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equal, equal to or the equivalent of ?


Taf

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Can anyone help me with the question below? Why are the other four answers wrong? I have two main questions (1) quadrillion gallions of water + singular or plural verb? (2) a volume of water equal to Lake Huron OR a volume of water equal to Lke Huron's?

 

* Since the 1940's the farms and ranges of the Great Plains have been supplied with water from the Ogallala aquifer, this underground reservoir contained an estimated quadrillion gallons of water, which equal Lake Huron, but now reserves are becoming depleted.

 

A) which equal Lake Huron

B) which equal Lake Huron's

C) equal to Lake Huron's

D) the equivalent of Lake Huron's

E) the equivalent of Lake Huron

 

Correct Answer: E

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I have two main questions (1) quadrillion gallions of water + singular or plural verb?
Singular. The rule is the following: When talking about amounts and quantities, use singular verbs, determiners and pronouns. NB: if it is quadrillions (millions, thousands, hundreds, tens etc), use plural. Verb refers to a number, not to a noun.

 

(2) a volume of water equal to Lake Huron OR a volume of water equal to Lke Huron's?
I guess you had a phrase like 'a friend of mine'/'a boyfriend of Ann's' in your mind; but it is only used when talking about human relationships. I would be happy with your first version, i.e. a volume of water equal to Lake Huron, or with a volume of water equal to that of Lake Huron.

 

Can anyone help me with the question below? Why are the other four answers wrong?
In the relative clause put in commas, you need a self-sufficient fragment that does not require a verb. A and B are not so: it would be correct if it were 'which is equal to (that of) Lake Huron'. C and D do not fit either, as it is not clear to which word the possessive 'Lake Huron's' refers - 'gallons of water'? 'reservoir'? or even 'aquifer'? IOW, C and D need one more noun. As such, E appears the only possible answer. It sounds better too. :)
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Thank you for your detailed explanations. But I still have questions. (1) Why is 'a volume of water equal to Lake Huron' correct? I understand that ' a volume of water equal to that of Lake Huron' is definitely correct. Should it be "a volume of water equal to a volume of water", rather than "a volume of water equal to Lake Huron" ? (2) So answers A and B are wrong simply becuase "equal" should be "equals" since " quadrillions of water" "IS" singular?

 

Thanks again

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A clause does not require a verb------?????????????
All right, it must have been 'phrase'. :) To be precise, it was not 'relative' either. At the risk of getting muddled up, I would say it was a reduced relative clause (it could have been 'which is the equivalent of L.Huron'). Anyway, 'phrase' fits fine.

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Thank you for your detailed explanations. But I still have questions. (1) Why is 'a volume of water equal to Lake Huron' correct? I understand that ' a volume of water equal to that of Lake Huron' is definitely correct. Should it be "a volume of water equal to a volume of water", rather than "a volume of water equal to Lake Huron" ?
I see what you mean: the word 'lake' does not seem to denote measurement, but in fact it does. I am afraid I cannot explain why words may acquire certain meanings.

 

I was thinking about other examples like that: e.g. Children playing in the hall made a noise equal to Niagara Falls. You transfer the characteristic (noise) to the subject (Niagara Falls). The same is true about volume of water and Lake Huron in your example. In the sentence we discuss, 'Lake Huron' is used to give a vivid example how huge must be the reservoir to contain a quadrillion gallons of water.

 

"a volume of water equal to a volume of water" is surely more precise but redundancy is not good from the stylistic point of view. You can only very rarely come across phrases like that.

 

(2) So answers A and B are wrong simply becuase "equal" should be "equals" since " quadrillions of water" "IS" singular?
Oh, NO! In A and B you need a verb; they just make no sense without it. As I put it before, A and B cannot make self-sufficient fragments, i.e. they are unclear and grammatically incorrect. B, C and D are especially wrong because of possessives. (You may want to read more about possessives in your grammar book.) To be grammatically correct in this particular sentence, answer options should be changed to:

 

A, B: which is equal to Lake Huron / which equals to Lake Huron

C. equal to Lake Huron (doubtful though)

D. the equivalent of Lake Huron (= E)

 

Hope this makes sense.

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Thanks again for the thorough explanation, Armie480. One last question,though, Is "equal" in answer A and B not a verb? For example, one plus one equals two (equal is a verb in this case). You seem to think that the answers A and B were wrong b/c they are lacking in verbs; you think it should be "which is equal to", rather than "which equal". But, I thought "equal" could be a verb too, couldn't it?

 

Thank you so much.

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Thanks again for the thorough explanation, Armie480. One last question,though, Is "equal" in answer A and B not a verb? For example, one plus one equals two (equal is a verb in this case). You seem to think that the answers A and B were wrong b/c they are lacking in verbs; you think it should be "which is equal to", rather than "which equal". But, I thought "equal" could be a verb too, couldn't it?

 

Thank you so much.

Hi Taf

 

Actually I got your point and accounted for the 'verb scenario' in my previous post when suggested that A and B could have been 'which equals to Lake Huron'. :) However it was imprecise, because the verb 'equal' is usually used like that - sth equals sth (without to).

 

IMO, 'quadrillion gallons of water equals Lake Huron' does not seem logical enough (what a strange equation! ;)). I've just thought of a shortened phrase; it sounds even more bizarre - 'gallons of water equal Lake'. :) Therefore I consider an adjective version more suitable for this sentence.

 

You may have your opinion on A and B; good that we've agreed on E! :)

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Thanks again. I totally agree with you. " quadrillion gallons of water equal Lake Huron" does sound weird.

 

There is something I don't know if I should mention. About quadrillion gallons of water is equal to OR are equal to. I understand your point. It's the amount of water that counts, so you think it should be "is equal to". However, my friend who got 780 on GMAT said it should be "are equal to" because "gallons" is the subject. I am not a native speaker so I really don't know. She is a native speaker too. Should we ask more people about this question? I am just very confused now.

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There is something I don't know if I should mention. About quadrillion gallons of water is equal to OR are equal to. I understand your point. It's the amount of water that counts, so you think it should be "is equal to". However, my friend who got 780 on GMAT said it should be "are equal to" because "gallons" is the subject. I am not a native speaker so I really don't know. She is a native speaker too. Should we ask more people about this question? I am just very confused now.
Well, then I would refer you to a good grammar book. Opinions may differ; so try an objective source. Or should I just swear I am right? :)
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When a subject is in the form "X of Y" and X is an expression of quantity, the verb agrees with Y.

 

Examples:

 

A lot of books are missing. -- The verb is plural because the subject is books, not lot.

 

Two thirds of the mixture is orange juice. -- The verb is singular because the subject is mixture, not thirds.

 

One half of the apples were eaten. -- The verb is plural because the subject is apples, not half.

 

Fifty gallons of water was spilled. -- The verb is singular because the subject is water, not gallons.

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