GMAT Verbal : GMAT Verbal
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #164 : Verb Formation 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.
American history littered with tales of prospective candidates who flopped in a Presidential election.
American history is littered
American history is littering
American history littered
American history litters
American history littering
American history is littered
The construction of the sentence makes it clear the "litter" is taking place throughout "American history." This means the verb should take the passive voice. "American history is littered" is therefore the correct answer choice.
Example Question #181 : 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.
Few people understand the depth of the deception from the Governor at the time.
Few understand
Few people understand
Few people understood
Fewer people understand
Few persons understand
Few people understood
The sentence describes what happened "at the time," or in the past; therefore, the verb usage must indicate the action taking place in the past, with a past tense verb. "Few people understood" is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #991 : 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.
She was going to the grocery store; she buys a few things for the party.
She will go to the grocery store; she was buying a few things for the party.
She were going to the grocery store; she was buying a few things for the party.
She was going to the grocery store; she will buy a few things for the party.
She was going to the grocery store; she was going to buy a few things for the party.
She was going to the grocery store; she buys a few things for the party.
She was going to the grocery store; she was going to buy a few things for the party.
The correct choice is, "She was going to the grocery store; she was going to buy a few things for the party." The other choices contain examples of tense-shifts that make the sentence awkward. This is the best choice because it the verbs are in the same tense throughout the sentence and the structure of both clauses are parallel to one another.
Example Question #62 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
Maria loves to tinker with technology ever since she was a kid.
loved
was love
loves
love
will love
loved
This sentence contains an error in verb tense. The phrase "ever since she was a kid" indicates that the actions of this sentence describe the past. The current word, "loves," is in the present tense. The correct choice is, "loved."
Example Question #63 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
In the future, Lacey rented a car for her trip.
Lacey were renting a car for her trip.
Lacey will rent a car for her trip.
Lacey will renting a car for her trip.
Lacey rented a car for her trip.
Lacey was renting a car for her trip.
Lacey will rent a car for her trip.
This sentence contains an error in verb tense. It is clear from the first part of the sentence ("In the future") that the action should happen in the future. The only choice that indicates this is "will rent." The other choices are all past tense or does not have the proper form. The correct choice is, "Lacey will rent a car for her trip."
Example Question #71 : Correcting Verb Tense 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.
Last night, Jonah talking to his friends via Skype.
Jonah talking to his friends via Skype.
Jonah was talking to his friends via Skype.
Jonah will talk to his friends via Skype.
Jonah is talking to his friends via Skype.
Jonah will talking to his friends via Skype.
Jonah was talking to his friends via Skype.
This sentence contains an error in verb tense. The phrase "Last night" indicates that the actions of this sentence must have occurred in the past. In fact, "talking" is not even a verb: in this form, it is a gerund/participle. In order to correct this, a form of the word "to be" is needed. The choice "Jonah was talking to his friends via Skype" fixes both of these issues. It is the correct choice.
Example Question #72 : Correcting Verb Tense 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 test drives cars for a living; he loved his job.
He test drived cars for a living
He test drives cars for a living
He test droven cars for a living
He test drove cars for a living
He test drive cars for a living
He test drove cars for a living
This sentence contains a tense error. The second half of the sentence is in the past (simple) tense. It is necessary for the sake of parallelism that the rest of the sentence matches in tense. The correct form would be "drove (note: 'drived' is not a word)." The correct choice is, "He test drove cars for a living."
Example Question #791 : Sentence Correction
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.
The protest seeming to be a serious political manifestation, Larkin Reed, father of two well-behaved young men, thought nothing of allowing his boys to attend the gathering at the capitol building.
As the protest was
Because the protest seemed to be
In that the protest seemed
Since the protest was
The protest seeming to be
Because the protest seemed to be
The use of "seeming" the question sentence is incorrect. "Thought" later in the non-underlined portion of the sentence places the sentence in the past tense. "Seemed" is necessary. The use of "was" changes the meaning. The use of ‘in that’ is not as good as the use of "because". "Because" establishes the reason something happened.
Example Question #121 : 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.
Since 1986 there are three times the number of cases of malaria diagnosed; nevertheless, there has been great progress in the search for a vaccine.
The diagnosis of cases of malaria was only one-third in 1990
The number of diagnosed cases of malaria has tripled since 1986
Tripling since 1986, there are now three times as many cases of malaria diagnosed
Since 1986 there are three times as many cases of malaria diagnosed
The diagnosis of cases of malaria increased three times since 1986 on
The number of diagnosed cases of malaria has tripled since 1986
Note that the original sentence uses "since" and the simple present tense "are" when the present perfect is, in fact, necessary; consider for example, "since 1990 there have been many cases...". Moreover, note that the correct subject of the sentence is "the number of diagnoses", not "the diagnosis of cases". "Tripling" would be incorrect. Again the present perfect would have to be used to describe an action which started in the past and has continued up to the present. The correct answer shows this use of the present perfect and uses the appropriate subject: "The number...has tripled." This also happens to be the most efficient way of articulating the sentence.
Example Question #121 : 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.
Included among the many reasons for his electoral defeat were his recent cynicism toward his constituents whom he suggested are incapable of understanding the economic crisis.
were his recent cynicism toward his constituents whom he suggested are incapable of understanding the economic crisis.
were his recent cynicism that his constituents was whom he suggested were incapable of understanding the economical crises.
was his recent cynicism toward his constituents whom he suggested are incapable of understanding the economic crisis.
was the recent cynicism that his constituents was incapable of understanding the economic crisis.
were his recent cynicism that his constituents would be incapable of understanding the economics of crisis.
was his recent cynicism toward his constituents whom he suggested are incapable of understanding the economic crisis.
The one reason was his “recent cynicism.” Since this one item does not constitute a compound subject, the verb should be singular ("was," not "were"). The word “economical” is also incorrect. Many of the other answers contain subject-verb agreement errors.
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