Idioms Flashcards
Ability
I value my ability _ sing.
Right: I value my ABILITY TO SING.
Wrong: I value my ABILITY OF SINGING.
I value my ABILITY FOR SINGING.
I value the ABILITY FOR me TO SING.
(Note: I can sing is preferred to I have the ability to sing)
Allow
- The holiday ALLOWS Maria _ WATCH the movie today. *
- Maria WAS ALLOWED _ WATCH the movie.*
- The demolition of the old building ALLOWS _ new construction.*
*Right: The holiday ALLOWS Maria TO WATCH the movie today. *
Maria WAS ALLOWED TO WATCH the movie.
(allow to = permit)
Right: The demolition of the old building ALLOWS FOR new construction.
(allow for = permite the existence of)
Wrong: The holiday ALLOWED FOR Maria TO WATCH the movie.
The holiday ALLOWED Maria the WATCHING OF the movie.
The holiday ALLOWS THAT homework BE done (or CAN BE done).
Homework isALLOWED FOR DOING BY Maria.
The ALLOWING OF shopping TO DO (or TO BE DONE).
And
Right: We are concerned about the forests AND the oceans.
- We are concerned about the forests, the oceans,AND the mountains.*
- We work all night, AND we sleep all day. (note the comma before AND)*
Suspect: We are concerned about the forests AND ALSO the oceans.
We work all night AND we sleep all day. (link 2 clauses with comma + AND)
Wrong: We are concerned about the forests, ALSO the oceans.
What is the meaning of the following usages of “as”?
- AS I walked, I became more nervous.*
- AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned.*
- AS we did last year, we will win this year.*
- JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year.*
- AS the president of the company, she works hard.*
- AS a child, I delivered newspapers.*
The meaning and other right and wrong usages
Right: AS I walked, I became more nervous. (= during)
- AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned. (= because, since)*
- AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way)*
- JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way)*
- AS the president of the company, she works hard. (= in the role of)*
- AS a child, I delivered newspapers. (= in the stage of being)*
- My first job was an apprenticeship AS a sketch artist.*
- AS PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.*
Suspect: AS A PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
**Wrong: **My first job was an apprenticeship OF a sketch artist.
They worked AS a sketch artist. (needs to agree in number.)
WHILE BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
AS BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
WHILE IN childhood, I delivered newpapers.
Name the following uses of “as” as Right, Wrong, or Suspect
AS a child, I delivered newspapers.
AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned.
AS we did last year, we will win this year.
AS I walked, I became more nervous.
AS BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
WHILE IN childhood, I delivered newpapers.
AS A PART OF the arrangement, he received
JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year.
AS the president of the company, she works hard.
severance.
AS PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
My first job was an apprenticeship OF a sketch artist.
They worked AS a sketch artist.
My first job was an apprenticeship AS a sketch artist.
WHILE BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
Right: AS I walked, I became more nervous. (= during)
AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned. (= because, since)
AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way)
JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way)
AS the president of the company, she works hard. (= in the role of)
AS a child, I delivered newspapers. (= in the stage of being)
My first job was an apprenticeship AS a sketch artist.
AS PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
**Suspect: **AS A PART OF the arrangement, he received severance
**Wrong: **My first job was an apprenticeship OF a sketch artist.
They worked AS a sketch artist. (needs to agree in number.)
WHILE BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
AS BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
WHILE IN childhood, I delivered newpapers.
What is wrong?
Her performance is only exceeded by theirs
Idiom
Her performance is exceeded ONLY by theirs.
(modifies by theirs)
Wrong: Her performance is ONLY exceeded by theirs. (technically modifies exceeded)
Note: ONLY should be placed just before the words it is meant to modify.
In both speech and writing, we often place ONLY before the verb, but this placement is generally wrong, according to the GMAT, since we rarely mean that the verb is the only action ever performed by the subject.
DISPUTE
In the past few months, there has been extensive dispute _ whether fare hikes should be…
DISPUTE
In the past few months, there has been extensive DISPUTE OVER whether fare hikes should be…
