prep07 sc2 Q6

[JianYongZ719]

From studies of the bony house of the brain, which is the cranium, located in the back of the skull, come what scientists know about dinosaur brains.

(A) From studies of the bony house of the brain, which is the cranium, located in the back of the skull, come what scientists know about dinosaur brains.
(B) The knowledge that scientists know about dinosaur brains comes from studies of the bony house of the brain, located in the back of the skull, that is, the cranium.
(C) The knowledge of dinosaur brains that scientists have come from studies of the bony house of the brain, which is located in the back of the skull and is called the cranium.
(D) What scientists know about dinosaur brains comes from studies of the cranium, the bony house of the brain located in the back of the skull.
(E) Located in the back of the skull is the cranium, the bony house of the brain, and it is from studies of this that scientists know what they know about dinosaur brains.

The problem exists in the D
In Ron's free courses, he taught that three things can't be subject: objects of verbs, objects of prepositions, and subordinate caluses.
So in the D, "What...brains" can't be subject of this clause because it is a subordinate clause. The real subject should be "studies of the cranium". If that is the case, the verb should be "come" but not "comes".
I get confused by the "What" clause. I hope you can help me figure out. Thank you very much

Best,
Jackie Zeng

[tim]

"studies of the cranium" is the object of the preposition "from", so according to your analysis it can't be the main subject of the sentenct. As it turns out "what scientists know" is actually the subject. More specifically, "what" is the subject, and "what" is a pronoun (i.e. not one of the categories you enumerated).

I should mention also that there is nothing wrong with a noun in one of categories you listed serving as a subject for a verb; it just can't serve as the *main* subject of the sentence (i.e. connected to the *main* verb).

[jhuman lal meena]

In option D we have a noun clause "What scientists know about dinosaur brains" as a subject. "what" alone is not a subject.

"studies of the cranium" is the object of the preposition "from", so according to your analysis it can't be the main subject of the sentenct. As it turns out "what scientists know" is actually the subject. More specifically, "what" is the subject, and "what" is a pronoun (i.e. not one of the categories you enumerated).

I should mention also that there is nothing wrong with a noun in one of categories you listed serving as a subject for a verb; it just can't serve as the *main* subject of the sentence (i.e. connected to the *main* verb).

[RonPurewal]

do you have a question? if so, please clarify. thanks.

[JianYongZ719]

do you have a question? if so, please clarify. thanks.

I want to know the true subject in "WHAT" clause( just like the one in answer D). Is the true subject in answer D is "what"?

Thank you

[RonPurewal]

i don't understand what you are asking.

for any grammatical structure, there are only two questions worth asking:
1/ do you understand how it works?
2/ can you write your own (simple) sentences using it?
if the answers are yes and yes, then you're done——you understand 100.0000% of what you need to understand.

are the answers "yes" and "yes"?

[JianYongZ719]

i don't understand what you are asking.

for any grammatical structure, there are only two questions worth asking:
1/ do you understand how it works?
2/ can you write your own (simple) sentences using it?
if the answers are yes and yes, then you're done——you understand 100.0000% of what you need to understand.

are the answers "yes" and "yes"?

Sorry, but I don't know why the verb is "comes" but not "come" in the answer D.

And what about this sentence-what I like is/are these books. Should I pick "is" or "are"? And why

Thank you for your reply.

[RonPurewal]

if "what xxxxxxx" is the subject of a verb, the verb will be singular.

And what about this sentence-what I like is/are these books. Should I pick "is" or "are"?

still singular.

this kind of thing isn't going to happen on the test, though (it would be too much of a "trick question").

[JianYongZ719]

if "what xxxxxxx" is the subject of a verb, the verb will be singular.

And what about this sentence-what I like is/are these books. Should I pick "is" or "are"?

still singular.

this kind of thing isn't going to happen on the test, though (it would be too much of a "trick question").

Really appreciate for your reply!!!

[tim]

:)

[RonPurewal]

you're welcome.

[seven]

Hi instructors,
sry to bump up. can i know what's wrong with B? i thought "that" modifies "bony house of brain"

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Which 'that' are you referring to? The first one - 'the knowledge that scientists know' - shows that 'scientists know' modifies 'knowledge'. It's totally fine and clear, but rather repetitious don't you think? Given that knowledge is something that we know, we don't need to say that we know knowledge, in the same way that we don't need to say 'The police officer questioned the suspect with questions, and the suspect answered with answers.'

As for the second 'that' - the one in the phrase 'that is' - it's not a modifier, but more providing an explanation for a phrase.

There's more discussion of this problem here: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/foru ... tml#p25359