Verbal GMAT Sentence Correction

Question 1

What are the two fundamental types of sentence structures?

Answer 1

A. Phrases - collections of words that alone do not make a sentence because there is no subject-verb relationship

B. Clauses - contain a subject-verb relationship & the verb indicates when the action occurred (a finite verb).

Question 2

Define an independent Clause. How can you determine whether a clause is independent?

Answer 2

a collection of words that contain both a subject and a finite verb that together can stand alone as a sentence.

Capitalize the first letter of the clause and put a period at the end - does it make sense by itself?

Question 3

A clause that cannot by itself be a sentence is called…?

Name the 3 types of this clause.

Answer 3

Dependent Clauses
1. Subordinate Clauses
2. Relative Clauses
3. Noun Clauses

Question 4

A Subordinate Clause looks suspiciously like an Independent Clause. What is the key difference?

Give at least 5 examples of the type of word that make an Independent Clause into a Subordinate Clause.

Answer 4

Subordinate clauses have a connective (conjunction) in front of the independent clause.

After, Before, Until, Once, While, Although, Whereas, Because, If, Unless, Though, Even though, As much as, Just as, Whenever

Question 5

List the 4 types of sentence structure and define each type.

Answer 5

a) Simple sentences - 1 independent clause.
b) compound sentences - at 2 two independent clauses.
c) complex sentences - composed of >= 1 independent clause and 1 subordinate clause
d) compound-complex sentence - sentence with >1 Independent Clause and >= 1 subordinate clause

Question 6

What is comma splice?

FANBOYS is an acronym that solves this issue. What do the letters stand for?

Which punctuation mark can also solve this problem?

Answer 6

• 2 independent clauses are linked by only 1 comma - a coordinating conjunction is missing
• For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So
• semi-colon

Question 7

Define a Relative Clause (6Ws 1T). Which family of clauses does it belong to?

Answer 7

Relative Clauses begin with relative pronouns which take away their independence: That, Which, Who, Whom, Whose, Where, When.
They cannot stand alone as sentences; they are a type of Dependent Clause.

Question 8

What is a Noun Clause?

What words do they begin with? (9)

Answer 8

A clause that plays the role of a noun.

That, Which, How, Who, Whom, Where, Whether, What, Why

Question 9

Define prepositions and give 2 examples.

Answer 9

Prepositions are words that express relationships.
About & By

Question 10

When a finite verb is used, what are the two roles nouns, pronouns, and noun clauses can take? Define each role.

Answer 10

Direct Object. A noun or pronoun that is receiving the action of the finite verb. The steamboat hit the large WHALE.

Subject. A noun, pronoun, or noun clause doing or being something. What Jeff said is confusing.

Question 11

Subject-verb agreement is a well-understood concept. In what way do they agree?

Describe how you can make a subject agree with a verb and vice versa.

Answer 11

The subject & verb must agree in number. Singular vs Plural.
a singular subject matches with a singular verb which has an s on the end
plural subjects match with plural verbs, remove s at the end of a plural verb

Question 12

What is a prepositional phrase and which prepositions do they begin with?

Answer 12

A phrase that modifies a verb or noun.
Often begin with “by” “for” “in”

Question 13

Name the 7 examples of illogical comparisons.

Answer 13

1. Different types of items.
2. Mistakenly compared with itself.
3. Verbs in comparisons
4. Ellipsis in comparisons.
5. Ambiguous comparisons.
6. Incomplete comparisons.
7. Comparisons with Quantity nouns and (un)countable nouns

Question 14

What is an appositive?

Answer 14

Appositives modify or further describe another element of the sentence by renaming it

e.g. My brother John loves to make sales.

Question 15

Define a compound subject.

Because there are multiple words, do they require plural verbs?

Answer 15

A subject that is made up of many nouns which are connected by a conjunction such as and, or, nor.

No. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they do not.

Question 16

What type of verb typically matches with a compound subject where two nouns are connected by the word “and”?

Give an example when this is not the case.

Answer 16

Plural verbs.

Sometimes a compound subject that connects two nouns with the word and requires a singular verb. The bed and breakfast is open today.

Question 17

A certain type of phrase resembles the word “and”, what is it? Give at least 3 examples

Do these phrases create singular or plural subjects?

What happens when a singular subject is followed by this type of phrase?

Can the subject of a sentence appear with this phrase?

Answer 17

Additive phrases. As well as, in conjunction with, together with, accompanied by, in addition to, as well as.

They create singular subjects.

It remains singular.

No. Never.

Question 18

Sentences & clauses containing compound subjects joined by a special type of conjunction abide by their own subject-verb agreement rule…

What is the rule and what words follow this rule?

Answer 18

The verb in a sentence/clause containing a compound subject joined by or, neither nor, nor, either or, must agree with the subject noun to which it is closest

Question 19

Where is a subject typically placed in relation to the verb?

What is the name of the structure when the subject is not placed in that position? Charlie Munger.

Answer 19

Subjects typically come before the finite verb because the subject performs the action.

Inverted sentences. Yoda speak.

Question 20

Give examples of collective nouns.

They are almost always considered to be singular or plural?

Answer 20

Team, group, collection, people, band, army

Singular

Question 21

Collective nouns sometimes require an atypical verb form. Which form is atypical and why is it used?

Answer 21

Collective nouns require plural verbs when the group members act individually.

Question 22

Two examples of collective nouns frequently can be considered as either plural or singular. What are they?

Answer 22

Majority & Minority.

Question 23

When a subject begins with “every”, “each”, or “many a” is that subject plural or singular?

Answer 23

Singular.

Question 24

Define a pronoun.

Answer 24

A word that takes the place of a noun.

Question 25

Name the 3 examples of relative pronouns. Are they singular or plural?

Answer 25

That, which, who. They can be singular or plural depending on the noun to which they refer.

Question 26

Define an indefinite pronoun.

Answer 26

A pronoun that doesn't refer to any one thing in particular.

Question 27

Name the 18 indefinite Pronouns. Are they always singular or plural? AAA EEEEE NNNN O SSS WW ONE WE SEEN SEA SAW NAN

Answer 27

One, neither, each Whatever, either Somebody, everybody, everyone, nobody Someone, everything, anything Something, anybody, whoever No one, anyone, nothing

Question 28

Four indefinite pronouns are always plural. Name them.

Answer 28

Both, Few, Many, Several.

Question 29

Some really tricky indefinite pronouns are either singular or plural. SANAMM Pharmacy. When SANAMM appears, what can we not ignore?

Answer 29

Some, Any, None, All, More, Most. A prepositional phrase that comes between the pronoun and the clause's main verb.

Question 30

When Numbers & Percentages are preceded by "the", is the subject always singular or plural? When Numbers & Percentages are preceded by "a", is the subject singular, plural, or it depends? What about fractions?

Answer 30

"the" percentage & "the" number are always singular. A number is always plural, a percentage of + noun can be singular or plural depending on the noun. Fractions can take plural or singular verbs, half of, one-third of (don't ignore the prepositional phrase that comes after the fraction).

Question 31

The following 8 nouns are irregular. What are their plural forms? Alumnus Criterion Datum Fungus Medium Phenomenon Nucleus Syllabus

Answer 31

Alumni Criteria Data Fungi Media Phenomena Nuclei Syllabi

Question 32

Nouns ending in -ics appear to be plural but are actually? Give at least 3 examples.

Answer 32

Singular. Politics, statistics, mathematics, econometrics.

Question 33

Infinitives, gerunds, and noun phrases & clauses can all be subjects. Are they singular or plural?

Answer 33

Singular.

Question 34

Define a gerund. Give one example.

Answer 34

A verb that is acting as a noun when it ends with -ing. e.g. swimming. Swimming is a good exercise.

Question 35

Define an antecedent. What are they also referred to as?

Answer 35

The noun that the pronoun refers to. Referent.

Question 36

Which pronoun is typically used in speech without a clear referent?

Answer 36

They.

Question 37

Name the 8 pronoun issues.

Answer 37

1. Multiple possible antecedents 2. A pronoun's antecedent is missing from the sentence 3. Pronoun has an adjective as its antecedent 4. Pronoun doesn't agree in number with its antecedent 5. Sentence contains an unneeded pronoun 6. Sentence contains illogical Antecedents 7. Pronoun is referring to a clause 8. Sentence uses an incorrect pronoun case.

Question 38

Pronouns that refer to the words "each" or "every" must always be singular or plural? Give examples of at least 3 other indefinite pronouns which are always singular.

Answer 38

Singular. Anyone. Someone. No one. Nobody.

Question 39

Certain antecedents are illogical even though they sound correct in everyday speech. Name them.

Answer 39

Word such as "term" "label" "name" introduces a proper noun be on the lookout for antecedent-pronoun errors.

Question 40

What 3 functions can a pronoun have in a sentence?

Answer 40

Subject. Do the action. Object. Receive the action. Possessive. Express ownership.

Question 41

What is an error in pronoun case?

Answer 41

When an object pronoun is used when the pronoun is actually acting as the subject (doing the action) of the sentence or clause.

Question 42

How can we determine the correct pronoun when it is part of a compound subject or compound object? The investigators assured the CEO that the team being sent would include the director and (they/them)

Answer 42

Drop the part of the compound subject or compound object that is not the pronoun and then determine how the sentence would need to read with only the pronoun present. The investigators assured the CEO that the team being sent would include the director and them.

Question 43

Sometimes it is unclear whether we should use the pronoun "who" or "whom" and "whoever" or "whomever." What is an effective strategy we can use to decide which one to use? Explain this in grammar terms, when the pronoun is the subject we must use x and when the pronoun is the object we must y.

Answer 43

Replace the pronoun with "he" / "him" ("she" / "they") Subject = who/whoever Object = whom/whomever

Question 44

A possessive pronoun combined with a unique type of word often sounds wrong in speech but is dramatically correct. What is this combination? Give one example.

Answer 44

Possessive pronoun and gerund combination. The janitor was sure that the salespeople would not notice his cleaning up the mess.

Question 45

Define a Demonstrative Pronoun. Give an example of the main demonstrative pronouns. Use one in a sentence.

Answer 45

A demonstrative pronoun takes the place of a noun and always stands alone; it does not modify a noun. Replicate and relate to a noun already in the sentence. This, That, These, Those. The shoulders of this gym brah are wider than those of his friends.

Question 46

Define a demonstrative adjective. How close are nouns and demonstrative adjectives in the sentence?

Answer 46

A word that modifies a noun, indicates which noun is being described. Demonstrative adjectives are followed directly by the noun.

Question 47

Name a frequent error with demonstrative pronouns.

Answer 47

When demonstrative pronouns are used when personal pronouns make more sense.

Question 48

Define the expletive "it." Give an example.

Answer 48

When the pronoun "it" is used without a referent to any noun in the sentence. It is a placeholder subject that appears in combination with a delayed subject. It is apparent that Hal is a skilled investor.

Question 49

A pronoun without a logical referent is only permissible when what occurs? How can we check if the pronoun "it" has been correctly used without a referent?

Answer 49

When the pronoun is used as an expletive. Check for the presence of a delayed subject that logically be substituted for "it" - if there is none then the "it" is not expletive and is incorrectly used.

Question 50

Define a modifier.

Answer 50

A word, phrase, or clause that changes another word or expression.

Question 51

What is the difference between an adjective and adverb?

Answer 51

Adjectives can modify only nouns or pronouns. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. End in -ly.

Question 52

What is the result of a misplaced modifier? What type of adverb requires a specific placement in a sentence? Where are they best placed?

Answer 52

a different meaning is conveyed. Limiting adverbs: only, just, even, almost, merely, simply, exactly, nearly, hardly. Best placed immediately before or after the word/phrase it modifies.

Question 53

Where must noun modifiers be placed? If a noun modifier introduces a sentence, what must come directly after?

Answer 53

Adjectives must be placed as closely as possible to what they modify. The noun that has been modified.

Question 54

Identify 2 common types of traps with introductory modifiers.

Answer 54

The expletive "it" cannot follow an introductory modifier. A possessive cannot come after a modifying noun phrase. e.g. Velda's.

Question 55

Define dangling modifier. Give one example. Define squinting modifier. Give one example. How do I solve this problem?

Answer 55

Where the noun that is being modified does not appear in the sentence. A modifier that is placed between two words or phrases that it could logically both modify. The meaning is ambiguous. Place modifier so it can only apply to one noun/verb.

Question 56

Prepositional modifying phrases can be both? Give examples of prepositions that indicate a modifying phrase is prepositional.

Answer 56

Adjectives and Adverbs. In. Under. By. For... all followed by a noun.

Question 57

A certain type of modifier is often difficult to match with the noun that it is referring to. What is this type? Give an example.

Answer 57

Modifiers of time. By 1920... After X ended... In 2017...

Question 58

Define a relative pronoun. Name 2 out of the most commonly used relative pronouns.

Answer 58

A word that shows how one thing relates to another in a sentence. That, which, who, whose, whom.

Question 59

Define a restrictive relative clause. Define a non-restrictive relative clause. Each of the above types of RC uses one specific word to introduce itself. What are the two words?

Answer 59

A phrase that fundamentally changes the meaning of a noun. Essential information is added to the meaning of the sentence. A phrase that adds extra information about a particular noun but is not required for the sentence to make sense. RRC uses that NRRC uses which.

Question 60

Describe a useful strategy to explain how to determine whether a relative clause is restrictive or non-restrictive.

Answer 60

Underline the relative clause. Imagine the clause is removed. Does the sentence still mean EXACTLY the same as before? Yes = NNRC, No = RRC.

Question 61

What punctuation must always surround a non-restrictive relative clause?

Answer 61

NNRC always preceded by a comma and followed by either a comma or period.

Question 62

What punctuation must always separate a restrictive clause?

Answer 62

Trick question. No punctuation is used because it modifies the noun and changes the meaning - it can't be removed!

Question 63

Where must a relative clause be placed in a sentence? What are the exceptions to this rule?

Answer 63

Immediately after the noun that it modifies. A. Separated by another modifier - prepositional phrase or appositive (if verbs and nouns are in between then the clause is misplaced, not remote). B. Separated from the noun that it modifies by the main verb (verb must indicate a change is occurring, arrival, positioning, or coming into being).

Question 64

Split the relative pronouns that, who, whom, which into binary groups.

Answer 64

Used to refer to people - who, whom. Used to refer to objects or ideas (never people) - that, which.

Question 65

Write me 2 lists after defining the subject and object pronouns.

Answer 65

Subject pronouns refer to an action: I, You, He, She, It, We, They, Who. Object pronouns are acted upon: Me, You, Him, Her, It, Us, Them, Whom.

Question 66

Give examples of unified groups or teams, which binary group of relative pronoun do they use?

Answer 66

Armies, teams, committees, companies use which or that. An entity when made up of people is considered a thing when the context treats such an entity as a single unit.

Question 67

How can we determine if the noun modifier is an appositive?

Answer 67

Replace the noun with the appositive to see whether the sentence retains its core meaning.

Question 68

Define an abstract appositive. Does it modify a single noun?

Answer 68

An appositive that renames and modifies an abstract idea that has been presented by a sentence. No.

Question 69

What are the 2 varities of participles? When do participles function as adjectives?

Answer 69

Present (ending in -ing) and Past (ending in -ed or -en). When they are associated with or modify nouns.

Question 70

What role can a participle never play in a sentence? What do we call a phrase beginning with a participle?

Answer 70

The main verb. Participle phrases.

Question 71

What are the 3 categories of past participles? (Think beginning, middle, and end).

Answer 71

1. Phrases used to restrictively modify specific nouns. 2. Appear at the beginning or middle of clauses and modify multiple aspects of the clauses, NR, treated as NR nounn modifier 3. Appear at end of clauses, modify entire clause, subjects the agents of the participles.

Question 72

Closing present participial phrases often describe 3 things. Names them,

Answer 72

A. results of the actions mentioned in the preceding clauses B. causes of the events described in the preceding clauses C. Events related to events described in the preceding clause and were ocurring while the events described in the previous clause were ocurring.

Question 73

Are past participial phrases used to restrictively or non-restrictively modify nouns? Where must they appear in relation to the noun?

Answer 73

Both. In both cases, must be directly before or after the noun that it modifies. With nonrestrictive modifications, the participial phrase must be separated from the noun and other sentence elements by a comma.

Question 74

How are introductory past participial phrases commonly misplaced?

Answer 74

If the noun after introductory phrase that begins with a past participle is not the noun that the phrase modifies then it is misplaced.

Question 75

Sometimes it makes more sense to use a restrictive or nonrestrictive past participial phrase instead of the other. How can we figure this out?

Answer 75

Look out for the use of commas - with nonrestrictive modifiers, the participial phrases must be separated from the noun with a comma. Does the sentence make more sense without the extra information?

Question 76

Define an absolute phrase.

Answer 76

They consist of only a noun and its modifiers and they modify an entire clause. An absolute phrase is a phrase composed of a noun and its modifiers that modifies an entire clause, adding information that is descriptive or explanatory.

Question 77

Give 2 ways in which absolute phrases are used.

Answer 77

A. Absolute phrases add descriptive information to a clause B. Absolute phrases add explanatory information to a clause.

Question 78

Which 4 triggers suggest a parallelism mistake might be present?

Answer 78

1. FANBOYS - conjunctions. 2. Correlative Conjunctions. 3. Not only... but also. 4. Items found in a list.

Question 79

Describe a strategy that can be used to determine whether a FANBOYS conjunction (& list) maintains parallelism.

Answer 79

1. Notice FANBOYS. 2. Determine the 2 elements FANBOYS connects. 3. Locate the word(s) that introduce(s) the elements. 4. Determine whether the elements work logically with the introduction by creating 2 separate sentences with the elements isolated. If a sentence does not make senses then whole SC is incorrect.

Question 80

What is another way of conceptualising the structure of parallelism maintained by a FANBOYS conjunction?

Answer 80

2 items in a list where each item in the list is parallel because the same structure carries over to each item in the list.

Question 81

When reviewing a parallel structure in a list of items, is a comma required before the word "and" & the last item?

Answer 81

No. The Oxford comma is not required here but one must always use it regardless.

Question 82

Define a nested list. Explain which parts of the original sentence carry over to the nested list.

Answer 82

A nested list is a list contained within one item of a larger list. Whatever introduces a nested list is understood to carry over to each of the elements in the nested list without being explicitly written.

Question 83

What do we call a list without proper parallelism?

Answer 83

A broken list.

Question 84

Define correlative conjunctions. Give some examples of the most common correlative conjunctions.

Answer 84

A pair of two conjunctions that connect words or phrases that are the same part of speech or serve the same function within a sentence. Not only... but also, not only... but (as well), not...but, both... and, either... or, neither... nor

Question 85

What part of the sentence which contains a correlative conjunction carries over? Where can an element preceding "not only" never be repeated in a correlative conjunction sentence?

Answer 85

Whatever precedes the first part of "not only... but also" carries over to the second part of the correlative structure. After "but also". it would be illogical and does not make sense.

Question 86

What role do elements between "not only" and "but also" play in a correlative conjunction sentence?

Answer 86

Elements that follow "not only" carry over to after "but also" if any of those elements are necessary after "but also" then they must be repeated.

Question 87

If pronouns are placed in between "but" and "also" in a correlative conjunction, what is the effect?

Answer 87

Such as placement can mess up the parallelism structure.

Question 88

Do elements that follow the first part of a correlative conjunction carry over to what follows the second part of the correlative conjucntion?

Answer 88

No

Question 89

What other 5 common structures must maintain parallelism? (R,M,P,M,R)

Answer 89

X RATHER than Y MISTAKE X for Y PREFER X to Y RANGE from X to Y MORE X than Y

Question 90

What commonly used sentence structure do Gerunds, finite verbs, and nouns all maintain?

Answer 90

Parallelism.

Question 91

Name the types of words we can't use the carry over strategy to determine whether a sentence maintains parallelism and explain why. Can verbs in different tenses be parallel to each other?

Answer 91

Gerunds, Finite verbs, and nouns because it is their grammatically similar nature that makes them parallel. Yes.

Question 92

Do clauses need to be structured in the same way to maintain parallelism? Can active and passive voices both exist simultaneously in a list?

Answer 92

No. They are parallel because they all have subjects and verbs. Yes.

Question 93

The GMAT does not view which types of words as parallel?

Answer 93

Gerunds and infinitives. It wants them to be either all gerunds or all infinitives.

Question 94

Can plural entities be compared with singular ones?

Answer 94

Yes. Like the budgets of many CEOs, Jack's budget was concise.

Question 95

Sentences can often mistakenly compare something to itself. What is a clue that this might be happening?

Answer 95

Be vigilant for errors/abiguities in meaning and logic when pronouns refer to nouns that are immediately followed by modifiers.

Question 96

Which verb can we substitute for present and past tense action verbs to make comparisons correct?

Answer 96

Do and does for present. Did for the past.

Question 97

Verbs with multiple tenses can appear in comparisons only if?

Answer 97

The comparison is logical and makes sense.

Question 98

Why might we use ellipsis in a sentence where things are being compared?

Answer 98

Because the reader can easily tell what the sentence is meant to express without repeating words.

Question 99

How could a comparison be ambiguous? How can we clarify the meaning?

Answer 99

When it conveys multiple possible meanings. Additional words.

Question 100

When is a comparison considered to be incomplete?

Answer 100

if the comparison does not mention at least 2 items that are compared.

Question 101

What are two trigger phrases to search for incomplete comparisons?

Answer 101

1. "when compared to" 2. "if compared"

Question 102

if all of the items that are meant to be compared are included in the sentence does that result in a complete comparison?

Answer 102

no.

Question 103

Which word is used to make a comparison but does not introduce an example? Which words introduce examples?

Answer 103

Like. Such as & Including.

Question 104

What is the key difference between As and Like?

Answer 104

As can be used as a preposition or conjunction. Like can be used only as a preposition.

Question 105

Name the key ways to identify whether the use of "like" is correct.

Answer 105

Can take only a noun/pronoun as its object, not a clause or verb Does not connect clauses Same meaning as "in the manner of" can compare nouns and pronouns

Question 106

Define a countable noun.

Answer 106

A thing that has plural forms and their plural forms name quantities made up of countable items. E.g. monkeys, apples, computers.

Question 107

Define an uncountable noun.

Answer 107

Quantities named by these nouns are not made up of countable items. E.g. air, concrete.

Question 108

Fewer vs. Less. Which is for countable nouns and which is for uncountable nouns?

Answer 108

Fewer - countable Less - uncountable

Question 109

Many vs much. Which is for countable nouns and which is for uncountable nouns?

Answer 109

Many - uncountable. Much - countable.

Question 110

Number vs. Amount. Which is for countable nouns and which is for uncountable nouns?

Answer 110

Number - countable. Amount - uncountable.

Question 111

Time, Money, Weight. Are they all considered to be countable or non-countable? What about if the sentence is about the units of time, money, or weight?

Answer 111

Classed as uncountable because we use numbers to measure them. Nouns are countable.

Question 112

Greater than vs. More than. What should we use when comparing statistics?

Answer 112

Greater than - compares sizes, levels, degrees, magnitudes, extents of things (larger or higher than) More than - directly modifies what follows it, not synonymous with larger than. Greater than.

Question 113

In what way does the GMAT try to trick us with comparison questions?

Answer 113

By including choices that have the wrong combination of comparison words, "greater as" or " more as" etc.

Question 114

When two elements are compared by unlike what condition must hold?

Answer 114

They must be similar things. e.g. two people. a person and a car are not similar.

Question 115

Do clauses connected by whereas have to abide by the same rules as those connected by unlike?

Answer 115

No. The clauses don't have to be particularly similar.