GMAT Verbal : Correcting Word Usage Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #881 : 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The many problems accruing in the project seeming to get worse over time.

Possible Answers:

have been seemed to get worse over time.

seeming to get worse over time.

have seeming to get worse over time.

seeming to getting worse over time.

seemed to get worse over time.

Correct answer:

seemed to get worse over time.

Explanation:

The use of the verb "seeming" in the sentence makes the sentence incomplete. As "seeming" is a gerund, or a verb form that functions as a noun, there is actually no verb in the sentence. The correct answer is "seemed to get worse over time."

Example Question #881 : 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Having seen many natural wonders in his life, the general was still astonishing at the massive waterfall.

Possible Answers:

still astonishing in the massive waterfall.

still astonishing to the massive waterfall.

still astonished at the massive waterfall.

also astonishing at the massive waterfall.

still astonishing at the massive waterfall.

Correct answer:

still astonished at the massive waterfall.

Explanation:

The "waterfall" makes the "general" have a feeling of astonishment. The sentence as written makes this quite confusing. To make it correct grammatically, the form of the word needs to be something the general does. "Still astonished at the massive waterfall" is the correct answer choice.

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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Unlike his contemporaries, the painter sticking closely to shapes that could exist in reality.

Possible Answers:

a painter sticking closely

the painter sticking close

the painter sticking closer

the painter stuck closely

the painter sticking closely

Correct answer:

the painter stuck closely

Explanation:

The use of the verb form "sticking," a past participle," makes the action of the sentence unclear, as such forms usually need an extra verb to clarify the action. The verb form should be change to an active tense. Thus, "the painter stuck closely" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #62 : Correcting Other 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The girls having a party commemorating the end of the school year.

Possible Answers:

The girls having a party 

The girls having the party 

The girls having some party 

The girls are having a party 

The girls having party 

Correct answer:

The girls are having a party 

Explanation:

The sentence as constructed does not actually contain a verb. "Having" in this sentence is the present participle, which always needs a form of the verb "to be." In this sentence, the appropriate form is "are," the plural form, making "The girls are having a party" the correct answer.

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.

Possible Answers:

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

Correct answer:

Gordon, having already given several commencement speeches

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

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.

Correct answer:

things that were once expensive are now cheap.

Explanation:

This sentence contains 3 verb errors:

  1. The tense of the first "is" is incorrect.
  2. The number of the first "is" is incorrect.
  3. 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.

Possible Answers:

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

Correct answer:

that these reports be completed and submitted

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

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. 

Correct answer:

him to whom you divulge your secrets, not her.

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

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

Correct answer:

He liked history books because he thought that

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

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.

Correct answer:

The battalion marches towards the battlefield on their way to the conflict.

Explanation:

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."

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