Pollution and degradation of the environment is, according to the comm

Question

Pollution and degradation of the environment  is, according to the commission's report, a matter of universal concern .

A. is, according to the commission's report, a matter of universal concern.

B. is, according to the report by the commission, a matter of universal concern.

C. is, according to the report of the commission, matters of universal concern.

D. are, according to the commission's report, universally a matter of concern.

E. are, according to the commission's report, a matter of universal concern

macjas · Answer

Use of AND: 
When AND is used to connect two nouns, the verb needs to be plural. 
Eg. Frank Zappa and Terry Bozzio are playing tonight at the Orange Peel.

Secondly, "of the environment" forms a prepositional phrase and as such, does not relate to the verb in determining the tense (hence, the use of "is" is incorrect here).

daagh · Answer

1.
D. are, according to the commission's report, universally a matter of concern. 
E. are, according to the commission's report, a matter of universal concern.

Universally is an adverb; can it modify a noun such as --- a matter? --- --no. Universal is an adjective. It can modify the noun -a matter- 
2
are, according to the commission's report, a matter of universal concern. 
are, according to the commission's report, matters of universal concern.

In formal writing, a plural or a compound subject requires plural object, I believe ‘. In less formal writing, ‘are a matter’ is passable, I suppose.

dindin890 · Answer

Why is it not matters of concern but a matter of concern when there are two subjects?

GMATNinja · Answer

Dindin890, it can definitely be a good idea to think carefully about whether the plural subject ("pollution and degradation") can be a (singular) "matter of concern." The GMAT does mess with that sort of thing sometimes.

However, it's not a hard-and-fast rule: a plural subject can sometimes combine to form a singular noun, under the right circumstances.

Steph, Draymond, and Klay are an outstanding team. (10 bonus points for anybody who knows who Steph, Draymond, and Klay are!) 
 Intellectuals, generals, and merchants form the ruling class in Pelmenistan.

So this can be OK, depending on the meaning of the sentence.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Pollution and degradation of the environment is, according to the comm

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Pollution and degradation of the environment is, according to the comm

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