GMAT Verbal : GMAT Verbal
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #281 : 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.
Benjamin, running around his neighborhood.
Benjamin, running around his neighborhood.
Benjamin, ran around his neighborhood.
Benjamin running around his neighborhood.
Benjamin, was running around his neighborhood.
Benjamin was running around his neighborhood.
Benjamin was running around his neighborhood.
This sentence contains two errors:
- "Running" is not a verb; it is a participle. Without a verb, this is not a sentence.
- There is no need for a comma between "Benjamin" and the "verb."
The correct choice is, "Benjamin was running around his neighborhood."
Example Question #282 : 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.
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said what you do today can improve all your tomorrows."
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said what you do today can improve all your tomorrows."
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said, 'What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.' "
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said, "what you do today can improve all your tomorrows." "
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said, "What you do today can improve all your tomorrows." "
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said, 'What you do today can improve all your tomorrows'."
Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said, 'What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.' "
This sentence contains three errors:
- The quote "What you do today can improve all your tomorrows" is not in quotation marks.
- There is not a comma after "said."
- The word "what" is not capitalized.
Note two things: quotations inside of quotations must take single quotation marks ('), instead of the usual double quotation marks. Additionally, ending punctuation should always appear within quotation marks. The correct choice is, "Veronica stated, "Ralph Marston said, 'What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.' " "
Example Question #282 : 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.
No one clearly understood who the new marketing campaign was targeted at.
whom the new marketing campaign targeted.
who the new marketing campaign was targeted at.
who the new marketing campaign targeted.
at whom the new marketing campaign was targeted.
who the new marketing campaign is targeting.
whom the new marketing campaign targeted.
This sentence contains two errors:
- The phrase "the...campaign was targeted at" is in the passive voice.
- The phrase "the...campaign was targeted at" contains a dangling preposition.
The verb voice error is easily fixed by changing the words "was targeted" to "targeted," but you run into another error when rewording the sentence to fix the dangling preposition. In order to fix error number two, you must reword the sentence, but then that makes "who" the object of its clause, meaning you must also change this pronoun to "whom." The correct choice is, "whom the new marketing campaign targeted."
Example Question #1850 : 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.
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states when today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing.
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states, when today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing.
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states, "When today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing."
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states, "When today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing."
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states "when today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing."
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states "When today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing."
In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states, "When today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing."
This sentence contains four errors:
- The words Death of a Salesman need to be italicized since it is the title of a book.
- A comma should follow the word "Miller," as it separates the main clause from the following quotation.
- Quotation marks should be used from "When...pursuing."
- The word "when," which should appear in the quote, should be capitalized since it is at the beginning of the sentence.
The correct choice is, "In the novel Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller states, "When today fails to offer the justification for hope, tomorrow becomes the only grail worth pursuing.""
Example Question #12 : Correcting Other 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.
Though it was written over 50 years ago, many regard the book The Intelligent Investor as the best book on investing.
many regard the book "The Intelligent Investor" as the best book on investing.
many regard the book The Intelligent Investor as the best book on investing.
many regard the book 'The Intelligent Investor' as the best book on investing.
many regard the book The Intelligent Investor as the best book on investing.
many regard the book "The Intelligent Investor" as the best book on investing.
many regard the book The Intelligent Investor as the best book on investing.
As stated in the sentence, the word "The Intelligent Investor" is the title of a book. Book titles should always be underlined or italicized. The correct choice is, "many regard the book The Intelligent Investor as the best book on investing."
Example Question #284 : 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.
He thought that it was was the duty of everyone, men, women, and children, to be involved in the various stages of political process.
He thought that men, women, and children should be involved in the various stages of political process.
He thought that everyone should be involved in politics.
He thought that it was was the duty of everyone, men, women, and children, to be involved in the various stages of political process.
He thought that it was was the duty of everyone to be involved in the various stages of political process.
He thought that it was was the duty of every man, woman, and child to be involved in the various stages of political process.
He thought that everyone should be involved in politics.
All of the above choices are grammatically correct, but all but the correct option are obviously wordy. "He thought that everyone should be involved in politics" is the correct choice because it concisely states the same idea of all the other choices. None of the other choices add any substance to this sentiment (correct answer is always the most concise).
Example Question #1852 : 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.
Even though he made mistakes, he was respected for.
mistakes, he respected
mistakes, he was respected for admitting them
mistakes, people respected him for admitting them
mistakes, he was respected for
mistakes, people respected him for
mistakes, people respected him for admitting them
This sentence contains three errors:
- Dangling preposition (for).
- Sentence Fragment (second clause is incomplete).
- Passive voice (he was respected).
The sentence needs to be reworded in order to fix these errors. Note that the correct sentence should always be in the active voice (i.e. the subject of a clause should do the action of the main verb). Additionally, prepositions should never end a clause. The correct choice is, "mistakes, people respected him for admitting them."
Example Question #281 : 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.
Trying to maintain her balance while dancing on stage during a performance, the ballerina's shoe caught a small bump on the floor and tripped across the stage.
the ballerina's shoe caught a small bump on the floor and tripped across the stage
the ballerina's shoe caught a small bump on the floor, and she tripped across the stage
the shoe of the ballerina caught a small bump on the floor and tripped across the stage
the ballerina caught a small bump on the floor with her shoe, and tripped across the stage
the ballerina caught a small bump in the floor with her shoe, which made her trip across the stage
the ballerina's shoe caught a small bump on the floor, and she tripped across the stage
After the comma, we need the name or pronoun of the person. The use of which is incorrect. The remaining answers are incorrect because they are missing the pronoun after the comma.
Example Question #282 : 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.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped, which will mean that she will most likely experience a fever as well.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped which will mean that she will also experience a fever.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped, which will mean that she will most likely experience a fever as well.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped and as a result, she will experience a fever.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped and this will mean she will experience a fever as well.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped and she will most likely experience a fever as well.
Janice's body temperature suddenly dropped and she will most likely experience a fever as well.
The word "which"does not have an antecedent noun, and therefore the construction is incorrect. Similarly, "this,"in the first answer, does not have a noun to which it refers.
Example Question #21 : Correcting Other 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 me with whom you share the story with, not her.
I with whom you share the story with, not her.
me with whom you share the story with, not she.
me with whom you share the story, not her.
me with who you share the story with, not she.
me with who you share the story with, not her.
me with whom you share the story, not her.
The verb "to be" means that we would use the subject forms of pronouns, except after the infinitive where we would use the object form. This sentence, however, contains an unnecessary and extraneous "with."
All GMAT Verbal Resources
