Do not rely on dictionaries for any sort of grammar help on the GMAT.
Seriously.
Not one dictionary.
Not even Longman's.
The GMAT is its own animal.
I have no idea why, for example, GMAC uses 1980's (with an apostrophe).
High level publications except the New York Times use 1980s (no apostrophe).
Furthermore, dictionaries give example sentences that are not necessarily grammatical on the GMAT.
-- This entry is the OED's definition of like: (3) Such as; for example.
-- The definition is here.
These examples come from OED in that definition:
→ the cautionary vision of works like Animal Farm and 1984
→ I guess it's important that he is into the same stuff as me, like cars and that kind of thing.’
OED's
Obviously, on the GMAT, don't pick a sentence that resembles those two.
Second, you asked:
So, can “the choice of subject matter” alone define Realism as an artistic movement? Or should both actions taken together define it?
As a matter of art history?
Well, I have a few semesters of art history under my belt and a deep passion for art.
From a layperson's perspective, my answer to your question is maybe.
The hallmark of Realism is its subject matter: ordinary human beings doing ordinary or banal things in ordinary situations.
The artists sought to represent familiar things in a fashion that was true to life.
The point of my posting this question was to help people learn strategy.
Have you all ever been told that these two words create a compound subject? (Doubtful.)
Would it be fair to expect that anyone had been told such a thing? (No.)
Is there another marker in the non-underlined portion that commits you to a singular or plural subject? (No.)
In these situations, choose what you know: the word and creates plural subjects.
In the official question that you mentioned, JonShukhrat , in the non-underlined portion, the author forces the singular IS on us.
She chose. That author chose. We are stuck with her singular verb and thus should be looking for singular pronouns.
In this question, the underlined portion does not give us a cue about, or commit us to, singular or plural.
Strategy? Treat the question exactly as many of you did:
NOUN and NOUN = a compound subject
COMMENTS
raunakd11 , welcome to SC Butler.
Nicely done, all. Kudos if you explained. Smiley faces if you kinda explained.
NeverEverGiveUp11
Joined: 11 Jul 2018
Last visit: 17 Dec 2022
Posts: 69
Given Kudos: 267
Location: India
Schools: Tepper '23 (D)
GMAT 1: 640 Q48 V30
GMAT 2: 710 Q49 V38
Products:
24 Jun 2020, 00:44
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The choice and treatment of subject matter, rather than careful attention to visual appearance, defines Realism as an artistic movement.
Here subject is plural (choice and treatment) hence verb should be plural, Define.
A) defines Realism as an artistic movement
: S-V agreement error.
B) define Realism as an artistic movement
: Correct answer
C) define Realism to be an artistic movement
: Correct idiom is define X as Y
D) define Realism as being an artistic movement
: Use of being is incorrect here.
E) defines the artistic movement that is Realism
: S-V agreement error
Posted from my mobile device
Here subject is plural (choice and treatment) hence verb should be plural, Define.
A) defines Realism as an artistic movement
: S-V agreement error.
B) define Realism as an artistic movement
: Correct answer
C) define Realism to be an artistic movement
: Correct idiom is define X as Y
D) define Realism as being an artistic movement
: Use of being is incorrect here.
E) defines the artistic movement that is Realism
: S-V agreement error
Posted from my mobile device
