Idioms Flashcards
I value my ABILITY TO SING.
RIGHT
ABILITY
I value my ABILITY OF SINGING.
WRONG
ABILITY
I value my ABILITY FOR SINGING.
WRONG
ABILITY
I value the ABILITY FOR me TO SING.
WRONG
ABILITY
The holiday ALLOWS Maria TO WATCH the movie today.
RIGHT
ALLOW (permits an action)
Maria WAS ALLOWED TO WATCH the movie.
RIGHT
ALLOW
The demolition of the old building ALLOWS FOR new construction.
RIGHT
ALLOW (permits the existence of)
The holiday ALLOWED FOR Maria TO WATCH the movie.
WRONG
ALLOW
The holiday ALLOWED Maria the WATCHING OF the movie.
WRONG
ALLOW
The holiday ALLOWS THAT homework BE done.
WRONG
ALLOW (or CAN BE done)
Homework is ALLOWED FOR DOING BY Maria.
WRONG
ALLOW
The ALLOWING OF shopping TO DO.
WRONG
ALLOW (or TO BE DONE)
We are concerned about the forests AND the oceans.
RIGHT
AND
We are concerned about the forests, the oceans, AND the mountains.
RIGHT
AND
The company is profitable, AND the CEO is famous.
RIGHT
AND (Note the comma before AND.)
We are concerned about the forests AND ALSO the oceans.
RIGHT
AND
We are concerned about the forests, ALSO the oceans.
WRONG
AND
AS I walked, I became more nervous.
RIGHT
AS (during)
AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned.
RIGHT
AS (because, since)
AS we did last year, we will win this year.
RIGHT
AS (in the same way)
JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year.
RIGHT
AS (in the same way)
AS the president of the company, she works hard.
RIGHT
AS (in the role of)
AS a child, I delivered newspapers.
RIGHT
AS (in the stage of being)
My first job was an apprenticeship AS a sketch artist.
RIGHT
AS (in the role of)
AS PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
RIGHT
AS
AS A PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
RIGHT
AS (Don’t include the word)
My first job was an apprenticeship OF a sketch artist.
WRONG
AS
The students worked AS a sketch artist.
WRONG
AS (The nouns must agree in number.)
WHILE BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
WRONG
AS
AS BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
WRONG
AS
WHILE IN childhood, I delivered newspapers.
WRONG
AS
Cheese is AS great AS people say.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
Cheese is NOT AS great AS people say.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
We have AS MANY apples AS need to be cooked.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
We have THREE TIMES AS MANY pears AS you.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
We have AT LEAST AS MANY apples AS you.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
We have 10 apples, ABOUT AS MANY AS we picked yesterday.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
His knowledge springs AS MUCH from experience AS from schooling.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
His knowledge springs NOT SO MUCH from experience AS from schooling.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
He wins frequently, AS MUCH because he plays SO hard AS because he cheats.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
We have AS MANY apples AS OR MORE apples THAN you.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
We have AS MANY apples AS THERE need to be cooked.
RIGHT
AS . . . AS
Cheese is SO great AS people say.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
Cheese is NOT SO great AS people say.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
Cheese is SO great THAT people say.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
Cheese is AS great THAT people say.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
We have AS MANY apples THAN you.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
We have SO MANY apples AS you.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
We have AS MANY OR MORE apples THAN you.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
We have THREE TIMES AS MANY MORE pears AS you.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
We have 10 apples, ABOUT EQUIVALENT TO what we picked yesterday.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
His knowledge springs NOT from experience AS from schooling.
WRONG
AS . . . AS
BECAUSE the sun shines, plants grow.
RIGHT
BECAUSE
Plants grow BECAUSE the sun shines.
RIGHT
BECAUSE
BECAUSE OF the sun, plants grow.
RIGHT
BECAUSE
BY SHINING, the sun makes plants grow.
RIGHT
BECAUSE
Plants grow, FOR the sun shines.
RIGHT
BECAUSE (grammatically correct but very formal)
Plants grow BECAUSE OF the sun, which shines.
RIGHT
BECAUSE
Plants are amazing IN THAT they grow in the sun.
RIGHT
BECAUSE (correct but wordy)
The growth of plants IS EXPLAINED BY THE FACT THAT the sun shines.
RIGHT
BECAUSE (wordy)
Plants grow BECAUSE OF the sun SHINING.
WRONG
BECAUSE
Plants grow AS A RESULT OF the sun SHINING.
WRONG
BECAUSE
BECAUSE OF SHINING, the sun makes plants grow.
WRONG
BECAUSE
ON ACCOUNT OF SHINING or ITS SHINING, the sun makes plants grow.
WRONG
BECAUSE
BECAUSE the sun shines IS the REASON that plants grow.
WRONG
BECAUSE
The ABILITY OF plants TO grow IS BECAUSE the sun shines.
WRONG
BECAUSE
BEING THAT the sun shines, plants grow.
WRONG
BECAUSE
The growth of plants IS EXPLAINED BECAUSE OF the shining of the sun.
WRONG
BECAUSE
The growth of plants IS EXPLAINED BECAUSE the sun shines.
WRONG
BECAUSE
BEING infected does not make you sick.
RIGHT
BEING
The judges saw the horses BEING led to the stables.
RIGHT
BEING
BEING an advocate of reform, I would like to make a different proposal.
RIGHT
BEING
Note: The word BEING is often wordy or awkward. However, having caught on to “BEING is wrong” shortcut, the GMAT problem writers have created a few problems that force you to choose BEING. It’s true that BEING appears in many more wrong answers than right ones; however, the word can be used correctly as a gerund or as participle.
She BELIEVES THAT Gary IS right.
RIGHT
BELIEVE
She BELIEVES Gary TO BE right.
RIGHT
BELIEVE
IT IS BELIEVED THAT Gary IS right.
RIGHT
BELIEVE
Gary IS BELIEVED TO BE right.
RIGHT
BELIEVE
Gary IS BELIEVED BY her TO BE right.
RIGHT
BELIEVE
She was interested BOTH in plants AND in animals.
RIGHT
BOTH . . . AND
She was interested in BOTH plants AND animals.
RIGHT
BOTH . . . AND
She was interested BOTH in plants AND animals.
WRONG
BOTH . . . AND
She was interested BOTH in plants AS WELL AS in animals.
WRONG
BOTH . . . AND
She was interested BOTH in plants BUT ALSO in animals.
WRONG
BOTH . . . AND
I STUDY hard BUT TAKE breaks.
RIGHT
BUT
I STUDY hard, BUT I TAKE breaks.
RIGHT
BUT
ALTHOUGH I TAKE frequent naps, I STUDY effectively.
RIGHT
BUT
DESPITE TAKING frequent naps, I STUDY effectively.
RIGHT
BUT
I TAKE frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively.
RIGHT
BUT
DESPITE THE FACT THAT I TAKE frequent naps, I STUDY effectively.
RIGHT
BUT
ALTHOUGH a frequent napper, I STUDY effectively.
RIGHT
BUT (ALTHOUGH should generally followed by a clause.)
I STUDY effectively ALTHOUGH TAKING frequent naps.
WRONG
BUT
ALTHOUGH I TAKE frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively.
WRONG
BUT
ALTHOUGH I TAKE frequent naps, AND I STUDY effectively.
WRONG
BUT
DESPITE TAKING frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively.
WRONG
BUT
The manager CAN RUN the plant.
RIGHT
CAN
The plant CAN CAUSE damage.
RIGHT
CAN
The manager IS CAPABLE OF RUNNING the plant.
RIGHT
CAN
It is POSSIBLE FOR the plant TO CAUSE damage.
RIGHT
CAN
The plant POSSIBLY CAUSES damage.
RIGHT
CAN
The manager HAS THE CAPABILITY OF RUNNING the plant.
WRONG
CAN
The manager HAS THE ABILITY OF RUNNING the plant.
WRONG
CAN
The plant HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING damage.
WRONG
CAN
I CONSIDER her a friend.
RIGHT
CONSIDER
I CONSIDER her intelligent.
RIGHT
CONSIDER (Note: You can switch the order of the two objects; if one is long, place it second, as the next example.)
I CONSIDER illegal the law passed last week by the new regime.
RIGHT
CONSIDER
The law IS CONSIDERED illegal.
RIGHT
CONSIDER
The judge CONSIDERS the law TO BE illegal.
RIGHT
CONSIDER
The judge CONSIDERS the law AS illegal.
WRONG
CONSIDER (or AS BEING illegal)
The judge CONSIDERS the law SHOULD BE illegal.
WRONG
CONSIDER
The judge CONSIDERS the law AS IF IT WERE illegal.
WRONG
CONSIDER
I will take EITHER the subway OR the bus.
RIGHT
EITHER . . . OR
I will take EITHER the subway AND the bus.
WRONG
EITHER . . . OR
We EXPECT the price TO FALL.
RIGHT
EXPECT
The price IS EXPECTED TO FALL.
RIGHT
EXPECT
We EXPECT THAT the price WILL FALL.
RIGHT
EXPECT
IT IS EXPECTED THAT the price WILL FALL.
RIGHT
EXPECT
Inflation rose more than we EXPECTED.
RIGHT
EXPECT
There IS an EXPECTATION THAT the price will fall.
RIGHT
EXPECT
There IS an expectation the price WILL FALL.
RIGHT
EXPECT
There IS an expectation OF the price FALLING.
RIGHT
EXPECT
The price IS EXPECTED FOR IT TO FALL.
WRONG
EXPECT
IT IS EXPECTED THAT the price SHOULD FALL.
WRONG
EXPECT
The price fell FROM 10 euros TO 3 euros.
RIGHT
FROM . . . TO
The price fell TO 3 euros FROM 10 euros.
RIGHT
FROM . . . TO
The price fell FROM 10 euros DOWN TO 3 euros.
WRONG
FROM . . . TO
The price rose FROM 3 euros UP TO 10 euros.
WRONG
FROM . . . TO
She drank coffee IN ORDER TO STAY awake.
RIGHT
IN ORDER TO
She drank coffee TO STAY awake.
RIGHT
IN ORDER TO (Infinitive TO STAY indicates purpose.)
She drank coffee IN ORDER THAT she MIGHT STAY awake.
RIGHT
IN ORDER TO (or SO THAT)
She drank coffee SO AS TO STAY awake.
RIGHT
IN ORDER TO
A report INDICATES THAT unique bacteria LIVE on our skin.
RIGHT
INDICATE
A report IS INDICATIVE OF the presence of unique bacteria on our skin.
RIGHT
INDICATE
A report INDICATES unique bacteria LIVE on our skin.
WRONG
INDICATE (THAT is needed.)
A report IS INDICATIVE THAT unique bacteria LIVE on our skin.
WRONG
INDICATE
A report INDICATES unique bacteria AS present on our skin.
WRONG
INDICATE
A report INDICATES unique bacteria TO LIVE on our skin.
WRONG
INDICATE
LIKE his sister, Matt drives fast cars.
RIGHT
LIKE (Both drive fast cars.)
Matt drives fast cars LIKE his sister’s.
RIGHT
LIKE (Both drive similar cars; or, less optimally, one of the cars he drives is his sister’s.)
Matt drives fast cars LIKE his sister does.
WRONG
LIKE
LIKE his sister, SO Matt drives fast cars.
WRONG
LIKE
She DID NOT EAT mangoes BUT ATE other kinds of fruit.
RIGHT
NOT . . . BUT
She DID NOT EAT mangoes BUT LIKED other kinds of fruit AND later BEGAN like kiwis, too.
RIGHT
NOT . . . BUT
A tomato is NOT a vegetable BUT a fruit.
RIGHT
NOT . . . BUT
A tomato is NOT a vegetable BUT RATHER a fruit.
RIGHT
NOT . . . BUT
She DID NOT EAT mangoes BUT other kinds of fruit.
WRONG
NOT . . . BUT
We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT ALSO sandals.
RIGHT
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
We wore NOT ONLY boots, BUT ALSO sandals.
RIGHT
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO (The comma is optional.)
We wore NOT JUST boots BUT ALSO sandals.
RIGHT
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT sandals.
RIGHT
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT sandals AS WELL.
RIGHT
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
We wore boots AND ALSO sandals.
RIGHT
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
We wore NOT ONLY boots AND ALSO sandals.
WRONG
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
We wore NOT ONLY boots BUT, AS WELL, sandals.
WRONG
NOT ONLY . . . BUT ALSO
He wrote with pencils RATHER THAN with pens.
RIGHT
RATHER THAN
He wrote with pencils, BUT NOT pens.
RIGHT
RATHER THAN
He wrote with pencils INSTEAD OF with pens.
WRONG
RATHER THAN (OF with is incorrect.)
The sauce was SO hot AS TO burn my mouth.
RIGHT
SO . . . AS TO
Note: The GMAT has an inconsistent position on this idiom. At least one official explanation claims that this idiom is “incorrect” but provides no further explanation to why. However, at least one official problem uses this idiom in a correct answer choice. Other authorities consider this idiom correct, and we agree. Nevertheless, you should be wary of its use.
The sauce had SUCH heat AS TO burn my mouth.
WRONG
SO . . . AS TO
The sauce had SO MUCH heat AS TO burn my mouth.
WRONG
SO . . . AS TO
The book was SO SHORT THAT I could read it in one night.
RIGHT
SO . . . THAT
The book was SHORT ENOUGH FOR me TO READ in one night.
RIGHT
SO . . . THAT
The book was SO SHORT I could read it.
RIGHT
SO . . . THAT (THAT is preferred.)
The book was OF SUCH SHORTNESS THAT I could read it.
RIGHT
SO . . . THAT
SUCH was the SHORTNESS of the book THAT I could read it.
RIGHT
SO . . . THAT
The book had SO MUCH SHORTNESS THAT I could read it.
WRONG
SO . . . THAT
The book was OF SUCH SHORTNESS, I could read it.
WRONG
SO . . . THAT
The book was SHORT TO SUCH A DEGREE AS TO ALLOW me to read it.
WRONG
SO . . . THAT
She gave money SO THAT the school could offer scholarships.
RIGHT
SO THAT (purpose)
She gave money, SO the school was grateful.
RIGHT
SO THAT (result)
She gave money SO the school could offer scholarships.
WRONG
SO THAT
Matt drives fast cars, SUCH AS Ferraris.
RIGHT
SUCH AS (introducing examples)
Matt enjoys driving SUCH cars AS Ferraris.
RIGHT
SUCH AS
Matt enjoys intense activities, SUCH AS DRIVING fast cars.
RIGHT
SUCH AS
Matt drives fast cars LIKE Ferraris.
RIGHT
SUCH AS (intended to be an example)
Note: The GMAT has backed off from claiming that like cannot introduce examples, it is probable that the GMAT will continue to avoid using like with examples, because like typically means similar to.
Matt drives Ferraris AND THE LIKE.
WRONG
SUCH AS
Matt drives Ferraris AND OTHER cars SUCH AS THESE.
WRONG
SUCH AS
Matt trains in many ways SUCH AS BY DRIVING on racetracks.
WRONG
SUCH AS
Matt enjoys intense activities, SUCH AS TO DRIVE fast cars.
WRONG
SUCH AS
His books are MORE impressive THAN those of other writers.
RIGHT
THAN
This paper is LESS impressive THAN that one.
RIGHT
THAN
This paper is NO LESS impressive THAN that one.
RIGHT
THAN
This newspaper cost 50 cents MORE THAN that one.
RIGHT
THAN
MORE THAN 250 newspapers are published here.
RIGHT
THAN
Sales are HIGHER this year THAN last year.
RIGHT
THAN
His books are MORE impressive AS those of other writers.
WRONG
THAN
This paper is MORE impressive RATHER THAN that one.
WRONG
THAN
This paper is MORE impressive INSTEAD OF that one.
WRONG
THAN
This paper is NO LESS impressive AS that one.
WRONG
THAN
This paper is NONE THE LESS impressive THAN that one.
WRONG
THAN
This newspaper cost 50 cents AS MUCH AS that one.
WRONG
THAN
AS MANY AS OR MORE THAN 250 newspapers are published here.
WRONG
THAN
Sales are HIGHER this year OVER last year.
WRONG
THAN
UNLIKE the spiny anteater, the aardvark is docile.
RIGHT
UNLIKE
UNLIKE WITH the spiny anteater, the aardvark is docile.
WRONG
UNLIKE
I do not know WHETHER I will go.
RIGHT
WHETHER
I do not know WHETHER OR NOT I will go.
RIGHT
WHETHER
I do not know IF I will go.
WRONG
WHETHER (IF requires a consequence.)
I decided to eat the food, WHETHER it was tasty OR NOT.
RIGHT
WHETHER . . . OR
WHETHER trash OR treasure, the recyclables must be picked up.
RIGHT
WHETHER . . . OR
WHETHER trash OR ALSO treasure, the recyclables must be picked up.
WRONG
WHETHER . . . OR
WHETHER THEY BE trash OR treasure, the recyclables must go.
WRONG
WHETHER . . . OR
