What ranks or ranked

[Freeguy]

............. as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane.

1. It ranks
2. What ranks
3. It is ranked
4. The rank

I have problem with the structure. Crop cannot rank itself. So why don't we use what ranked instead of what ranks ?

 

[SoothingDave]

Because it "is" sugar cane. Not "was" sugar cane.

The present tense is used because the ranking continues to the present.

 

[Freeguy]

I don't have problem with the tense. I have problem with the structure. I'd claim we need passive voice here not active.
What ranks (sugar ranks itself? how it could be possible? )

 

[SoothingDave]

It's quite common to say that something "ranks #1 in the state," etc.

 

[BobK]

Quite a few verbs do the same. e.g. 'She scares eas[il]y' = 'It's easy to scare her' = 'She can easily be scared'.

b

 

[Raymott]

I don't have problem with the tense. I have problem with the structure. I'd claim we need passive voice here not active.
What ranks (sugar ranks itself? how it could be possible? )

No, sugar cane doesn't rank itself. Nor does it count itself, although it counts as an important product.

 

[anhnha]

Why do these sentences not work?
1. What ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane. = What is ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane.
2. What ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane. = What was ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane.

 

[Freeguy]

that's my question. What's wrong with WHAT RANKED ?

 

[5jj]

that's my question. What's wrong with WHAT RANKED ?

SD told you in post #2.

You can use either active or passive, but you have to get the tenses right.

 

[Raymott]

that's my question. What's wrong with WHAT RANKED ?

You said in post #3, "I don't have a problem with the tense." You're being inconsistent. Whether to use 'ranks' or 'ranked' is a question of tense.
So either that was your problem (and it's been answered), or you have another question - which appears to be about active or passive voice. That's also been answered.
I guess we're all assuming that 2. is the correct answer.

 

[anhnha]

I didn't want to hijack someone's thread by creating a new one but don't know why I can't find it now.
Could anyone answer this?
Is this sentence correct?
1. What ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane. = What was ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii was sugar cane.

2. What ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane. = What has been ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii was sugar cane.

 

[5jj]

1. What ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane. No
What was ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii was sugar cane. OK - also as "What ranked as ... was sugar cane.

2. What ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii is sugar cane. No
What has been ranked as the most important crop in Hawaii was sugar cane. No