"That"-Plural or singular

[chsriramaraju]

Could you please explain me whether we have to take the noun before the that and see whether its a singular or plural to understand the kind of verb we have...can you explain me using the below two ex

1.

Biologists believe that they have found one of the substances that tell individual genes both when to become active and when to remain quiescent in the earliest phases of an embryo’s development.

(A) tell individual genes both when to become active and when to remain
(B) tell individual genes both at which time they should become active or should remain
(C) tells individual genes both when to become active or remain
(D) tells individual genes both when to become active or when to remain
(E) will tell an individual gene both about when it should become active and remain

2.

Byron possessed powers of observation that would have made him a great anthropologist and that makes his letters as a group the rival of the best novels of the time.

(A) makes his letters as a group the rival of
(B) makes his letters as a group one to rival
(C) makes his letters a group rivaling
(D) make his letters as a group the rival of
(E) make his letters a group which is the rival of

[Willy]

Could you please explain me whether we have to take the noun before the that and see whether its a singular or plural to understand the kind of verb we have...can you explain me using the below two ex

1.

Biologists believe that they have found one of the substances that tell individual genes both when to become active and when to remain quiescent in the earliest phases of an embryo’s development.

(A) tell individual genes both when to become active and when to remain --> correct
(B) tell individual genes both at which time they should become active or should remain
(C) tells individual genes both when to become active or remain
(D) tells individual genes both when to become active or when to remain
(E) will tell an individual gene both about when it should become active and remain -- Very much awkward. After AND we need about.

2.

Byron possessed powers of observation that would have made him a great anthropologist and that makes his letters as a group the rival of the best novels of the time.

(A) makes his letters as a group the rival of
(B) makes his letters as a group one to rival
(C) makes his letters a group rivaling
(D) make his letters as a group the rival of -- Correct
(E) make his letters a group which is the rival of

--> It sounds as if powers make his letters a group. Wrong.

Please underline your question.

Yes, we have to understand first what "THAT" is going to refer in the sentence. Here in q2 THAT refers to POWERS so THAT will be plural.

In q1 THAT refers to Substances so again plural. Also proper idiom is BOTH X AND Y, where X and Y should be parallel. So, I think you can solve the q1 without even confusing about THAT.

I hope I am making some sense. Please correct me if I am wrong.

--

Willy!

[chsriramaraju]

Thanks for the reply.

I have read that "THAT" refers to the noun preceding it. But in Q2 why dont we have THAT referring to "observation" which is singular...

Could you please explain me the use of THAT in a broader perspective

Thanks,
Sriram.

[Willy]

Thanks for the reply.

I have read that "THAT" refers to the noun preceding it. But in Q2 why dont we have THAT referring to "observation" which is singular...

Could you please explain me the use of THAT in a broader perspective

Thanks,
Sriram.

Yes, sure.

THAT should refer to noun but here "observation" is object of preposition OF and hence I think THAT can't refer back to observation.

[chsriramaraju]

So even in q1 "substances is an object of the preposition but that there is referring to the substances......can u please explain..

Thanks,
Sriram.

[Willy]

So even in q1 "substances is an object of the preposition but that there is referring to the substances......can u please explain..

Thanks,
Sriram.

I don't think in q1 the issue is of "substances" being the object of preposition. I don't know what would we call it in grammatical terms but see another example -

This is one of the answers that are incorrect.

In general, remember:

One of the 'Noun' (will always be plural) + that/who + Plural Verb

I hope it helps!

--
Willy!

[chsriramaraju]

Got it..Are you also preparing for the GMAT......

Thank you so much......

[Willy]

Got it..Are you also preparing for the GMAT......

Thank you so much......

Yes, I am also preparing for the GMAT.

[jnelson0612]

Could you please explain me whether we have to take the noun before the that and see whether its a singular or plural to understand the kind of verb we have...can you explain me using the below two ex

1.

Biologists believe that they have found one of the substances that tell individual genes both when to become active and when to remain quiescent in the earliest phases of an embryo’s development.

(A) tell individual genes both when to become active and when to remain
(B) tell individual genes both at which time they should become active or should remain
(C) tells individual genes both when to become active or remain
(D) tells individual genes both when to become active or when to remain
(E) will tell an individual gene both about when it should become active and remain

2.

Byron possessed powers of observation that would have made him a great anthropologist and that makes his letters as a group the rival of the best novels of the time.

(A) makes his letters as a group the rival of
(B) makes his letters as a group one to rival
(C) makes his letters a group rivaling
(D) make his letters as a group the rival of
(E) make his letters a group which is the rival of

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