GMAT Verbal : GMAT Verbal

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #35 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Ambiguity

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 ways babies adapt to new situations tells researchers more about their brain's development than other data.  

Possible Answers:

they develop their brains than

how one's brain develops than 

developing infant's brains than

their brain's development than

how infant's brains develop than do

Correct answer:

how infant's brains develop than do

Explanation:

Eliminate the choices containing ambiguous pronouns, as it is not clear to whom "their," "one," and "they" refers. Note that the correct answer adds the necessary auxiliary verb "do". The use of the noun in "how infant's..." resolves any issues with ambiguity.

Example Question #36 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Ambiguity

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.

Bettors were surprisingly unsure about the team widely perceived to be the odds on favorite before the tournament, as they had only a spotty track record of success.

Possible Answers:

but they had only a spotty track record of success.

as they had just a spotty track record of success.

as they had only a spotty track record of success.

as they had only a spotty track record of successes.

as the team had only a spotty track record of success.

Correct answer:

as the team had only a spotty track record of success.

Explanation:

The use of "they" in the underlined portion of the sentence is ambiguous and confusing, as it is unclear whether "they" refers to the "bettors" or the "team." The best way to clear up this confusion is to not use the pronoun at all, but rather to replace it with the actual noun it replaces. The only answer choice which properly clears up this confusion is "as the team had only a spotty track record of success."

Example Question #483 : 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.

We have both read the report, but neither of us will make any comment until the committee talks both to him and to I.

Possible Answers:

until a committee talks both to he and to I.

until the committee talks both to him and to I.

until the committee talks both to him and to me.

until the committee talks to both he and to me.

until the committee talks both with him and to I.

Correct answer:

until the committee talks both to him and to me.

Explanation:

The use of "I" at the end of this sentence is incorrect, as it is a subjective pronoun used as the object of the preposition "to." Pronouns used as objects of prepositions need to be in their objective, not their subjective forms. As it is used in the sentence, "him" is correct, since it is also an object of "to," but it is an objective pronoun. "I," on the other hand, needs to be changed to its objective form, "me." The correct answer choice is the only one that makes this change, "until the committee talks to both him and me."

Example Question #484 : 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 only time the machine ever ran properly was in it’s original demonstration, but that one exhibition was enough to make the machine’s inventors millions of dollars.

Possible Answers:

ever ran properly was in their original demonstration,

ever ran properly was in it’s original demonstration,

ever ran properly was in its original demonstration,

ever ran properly was in its' original demonstration,

ever ran properly was in that's original demonstration,

Correct answer:

ever ran properly was in its original demonstration,

Explanation:

The use of "it's" as it is used in this is incorrect. "It's" is the contraction of "it is," and not as the possessive form of "it"; the possessive form of "it" is "its." Only one choice uses the correct form, "ever ran properly was in it’s original demonstration," making it the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

She was always hard on her, battling with low self-esteem since she was a child.

Possible Answers:

hard to her

hard on herself

hard with her

hard in herself

hard on her

Correct answer:

hard on herself

Explanation:

The use of the pronoun "her" in the underlined phrase is confusing, as it is not clear whether this is a new person in the sentence or refers back to the subject. To be more clear, a reflexive pronoun must be used. The correct answer is "hard on herself."

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

The materials must be brought back to myself as soon as you are done with them.

Possible Answers:

back from myself

back to me

back toward myself

back from me

back to myself

Correct answer:

back to me

Explanation:

The only issue in the sentence as it is written is the use of "myself," a reflexive pronoun, when there is no other first person pronoun to which it can refer back. The only answer choice which both appropriately uses "me," and keeps the same meaning is "back to me."

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

The information was only given to myself after the rest of the students had seen it all.

Possible Answers:

giving to me

gave to myself

given to myself

giving to myself 

given to me

Correct answer:

given to me

Explanation:

The only issue with the sentence is its use of the reflexive pronoun "myself," despite not previously using a first person pronoun. All reflexive pronouns need an antecedent, or previous pronoun in the same person, to be used correctly, or it should be changed to the simple pronoun. As this is the only problem with the sentence, "given to me" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

Those supplies all need to be brought directly to myself.

Possible Answers:

directly from myself.

direct to myself.

directly to myself.

directly for myself.

directly to me.

Correct answer:

directly to me.

Explanation:

The only issue with the sentence is the use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" without a previous use of the first person pronoun. All reflexive pronouns need to refer back to an earlier use of the pronoun in the sentence. The solution to this issue is to change "myself" to the simple "me," making "directly to me" the correct answer choice.

Example Question #2 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

The information needs to be reviewed by yourself before it is sent out.

Possible Answers:

reviews by yourself

reviewed by yourself

reviewed by you

reviewing by your

reviewing by yourself

Correct answer:

reviewed by you

Explanation:

The use of the reflexive pronoun "yourself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous "you" to refer back to. "Yourself" needs to simply be replaced by "you," making "reviewed by you" the correct answer choice.

Example Question #491 : Sentence Correction

The supplies were immediately brought to myself as soon as they were purchased.

Possible Answers:

brought to myself

being brought to myself

bringing to me

brought to me

bringing to myself

Correct answer:

brought to me

Explanation:

The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect. "Myself" is a reflexive pronoun, meaning it needs an earlier first person pronoun to refer back to. The appropriate word in this situation is just "me," and that is the only issue with the sentence; therefore, "brought to me" is the correct answer.

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