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GMAT (Subject) / Verbal - Sentence Correction (Lesson)

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• Mindanao holds one of the largest remaining blocks of dipterocarp forest in the Philippines from which comes 75% of the country's timber. What helps us identify this question as a Subject Verb Agreement question as well as identify this mistake is the following Stop Sign:  The verb precedes the subject Whenever you come across a sentence in which the verb comes before the subject, check the subject and verb for agreement. In most cases, you'll find that they do not agree
• Numerous vegetarians believe that there is, without a doubt, a wealth of good reasons to stop eating meat. This answer choice corrects the Subject Verb Agreement mistake in the original question, by changing the plural verb are to the singular verb is. 
• Whooper swans were sighted yesterday evening flying over the island of Inch; it seems the white flock arrived from the north and is headed in a southwesterly direction This answer choice corrects the original Subject Verb Agreement mistake by changing the plural verb are (heading) to the singular verb is (headed), to match the singular subject flock. Note that the difference between heading and headed is insignificant in this case, and does not affect the choice of the correct answer. The two phrases mean the same thing. 
• Although he is not very competitive, John fears and hates losing This answer choice corrects the original Subject Verb Agreement mistake, by changing the sentence structure. In the incorrect sentence losing are feared and hated, the subject was losing - a singular subject, and therefore the plural verb are did not agree with it. In the corrected sentence John is the subject of the sentence (and losing is the object). Therefore the singular verbs fears and hates agree with the singular subject John.  
• Avoid redundancy remove words that do not change the meaning: rose vs. increase sum, total previously / in the past now / at present annual / each year Sometimes precise writing is dangerous and can change the meaning!! NEVER ELIMINATE WORDS that change the meaning !
• Singular / Plural words : Indefinite pronouns Singular Anyone Each Every Either Neither SANAM WORDS can also be plural: some, all, any, more, none ,most
• Singular/ Plural: Number of The number of ISA number of ARE
• Near those lonely buildings sits a lonely house Strategy: FLIP IT A lonely house siths near those buildings
• Or either / Nor neither / Or..Either, Not Neither= The noun nearest to the verb ONLY ! Neither = Either is always singular!
• Reporting Verbs verb + THAT indicates that claims that report that concend that agree that declare that find that indicate that reveal that rule that show that assert that observe that proclaim that Exception: SAY
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• It is essential that he BE ready before noon Command subjonctive also demand dictate mandate propose recommend request propose
• Parallelism markers X and Y are Both X and Y are X or Y Either X or Y Not X but Y Not only X but alsoY X rather than Y from X by Y
• Relative Pronouns WHO: people: The scientist WHO we met WHOM: people/ acquaintance -> whom we like the most are those that flatter us best FOR WHOM WHICH: things/mountain THROUGH WHICH WHOSE: people/ things WHERE: area, country, acutal place (not metaphorical or condition) IN WHICH: condition, arrangement, situation, circumstance
• Comma Placement: essentials vs. non-essentials Non-essential subclause: the house, recently painted red WHICH + COMMA Essential subclause: the house recently painted red THAT
• GMD: Grammar, Meaning, Concision Check each sentence for: Subject-Verb Agreement Paralellism Pronouns Modifiers Verb tense Comparison Idioms
• Certain parasites in humans have been shown to provide bacterial resistance and protection IN HUMANS:
• Among the reasons Jane loves reading novels is her rich imagination. This answer choice correctly matches the singular verb is with the singular subject her rich imagination.
• A glycoprotein is a Protein to which a monosaccharide, disaccharide, oligosaccharide, or polysaccharide has been attached This answer choice corrects the Subject Verb Agreement mistake in the original sentence, by changing the plural verb have to the singular verb has.
• IDIOM: i value my abiliy TO SING I CAN SING > I have the ability to sing
• IDIOM: The new rules will affect out performance IDIOM: The new rules will affect out performance Also: The new Rules will have an effect on our performance (wordier) Wrong: The new Rules cause an effect on our performance
• IDIOM: His behaviour aggravated the Problem (made worse) IDIOM: His behaviour aggravated the Problem (made worse) WRONG: His behaviour was aggravating TO the problem
• IDIOM: They AGREE THAT electrons EXIST. IDIOM: They AGREE THAT electrons EXIST. Also: Electrons are particles that physicians AGREE EXIST SUSPECT: There is an agreement AMONG them THAT electrons exist WRONG: There is an agreement Among them TO THE FACT THAT WRONG: Electrons are particles that physicians AGREE TO EXIST
• IDIOM: She aids her neighbor IDIOM: She AIDS her neighbor Also: She provides AID TO victims. AID FOR victims is available. WRONG: Her AID TO WALK the dog was appreciated
• IDIOM: They ARE AIMED AT REDUCING, WITH THE AIM OF REDUCING IDIOM: They ARE AIMED AT REDUCING IDIOM: New procedures AIMED AT REDUCING theft. IDIOM: .... WITH THE AIM OF REDUCING SUSPECT: We adopted new policies, THE AIM OF WHICH was TO REDUCE theft WRONG: We adopted new policies WITH THE AIM TO REDUCE theft
• IDIOM: Imperfections APPEAR AS tiny cracks IDIOM: He APPEARS CONFUSED (=seems) IDIOM: Imperfections APPEAR AS tiny cracks IDIOM: IT APPEARS THAT the dinosaurs WERE smart WRONG: He APPEARS AS confused.
• IDIOMS: AS...AS Cheese is AS GREAT AS people say Cheese is NOT AS great AS people say We have AS MANY apples AS need to be cooked We have THREE TIMES AS MANY pears AS you We have AT LEAST AS MANY apples AS YOU We have 10 apples, ABOUT AS MANY AS we picked yesterday His knowledge springs AS MUCH from experience AS from schooling His knowledge springs NOT SO MUCH from experience AS from schooling He wins frequently, AS MUCH becaushe he plays SO hard As because he cheats. WRONG:! Cheese is NOT SO great AS people say We have AS MANY apples AS OR MORE apples THAN you We have AS MANY apples as THERE need to be cooked He wins frequently, AS MUCH because he plays as hard AS because he cheats. Cheese is SO great AS people say Cheese is SO great THAT people say Cheese is AS great THAT people say We have AS MANY Apples THAN you We have SO MANY apples AS you We have AS MANY OR MORE apples THAN you We have THREE TIMES AS MANY MORE pears AS you We have 10 apples, ABOUT EQUIVALENT TO what we picked yesterday.
• IDIOM: AS LONG AS IDIOM: I will lease, AS LONG AS it IS safe I will leave, SO LONG AS it IS safe I will leave, PROVIDED THAT it IS safe SUSPECT: I will leave, BUT it HAS TO BE safe WRONG: I will leave, BUT it BE safe
• IDIOM: As..SO IDIOM: AS you practice, SO shall you play (=in the same way or manner) JUST AS you practice, SO shall you play (=in the same way or manner) JUST AS you practice piano regularly, you should study regularly (in the same way, the situations are analogous) WRONG: You practice, SO shall you play JUST LIKE you practice, SO shall you play
• IDIOM: ATTRIB UTE RIGHT: We ATTRIBUTE the uprising TO popular discontent Wrong: We attribute the uprising As popular discontent
• IDIOM: AVERAGE IDIOM. Tech companies are as likely as the AVERAGE COMPANY to fail WRONG: Tech companies are as likely as the INDUSTRY AVERAGE to fail
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• IDIOM: AWARE IDIOM: AWARE OF the danger, he fled AWARE THAT danger was near, he fled WRONG: WITH AN AWARENESS THAT danger was near, he fled WITH AN AWARENESS OF the danger, he fled
• IDIOM: BAN IDIOM: They passed a BAN PROHIBITING us FROM CARRYING bottles WRONG: THey passed a BAN that we CANNOT CARRY bottles
• IDIOM: BASED ON IDIOM: The vverdics was BASED ON the evidence Wrong: BASED ON the evidence, the jury reached a verdict. (the jury was not itself BASED ON the evidence)
• IDIOM: BECAUSE OF IDIOM: Because the sun SHINES, plants grow Plants grow BECAUSE the sun SHINES BECAUSE OF the sun, plants grow BY SHINING, the sun makes plants grow PLants grow, FOR the sun shines (very formal) SUSPECT: Plants are amazing IN THAT they grow in the sun (wordy!!) WRONG: Plants grow BECAUSE OF the sun SHINING Plants grwo AS A RESULT of the sun SHINING BECAUSE OF SHINING, the sun makes plants grow ON ACCOUNT OF SHINING or ITS SHINING, the sun makes plants grow BECAUSE the sun SHINES IS the REASON that plants grow The ABILITY OF plants TO grow IS BECAUSE the sun shines BEING THAT the sun shines, plants grow
• IDIOM. Between IDIOM: A battle BETWEEN reactionaries AND the radicals a skirmish ensued AMONG the combatants (more than 2 parties) WRONG: A battle ensued BETWEEN the reactionaries WITH the raicals A battle ensued AMONG the reactionaries AND the raicals
• IDIOM: BOTH... AND IDIOM: She was interested BOTH in plants AND in animals She was interested in BOTH plants AND animals WRONG: She was interested BOTh in plants AND animals She was interested BOTH in plants AS WELL AS in animals She was interested BOTH in plants BUT ALSO in animals
• The innovative therapeutical program and its newest user interface module include several groundbreaking modifications enabling both parent and child to explore stunning 3-D landscapes and to solve challenging emotional and interpersonal scenarios This answer choice corrects the grammatical mistake committed in the original sentence by correctly pairing the plural subject The innovative therapeutical program and its newest user interface module with the plural verb include.
• IDIOM BUT IDIOM: I study hard BUT TAKE breaks I STUDY hard, BUT I TAKE breaks ALTHOGH I TAKE BREAKS, I STUDY effectively DESPITE TAKING frequent naps, I STUDY effectively I TAKE frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively WRONG: I STUDY effectively ALHTOUGH TAKING frequent naps ALTHOUGH I TAKE frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively DESPITE TAKING frequent naps, YET I STUDY effectively
• IDIOM CAN RIGHT the manager CAN RUN the plant the plant CAN CAUSE damage SUSPECT: the manager IS ABLE TO RUN The plant the manager IS CAPABLE OF RUNNING the plant the manager HAS HE CAPABILITY OF RUNNING the plant It is POSSIBLE FOR the plant TO CAUSE damage The plant HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING damage all are wordier than simple can
• IDIOM: Chance I have ONE CHANCE IN A THOUSAND OF WINNNIG tonight
• IDIOM: CLAIM THAT they CAN read minds IDIOM: They CLAIM THAT they CAN read minds They CLAIM the ABILITY to read minds They CLAIM they CAN read minds WRONG: They CLAIM BEING ABLE to read minds
• IDIOM: COMPARABLE RIGHT: Costs are rising, but incomes have not increased COMPARABLY IN COMPARISON WITH (or TO) horses, zeras are vicious A zebra can be COMPARED TO a horse in many ways COMPARED WITH a horse, however, a zebra is very hard to tame note: The GMAT ignores the traditional distinction between COMPARED TO and COMPARED WITH  SUSPECT: Costs are rising, but incomes have not increased TO A COMPARABLE EXTENT Zebras are more viscious COMPARED TO horses WHEN COMPARED TO horses, zebras are civious
• CONFIDENCE RIGHT: We have CONFIDENCE THAT the market WILL RECOVER SUSPECT: We have CONFIDENCE IN the market's ABILITY TO RECOVER WRONG: We have CONFIDENCE IN the market to RECOVER
• IDIOM: Consider Right:  I CONSIDER her a friend. I CONSIDER her intelligent I CONSIDER illegal the law passed last week by the new regime The law IS CONSIDERED illegal SUSPECT: The judge considers the law TO BE illegal WRONG:  THe judge CONSIDERS the law AS illegal (or AS BEING illegal)  The judge CONSIDERS the law SHOULD BE illegal The judge CONSIDERS the law AS IF IT WERE illegal 
• IDIOM: CONTEND Right: They CONTEND THAT they can decipher the code Wrong:  They CONTEND they can decipher the code They CONTEND the code TO BE decipherable They CONTEND the ABILITY to decipher the code
• IDIOM: CONTRAST RIGHT:  IN CONTRAST WITH the zoo, the park charged no admission IN CONTRAST TO the zoo, the park charges no admission  UNLIKE the zoo, the park charges no admission WRONG:  AS CONTRASTED WITH The zoo, the park charges no admission IN CONTRAST TO the zoo CHARGING admission, the park does not 
• IDIOM: Create Right: We WILL CREATE a team TO LEAD the discussion Wrong: We WILL CREATE a team FOR LEADING the discussion 
• IDIOM: CREDIT RIGHT: Hugo CREDITS Sally WITH good taste Hugo IS CREDITED WITH good taste Wrong: Sally IS CREDITED FOR good taste (for HAVING good taste)  Sally IS CREDITED TO BE a person with good taste
• IDIOM: DATE They DATED the artifact AT three centuries old The artifact WAS DATED AT three centuries old  WRONG:  The artifact was dated TO BE three centuries old  The artifact was dated as BEING three centruries old 
• Much like the belief that the world is flat, challenged by Galileo Galilei, there are currently widely-accepted hypotheses about the planet that are about to be put into question as quantum physics rapidly develops, changing the way we understand our world. The singular subject hypothesis is replaced with the plural subject hypotheses so that it agrees with the plural verb are. A second grammatical mistake is that the singular subject physics did not agree with the plural verb are in the original sentence. This is corrected by replacing the are with the singular verb develops.

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