Sentence Correction-Idioms Flashcards
Ability … (infinitive)
Trigger: Ability
Rule: infinitive (i.e. “to + verb”)
Example: If you took the GMAT enough times, you might develop the ability to chooses the best answers without reading the questions.
As … as
Trigger: as + (adjective)
Rule: as + (adjective) … as + (noun)
Example: She is as tall as a building.
Associate … with
Trigger: Associate
Rule: with
Example: Most politicians prefer not to be associated with the Mafia.
Attempt + (infinitive)
Trigger: Attempt
Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)
Example: Make no attempt to make me feel better.
Common Error: Make no attempt at making me feel better.
Attribute … to
Trigger: Attribute
Rule: to
Example: Many amusing quips are attributed to Dorothy Parker.
Believe … to be
Trigger: Believe
Rule: to be
Example: His friends do not believe the ring he bought to be Jackie O’s ; they all think he was tricked.
Both … and
Trigger: Both
Rule: and; “both … and” cannot apply to more than 2 things.
Example: When given the choice, I choose both ice cream and cake.
Consider … (nothing)
Trigger: Consider
Rule: (—)
Example: Art historians consider the Mona Lisa one of the greatest works of art.
Contrast … with
Trigger: Contrast
Rule: with
Example: My father likes to contrast my grades with my brother’s.
Credit … with
Trigger: Credit
Rule: with
Example: Many people credit Christopher Columbus with the discovery of America, but Native Americans were here first.
Define … as
Trigger: Define
Rule: as
Example: My GMAT teacher defines the conclusion as the main point of the argument.
Different … from
Trigger: Different
Rule: from
Example: Democrats are not so different from Republicans in the United States.
Common error: “different than”
Discriminate … between
Trigger: Discriminate
Rule: between
Example: It is often difficult for troubled children to discriminate between right and wrong.
Dispose of
Trigger: Dispose
Rule: of
Example: The criminal did know how to dispose of the evidence.
Either … or
Trigger: Either
Rule: or; “either …. or” cannot apply to more than 2 things.
Example: I must have either chocolate ice cream or carrot cake to complete a great meal.
Estimate … to be
Trigger: Estimate
Rule: to be
Example: The time he has spent impersonating Elvis is estimated to be longer that the time Elvis himself spent performing.
Forbid … (infinitive)
Trigger: Forbid
Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)
Example: I forbid you to call me before noon.
From … to
Trigger: From
Rule: to
Example: Scores on the GMAT range from 200 to 800.
Hypothesis … that
Trigger: Hypothesis
Rule: that
Example: The hypothesis that aspartame causes brain tumors has not yet been proven.
Intention of
Trigger: Intention
Rule: of + ( a verb ending in “ing”)
Example: I have absolutely no intention of doing that.
Just as … so too
Trigger: Just as
Rule: so too
Example: Just as I crossed over to the dark side, so too will you, my son.
More … than
Trigger: More
Rule: than
Example: The chimpanzee is much more intelligent than the orangutan.
Neither … nor
Trigger: Neither
Rule: nor; “neither … nor” cannot apply to more than 2 things
Example: Because Jenny was grounded, she could neither leave the house nor use the telephone.
Not only … but also
Trigger: Not only
Rule: but also
Example: She not only likes to run in the park but also likes to ski in the mountains.
Not so … as
Trigger: Not so
Rule: as
Example: He is not so much smart as cunning.
Permit … (infinitive)
Trigger: Permit
Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)
Example: I don’t permit my children to play with knives in the living room.
Prohibit … from
Trigger: Prohibit
Rule: from
Example: He was prohibited from entering the public library after he accidentally set the dictionary on fire with a magnifying glass.
Regard … as
Trigger: Regard
Rule: as
Example: Art historians regard the Mona Lisa as one of the greatest works of art.
Require … (infinitive)
Trigger: Require
Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)
Example: Before you enter the house, you are required to take off your hat.
See … as
Trigger: See
Rule: as
Example: Many people see euthanasia as an escape from pain.
So (adjective) … as (infinitive)
Trigger: So (adjective)
Rule: as + infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)
Example: She is so beautiful as to be exquisite.
So (adjective) … that (noun +verb)
Trigger: So (adjective)
Rule: that (noun + verb)
Example: He was so late that he missed the main course.
Superior … to
Trigger: Superior
Rule: to
Example: My pasta sauce is far superior to my mother-in-law’s.
Target … at
Trigger: Target
Rule: at
Example: The commercials were obviously targeted at teenage boys.
The more … the (adjective)-er
Trigger: The more
Rule: the (adjective)-er
Example: The more you ignore me, the closer I get.
Think of … as
Trigger: Think of
Rule: as
Example: Think of it more as a promise than a threat.
Try … (infinitive)
Trigger: Try
Rule: infinitive
Example: Try to stay awake during the essay section of the test.
Common Error: “try and”
Worry … about
Trigger: Worry
Rule: about
Example: If you worry too much about the GMAT, you’ll develop an ulcer.
