NDA (II) 2017 GAT Q40: A small parcel of novels is better than none. No

Q: What is the answer to NDA (II) 2017 GAT Q40?

D. Correct — D, No error. 'A small parcel' is the subject, and the phrase 'of novels' only describes it, so the singular verb 'is' is right; 'better than none' completes the comparison correctly, and nothing in the sentence needs changing.

NDA (II) 2017 General Ability Test · Question 40 of 150

Question text verified against the official NDA question paper.

A small parcel of novels is better than none. No error

(a)A small parcel
(b)of novels is
(c)better than none.
(d)No error

Answer

Why

Correct — D, No error. 'A small parcel' is the subject, and the phrase 'of novels' only describes it, so the singular verb 'is' is right; 'better than none' completes the comparison correctly, and nothing in the sentence needs changing.

Why the others are wrong

(a)A small parcel — A singular countable noun with 'a' and an adjective in front of it is perfectly formed.
(b)of novels is — The verb agrees with 'parcel', the head of the subject, and not with 'novels', which sits inside the phrase describing it.
(c)better than none. — 'None' stands for 'no parcel at all', and the comparative 'better than' is correctly completed.

Concept

When a phrase beginning with 'of' comes between a subject and its verb, the verb still agrees with the head noun of the subject.

The plural 'novels' standing immediately before the verb is what makes 'is' look wrong, and that pull is exactly what the item tests. Take the 'of' phrase away and the sentence reads 'A small parcel is better than none', which settles the question at once.

Key facts

The head of the subject here is 'parcel', a singular noun.
Phrases such as 'of novels', 'of students' or 'of books' describe the head noun and do not govern the verb.
Words of quantity behave differently — 'a number of books are' takes a plural verb, because 'a number of' works as a quantifier.

Study next

Subject-verb agreement across an 'of' phraseQuantifiers such as 'a number of' and 'a lot of'Comparatives completed with 'than none'

Common traps

Changing a correct singular verb because a plural noun happens to stand next to it.

Asked as an error-detection item that looks like an agreement fault but is correct as it stands.

Related PYQs

NDA_GAT_2019_II_Q292019Open & attempt →

A time slot of fifteen minutes (a) are allowed (b) to each speaker (c). No error (d)

(a) A time slot of fifteen minutes
(b) are allowed
(c) to each speaker
(d) No error

Answer(b) are allowed

The mirror image of this item — the same subject shape of a singular noun plus 'of' plus a plural noun, but there the verb had been wrongly made plural and needed correcting to 'is allowed'. Here the singular verb is already right, so the answer is 'No error'.

Practice

practice — not a real PYQ
Which part contains the error — A bunch of keys / was lying / on the table. / No error
- (a)A bunch of keys
- (b)was lying
- (c)on the table.
- (d)No error
Answer(d) No error — the subject is 'a bunch', so the singular verb is right.
practice — not a real PYQ
Which part contains the error — A packet of biscuits / were kept / in the cupboard. / No error
- (a)A packet of biscuits
- (b)were kept
- (c)in the cupboard.
- (d)No error
Answer(b) were kept — the subject is 'a packet', so 'was kept'.