GMAT Verbal : GMAT Verbal
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #2 : Correcting Ambiguous Modifier 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.
Our supervisor instructed us to strictly keep track of the time we spent away from our desks.
strictly instructed us to keep track of the time we spent away from our desks.
strictly instructed us to keep track of the time we spent away from our desks.
instructed us to keep track of the time we spent away from our strictly desks.
instructed us to keep track of the time we spent away from our desks strictly.
instructed us to keep strictly track of the time we spent away from our desks.
strictly instructed us to keep track of the time we spent away from our desks.
The example sentence includes an ambiguous modifier. In the example sentence, "strictly" is not placed close enough to the verb it modifies, and is thus it is impossible to know whether the supervisor gave his instruction "strictly" (meaning in a strict manner), or whether he or she was providing a restriction on what the employees kept track of (i.e. to keep track "strictly" meaning only of the time spent away from their desks). The best correction here would be to move "strictly" closer to "instructed," making it clear that the manner of instruction is being modified. The correct version of the sentence reads, "Our supervisor strictly instructed us to keep track of the time we spent away from our desks."
Example Question #1447 : Sentence Correction
The President told us gleefully to greet the ambassadors.
Which option best replaces the underlined sentence?
The President told us (gleefully) to greet the ambassadors.
The President gleefully told us to gleefully greet the ambassadors.
The President told us gleefully to greet the ambassadors.
The President gleefully told us to greet the ambassadors.
The President told us to greet the gleefully ambassadors.
The President gleefully told us to greet the ambassadors.
In the original sentence, "gleefully" is an ambiguous modifier. Is the President gleeful when giving his orders to the group, or is he telling the group to themselves be gleeful when they greet the ambassadors? The correct answer shifts the word to make things clearer. All of the other options have errors of their own.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Ambiguous Modifier 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 congressmen conferred quietly in the cloakroom wearing patriotic pins.
quietly conferred in the cloakroom wearing patriotic pins
conferred quietly in the cloakroom, wearing patriotic pins
wearing patriotic pins conferred quietly in the cloakroom
wearing patriotic pins, conferred quietly in the cloakroom
conferred quietly in the cloakroom wearing patriotic pins
wearing patriotic pins conferred quietly in the cloakroom
“Wearing patriotic pins” modifies the noun “congressman” not “cloakroom”; therefore, it must be placed directly after the word “congressmen.”
Example Question #1 : Correcting Dangling Modifier 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.
Thomas Jefferson, the muted public speaker, was quite different from Thomas Jefferson, the firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence.
Jefferson, the muted public speaker, was quite different from Thomas Jefferson, the firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence
Jefferson the muted public speaker was quite different from Thomas Jefferson the firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence
Jefferson the muted public speaker and firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence was quite different
Jefferson, the muted public speaker, and Thomas Jefferson, the firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence, was quite different
Jefferson, the muted public speaker, and Thomas Jefferson, the firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence, were quite different
Jefferson the muted public speaker was quite different from Thomas Jefferson the firebrand author of the Declaration of Independence
When appositive clauses are required to understand the meaning of a sentence, they should not be surrounded by commas. In this case, the sentence does not make sense if you remove the appositive clauses, so they should not be surrounded by commas.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Modifier Placement 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.
Created from the finest sands of the Mediterranean, highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance crafted stained glass, which still adorns thousands of cathedrals all over Europe.
stained glass crafted by highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance still adorns thousands of cathedrals all over Europe
highly skilled artisans, of the early Renaissance, crafted stained glass that still adorns thousands of cathedrals all over Europe
highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance crafted stained glass, which still adorns thousands of cathedrals all over Europe
stained glass, crafted by highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance, still adorns thousands of cathedrals all over Europe
and adorning thousands of cathedrals all over Europe, highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance crafted stained glass
stained glass crafted by highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance still adorns thousands of cathedrals all over Europe
The sentence is an example of a dangling modifier. “Highly skilled” workers were not “created from the sands of the Mediterranean.” The correct answer makes the “stained glass” the subject of the sentence (and it does not surround “crafted by highly skilled artisans of the early Renaissance” with commas because its meaning is integral to the meaning of the sentence).
Example Question #1 : Correcting Dangling Modifier 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.
When only 10 years old, the boy’s father and mother sent him away to boarding school to expose him to a more rigorous academic environment.
the boy’s father and mother, exposing him to a more rigorous academic environment, sent him away to boarding school.
the boy was sent away to a boarding school, exposed to a more rigorous academic environment, by his father and mother
the boy’s father and mother sent him away to boarding school to expose him to a more rigorous academic environment
the boy’s father and mother sent him away to boarding school, a more rigorous academic environment, to expose him
the boy was sent away to boarding school by his father and mother to be exposed to a more rigorous academic environment
the boy was sent away to boarding school by his father and mother to be exposed to a more rigorous academic environment
This sentence is an example of a dangling modifier. “When only 10 years old” applies to the boy, so he must be the subject of the sentence, not the “father and mother.”
Example Question #1651 : 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.
Although many people think of peanuts as nuts, peanuts actually belong to the legume family.
Although often being thought of as nuts
Although many people think of peanuts as nuts
Although many people think of peanuts as nuts
Although often thought of as nuts
Although often thought of as nuts
Although often thought of as nuts
If you start a sentence with an incomplete phrase or clause, it must be followed closely by the person or thing it describes. That person or thing is always the main subject of the sentence.
Example Question #1451 : 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.
Since first coming to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, economists have been debating the value of Milton Friedman’s theories.
Milton Friedman’s theories have been debated by economists.
the value economists have debated of Milton Friedman's theories.
economists have been debating the value of Milton Friedman’s theories.
economists have been debating the valuation of Milton Friedman’s theories.
economists having been debated the value of Milton Friedman’s theories.
Milton Friedman’s theories have been debated by economists.
The phrase preceding the underlined clause needs to directly reference the subject of the clause immediately following the comma. The things that have come "to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s," are Milton Friedman's theories, not "economists," so the first thing mentioned after the comma should be Milton Friedman's theories, to avoid confusion and ambiguity. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "Milton Friedman’s theories have been debated by economists."
Example Question #13 : Correcting Modifier Placement 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.
Heralded as a mighty invention in its time, Eli Whitney may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South by increasing the profitability of cotton with his invention, the cotton gin.
Eli Whitney may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South, by increasing the profitability of cotton with his invention, the cotton gin
the cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney, may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South by increasing the profitability of cotton
the cotton gin, having been invented by Eli Whitney, may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South by increasing the profitability of cotton
Eli Whiney's inventing of the cotton gin may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South by increasing the profitability of cotton
Eli Whitney may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South, by increasing the profitability of cotton with his invention the cotton gin
the cotton gin, invented by Eli Whitney, may have actually contributed to the increase in the number of slaves in the Antebellum South by increasing the profitability of cotton
The modifier clearly modifies "the cotton gin," so that must be the subject of the sentence. Of the two answer choices that do this correctly, the correct answer is the more concise of the two and avoids the awkward wording "having been invented by."
Example Question #3 : Correcting Dangling Modifier 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.
Exhausted by the months he had spent working on the project, the executive's relief was clear to everyone who attended the final meeting.
the executive was clearly relieved, according to everyone who attended the final meeting.
the executive's relief was clear to anyone who attended the final meeting.
the executive's relief was clear, according to everyone who attended the final meeting.
the relief of the executive was clear according to everyone who attended the final meeting.
the executive's relief was clear to everyone who attended the final meeting.
the executive was clearly relieved, according to everyone who attended the final meeting.
This sentence is an example of a dangling modifier, as the sentence reads as though it is the "relief," rather than the "executive," who is "exhausted by the months spent working on the project." This confusion needs to be cleared up to show that the executive is the one who is exhausted. The only answer choice that properly corrects the dangling modifier is "the executive was clearly relieved, according to everyone who attended the final meeting."
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