All GMAT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #211 : Correcting Verb Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Unlike his contemporaries, the painter sticking closely to shapes that could exist in reality.
a painter sticking closely
the painter sticking close
the painter sticking closer
the painter stuck closely
the painter sticking closely
the painter stuck closely
The use of the verb form "sticking," a past participle," makes the action of the sentence unclear, as such forms usually need an extra verb to clarify the action. The verb form should be change to an active tense. Thus, "the painter stuck closely" is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #62 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The girls having a party commemorating the end of the school year.
The girls having a party
The girls having the party
The girls having some party
The girls are having a party
The girls having party
The girls are having a party
The sentence as constructed does not actually contain a verb. "Having" in this sentence is the present participle, which always needs a form of the verb "to be." In this sentence, the appropriate form is "are," the plural form, making "The girls are having a party" the correct answer.
Example Question #211 : Correcting Verb Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English
Gordon, having already gave several commencement speeches over the past decade, took little time and effort to prepare for his upcoming address.
Gordon, who has already given several commencement speeches
Gordon, having already gave several commencement speeches
Gordon having already given several commencement speeches
Gordon, having already given several commencement speeches
Gordon having already gave several commencement speeches
Gordon, having already given several commencement speeches
The participle of "give" is "given," not "gave." Since the verb "took" is in past tense, "having already given" is the appropriate selection here. A comma is necessary after "Gordon" to indicate the modifying appositive phrase.
Example Question #1092 : Gmat Verbal
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Technology leads to great changes; things that is once expensive is now cheap.
things that were once expensive is now cheap.
things that was once expensive is now cheap.
things that were once expensive are now cheap.
things that is once expensive is now cheap.
things that are once expensive are now cheap.
things that were once expensive are now cheap.
This sentence contains 3 verb errors:
- The tense of the first "is" is incorrect.
- The number of the first "is" is incorrect.
- The number of the second "is" is incorrect.
The word "once" and context indicates that the "things" were expensive in the past. They cannot be both expensive and cheap at this very moment, which is what the present tense indicates. Furthermore, "is" is singular, when "things" is plural, so the number needs to be changed from singular to plural in order for these words to agree; the correct choice here would be "were" (was is singular). Lastly, the word "is," as stated before, is singular when it needs to be plural in order to properly modify the word "things." The correct word would be "are." The correct choice is, "things that were once expensive are now cheap."
Example Question #212 : Correcting Verb Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
On the Call for Proposals, the Internal Revenue Service clearly indicates that these reports should be completed and submitted before the end of the fiscal year.
that these reports be completed and submitted
these forms completion and submission
these forms should be completed and submitted
that these reports should be completed and submitted
for these reports to be completed and submitted
that these reports be completed and submitted
Subjunctive constructions do not need “should.” “Indicates for” is an incorrect idiomatic usage. “These reports completion” requires “reports” to be in the possessive; regardless, it is awkwardly worded.
Example Question #213 : Correcting Verb Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
It ought to be him to whom you divulge your secrets, not her.
him to whom you divulge your secrets, not her.
he to whom you share your secrets, not her.
he to whom you share your secrets, not her.
him with whom you share your secrets, not she.
he with whom you share your secrets, not she.
him to whom you divulge your secrets, not her.
After the auxiliary forms of the verb "to be," we use subject forms of pronouns, except after the infinitive where we use the object form. “Divulge with” is unidiomatic.
Example Question #214 : Correcting Verb Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
He liked history books because he thinked that many lessons from the past were applicable to his life.
He liked history books because he thinks that
He liked history books because he thinking that
He liked history books because he thinked that
He liked history books because he thought that
He liked history books because he thoughted that
He liked history books because he thought that
This sentence contains a verb error. The word "thinked" is not a form of the word "think." The perfect past form, which is necessary here, is "thought." Note that "thinks" would be incorrect because it would mark an inappropriate tense shift (the rest of the sentence is in the past, while "think" is present tense). The correct choice is, "He liked history books because he thought that."
Example Question #173 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The battalion marching towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict.
The battalion marches towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict.
The battalion marching towards the battlefield on there way to the conflict.
The battalion marching towards the battlefield on their way against the conflict.
The battalion marching towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict.
The battalion marching toward the battlefield on their way to the conflict.
The battalion marches towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict.
The use of "marching" makes the sentence not have a verb, as the participle form always needs some form of the verb "to be" used immediately before it to make it a complete verb. (For example, it's not grammatically correct to say "The fish swimming across the lake." Anyone who heard this might ask, "The fish swimming across the lake did what?" since "swimming" is a participle—a verb acting like an adjective. Instead, the correct way to say this would be, "The fish was swimming across the lake," or, alternatively, use a different verb form altogether, such as "The fish swam across the lake." To correct the problem's sentence, either the participle "marching" needs to be preceded by some form of the verb "to be," or it should be changed to some other form than the present participle to avoid functioning as an adjective and instead clearly function as the sentence's verb. The only answer choice that uses either of these options is "The battalion marches towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict."