Daily SC Flashcards
“that”, “which”, “who”, “where” must modify the noun immediately preceding it
My favourite restaurant is in Brooklyn that serves delicious pasta. - Incorrect
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“Fewer” v “Less” | “Many” v “Much” | “Number” v “Amount”
Countable noun - Fewer, Many, Number |
Uncountable noun - Less/Little, Much, Amount
(Some can be used for both)
Exception - When treating a collection as a single entity, treat the collection as an uncountable noun (money, distance, time)
Eg. The cost of the jacket is less than twenty dollars. ✅
Few (has a negative connotation) vs a few (has a moderate connotation and is generally preferred)
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Being is usually wrong, except when:
- it is part of a noun phrase
- it reflects passive continuous verb tense
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Consider to be/consider as is wrong.
Consider by itself is preferred.
Considered A
Can also use Regarded as (as an alternative to considered)
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Always use “to do X” or “does X” over “for/from doing X”
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Pronouns - Between you and me (never use I)
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“If” vs “Whether” - Use “if” in a conditional sentence. A conditional sentence can always be reversed.
Eg. If you work hard, you will succeed.
Use “whether” to show two possible alternatives.
Whether is mostly correct.
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“Rather than” vs “Instead of”
Rather Than - To show preference
Instead of - when replacing something with another thing
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SANAM - Some, any, none, all, more/most
Countable is Plural and Uncountable is Singular
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2 entities
Between
More
Each Other
3 or more entities
Among
One Another
Most
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“like” vs “as” vs “such as” vs “just as”
Use “like” to compare nouns - the word like should always be immediately followed by a noun, pronoun, gerund or noun phrase. (“Like” can also be replaced with “similar to”.)
Eg. Carl curses like a lumberjack. ✅
Use “as” to compare actions, clauses or processes
Eg. Katy loves her dogs as she loves her friends. ✅
Use “such as” to prove an example (can be replaced with “for example”)
“Just as” can replace “in the same way that” - Just as is normally used as a conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause.
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Restrictive clause (contain information that is necessary for identifying or specifying the nouns they modify) - “that” - used to convey information critical to the core meaning of the sentence.
Non-restrictive clause (contain information that is additional) - “,which” - always preceded by a comma. Remove the phrase containing “which” and the sentence should still seem complete and convey its core meaning.
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Whenever you have to choose between “because of” and “due to”, replace “due to” by “caused by”.
Due to is used to modify nouns.
Because of is used to modify verbs.
In most cases, GMAT prefers because (of) or as a result (of).
Remember - “Due to” can NOT be used to mean “on account of”. The game was postponed due to rain is incorrect.
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“Politics” is singular
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Verb tenses that use an “ing” form are usually wrong, as compared to other verb tenses.
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“So X as to Y” is used as a comparator. - Her debts are so extreme as to threaten her company is correct.
Do not use it to substitute for “in order to” - He exercises daily so as to build his stamina is incorrect.
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Avoid Passive Voice. Use simple past tense instead of “had” + past tense.
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When in doubt, choose the shortest/most consise answer.
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“None” is always singular, even if it sounds wrong.
None of the boys enjoys camping as he does is correct.
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“As” idioms:
Regarded as (don’t used “to be”)
As long as
Such questions as
Plays as
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Entire sentence underlined? Look closely for D or E
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If comparisons include “than” or “as”, we mostly omit verb comparators as they are implied. Correct sentences given below:
- He is shorter than she.
- He is as depessed as they, but he soldiered onward anyway.
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“To include” and “To implement” are usually incorrect.
Including and Implementing are preferred.
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“They” - always lookout for a singular subject noun trap.
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“Hopefully” is nearly always wrong on the GMAT.
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“Do so” vs “Do it”
“Do so” is more often used and refers to an action or a clause. “Do it” refers to a noun.” Do it is mostly incorrect.
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Although and though are used to show negative, postiive contrast
Despite is used to show positive, negative contrast
While is used to show contrast between actions in same time frame
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“Agree with” a person
“Agree to” an idea
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“Compared with” - similar things
“Compared to” - dissimilar things
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“Because” vs “In That”
Because shows a cause-effect relationship
In That is used for reflecting an intrinsic property
In cases where both are there are options, In that usually tends to be correct
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Tenses - Singular
Collective nouns (when referred to as an entity)/abstract nouns The jury is unanimous
Tenses - Plural
The jury are divided in their opinion
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Tenses - Singular
The number
Tenses - Plural
A number
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Phrase + Comma + Subject - Relevant subject of a phrase must come immediately after the comma.
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Subject + Comma + Phrase - When a subject is followed by a comma, the phrase that follows refers to the subject.
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Extra information between 2 commas (not the core meaning) - removing this part should still yield a complete sentence.
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Which, who, where, whose - These terms, when preceded by a comma, refer to the noun just before the comma.
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When is “that” preceded by a comma? Only when it does not refer to the noun immediately preceding it. Rather, it refers to the noun/noun phrase before the earlier comma.
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Parallelism - Exceptions:
1) Gerunds (Verb+ing acting as a noun)
2) Cause-Effect Relationship (Cause, comma, effect) - one part will have -ed form and the other form will have -ing form
Jack practiced a plethora of quant problems, increasing his accuracy from 50% to 90% in a month.
Scientists have discovered a formula, putting an end to the epidemic or Discovering a formula, scientists have put an end to the pandemic.
3) All phrases are not equally important (mother phrase and subordinate phrases)
Monica was working all day, typing text, taking printouts and binding the books is incorrect.
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Whenever a comparative form is employed, use of “than” is must.
However, when a word that is expressing relatively is used, but is not the comparative form of another word, “to” must follow it. (Eg. Prefer to)
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Use of forbid
Forbid + Noun (or gerund)
Forbid + from + gerund
Forbid + infinitive
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Comma + and
When there is a list of 3 or more elements, it is used before the last element
To join 2 independent clauses
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So as to
So + cause + as to + effect
Eg. Jack is so sharp as to be admired.
“So as to” in itself together is generally incorrect on the GMAT as it is wordy.
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Distinguish, has 2 usages
Between A and B
A from B
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Modeled after
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More…than
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Native to or native of are both correct (a native of is used for humans)
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So…that
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Contend that
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“Internal + Between” is the right usage. Between should only be used for nouns.
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Dispute over
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As much as
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Credit with
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Mistake x for y
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X ordered to be z’ed OR x ordered that y be z’ed
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Subjunctive Form - Type 1
Hypothetical situation/speculation when one knows it’s probably not going to happen but one wants (wishes) it to happen. “Were” is used in these cases, no matter what the tense of the subject is. (Plural form)
I wish I were the president of India.
Can also be: If X were, Y would | Y would, if X were.
Also true for hypothesis - The space scientists postulate that the magic particle exists.
Lookout for “If…would” pattern
If I were a sportsman, I would be fit.
Sidenote: (then is always silent before I)
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Subjunctive Form - Type 2
Format: Subject + Order/bossy verb + that + object + bare infinitive form of the verb + rest of the sentence
“that…be”
The supervisor requests that you not be present at the meeting.
It is vital that you be present at the meeting.
Sam recommended that his friend be hired immediately.
Use most basic form of the verb - “The teacher asked Jack that he recite the poem.”
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Singular
One of many
Not one of many
Only one of many
The only one of the many + that/who
Plural
One of many + that/who
Not one of many + that/who
Only one of many + that/who
A and B
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Singular or Plural
Dependant on what the verb is closer to - A/B
A or B
Neither A nor B
Either A or B
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(Singular vs Plural - Always A) A along with B A in addition to B A together with B A as well as B
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Singular - GEMLOL
Greater/Enough/Much/Less/One/Little
Plural - SNOBMF
Few/Several/Many/Others/Both/Numerous
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