GMAT Verbal : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
Even if everyone I invited is free, there’s still no guarantee that they will come to my party.
Even if everyone I invited are free, there’s still no guarantee that they will come to my party.
Even if everyone I invited is free, there are still no guarantee that they will come to my party.
Even if everyone I invited is free, there’s still no guarantee that people will come to my party.
Even if everyone I invited is free, there’s still no guarantee that they will come to my party.
Even if everyone I invited are free, there’s still no guarantee that people will come to my party.
Even if everyone I invited is free, there’s still no guarantee that people will come to my party.
“Everyone” is an indefinite pronoun that’s treated as singular. Therefore, the correct verb conjugation is “is.” Because “everyone” is indefinite, we can’t use the definite pronoun “they” at the end of the sentence to refer back to “everyone,” so we must use “people” instead. Because “guarantee” is singular, “there’s” is correct and “there are” is incorrect.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
After months of organizing the gala, several of the party planners are beginning to wish they worked as a waiter or bartender instead.
several of the party planners is beginning to wish they worked as a waiter or as a bartender instead.
several of the party planners is beginning to wish they worked as waiters or bartenders instead.
several of the party planners are beginning to wish they worked as a waiter or bartender instead.
several of the party planners are beginning to wish they worked as waiters or bartenders instead.
several of the party planners are beginning to wish they worked as waiter or bartender instead.
several of the party planners are beginning to wish they worked as waiters or bartenders instead.
Because there are several party planners longing for different jobs, the jobs themselves must be plural; three or four people can’t work as a single waiter or bartender. And because “party planners” is plural, the correct verb conjugation is “are.”
Example Question #2 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
Trying to convince me to go with them, my friends described the concert as once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
my friends described the concert as an experience once-in-a-lifetime.
my friends described the concert as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
my friends described the concert as once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
my friends described the concert as a once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
my friends described the concert as experienced once-in-a-lifetime.
my friends described the concert as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Because a "concert" is a singular noun, it can only be one experience and not many. “Trying to convince me to go with them, my friends described the concert as a once-in-a-lifetime experience” is the least awkward option.
Example Question #3 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
Dani drove her car into the parking garage, turned off the engine, and made sure to lock her cars doors securely as she left.
to lock her cars doors securely
to lock her cars doors securely
to locking her cars doors securely
to locked her cars' doors securely
to lock her car doors securely
to lock her car doors securely
There is a disagreement between the nouns "cars" and "doors" in the sentence; we are told earlier in the sentence via its use of "her car" that Dani only drove one car into the parking garage. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "to lock her car doors."
Example Question #4 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
We decided resolutely to pin all of our hopes and dream on the team's victory.
pinning all of our hoping and dreams
pin all of our hopes and dreams
pin all of our hope and dreams
pin all of our hopes and dream
pin all of hopes and dream
pin all of our hopes and dreams
There is a disagreement here between the nouns "hopes" and "dream" when they follow the phrase "all of our." Both nouns should be plural, and therefore the correct answer is "resolutely pin all of our hopes and dreams."
Example Question #5 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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 most forms of martial arts, two examples of physical attack are kicks and punches.
of physical attacks
of physically attack
of physical attack
of attacks physical
of physically attacks
of physical attacks
The primary issue with the underlined phrase "of physical attack" is that it uses a singular noun ("attack") to modify the plural nouns "kicks" and "punches." The uderlined phrase should be changed to "of physical attacks" as this version of it uses the plural noun "attacks," which agrees in number with the compound predicate nominative "kicks and punches."
Example Question #6 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
All children are taught at an early age never to run while holding their pencil.
while holding their pencils
while holding her pencil
while holding their pencil
while holding our pencil
while holding his pencil
while holding their pencils
The noun "pencil" needs to be pluralize to reflect the fact that the subject of the sentence is "All children," who presumably each have a pencil and do not share a single pencil.
Example Question #7 : Correcting Noun Noun Agreement 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.
Manny would always check his students' note to make sure that they were staying on task.
would always check his students' note
would always check his students's notes
would always check his students' notes
would always check his students's note
would always check his student's notes
would always check his students' notes
The sentence uses the plural possessive form "students'," so the best answer choice uses the plural noun "notes" in order to modify the initial noun. Therefore we would select "would always check his students' notes."
Example Question #1191 : 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.
At the sound of the gun, all of the racers gripped their bicycle and set off for the finish line.
gripped their bicycles and setting off for the finish line
gripped their bicycles and set off for the finish line
gripped their bicycle and set off toward the finish line
gripped their bicycle and set off for the finish line
gripped their bicycle and set off towards the finish line
gripped their bicycles and set off for the finish line
Since we’re talking about multiple racers, we must assume that they have “bicycles” (plural). Otherwise, the sentence implies that they are all using the same bicycle (singular).
Example Question #1192 : 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.
Each of my three pets, which I bought with money I earned babysitting, are purebreds and comes with extensive pedigrees.
are purebreds and coming with extensive pedigrees.
is a purebred and coming with an extensive pedigree.
is a purebred and comes with an extensive pedigree.
are purebreds and come with extensive pedigrees.
are purebreds and comes with extensive pedigrees.
is a purebred and comes with an extensive pedigree.
Although there are three pets, the subject of the sentence is “each” of the pets, which is a singular noun; therefore, the singular “a purebred” is the correct noun, and the singular verb forms “is” and “comes” are the correct conjugations.
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