GMAT question - The Red-tailed Sportive Lemur are, as all lemurs, na... - Review

The Red-tailed Sportive Lemur are, as all lemurs, native to Madagascar.

1. are, as all lemurs, native to
   
2. are, like all lemurs, native of
   
3. is, as all lemurs, native of
   
4. is, like all lemurs, native of
   
5. is, like all lemurs, native to
   

Explanation

Lets look at the changes which occur in the answers.

Firstly answers A and B begin with are and C, D and E with is different forms of the verb to be, which shows that we face a subject/verb agreement problem.

The subject in this case is the Red-tailed Sportive Lemur which is singular so we should use the singular form of the verb to be i.e. is.

A and B incorrectly use are and can be eliminated.

The second change is from as all lemurs in A and C to like all lemurs in B, D and E. We are comparing things rather than actions and so we should use like rather than as, see comparison problems for more details.

Therefor A and C which incorrectly use as can be eliminated.

Finally A and E use native to and B, C and D use native of.

The correct idiomatic expressions are native to or a native of .

B, C and D all incorrectly use the idiomatic expression a native of because this miss out the a.

This leaves only E which uses is, like and native to correctly.