Sentence Correction-Idioms

Question 1

Ability … (infinitive)

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

As … as

Answer 2

Trigger: as + (adjective)

Rule: as + (adjective) … as + (noun)

Example: She is as tall as a building.

Question 3

Associate … with

Answer 3

Trigger: Associate

Rule: with

Example: Most politicians prefer not to be associated with the Mafia.

Question 4

Attempt + (infinitive)

Answer 4

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.

Question 5

Attribute … to

Answer 5

Trigger: Attribute

Rule: to

Example: Many amusing quips are attributed to Dorothy Parker.

Question 6

Believe … to be

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Both … and

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

Consider … (nothing)

Answer 8

Trigger: Consider

Rule: (—)

Example: Art historians consider the Mona Lisa one of the greatest works of art.

Question 9

Contrast … with

Answer 9

Trigger: Contrast

Rule: with

Example: My father likes to contrast my grades with my brother’s.

Question 10

Credit … with

Answer 10

Trigger: Credit

Rule: with

Example: Many people credit Christopher Columbus with the discovery of America, but Native Americans were here first.

Question 11

Define … as

Answer 11

Trigger: Define

Rule: as

Example: My GMAT teacher defines the conclusion as the main point of the argument.

Question 12

Different … from

Answer 12

Trigger: Different

Rule: from

Example: Democrats are not so different from Republicans in the United States.

Common error: “different than”

Question 13

Discriminate … between

Answer 13

Trigger: Discriminate

Rule: between

Example: It is often difficult for troubled children to discriminate between right and wrong.

Question 14

Dispose of

Answer 14

Trigger: Dispose

Rule: of

Example: The criminal did know how to dispose of the evidence.

Question 15

Either … or

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Estimate … to be

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Forbid … (infinitive)

Answer 17

Trigger: Forbid

Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)

Example: I forbid you to call me before noon.

Question 18

From … to

Answer 18

Trigger: From

Rule: to

Example: Scores on the GMAT range from 200 to 800.

Question 19

Hypothesis … that

Answer 19

Trigger: Hypothesis

Rule: that

Example: The hypothesis that aspartame causes brain tumors has not yet been proven.

Question 20

Intention of

Answer 20

Trigger: Intention

Rule: of + ( a verb ending in “ing”)

Example: I have absolutely no intention of doing that.

Question 21

Just as … so too

Answer 21

Trigger: Just as

Rule: so too

Example: Just as I crossed over to the dark side, so too will you, my son.

Question 22

More … than

Answer 22

Trigger: More

Rule: than

Example: The chimpanzee is much more intelligent than the orangutan.

Question 23

Neither … nor

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

Not only … but also

Answer 24

Trigger: Not only

Rule: but also

Example: She not only likes to run in the park but also likes to ski in the mountains.

Question 25

Not so … as

Answer 25

Trigger: Not so

Rule: as

Example: He is not so much smart as cunning.

Question 26

Permit … (infinitive)

Answer 26

Trigger: Permit

Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)

Example: I don’t permit my children to play with knives in the living room.

Question 27

Prohibit … from

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

Regard … as

Answer 28

Trigger: Regard

Rule: as

Example: Art historians regard the Mona Lisa as one of the greatest works of art.

Question 29

Require … (infinitive)

Answer 29

Trigger: Require

Rule: infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)

Example: Before you enter the house, you are required to take off your hat.

Question 30

See … as

Answer 30

Trigger: See

Rule: as

Example: Many people see euthanasia as an escape from pain.

Question 31

So (adjective) … as (infinitive)

Answer 31

Trigger: So (adjective)

Rule: as + infinitive (i.e., “to + verb”)

Example: She is so beautiful as to be exquisite.

Question 32

So (adjective) … that (noun +verb)

Answer 32

Trigger: So (adjective)

Rule: that (noun + verb)

Example: He was so late that he missed the main course.

Question 33

Superior … to

Answer 33

Trigger: Superior

Rule: to

Example: My pasta sauce is far superior to my mother-in-law’s.

Question 34

Target … at

Answer 34

Trigger: Target

Rule: at

Example: The commercials were obviously targeted at teenage boys.

Question 35

The more … the (adjective)-er

Answer 35

Trigger: The more

Rule: the (adjective)-er

Example: The more you ignore me, the closer I get.

Question 36

Think of … as

Answer 36

Trigger: Think of

Rule: as

Example: Think of it more as a promise than a threat.

Question 37

Try … (infinitive)

Answer 37

Trigger: Try

Rule: infinitive

Example: Try to stay awake during the essay section of the test.

Common Error: “try and”

Question 38

Worry … about

Answer 38

Trigger: Worry

Rule: about

Example: If you worry too much about the GMAT, you’ll develop an ulcer.