Question:
A number of military personnel who served in Operation Desert Storm has encountered a series of unexplainable symptoms that were attributed to Gulf War syndrome.
A number of military personnel who served in Operation Desert Storm has encountered a series of unexplainable symptoms that were attributed to Gulf War syndrome.
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Remember the rule: "The number of..." takes a singular verb, while "A number of..." takes a plural verb. Also, be mindful of common idioms like "attribute to."
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
- has encountered a series of unexplainable symptoms that were attributed to
- has unexplainably encountered a series of symptoms that have been attributed as
- have encountered a series of unexplained symptoms that have been attributed as
- have encountered a series of unexplainable symptoms that have been attributed to
- have encountered unexplainably a series of symptoms that were attributed as
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The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question tests subject-verb agreement with the phrase "A number of..." and idiom usage ("attributed to" vs. "attributed as").
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Subject-Verb Agreement: The phrase "A number of..." is a plural quantifier. The subject of the sentence is "A number of military personnel," which is plural. Therefore, it requires a plural verb. The original sentence uses the singular verb "has encountered," which is an error. The correct verb form is "have encountered." This eliminates options (A) and (B).
Idiom: The correct idiom is "to attribute something to something else." The prepositions "as" or other constructions are incorrect. This eliminates options (B), (C), and (E).
Word Choice: "Unexplainable" and "unexplained" are very similar. "Unexplainable" means something cannot be explained, while "unexplained" means it has not yet been explained. Both are plausible. However, combining the subject-verb and idiom rules leaves only one correct choice.
Option (D) correctly uses the plural verb "have encountered" and the correct idiom "attributed to."
Step 3: Final Answer:
The subject "A number of..." is plural and requires the plural verb "have." The correct idiom is "attributed to." Option (D) is the only choice that corrects both errors.
This question tests subject-verb agreement with the phrase "A number of..." and idiom usage ("attributed to" vs. "attributed as").
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Subject-Verb Agreement: The phrase "A number of..." is a plural quantifier. The subject of the sentence is "A number of military personnel," which is plural. Therefore, it requires a plural verb. The original sentence uses the singular verb "has encountered," which is an error. The correct verb form is "have encountered." This eliminates options (A) and (B).
Idiom: The correct idiom is "to attribute something to something else." The prepositions "as" or other constructions are incorrect. This eliminates options (B), (C), and (E).
Word Choice: "Unexplainable" and "unexplained" are very similar. "Unexplainable" means something cannot be explained, while "unexplained" means it has not yet been explained. Both are plausible. However, combining the subject-verb and idiom rules leaves only one correct choice.
Option (D) correctly uses the plural verb "have encountered" and the correct idiom "attributed to."
Step 3: Final Answer:
The subject "A number of..." is plural and requires the plural verb "have." The correct idiom is "attributed to." Option (D) is the only choice that corrects both errors.
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