data & agenda are plural in GMAT?

[yamini]

do we have to consider datam & agendam as singular in GMAT?

[StaceyKoprince]

The GMAT uses American English - so, yes, those words are singular in American English. Just remember that, unlike British English, American English considers most collective nouns (and words like the above) singular.

At the same time, the test writers are not trying to trip people up on cultural differences, so you will find (on the real test) that they are removing those kinds of sources of confusion, though you may still see antiquated items in the official guide.

[Khush]

Hi Stacey,

Just curious to know whether "data" is singular or plural or both depending on the context.

Below is a question from GMATPrep and i noticed the non-underlined part of the sentence saying "so much data travels".

Now that so much data travels via light"”i.e., is carried in glass fibers rather than by electrical current"”one goal of semiconductor research is to develop a silicon chip that can transmit and receive light signals directly, a development that mav one dav lead to smaller, faster semiconductors.

Could you please clear the confusion?

[RonPurewal]

This will NOT be tested on the gmat exam.

Any usage that is not universally accepted in formal English (not just American English -- GMAC does a very, very good job of eliminating all regionalisms from SC) will not be tested.

Traditionally, "data" is the plural of "datum". In Latin, "data" is plural and "datum" is singular, and most language experts agree that the same should be true in English.
However, some language experts disagree, thinking that "data" = singular (like "information") is a respectable usage. Still others agree that "data" should be plural, but that usage has shifted enough that singular "data" should be allowed anyway.

In short, the point is that there isn't universal agreement on this point, and so GMAC won't test it.

[Khush]

Thank you very much Ron!

Got your point..

[RonPurewal]

You're welcome.