Dear Everyone,
I am really finding it hardto identify the subject of a sentence whenever the subject is a possible gerund/gerund phrase. In the end, I fail to assign the right verb (singular/plural) to the subject.. Please help with suitable explanation to the concept along with clarifications to the sentences below..

The rising costs of data processing ___________(has/have) hit the profits of many telecom industries.
(What is the subject here - "Rising Costs" or "Costs"? why?)

Declining values of plots and apartments ______(is/are) going to affect the real estate industry.
What is the subject here - "Declining values" or "Values"?Why?)

Rising inventories _________ (can lead/may leads) to higher production levels, thereby increasing profits for the organization.

What is the subject here - "Rising inventories"/ "inventories"? Why?

Please help!

Regards
Vipul

Hi Vipul,

In the first example,

Costs is the noun, Rising is an adjective modifying the noun,
Therefore, it should be:
The rising costs of data processing have hit the profits of many telecom industries.

You can check the verb by omitting the adjective.
The sentence would then be
The costs of data processing have hit the profits of many telecom industries.

In the second example:
Declining values of plots and apartments ______(is/are) going to affect the real estate industry.

Values are going to affect the real estate industry. Declining is not going to affect anything. It is describing the values which are declining.

In the third example:

Rising inventories _________ (can lead/may leads) to higher production levels, thereby increasing profits for the organization.

Inventories may leads does not sound correct. It is awkward.

Inventories can lead will be the correct option.
Try to remove the adjective/modifier and then single out the noun. It will be easier to identify the verb.

I hope this is helpful.

Please correct me if I have made a mistake explaining something.

Thanks!

Thank you viv!

Also, on the third one, "inventories may leads" is not correct subject/verb agreement. You could say "inventories" "may lead".

Thanks!

_________________
Jamie Nelson
ManhattanGMAT Instructor