Jawle Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970's, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts. A. has not significantly reduced the gaps existing B. has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists C. has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists D. have not significantly reduced the gap that exists E. have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing Here, shouldn't we consider the first phrase as the Subject Phrase? OA is D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawanjsvn Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 "Efforts" requires a plural verb "have". Eliminate A,B & C. E is wordy and long. D is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visgmat Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Agree with OA. E is wordy and distorts the meaning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
score800 Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 D it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jawle Posted October 4, 2005 Author Share Posted October 4, 2005 'Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal....". The phrase here is considered as a single noun (a major goal). In that case, don't I have to take 'has' instead of 'have'. Please correct me if I am missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pricha Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Agree with Pawan :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msinh Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 'Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal....". The phrase here is considered as a single noun (a major goal). In that case, don't I have to take 'has' instead of 'have'. Please correct me if I am missing something. major goal was to put efforts. This doesn't mean that subject is singular. major goal doesn't reduce the gap, its efforts which reduce the gap. D is the best choice. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskers Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 will go with D. Efforts needs plural verb have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramanathansankar Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 'Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal....". The phrase here is considered as a single noun (a major goal). In that case, don't I have to take 'has' instead of 'have'. Please correct me if I am missing something. This is a typical subject-verb agreement test question. Note that "a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970's" is a modifying phrase. The sentence can stand on its own without this phrase. The modifying phrase introduces a singular noun/subject (goal) that tends to undermine the significance of the actual noun/subject (Efforts). It is a good approach to eliminate the modifying phrase and to see what the subject really is and make sure that the verb follows the subject of the main clause and not that of the modifying phrase/clause. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcanIdo Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Hello could you please help me to understand what i missed: i chose (E) just because i assumed, that "efforts" couldn't reduce smth by themselves. Maybe someone's efforts...that's why i went with passive voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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