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
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 #431 : 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 marching towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict.
The battalion marching towards the battlefield on their way against the conflict.
The battalion marching towards the battlefield on there way to the conflict.
The battalion marches 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."
Example Question #1091 : 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.
The entire project took over three years to complete, a much longer time frame than the one that had been initially given by the building’s architect.
than the one that had been initially given by the building’s architect.
than the one that had being initially given by the building’s architect.
than the one that initially had been given by the building’s architect.
than the one that having been initially given by the building’s architect.
than the one that had been initially given by the buildings' architect.
than the one that initially had been given by the building’s architect.
The placement of the adverb "initially" is incorrect in this sentence, as it places the modifier in the midst of the complex verb used in the second part of the sentence. It needs to be placed directly before the full verb construction. The only answer choice which does this is "than the one that initially had been given by the building’s architect."
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.
States have changed the way they finance education, allocating funds in extreme specified manners rather than in large chunks.
allocating funds in extreme specified manners
allocating funds for extreme specified manners
allocating funds in extreme specific manners
allocating funds in extremely specific manners
allocating funds in extremely specified manners
allocating funds in extremely specific manners
In this sentence, both "extreme" and "specified" are incorrectly used, and need to take on their proper forms. The adjective "extreme" is used instead of the adverbial form, and the word "specified" is used where the related word "specific" is more appropriate. Therefore, as the only answer choice that correctly makes these changes, the correct answer is "allocating funds in extremely specific manners."
Example Question #1093 : 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.
With a painting style built on abstract shapes and Eastern techniques, she was by far the most unique student at the entire academy.
she was by far the most unique student of the ones at the academy.
she was by far the most unique student among the entire academy.
she was by far the most unique student at the entire academy.
she was unique among all of the students at the academy.
she was the most unique student by far at the entire academy.
she was unique among all of the students at the academy.
"Unique" means one of a kind, and nothing can be more "one of a kind" than anything else. The phrase "by far the most unique" needs to be taken out of the sentence and rearranged to properly use "unique" in the sentence. The only answer choice which correctly uses "unique" is "she was unique among all of the students at the academy."
Example Question #4 : Correcting Adjective And Adverb 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.
The detectives were completely baffling by the series of murders, which had a series of odd connections and little physical evidence.
completely baffling to the series of murders,
complete baffling by the series of murders,
completely baffled by the series of murders,
completely baffling by the series of murders,
completely baffling by the murder series,
completely baffled by the series of murders,
The use of the verb "baffling" in this sentence is incorrect, as the "detectives" are being affected by the "series of murders." This means that the verb, which in this case is used as a participle, should be placed into a past tense form. Only one choice, "completely baffled by the series of murders," correctly makes this change.