Verbal Concepts to Memorize

Question 1

The most tested pronouns…

Answer 1

It, Its, They, Their, Them. Whenever you see a prounoun, replace it with its antecedant when reading the answers.

Question 2

The intended antecedant of a pronoun must be…

Answer 2

a noun in the sentence.

Question 3

Meaning: Aggrevate vs. Aggrevating

Answer 3

Aggrevate (worsen) vs. Aggrevating (irritating)

Question 4

Meaning: Known as vs. Known to be

Answer 4

Known as (named) vs. Known to be (acknowledged as)

Question 5

Meaning: Loss of vs. Loss in

Answer 5

Loss of (no longer have) vs. Loss in (decline in value)

Question 6

Meaning: Native of vs. Native to

Answer 6

Native of (person from) vs. Native to (species)

Question 7

Meaning: Rise v.s Raise

Answer 7

Rise (general increase) vs. Raise (a bet)

Question 8

How many expressions of time should there be in a sentence?

Answer 8

Only one (previously, fomerly, in the past). More than one reference to time is redundent.

Question 9

Subject and Verb must (3 things)

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

4 methods to deconstruct critical reasoning questions about conclusions.

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

And vs. Additive Phrases

Answer 11

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.)

Question 12

Which noun should agree in number in, or, either….or, & neither…nor structures?

Answer 12

The noun closests to the verb. Neither the players nor the couch IS going.

Question 13

Collective nouns are plural or singular?

Answer 13

Almost always singular. People: agency, army, audience, class, committee, team. Items: Baggage, citrus, equipment, fleet.

Question 14

The SANAM Indefinite Pronouns:

Answer 14

Some, Any, None, All, More, Most

Question 15

What are the singular pronouns?

Answer 15

Pronouns ending in -one, -thing, -body and each.

Question 16

What is the present perfect tense used for and how do you form it?

Answer 16

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.)

Question 17

What is the past perfect used for and how do you form it?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

What is a correlative conjunction and what must you watch for on the GMAT?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

When you are making a comparison in a sentence…

2 things

Answer 19

the two clauses must be logically comparable (nouns to nouns or verb to verb) and structuarally comparable (use the same verb form).

Question 20

The comparison “as” is used to compare..

Answer 20

clauses, which must both contain a subject and a verb.

Question 21

The comparison “like” is used to compare..

Answer 21

two nouns (not verbs).

Question 22

How do you form the command subjunctive?

Answer 22

Bossy verb + that + subject + command subjunctive.

No -s on the 3rd person singular.

We propose the school board disband.

Question 23

What should you look for when strenthening or weakening an argument?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

When asked about a plan and effect, don’t …

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

What are modifiers?

Answer 25

Adjectives (modifies a noun or pronoun) and Adverbs (modifies a verb, adjective, adverb, propositional phrase, or while clause).

Question 26

Where must modifiers be placed in a sentence?

Answer 26

(pro)noun modifiers must touch the noun it modifies.

Verb modifiers do not have to touch the subject they modify.

Question 27

Which & That modify ________.

Answer 27

things.

Question 28

When asked to elevate the argument…

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

What are some parallel markers?

Answer 29

and, both/and, or, either/or, not/but, not only/but also, rather than, from/to

Question 30

When do you use which vs. that.

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

Each and every are…

Each of these shirts _____ pretty.

Answer 31

singular.

Each of these shirts is pretty.

Question 32

The number of ______. (singular or plural)

The number of musicians tonight _______ .

Answer 32

singular

The number of musicians tonight is small.

Question 33

“A number of” is singular or plural?

A number of flowers ______ blooming.

Answer 33

Plural

A number of flowers are blooming.

Question 34

What’s wrong with this sentence?

The scientists that made the discovery were rewarded.

Answer 34

On the GMAT, that cnannot modify people.

Corrected: The scientist WHO made the discovery were rewarded.

Question 35

Who vs. Whom

Answer 35

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.

Question 36

What’s the error?

Crime has recently decreased in the our neighborhood, which has led to a rise in property values.

Answer 36

WHICH only refers to the noun immediately preceding it, never to refer to an entire clause.

Question 37

Are passive voice answers ever correct?

Answer 37

Yes. Often! Voice is a matter of choice.

Question 38

The word “like” must be folowed by…

Answer 38

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.

Question 39

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.

Answer 39

It compares trapeze artists to antics. Should rearrange to lead with circus clowns instead.