<p>I came across a question in CB online course that has 2 wrong answer choices. The question reads: No one (travels on) the expressways that circle our cities can help (but noticing) the (growing) number of junkyards that (defile) the beauty of the countryside. E no error. Choice B is definitely wrong since it should be notice. However, does not the verb defile agree with the "number" which is singular? I think the verb defile should change to defiles. What do yoy guys think?</p>
<p>Sent from my SHV-E160K using CC</p>
<p>The verb “defile” is referring to the subject “junkyards”, not “number”. Choice B is incorrect because it should be “can help but notice”</p>
<p>but the sentence says “the growing number of junkyards”</p>
<p>Sent from my SHV-E160K using CC</p>
<p>The number of people who sleeps more than 9 hours ‘is’ quite small.</p>
<p>Sent from my SHV-E160K using CC</p>
<p>Yes, and the subject of the sentence is “junkyards”, so the verb should be describing the junkyards. “number” is just a word to describe the junkyards.</p>
<p>First of all, before you accuse College Board of making errors, you should copy the question down correctly. It is</p>
<p>No one WHO (travels on) the expressways that circle our cities can help (but noticing) the (growing) number of junkyards that (defile) the beauty of the countryside. E no error. </p>
<p>You’ve obviously been taught that idiomatically, THE NUMBER OF takes a SINGULAR VERB TENSE, and A NUMBER OF takes a plural tense…so your question is indeed valid…You see, that’s why College Board charges you almost 100 dollars for these online tests and deliberately makes the questions harder, so that you get even more confused and spend even more money…I’ve seen a number of trick questions like these even on the real tests…</p>
<p>like…a diamond has physical properties that (make/makes) it…
a reef of the corals that (was/were) once green…
Having thick fur and wool that (keeps/keep)</p>
<p>A GROWING NUMBER OF JUNKYARDS (THAT) DEFILE/DEFILES</p>
<p>Technically, you’re thinking that A NUMBER OF automatically goes with a singular verb tense…but here the emphasis is not on THE NUMBER of junkyards that IS doing the defiling…but the junkyards themselves that defile…</p>
<p>The number of crimes IS increasing. (emphasis is on the actual rate or number of crimes)
I witnessed a number of crimes that ARE appalling. (emphasis is on the crimes themselves)</p>
<p>wow… thanks for replying. I think I understood.</p>
<p>Sent from my SHV-E160K using CC</p>
<p>When trying to decide what the subject is, and what the verb has to agree with, part your sentence into parts, and see which one can be removed without changing the essence of the sentence:</p>
<p>The (growing number)/(of junkyards) that defile/defiles the beauty.</p>
<p>“The growing number that defiles the beauty” doesn’t make sense
“The junkyards that defile the beauty” does.</p>
<p>Too bad schools don’t teach sentence diagramming any more. If you were to diagram the sentence you wouldn’t have any doubt about which form is correct.</p>