All GMAT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #22 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
For a long time, the man having issues with his wife that they could not resolve.
the man has issues
the man had issues
the man having had issues
the man have issues
the man having issues
the man had issues
The use of the patriciple form "having" is incorrect in the sentence, as the participle cannot stand on its own as the verb of the sentence. The word needs to be changed, and must match the later use of the past tense construction "that they could not." The correct answer, therefore, is "the man had issues."
Example Question #21 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
His father was usually ready telling a joke to lighten the mood.
telling jokes
to tell a joke
telling the joke
telling a joking
telling a joke
to tell a joke
The use of "telling" in the sentence is strange and confusing, as the participle form appears to modify "ready." To appropriately explain what the father was "ready" for, an infinitive, which gives a sense of action; therefore, the correct answer choice is "to tell a joke."
Example Question #23 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
Most men feel very uncomfortable reveal their feelings to loved ones.
reveal their feelings
reveal there feelings
reveal they're feelings
revealing their feelings
revealed their feelings
revealing their feelings
The use of the present tense verb "reveal" is confusing in the sentence, as it essentially would act as a second verb in the sentence. The verb needs to be changed to a form that can function as a non-verb. The only answer choice that does this is "revealing their feelings," which uses the gerundive form.
Example Question #23 : Correcting Other Verb Errors
Politicians having grown increasingly aware of the proper way to deal with the media in recent years.
Politicians having grown increasingly aware
Politicians growing increasingly aware
Politicians having grown increased aware
Politicians having grown increasing aware
Politicians have grown increasingly aware
Politicians have grown increasingly aware
The use of "having grown" in the sentence actually makes the sentence not have a verb, because the use of that verb creates a verbal phrase. The sentence needs the phrase "having grown" to be turned into an actual verb. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "Politicians have grown increasingly aware."
Example Question #841 : 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 new law was specifically targeted people making over one million dollars each year.
specific targeted people
specifically targeting people
specific targeting of people
specifically targeted people
specifically targeted of people
specifically targeting people
Whlie one might say that something "was targeted," one cannot say that something "was targeted" something else and be grammatically correct. As only "targeted" is underlined, and not "was," it needs to be changed. Of all the answer choices, only "specifically targeting people" corrects the sentence's error without introducing new errors or extraneous words.
Example Question #61 : 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.
The soldiers keeping watch through the whole night as ordered.
The soldiers keeping watch
The soldiers keeping watching
The soldiers keeping watch
The soldier's keeping watch
The soldiers keep watch
The soldiers keep watch
The use of "keeping" in the sentence is incorrect, as "keeping" needs some version of the verb "to be" to form a functioning verb. (In the phrase "the soldiers keeping watch," "keeping" is a participle.) The verb must be changed to a form that can work in the sentence. The only choice that does this and keeps the intended meaning is "The soldiers keep watch."
Example Question #62 : 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.
The tiny force holding down the fort until help came three days later.
The tiny force that holding down the fort
The tiny force holding down the fort
The tiny force, holding down the fort,
The tiny force held down the fort
The tiny force holds down the fort
The tiny force held down the fort
The use of the participle "holding" means that there is no actual verb in the sentence. Not only does the form have to change, but the use of "came" later in the sentence means the verb form needs to be the past tense. "The tiny force held down the fort" is the only answer choice that uses the correct tense.
Example Question #63 : 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.
The athlete obsessing over his team's loss for the entire offseason.
The athlete obsessed over
The athlete to obsess over
The athlete being obsessing over
The athlete obsessing around
The athlete obsessing over
The athlete obsessed over
The use of the participle "obsessing" actually makes the sentence have no verb, as a participle cannot stand as a verb without some form of the verb "to be." "Obsessing" needs to be changed to an appropriate verb form to make the sentence complete. The only answer choice that uses a correct verb form is "The athlete obsessed over."
Example Question #842 : 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 child considering the model truck his favorite toy as soon as he played with it.
The child considering the model truck
The child considering of the model truck
The child's considering the model truck
The child considered the model truck
The child considering that model truck
The child considered the model truck
The use of the participle form "considering" in the sentence actually causes the sentence to not have a verb. A participle needs some form of the verb "to be" to make a complete verb phrase. "The child considered the model truck," which uses a simple past tense verb, is the only answer choice that corrects this issue.
Example Question #142 : 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.
The old woman keeping mementos throughout her entire life.
The old woman kept
The old woman is keeping
The old woman keep
The old woman keeping
The old woman keeps
The old woman kept
The use of "keeping" as the only verb in the sentence is wrong, as "keeping" is a present participle, and a present participle always needs some form of the verb "to be" to precede it to create a verbal phrase. Additionally, the sentence needs to employ a past tense verb because its action takes place in the past. As such, the only answer choice that fulfills these requirements is "The old woman kept."