GMAT Verbal : GMAT Verbal
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
All GMAT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #252 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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 bought a large, bright umbrella.
a large, bright: umbrella.
a large bright umbrella.
a large, bright; umbrella.
a large, bright, umbrella.
a large, bright umbrella.
a large, bright umbrella.
This sentence contains no errors. The words "large" and "bright" are coordinate adjectives:adjectives that modify the same noun separately, but are not separated with a conjunction. Coordinate adjectives need to be separated with a comma. The correct answer choice is, "a large, bright umbrella."
Example Question #253 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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.
Kendrick rode his bike to work every day; today, he decided to take a new route.
rode his bike to work every day today, he decided to
rode his bike to work every day; today he decided to
rode his bike to work every day, today, he decided to
rode his bike to work every day today he decided to
rode his bike to work every day; today, he decided to
rode his bike to work every day; today, he decided to
This sentence contains no errors. The sentence joins two related independent clauses together without the use of a conjunction, so a semicolon should appear after the words "every day." Furthermore, "today" is an introductory phrase, explaining information necessary to the context of the sentence, but outside of the main sentence, grammatically. These types of phrases must be followed by a comma in order to separate them from the rest of the sentence. The correct answer choice is, "rode his bike to work every day; today, he decided to."
Example Question #254 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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 tested the new application, which helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
which helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
that helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
who helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
which helping streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
which helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory.
This sentence contains no errors. The word "which" refers back to the word "application," so this is the appropriate pronoun. Note that the word "that" never takes a comma before it when used this way. The correct choice is, "which helped streamline the manufacturing process of the factory."
Example Question #1820 : 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.
Claiming to understand the times means denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our worldview.
Claiming to understand the times and denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our worldview.
Claiming to understand the times means denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our worldview.
Claiming to understand the times but denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our world's view.
Claiming to understand the times means, so denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our world's view.
Claiming to understand the times and denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our world's view.
Claiming to understand the times means denying that one's scope is not biased by social factors that shape our worldview.
First, "world's view" is incorrect; "worldview" is the correct idiomatic choice. All of the remaining answer choices incorrectly insert a coordinating conjunction. These syntactic (odd compound subjects or incomplete sentences) and mechanical errors (comma usage) result in gross errors. The sentence is correct as is.
Example Question #251 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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.
Held for the purpose of bringing Nazi war criminals to justice, the Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany, beginning in 1945.
the Nuremberg trials, were a series of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany, beginning in 1945.
the Nuremberg trials were a series, of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany, beginning in 1945.
the Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials, carried out in Nuremberg Germany, beginning in 1945.
the Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials carried, out in Nuremberg, Germany, beginning in 1945.
the Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany, beginning in 1945.
the Nuremberg trials were a series of 13 trials carried out in Nuremberg, Germany, beginning in 1945.
The sentence is grammatically and mechanically correct as is. All of the other answer choices contain errors related to comma usage. One of the incorrect answers omits the comma between the city "Nuremberg" and the country "Germany" and inserts an unnecessary comma after "trials."
Example Question #257 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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.
However effective you think your fire resistance is, there are compelling reasons for never taking it for granted.
However, effective you think your fire resistance is, there are compelling reasons for never taking it for granted.
However effective you think your fire resistance is, there are compelling reasons for never taking it for granted.
However; effective you think your fire resistance is, there are compelling reasons for never taking it for granted.
However, effective you think your fire resistance is there are compelling reasons for never taking it for granted.
However effective you think your fire resistance is there are compelling reasons, for never taking it for granted.
However effective you think your fire resistance is, there are compelling reasons for never taking it for granted.
The sentence is correct as is. All of the other answer choices incorrectly implement commas and semicolons, resulting in gross punctuation errors and comma splices. One must always consider that the sentence may contain no error.
Example Question #255 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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 text above the form read "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
The text above the form read "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
The text above the form was reading, "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
The text above the form was saying that "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
The text above the form were reading "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
The text above the form read, "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
The text above the form read "You have created 10 of 12 questions in this problem set."
Notice that most of the answer choices correct gross errors in punctuation (comma usage), subject-verb agreement, or awkwardly modifies the original sentence. The sentence was correctly written to begin with; it contains no errors. Can you identify all of the errors in the answer choices?
Example Question #259 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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’s a boatswain now in charge of making sure a vessel’s able-bodied seamen enjoy safe working conditions.
She is a boatswain; now in charge of making sure a vessel’s able-bodied seamen enjoy safe working conditions.
She is a boatswain—now in charge—of making sure, a vessel’s able-bodied seamen enjoy safe working conditions.
She is a boatswain, now in charge of making sure, a vessel’s able-bodied seamen enjoy safe working conditions.
A boatswain, she's now in charge of a vessel’s able-bodied seamen, making sure to enjoy safe working conditions.
She’s a boatswain now in charge of making sure a vessel’s able-bodied seamen enjoy safe working conditions.
She’s a boatswain now in charge of making sure a vessel’s able-bodied seamen enjoy safe working conditions.
The sentence is correct as is. As is sometimes the case, the original sentence presents no errors. All of the answer choices, however, result in odd syntax or gross mechanical errors related to punctuation. Keep in mind that the correct answer choice must resolve some major issue. Identify the issue first and then seek the answer that correctly resolves that issue.
Example Question #256 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
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.
Witnessing the atrocious conditions suffered by inmates in military detainment facilities is seeing firsthand the military's human rights violations.
Having witnessed
Once the witnesses
Witnessing
To witness
To have witnessed
Witnessing
The issue being raised in this sentence is one of parallel structure. The basic structure of this sentence is: Gerund x is gerund y, in the same way that one might say "Seeing is believing. The only choice that fits this pattern is in fact the correct answer.
Example Question #261 : Recognizing Sentences That Contain No 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 a recent survey, Cosmopop found that vocalists who practice daily consider themselves no more skilled than do those who practice approximately three times a week.
not any more skilled than do those practicing
no more as skilled as those who practiced
not as skilled as are those who are practicing
no more skilled than do those who practice
no more skilled than do those that practice
no more skilled than do those who practice
One must consider parallel structure here, beginning with "vocalists who practice daily". The original option is indeed the correct one. Note that "those who practice approximately three times a week" agrees with "vocalists who practice daily". The options using "not as" or "not any more" change the meaning of the sentence.
All GMAT Verbal Resources
