In Some Species of Cricket, the Number of Chirps Per Minute Used by GMAT Sentence Correction

Question: In some species of cricket, the number of chirps per minute used by the male for attracting females rise and fall in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and they can in fact serve as an approximate thermometer.

(A) for attracting females rise and fall in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and they can in fact serve
(B) for attracting females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, which can in fact serve
(C) in attracting females rise and fall in accordance with the surrounding temperature, in fact possibly serving
(D) to attract females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and it can in fact serve
(E) to attract females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, in fact possibly serving

Answer: D
Explanation: The following arguments could be used to defend the suggested language change:

• Parallelism
• Considering two separate truths
• Modifiers

The intended core meaning of this sentence is that the number of chirps per minute used by the male cricket to attract females rises and falls. In accordance with the surrounding temperature, this number can in fact serve as an approximate thermometer.

Concepts tested are: Subject-Verb Agreement + Pronouns + Meaning + Modifiers + Verb Forms

• For referring to the purpose/intent of an action, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" – “to + attract” in this case) is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case).
• "who/whose/whom/which/where", when preceded by a comma, refers to the noun just before the comma.

Option D
to attract females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and it can in fact serve- Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the singular noun "number" with the singular verbs "rises" and "falls" and the singular pronoun "it". Further, Option C uses the clause "and it can in fact serve", conveying the intended meaning - that the number of chirps can serve as an approximate thermometer. Additionally, Option D uses the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb" - "to + attract" in this sentence) to refer to the purpose of the action "used".

Let’s see the other available choices.

Option A
This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun "number" with the plural verbs "rise" and "fall". Further, Option A incorrectly refers to the singular noun "number" with the plural pronoun "they". Additionally, Option A uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case) to refer to the purpose of the action "used"; remember, for referring to the purpose/intent of an action, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb") is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case).

Option B
This answer choice incorrectly refers to "the surrounding temperature" with "which can in fact serve", illogically implying that the surrounding temperature can serve as an approximate thermometer; the intended meaning is that the number of chirps per minute used by the male cricket to attract females can serve as an approximate thermometer; remember, "who/whose/whom/which/where", when preceded by a comma, refer to the noun just before the comma. Further, Option B uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case) to refer to the purpose of the action "used"; remember, for referring to the purpose/intent of an action, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb") is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case).

Option C
This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun "number" with the plural verbs "rise" and "fall". Further, Option C alters the meaning of the phrase through the construction "in fact possibly serving"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the number of chirps practically serves as an approximate thermometer; the intended meaning is that the number of chirps can serve as an approximate thermometer. Further, Option C uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case) to refer to the purpose of the action "used"; remember, for referring to the purpose/intent of an action, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb") is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing" - "attracting" in this case).

Option E
This answer choice alters the meaning of the phrase through the construction "in fact possibly serving"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the number of chirps practically serves as an approximate thermometer; the intended meaning is that the number of chirps can serve as an approximate thermometer.

“In some species of cricket, the number of chirps per minute used by”- is a GMAT sentence correction question. These sorts of questions come up with grammatical errors in the underlined part of the sentence. The candidates need to select the correct statement given in the options. The GMAT sentence correction section demands good skills in grammar since the candidate has to identify common grammatical errors. GMAT sentence correction is a part of GMAT verbal.

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