Foundation and Rules Flashcards
Jury, navy, company, administration, tour group, agency, family, couple, duo, army, audience, class, committee, crowd, orchestra, team, baggage, furniture, citrus, equipment, flat, fruit, species are called _________ noun. Singular or plural?
Collective nouns. Only one thing, use singular.
ex: The Chinese army is the largest military force in the world, IT has approximately 3 million members. (Chinese is adjective describe army - a collective noun(
ex: The college administrators have argued that THEY need a larger budget to continue operating into the new year. ( College is adjective describes administrators - a subject, plural noun).
Pronouns ends with -one, -thing, or -body, singular or plural?
Singular.
One as pronoun -
ex: 1. Flawed in two ways, the earthquake detection system would often find a geological precursor event when IT wasn’t actually occurring and fail to find ONE when IT was.
2. ONE cannot help but wonder if YOU could float to the sky by holding on a very large number of helium balloons.
- One is referred back to the same thing “Geological precursor event”. One cannot be used interchangeably with other pronouns when refer to the same thing. To fix it, replace ONE with IT.
- Wrong - ONE cannot interchange with YOU.
Note - One is usually problematic on GMAT.
What to use to intensify absolute adjectives? such as dead, fatal, circular, perfect?
More likely, or more nearly - meaning almost to 100%
More perfect - wrong
More nearly perfect - right (almost 100%)
Identify the mistakes:
- The doctor told me I had a heart attack.
- I just began working at the circus when a clown stabbed me in the back.
- should be HAD HAD - heart attack happened before doctor.
- should be HAD BEGUN - working before getting stabbed.
Take away - when use HAD ____, must ensure there is a past tense action, and ensure events happen in sequence.
Adverb modifies ________ ?
Verb and adjective. (not nouns)
Adverb usually is verb+ly. but it is not always the case. Ex: dance lively (wrong. Lively is adjective that modifies a noun)
Correlative conjunctions:
either/or, neither/nor, both/and, whether/or, not only/but also - clause after each conjunction must parallel.
ex: you can either wash these dishes or I will leave you. (right or wrong?)
Wrong - WASH and I WILL not parallel.
Find subject in the following sentence:
Aside the highway was the wreckage from the crash.
“The Wreckage”
Take away-
- Subject cannot be in subordinate clause
- Subject cannot be in prepositional phrase.
- sentence starts with “there are” - not subject, Subject is nouns after “there are”.
Complete or incomplete:
- the decorated war general, who stormed the beach in Norway in 1944.
- My brother who broke his foot.
- My brother broke his foot.
- incomplete
- incomplete
- complete
Phrase after who modifies the noun before. There should be comma after the clause and complete the remainder of the sentence.
Use of semi-colon: (true or false)
The two parts on either side of a semicolon must be able to stand alone and must be closely related in meaning.
True
Do not compare a phrase that starts with THAT to one that starts with WHEN, WHERE, WHICH or WHO.
Fix the following sentences:
1. I liked the birthday cake you made me better than WHEN you called me names.
- Lichtenstein is the only Europe nation THAT still has monarchy with real power, and where the power given to Sovereign has increased.
- Drop WHEN or add WHEN at first comparison.
2. WHERE should be THAT.
Identify mistakes:
- The ostensible reason for Ann Boleyn’s execution was because of adultery.
- Because she has deep relationship with the unions like other leaders have, there is an expectation of her being appointed as chairperson.
- drop BECAUSE OF - redundant because it has “reason for”
- LIKE should be AS.
APPOINTED AS - wrong. Should be APPOINTED
Identify mistakes:
- The study, indicates more men are working in education, traditionally considered as a “female” profession.
- the Company is likely that it will gain market share.
Idiom:
1. INDICATE THAT (must have that)
CONSIDER (no as)
- IS LIKELY THAT IT WILL - wrong idiom
IS LIKELY TO - correct.
Subjunctive:
Demand, command, suggest, recommend, propose are bossy verbs. Do not use should, ought to in the sentence. and should use subjunctive form or verb, not infinitive (to_)
ex: I suggested that he STUDY earlier in the PM. (not to study)
The board suggests that our budget (should) be revised. (delete should)
- The number of _______ singular or plural?
2. A numbers of ________ singular or plural?
- singular
2. plural
, ing structure - it is flexible. Can modify noun, verb and it’s objects. It introduces a clause that provides additional information (cause & effect) about the main clause to which it attached.
ex: I slipped on the ice, breaking my leg. (indicate an effect)
I slipped on the ice and I broke my leg (two separate event)
A mutual fund having billions of dollars in assets will typically invest that money in hundreds of companies, rarely holding more than one percent of the shares of any particular corporations.
Correct - it’s cause and effect. 2nd action is a result of 1st event.
Parallelism:
- Nouns both ANGER and RELIEF
- Adjective neither ACCESSIBLE nor AFFORDABLE
- verbs CLEANED and WASHED
- infinitives not only TO HEAR but also TO DO
- Prepositional leave money IN the drawer rather than ON the table
- Participles The rain fell, PROVIDING water but FLOODING the streets.
- Phrases I jump INTO THE WALL rather than OVER THE WALL.
- Subordinates clause I want to retire a place WHERE I can relax and WHERE I pay low taxes.
Subordinates do not need to be identical.
ex: there are many people WHO speak English but WHOSE parents do not.
Ralph likes both THOSE WHO are popular and THOSE WHO are not. (do not shorten the sentence by not having THOSE).
What do the following relative pronouns modify?
Which That Who Whose Whom Where When
Which - things Who - a person as a subject That - cannot modify people Whom - a person as an object Where - a place, but cannot modify conditions, situations, case, circumstances, or arrangements. Use in which instead.
Right or wrong:
We had an arrangement where he cooked and I cleaned.
Wrong - where should be “in which”
If antecedent is singular, use SINGULAR pronoun; if antecedent is plural, use PLURAL pronoun.
If pronoun is ambiguous, check the answers:
- if answer uses pronoun, then correct answer must use a pronoun. look for something else.
- if answer substitute a noun, then check for other errors. If you have to guess, chose the answer uses a noun.
True or false - A noun and it’s modifier should touch each other. A verb modifier does not have to touch the subject.
True
What do following relative pronouns modify?
Which That Who Whose Where When
Who and whom modify people, who modify people when people is subject; whom modify people when people is object
Which modify things
Where modify places, but not condition, situation, case, circumstances or arrangement. Use IN WHICH instead.
Correct or incorrect
We had an arrangement where he cooked and I cleaned.
Incorrect - should use in which instead of where.
LIKE must be followed by _________? Can it followed by a clause (which contains a working verb).
nouns (including gerunds), pronouns, or noun phrase. No, it cannot be followed by a clause. Use AS instead.
Comparison must be parallel.
Ex: Frank’s build, like his brother, is broad and muscular. (right or wrong)
Wrong
Frank’s build, like his brother’s, is broad and muscular.
or
Frank’s build, like THAT OF his brother, is broad and muscular
Comparison must be parallel - structurally.
I like to run through forests more than I enjoy walking through crowds. (right or wrong)
Wrong
I like running through forests MORE THAN walking through crowds.
Adrian runs quickly. He runs quicker than Jacob.
Wrong
Adrian runs quickly. He runs more quickly than Jacob.
Rule - do not compare an adverb that ends in -LY by changing the ending to -ER.
Always use THAN with comparative form.
Wrong: Wither winter coming, I will have HIGHER energy bills.
Is the following sentence correct?
I love French food because they really know how to make a good sauce.
Wrong
Pronouns can only refer back to nouns or other pronouns. In this sentence, “they” is referring to “French food”, which is incorrect.
as X as Y
Both…. and ….
must be parallel after each word.
Only should not be placed before verb.
true
Indicate that
true
Order that (subjunctive) Require that (subjunctive)
Order to
Require to
true
Right or wrong
The tidal forces to an object falling into a black hole IS subjected ARE sufficient to tear the object apart.
Correct
“IS” is pairing with “a black hole”
“ARE” is paring with “tidal forces”
Are the following plural?
along with
in addition to
as well as
including
No, they are singular. only AND can unit two or more singular subjects.
singular or plural?
Or, Either….. or & Neither… nor
Find the noun nearest the verb to determine whether singular or plural.
Whenever you see “AND” after a comma, what are the two possibilities?
(1) a list
(2) two main clauses.
GMAT will occasionally create a mixed-up sentence by linking a main clause to a fragment with AND after a comma.
Countable modifiers
Many Few fewer fewest number numerous more numerous
Non-countable modifiers
Much Little Less (DO NOT USE LESS WITH COUNTABLE NOUN) Least Amount great greater
which modifiers work with countable and non-countable nouns?
more
most
enough
all
Increase and Decrease vs. greater and less
Increase and decrease express the change of one thing over time.
Greater and less signal a comparison between two things.
Also, watch out for redundancy when using increase and decrease.
Concision: Rule - VAN
1. Prefer a verb to an action noun
Wordy: They made a reference to the strike.
Better: They referred to a strike.
Concision: Rule - VAN
2. prefer a THAT - clause (with verbs) to a series of phrases (with nouns)
Wordy: the hypothesis ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF the universe AS largely dark energy seems strange.
Better: the hypothesis THAT the universe IS largely COMPOSED OF dark energy seems strange.
“IDEA” nouns are modified well with “THAT”. What are IDEA nouns?
hypothesis, idea, suggestion, belief, discovery, evidence, indication, report.
Concision: Rule - VAN
3. prefer an adjective to a noun
Wordy: there is an abundance of funds for school construction.
Better: Funds for school construction are abundant.
Concision: Rule - VAN
4. prefer an adverb to a prepositional phrase.
Wordy: Oil prices have fallen, but prices at the gasoline pump have not fallen TO A COMPARABLE EXTENT.
better: Oil prices have fallen, but prices at the gasoline pump have not fallen COMPARABLY.
Concision: Rule - VAN
5. Prefer an adjective to an adjective clause with be.
Wordy: Marcos is a professor WHO IS ADMIRABLE.
Better: Marco is an ADMIRABLE professor.
Concision: Rule - VAN
6. remove IT IS…. THAT…
Wordy: IT IS without fear THAT children should play.
Better: Children should play without fear.
Report verbs include a thought or belief takes THAT whenever you follow them with a clause.
agree claim contend declare find indicate reveal rule show
Simple Gerund phrases:
Tracking Satellites accurately is important for the space agency.
Complex Gerund phrases: (with articles and the word OF)
The accurate tracking of satellites is important for the space agency.
Simple gerund phrases can never parallel to complex gerund phrases. Consider following sentence:
The rebels demanded the WITHDRAW of government forces from disputed regions, significant REDUCTIONS in overall troop levels, RAISING the rebel flag on holidays, AND a general pardon.
(Raising should be THE RAISING OF)
If an appropriate action noun for a particular verb already exists in English, then avoid creating a complex gerund.
Wrong: the rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from dispute regions AND THE releasing OF certain political prisoners.
Right: the rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from dispute regions AND THE RELEASE OF certain political prisoners.
Concrete nouns vs. action nouns
They do not parallel.
Concrete nouns refers to thins, people, places and even time periods such as rock, continent, electron, politician, week.
Action nouns refers to actions, as their name implies. they form from verbs such as eruption, pollution, nomination, withdrawal, development, change, growth. Action nouns are paralleled with complex gerunds.
Modifiers - exception to the touch rule
- “A “mission-critical” modifier falls between. This modifier is often an OF-phrase that defines the noun.
Ex: he had a way OF DODGING OPPONENTS that impressed the scouts.
Here “dodging opponents” modifies “the way”.
Modifiers - exception to the touch rule
- A very short predicate falls between, shifting a very long modifier back.
ex: A new CEO has been hired who will transform the company by decentralizing authority to various division heads while increasing their accountability through the use of public scorecards.
Note: “has been hired” can be moved to end of the sentence, but it will be ambiguous.
Modifiers - exception to the touch rule
- A Short non-essential phrase intervenes and is set off by commas.
ex: Our system of presidential elections favors states, such as Delaware, that by population are over-represented in the Electoral College.
Note: “such as Delaware” is non-essential.
Modifiers - exception to the touch rule
- The modifier is part of a series of parallel modifiers, one of which touches the noun.
Ex: in heraldry, the term “tincture” refers to a color emblazoned on a coat of arms AND labeled with a special French word.
Note: the second modifier “labeled with a special French word” is not positioned right next to the noun it modifies, namely color. However, this modifier is in a parallel construction with another modifier “emblazoned on a coat of arms”, that IS positioned right next to the noun COLOR. Thus, the second modifier is considered well-placed.
Subgroup modifiers. Three sets are:
- This model explains all known subatomic particles, SOME OF WHICH WERE only recently discovered.
- This model explains all known subatomic particles, SOME OF THEM only recently discovered.
- This model explains all known subatomic particles, SOME only recently discovered.
SOME can be substitute with any, non, all, more/most.
Noticed that only WHICH construction has a working verb were. Wrong answers are:
- This model explains all known subatomic particles, OF WHICH SOME WERE only recently discovered.
- This model explains all known subatomic particles, SOME OF THEM WHICH WERE only recently discovered.
- This model explains all known subatomic particles, SOME OF WHICH only recently discovered.
(A) the rate of language extinction is accelerating, a tendency ultimately culminating in the survival of just a few languages, according to some.
(B) The rate of language extinction is accelerating, a tendency THAT WILL ultimately culminate in the survival of just a few languages, according to some.
(B) is correct. Present participles gets their tense from the main verb in the sentence. (A) indicates present time as it gets their tense from “is accelerating”. (B) uses that…will correctly establishes when the action is meant to occur in the future.
Absolute phrases are composed of noun plus a noun modifier. you can add “with”.
Correct - Owen walked out the store, (with) his head held high.
Scientists have found high levels of iridium in certain geological formations around the world, RESULTS THAT SUGGEST THE CATACLYSMIC IMPACT O F A METEOR MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.
Scientists have found high levels of iridium in certain geological formations around the world, SUGGESTING THE CATACLYSMIC IMPACT O F A METEOR MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.
Correct - captions do no modify the World, but rather a clause.
Wrong version can be:
Scientists have found high levels of iridium in certain geological formations around the world, WHICH SUGGEST THE CATACLYSMIC IMPACT O F A METEOR MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.
I have never seen an aardvark, but last year my father DID.
SAW ONE.
Rule: If you need to change tense, repeat the whole verb in the new tense.
Rule of thumb: prefer present participle _ING over the infinitive. ING represents a result.
Preferable - Investors sold the stock rapidly, causing panic.
Not preferable - Investors sold the stock rapidly to cause panic.
Can Like introduce examples?
no, use “Such as”.
