Find the part of the sentence that contains an error: Much of what appears to be coordination (1)/ among the regulatory bodies an…

Question

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:

Much of what appears to be coordination (1)/ among the regulatory bodies and private stakeholders (2)/ are, in fact, coincidental overlaps (3)/ caused by differing mandates. (4)

1. A. (1)
2. B. (2)
3. C. (3) (Correct answer)
4. D. (4)

Correct Answer

Option C — (3)

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is (3).

Key Points

• The error lies in part (3): *are, in fact, coincidental overlaps* should read is, in fact, a coincidental overlap — or at minimum the verb must be singular.
• The subject of the sentence is 'Much', which is a singular quantifier, so the verb must be *is*, not *are*.
• The plural nouns *bodies* and *stakeholders* sit inside the prepositional phrase 'among the regulatory bodies and private stakeholders', which cannot govern the verb.

Additional Information

• This is the classic intervening phrase trap: a prepositional phrase between subject and verb never changes the number of the verb, however many plural nouns it contains.
• Quantifiers split into two groups — *much*, *little*, *each*, *every* and *one of* take singular verbs, while *many*, *few*, *several* and *both* take plural verbs.
• *Much of what appears…* has a nominal relative clause as its complement; strip the sentence to its bones — *Much … is … overlap* — and the agreement error becomes obvious.