Verbal Concepts to Memorize Flashcards
The most tested pronouns…
It, Its, They, Their, Them. Whenever you see a prounoun, replace it with its antecedant when reading the answers.
The intended antecedant of a pronoun must be…
a noun in the sentence.
Meaning: Aggrevate vs. Aggrevating
Aggrevate (worsen) vs. Aggrevating (irritating)
Meaning: Known as vs. Known to be
Known as (named) vs. Known to be (acknowledged as)
Meaning: Loss of vs. Loss in
Loss of (no longer have) vs. Loss in (decline in value)
Meaning: Native of vs. Native to
Native of (person from) vs. Native to (species)
Meaning: Rise v.s Raise
Rise (general increase) vs. Raise (a bet)
How many expressions of time should there be in a sentence?
Only one (previously, fomerly, in the past). More than one reference to time is redundent.
Subject and Verb must (3 things)
Both exist (no fragments with a connecting word, drop the connecting word and the sentence must stand on its own). Must make sense together. Must agree in number.
4 methods to deconstruct critical reasoning questions about conclusions.
Eliminate answers out of scope (introduce new elements). Extreme language (always, never) often fails. Ignore counterpoints. Invalidating a premise, does not necessarily invalidate the conclusion.
And vs. Additive Phrases
And forms a compound subject (Joe and Sally are running). Additive phrases (along with, in addition to, as well as, including) do NOT form a compound subject. (Joe, as well as his friends, is going to the party.)
Which noun should agree in number in, or, either….or, & neither…nor structures?
The noun closests to the verb. Neither the players nor the couch IS going.
Collective nouns are plural or singular?
Almost always singular. People: agency, army, audience, class, committee, team. Items: Baggage, citrus, equipment, fleet.
The SANAM Indefinite Pronouns:
Some, Any, None, All, More, Most
What are the singular pronouns?
Pronouns ending in -one, -thing, -body and each.
What is the present perfect tense used for and how do you form it?
To describe events that happened in the past and the effect continues. Formed by It has/have verb. (It has rained. = it’s still wet, I have danced the tango = I still dance the tango.)
What is the past perfect used for and how do you form it?
Had + verb. Used to express something that occured before something else in the past. By the time I learned that the cake was poisoned, I had already eaten three pieces.
What is a correlative conjunction and what must you watch for on the GMAT?
either/or, neither/nor, both/and, whether/or, not only/but also, not only/but. Each noun, phrase, or entire simple sentence must be in parallel. You can’t have a noun after one and a phrase after the other.
When you are making a comparison in a sentence…
2 things
the two clauses must be logically comparable (nouns to nouns or verb to verb) and structuarally comparable (use the same verb form).
The comparison “as” is used to compare..
clauses, which must both contain a subject and a verb.
The comparison “like” is used to compare..
two nouns (not verbs).
How do you form the command subjunctive?
Bossy verb + that + subject + command subjunctive.
No -s on the 3rd person singular.
We propose the school board disband.
What should you look for when strenthening or weakening an argument?
Answers aren’t black & white, but move the argument on a scale.
Eliminate answers that don’t attack the conclusion.
Don’t add your intrepretation or outside knowledge.
If the conclusion is better supported or proved by another premise, you can weaken it.
When asked about a plan and effect, don’t …
don’t pick answers that supprt the plan but don’t matter to the effect we care about. Don’t pick answers that give you an alternate better plan.
What are modifiers?
Adjectives (modifies a noun or pronoun) and Adverbs (modifies a verb, adjective, adverb, propositional phrase, or while clause).
Where must modifiers be placed in a sentence?
(pro)noun modifiers must touch the noun it modifies.
Verb modifiers do not have to touch the subject they modify.
Which & That modify ________.
things.
When asked to elevate the argument…
ID the permise(s) and conclusion. Look for logic gaps. What assumption(s) does the argument require? What would test the assumption? Be wary of extremem language. Focus only on the goals of the conclusion.
What are some parallel markers?
and, both/and, or, either/or, not/but, not only/but also, rather than, from/to
When do you use which vs. that.
Which is used after a comma and provides optional meaning to the sentence.
That is required for the sentence and does not use a comma.
Each and every are…
Each of these shirts _____ pretty.
singular.
Each of these shirts is pretty.
The number of ______. (singular or plural)
The number of musicians tonight _______ .
singular
The number of musicians tonight is small.
“A number of” is singular or plural?
A number of flowers ______ blooming.
Plural
A number of flowers are blooming.
What’s wrong with this sentence?
The scientists that made the discovery were rewarded.
On the GMAT, that cnannot modify people.
Corrected: The scientist WHO made the discovery were rewarded.
Who vs. Whom
Who can be used as the subject.
Whom is used an the object of the verb or a preposition.
The security guard WHOM we met was nice.
What’s the error?
Crime has recently decreased in the our neighborhood, which has led to a rise in property values.
WHICH only refers to the noun immediately preceding it, never to refer to an entire clause.
Are passive voice answers ever correct?
Yes. Often! Voice is a matter of choice.
The word “like” must be folowed by…
nouns, pronounds, or noun phrases. Never put a clause or prepositional phrase after like!
Wrong: Like her borther did, Ava aced the test.
Right: As her borther did, Ava aced the test.
Is this correct?
In contrast to the trapeze artists, who fumbled their routine, the antics of the circus clowns kept the audience entertained for hours.
It compares trapeze artists to antics. Should rearrange to lead with circus clowns instead.
