Test: Subject Verb Basic - GMAT MCQ

The subject of the sentence is "grooved and barbed spears of the box jellyfish," which is plural. Therefore, we need to use the plural form of the verb "to be," which is "are." Additionally, since the subject is referring to multiple spears, we also need to use the plural form of the verb "to release," which is "are released."

Therefore, the correct option is C: are released when the animal is threatened.

The correct answer is B: "my tutor and me is set for Friday, but my low grades in English require me to arrange an earlier."

Here's the breakdown of the sentence and why option B is correct:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject of the sentence is "my low grades in English," which is plural. Therefore, the verb "require" should also be plural. The correct form is "require," not "requires."

2. Pronoun Usage: The pronoun used to refer to the speaker and the tutor should be "my tutor and me" rather than "my tutor and I." In this sentence, the pronoun is the object of the preposition "between," so the objective case "me" is used instead of the subjective case "I."

3. Parallelism: The parallel structure of the sentence is maintained by using the same structure for both parts of the sentence before and after the conjunction "but." "My tutor and me" is parallel to "my low grades in English," and "require" is parallel to "is set."

Overall, option B corrects the subject-verb agreement, uses the correct pronoun case, and maintains parallelism in the sentence structure.

• Grammar and Subject-Verb Agreement:
The key to understanding why option D is the correct answer lies in understanding basic grammar rules, particularly those about subject-verb agreement. In English, the verb must always agree with the subject in a sentence. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.
• The Subject in the Sentence:
In this sentence, the subject is "challenges". As this is a plural noun, the verb that follows it must also be plural. Therefore, the verb "is" in options A and B is incorrect, while the verb "are" in options C and D is correct.
• The Verb in the Sentence:
The verb "associate" in option B and C is incorrect because it is not the appropriate verb to use in this context. The verb "associated" in option D is the correct verb to use because it means that the challenges are linked or connected with starting a new business.
• Correct Sentence Structure:
Option D, "are many challenges associated," follows the correct sentence structure in English grammar. It correctly uses the plural verb "are" to agree with the plural subject "challenges" and the verb "associated" to indicate a connection with starting a new business.

The correct answer is option C: "managers always hold us responsible for that team’s work".
Here is the breakdown of the explanation:
1. The subject of the sentence is "managers", which is plural.
2. The verb that agrees with the subject "managers" should also be plural. Therefore, we use the plural form "hold" instead of "holds".
3. The pronoun "us" refers to the development team, indicating that the managers hold the development team responsible for the work.
4. The phrase "that team's work" indicates that the managers are holding the development team responsible for the work completed by their team.
Hence, the correct sentence is "managers always hold us responsible for that team's work".

- In this sentence, we are describing a character's obsession with saving time and money. The noun "obsession" is modified by the possessive pronoun "whose," indicating that the obsession belongs to the character.
- The verb "is" connects the subject "obsession" with the adjective "absurd," describing the nature of the obsession. The singular form "is" agrees with the singular noun "obsession."
- The use of the possessive pronoun "whose" correctly indicates possession and ownership.
- The sentence is grammatically correct and effectively conveys the intended meaning.

Creating a filter: in this question, the construction "in which" may stand out. The answer choices show that "in which" and "when" are alternatives we must choose between. Both phrases, "in which" and "when," convey meaning accurately here. More of a problem is the phrase "in then Homo Sapiens' inhabited areas," an awkward string of words.

Applying the filter: (B) looks better and clear. Choice (C) has strange phrasing that leaves us uncertain whether the two groups are in the same area, as the sentence intends to say. Choice (D) has the same problem as (A). Choice (E) distorts the meaning of the sentence; the intended meaning isn't that any areas belonged to Homo Sapiens; we're talking about cohabitation. The correct answer is (B).

The pronoun one is singular and requires singular verbs. Do not be misled by the object of the preposition.

- The subject in the sentence is "the harmful effects of smoking on the respiratory system". As it is referring to multiple effects, the subject is plural in nature.Thus, we need a verb that agrees with a plural subject. In this case, the verb "are" should be used instead of "is".
- The verb "is" would be appropriate if the subject was singular. However, in this context, we are discussing multiple harmful effects. Therefore, "are" is the correct verb to use.
- Option A and B use "is" and "has" respectively, which do not agree with the plural subject. Therefore, they are incorrect.
- Option D states "are increasing in better documentation" which is grammatically incorrect and does not make sense in the context of the sentence.
- Therefore, option C: "are increasingly well documented" is the correct answer as it maintains subject-verb agreement and also keeps the intended meaning of the sentence intact.