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330 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the steps for answering sentence correction questions?’
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steps for answering sentence correction questions
a. Read the sentence carefully, trying to identify an answer b. If no error is apparent, ask yourself: i. Is the sentence grammatically correct? ii. Is the sentence properly structured iii. Does the sentence use correct diction? iv. If you find one or more errors, look for an answer that makes the corrections c. If you cannot find an error, read the answer choices. Focus on the differences between each choice and the original. Often this will turn up an error that you overlooked d. Eliminate choices that contain errors and choose from among those that remain. |
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What do you do if you an error is not readily apparent?
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If you cannot find an error, read the answer choices. Focus on the differences between each choice and the original. Often this will turn up an error that you overlooked
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What are indefinite pronouns?
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An indefinite pronoun refers to something that is not definite or specific or exact. The indefinite pronouns are all, another, any, anybody, anyone, anything, each, everybody, everyone, everything, few, many, nobody, none, one, several, some, somebody, someone, These indefinite pronouns can also be used as indefinite adjectives in some cases
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Which indefinite pronouns are always singular?
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Always singular: everyone, each, either, neither, someone, somebody, nobody, anyone, everybody, one, noone
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Which indefinite pronouns are always plural?
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Always plural: both, few, many, several
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Which indefinite pronouns are plural or singular depending on the noun to which they refer?
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Plural or singular depending upon whether the noun to which they refer is singular or plural: some, more, most, all
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Are singular subject joined with another pronoun via prepositions plural?
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The joining of singular subjects with another noun or pronoun, or with several nouns or pronouns, by prepositions such as: along with, together with, with, as well as, in addition to, or accompanied by…. Does not make the singular subject into a plural one
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What is the only key word that can join singular subjects to make them plural?
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Only “and” can join two singular subjects and make them plural
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How do you handle the singularity or plurality of two distinct words or phrases joined by correlatives: i.e. either-or, neither-nor,…?
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When two distinct words or phrases are joined by the correlatives: either …or, neither…nor, not only…but also, the word or phrase nearer to the verb determines the number of the verb.
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What must be true about pronouns with respect to the words they refer to?
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Pronouns must agree with the words to which they refer
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What must be true about pronouns with respect to their case (whenever a form of the verb "to be" is used)?
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Pronouns must be in the correct case: Whenever a form of the verb “to be” is used (“were”), the pronouns on both sides of the verb must be subjects.
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What must every pronoun refer to?
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Every Pronoun must refer to a noun or to another pronoun
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What must be true about tenses of verbs with respect to their case? (time wise)
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Verb tenses must reflect the sequences of events
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How do you handle elliptical verb phrases?
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Elliptical verb phrases must be constructed properly: the omission of a word or words from a sentence. The verb may properly be omitted only if it is in the same form as another appearance of the same verb.
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How do you handle a pronoun modifying a gerund?
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A pronoun modifying a gerund must be in the possessive case.: a gerund is a verb ending in –ing that acts as a noun. Example: His running is obsessive. Her nail biting is gross.
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What can modify verbs?
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Adverbs, not adjectives, modify verbs: shorter adjectives form the comparative by adding –er and the superlative by adding –est. The longer adjectives and most adverbs form the comparative by the use of more (or less) and the superlative by the use of most ( or least).
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What do you use to describe a hypothetical situation vs. options?
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Use “Whether” for describing options rather than a hypothetical situation
Use “If” for describing hypothetical situations |
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What word is required when making “better” comparisons?
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When two items are being compared and one is stated to be better than the others, the “than” in the comparison is essential
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What word is required when making “as” comparisons?
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When one term is stated to be as good as another, the second “as” is essential
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Where is the best place to place a modifier?
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Modifiers must stay close to home ( the thing being modified)
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How do you fix run-on sentences?
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Run-on sentences don’t make it: a run-on sentence is a sentence containing two independent clauses that are not properly joined. A coordinating conjunction like: and, but, yet for, or, nor must be used to join the two independent clauses
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What is required for subordinate clauses?
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Subordinate clauses must have a logical connection: a subordinate clause is one that cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence but which must be joined to an independent or other dependent clause by a subordinate conjunction
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Can you use “Because” to start a noun clause?
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Because” is no way to start a noun clause: “that” is short form of “the fact that”
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“That” is the short form of what?
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“that” is short form of “the fact that”
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Should you read answer A?
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Reading answer A is a time-waster
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What type of errors won’t be on sentence correction questions?
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You won’t find errors in spelling or capitalization
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Can sentences contain more than one error?
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sentences often contain multiple errors
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What is true with regards to the meaning of the sentence?
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Meaning: Remember to understand the meaning of the sentence, different options might significantly impact the meaning of the original sentence.
a. Many answer choices will be wrong because they distort the meaning of the original sentence. Sometimes necessary grammatical changes will alter the meaning and that’s fine, but an unnecessary alteration is always wrong |
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How do you handle it when you have imperfect options in the answers?
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Imperfect Options: Sometimes you will need to locate the least offensive of your options. Some answers contain questionable or cluttered phrasing.
a. Always identify the grammatically correct choices before considering the effectiveness of expression i.e. eliminate the choices that have grammatical errors. b. When stumped, use the differences among answer choices to eliminate the most offensive ones. |
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When should you use the passive voice?
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The Passive Voice: Unnecessary or awkward uses of the passive voice almost always require correction.
a. The passive voice reverses the order of a sentence (object->verb->subject i.e. “the house was purchased by Rita”) b. The passive voice does not itself constitute a grammatical error and only eliminate such a choice when there is a grammatically correct alternative in the active voice. You should generally always avoid the passive voice |
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How do you handle ellipsis? (3 steps)
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Ellipsis : The omission from a sentence of words that are clearly understood or implied.
a. If the meaning of the sentence becomes unclear, then bring back those missing parts into the sentence, making sure to include them in such a way as to make the sentence clear and grammatically parallel. b. The underlined portion should parallel the non-underlined portions. The pieces that the abbreviated portion keeps imply the pieces that it omits. c. Put the omitted pieces back into the sentences to see if the abbreviated version is correct. |
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What are participles? and what can't they do?
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5. Participles: Adjectives that are formed from verbs (i.e. “wanting” or “distracted”. They cannot stand in for verbs because they are not verbs. Example: Peter, distracted by his cat and wanting to do his work…
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When using conjunctions, what is subordination vs. coordination and how do you implement both?
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Subordinate and Coordination:
a. Coordination: When you want to draw equal emphasis to two parts of a sentence, use coordinating conjunctions such as “and”, “or”, or “but”. b. Subordination: When you want to emphasize one part over the other, use subordinate one to the other with words such as “although”, “while”, or “since”. |
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What form of a verb always marks subordinate phrases?
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Participles always mark subordinate phrases
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What common error regarding the verb “to be” or “being” should you be on the lookout for?
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Many sentences and answer choices contain unnecessary uses of the verb “to be” or “being”. Be on the lookout for such unnecessary wordiness and eliminate the choices containing it whenever possible.
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What are subjunctives?
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The Subjunctive: used to express wishes, requests, or certain conditional (if/then) phrases
a. Mostly affects the verb “to be”, giving it some forms that are otherwise uncommon. |
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Give an example of the subjunctive for the following :
a. Desire/Wish b. If/then c. That d. What form of the verb should be used with subjunctives? |
The Subjunctive: used to express wishes, requests, or certain conditional (if/then) phrases
a. Mostly affects the verb “to be”, giving it some forms that are otherwise uncommon. b. Desire/Wish example: “I wish I were you “ c. If /then example: “ If your mother were here, she would reprimand you” d. After certain uses of that: “He asked that his friend be nominated” or “He asked that his friend accept the nominations”. Use the infinitive forms of the verb ( example: use “encourage” instead of “would encourage”) |
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Difference between “greater than” and “more than”?
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“greater than” refers to numbers alone but “more than” refers to the numbers of objects
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Difference between “fewer” and “less than”?
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“fewer” refers to countable objects (“fewer hotels”) but “less than” refers to unquantifiable objects (“less real estate”)
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“number” vs. “amount”
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“number” refers to quantities that can be counted (“number of people”); “amount” refers to quantities that cannot be counted (“amount of congestion”).
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Is percent a quantifiable quantity?
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Percent is NOT a quantifiable quantity
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“Much” refers to what?
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“Much” refers to uncountable objects
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“few” vs. “little”
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“few” refers to items that can be counted; “little” refers to something that can’t be counted
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How do you use “One of the ____ (that/who) _____ ?
(what types of words go in the blanks) |
“One of the” + PLURAL NOUN + that/who/ + PLURAL VERB. Example: He is one of the persons who make money; This is one of the cars that run on hydrogen.
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How do you use “consider”?
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When consider means “regard as,” as should not be present with consider in the sentence. Consider is also not followed by an infinitive like to be.
Example: - “Critics consider facilities to be an integral part…” (Incorrect) - “Critics consider facilities an integral part…” (Correct) |
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Deciding ____?
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Deciding that
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Just as X, ____ Y?
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Just as X, so Y
(note the comma) |
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Not so much ….. ____?
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Not so much ….as
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How do you handle dangling modifiers?
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9. Dangling modifiers: sometimes you will need to add a modifier that will change the meaning of the sentence to make it correct
Watch out for “-ing” words at the beginning of a sentence--these often signal a dangling modifier. Take a look at this sentence: "When writing, modifiers can help you clarify your points." The first part of the sentence--“When writing”--is a dangling modifier. Why? Because the word that follows it--“modifiers”--doesn’t make any sense. Modifiers write? Really? Think about what the writer really wants to say: “When you are writing, modifiers can help you clarify your points.” Fix dangling modifiers in two ways: by adding a subject into the modifier itself, or by adding the logical subject immediately after the modifier. Try both ways to see what works for your sentence; sometimes, both methods will work. “When writing, you can use modifiers to help you clarify your points.” Beware passive verbs--they can lead to dangling modifiers. Passive verbs occur when you use a form of “to be” plus the past participle form of a verb, such as “was killed” or “were purchased.” Passive voice eliminates the actor in a sentence. Check out what happens when you use a modifier with passive verb: “Screaming wildly, the pumpkins were thrown by the boys.” Maybe in a Halloween movie, but in real life, perhaps not. The passive verb “were thrown” gives the modifier “Screaming wildly” nothing to modify. Fix it by changing the passive verb to active, clarifying who’s doing the action: “Screaming wildly, the boys threw the pumpkins.” |
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“refuse” goes with what word?
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“refuse” goes with “to”
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“derived” goes with what word?
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“derived” goes with “from” not “by”
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“credited” goes with what word?
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“credited” goes with “with” not “for”
"credit to.." and "credit for.." deal with money |
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“between” is always followed by what word?
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“Between” should always be followed by “and” not “or”.
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“fewer _____”?
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“Fewer” should always be followed by “than”
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When should you use between vs. among?
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“Between” is the correct preposition when two options are presented, and “among” is correct when there are more than two.
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when do yo use:
contrast with contrast to |
'contrast' is used as a noun in 'in contrast to' and as a verb in 'contrast with'.
in contrast to - *the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared contrast with - *put in opposition to show or emphasize differences |
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Can the subject of a sentence come after the verb?
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The subject of a sentence can come after the verb, particularly in constructions beginning with “there are” or “there is”
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Describe a construction where the subject of a sentence comes after the verb?
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The subject of a sentence can come after the verb, particularly in constructions beginning with “there are” or “there is”
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What is the difference between the perfect tense and past perfect tense?
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Perfect tense vs. Past Perfect: The perfect tense (“has played”) describes either a very recent event or one that began in the past and has continued into the present. The past perfect (“had played”) describes an event both started and completed in the past.
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Subject should agree with what two things?
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Subjects not only need to agree with their verbs, but they need to agree with their objects as well.
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What should you keep track of throughout the entire sentence?
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Keep track of the subject throughout the sentence, knowing that they might be separated by intervening phrases or modifiers
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What are two common errors with pronouns?
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Pronouns: Pronouns are used incorrectly when the sentence doesn’t make clear who or what the pronoun refers to, or when the sentence uses the wrong pronoun for the situation.
a. “It” and “they” are pronouns and they need to refer to particular nouns b. If a pronoun can logically refer to more than one noun in a sentence, or that there’s no noun for it to refer to, then it needs to be fixed. |
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What does a semicolon delineate?
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A semicolon joins two pieces that could stand on as independent and complete sentences on their own.
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What are two things you should avoid in all sentence correction questions?
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Excessive wordiness and passive construction
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When is the concise option incorrect?
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Expressions: Eliminate excessive wordiness and passive constructions. A concise option that is grammatically flawed is not the correct option
a. Flaws in grammar must be corrected; flaws in expression may or may not be corrected based upon the options presented. |
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When the entire sentence is underlined, what answer will have a greater probability of being correct?
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When the entire sentence is underlined in the
question, the answer has a higher probability of being ‘D’ or ‘E’. |
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When should you use whether vs. if?
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Whether is correct when you’re
discussing two options. If is correct for more than 2 options. Whether is correct when a sentence describes alternatives. - “Whether to participate or not.” If is correct when a sentence describes a hypothetical situation. - “If he participated, he would…” |
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Forbids x _______ vs prohibit x _____
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X forbids Y to do Z
X prohibits Y from doing Z |
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When do you use compared to vs compare with?
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Use compare to for unlike things, but stressing the similarities between the two
- “He compared her to a summer day.” Use compare with for like things, but stressing the differences between them - “The police compared the forged signature with the original.” |
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What does “less “ and “fewer” translate to?
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Less = “not as much”
Fewer = “not as many” less (like much) refers to uncountable entities: not as much time.. less time fewer (like many) refers to countable entities.. not as many seats... fewer seats at the concert.. |
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When do you use “like” vs. “as”?
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Like – used to express similarity, normally
between two nouns - “Lemons are like limes.” As – normally used to compare two clauses, NOT two nouns - “He looks as if he is drunk.” Such as – normally used to give examples. |
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What is the plurality of the “A number” vs. “The number”?
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A number requires a plural verb.
- “A number of people are waiting for the bus.” The number requires a singular verb. - “The number of cars in the city is decreasing.” |
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Same as X ____ Y?
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Same as X as to Y
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Just as X ___ Y? (also)
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Just as X so too Y
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What infinitives should you avoid?
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To include is wrong.
- Including is correct. To implement is wrong. - Implementing is correct. |
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What’s wrong with the following sentence? - “…with child-care facilities included.”
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Avoid any sentence construction with:
PREPOSITION + NOUN + PARTICIPLE - “…with child-care facilities included.” (Incorrect) |
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What form of to be is passive and should be avoided?
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Avoid being and to be, if possible.
- Both forms are considered passive. |
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Target X ____?
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Target at
- “The shoe company targeted its advertising at high-school kids.” |
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Which pronoun is usually ambiguous and you should be suspicious of?
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Always be suspicious of the pronoun
they. |
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In comparisons, what should you watch out for regarding actions? How do you fix the following sentence : - “French wines taste better than Australian wines.” (Incorrect)
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Watch out for comparison of actions:
- “French wines taste better than Australian wines.” (Incorrect) - “French wines taste better than Australian wines do.” (Correct) - “French wines taste better than Australian wines taste.” (Correct) - “French wines taste better than do Australian wines.” (Correct) |
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How do you fix a misplaced modifier into a legal sentence?
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You can change a misplaced modifier into a
legal sentence by changing a phrase into a clause. - “While leaving the bank, Evelyn’s purse was stolen.” (Incorrect, ) - “As she was leaving the bank, Evelyn’s purse was stolen.” (Correct) |
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–ing is what form of a verb? And how does it relate to the main clause?
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The –ing (present participle) form introduces an
action that is simultaneous with the action of the main clause. |
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Numbers greater than 1 followed by a clause, are singular or plural?
“Three out of every four automobile owners in the US also _____ a bicycle |
Numbers greater than 1 are plural.
- “Three out of every four automobile owners in the US also own a bicycle.” |
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With regards to fractions, percentages or indefinite quantifiers, what does the verb agree with?
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With fractions, percentages, and indefinite
quantifiers, the verb agrees with the preceding noun or clause. With singular or non-count nouns or clauses, use a singular verb. |
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How do you handle “hopefully”?
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Hopefully is almost always wrong on the
GMAT. Avoid sentence choices with this word. |
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How do you use “Having _____”?
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Having + past participle
- Used to express actions that are finished and to show that one thing comes after another. |
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What always follows thinking words? i.e. Her belief ____?
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Thinking words (i.e., theory, belief, believe…) + that
- Thinking words are always followed by that - “Lucy’s belief that the Earth is flat is great.” (Correct) - “Lucy’s belief of…” (Incorrect) |
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When do you use “credit with” vs. “credit to” vs. “credit for”?
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Credit A with B: give responsibility for
- “Edison is credited with inventing the light bulb.” Credit X to Y: give money or credit to - “The bank credited $1 million to his account.” Credit for (noun): money received for or in exchange for something - “The customer received |
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What's wrong with the following sentece:
"During two hours, I felt sleepy"? How do you fix it? |
During + TIME PERIOD is wrong.
- “During two hours, I felt sleepy.” (Incorrect) - “During the last two hours, I have felt sleepy. (Correct) |
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“might” is the past tense of?
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Might is the past tense of may.
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When you have a quantifier describing a noun, what is the plularity? Example: -“most of the people ___” vs. –“most of the water ____”?
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QUANTIFIER + of + NOUN + VERB
The noun determines whether verb is singular or plural. - “Most of the people are…” - “Most of the water is…” |
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“Majority” should only be used with? Example: “the majority of ___?
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Majority should be used with countable nouns only.
- “The majority of the talk…” (Incorrect) - “The greater part of the talk…” (Correct) - “The majority of the people…” (Correct) |
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“Just as” can also be written as?
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'Just as' can replace 'in the same way that.'
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When do you use ‘like” vs. “as” with respect to nouns?
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Use like when you want to focus on two nouns.
Use as when you want to focus on two nouns doing two actions. |
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When you have two answers that are grammatically correct with the only difference in the meaning, which one should you choose?
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Whenever we have two options that are both
grammatically correct, and the only difference is meaning, we MUST go with the original meaning. |
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What’s wrong with the following sentence? Example: - “The change was when I came to the U.S.” ?
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NOUN + BE-verb + NOUN/ADJECTIVE
- “The change was good for me.” (Correct) - “The change was when I came to the U.S.” (Incorrect) - Use “changed occurred” instead. |
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What should you immediately check when you see the pronoun “it”?
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When you see a pronoun, especially it, immediately
check the antecedent |
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“for”, when not used specifically as a preposition, can also be written as?
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For = “despite”
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“along with” can also be written as?
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Along with = “in addition to”
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when do you use “Concerned with” vs. “concerned for” vs "concerned about"?
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Concerned for = “worried, anxious”
concerned about or Concerned with = “related to” |
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What can “so” replace?
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So is used to replace a verb in a sentence.
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What can “it” replace?
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It is used to replace a noun.
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“Each” is singular or plural?
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Each is usually singular.
But when each follows a plural subject, the verb and subsequent pronouns remain in the plural. - “Three cats each eat.” (Correct) - “Three cats, each of which eats…” (Correct) |
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so ___ as to ____ ?
what type of words go in the blanks? |
So + ADJECTIVE + as to + VERB
- “Her debts are so extreme as to threaten her company.” (Correct) - “He exercises everyday so as to build his stamina.” (Incorrect) |
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What does “due to” mean? What is a common misuse of the “due to”?
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Due to means “caused by.” Due to does not mean
“because of.” - “The game was postponed due to rain.” (Incorrect) - “The game was postponed because of rain.” (Correct) - “The game’s postponement was due to rain.” (Correct) |
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When you use “..not ___ but ___..” what are you comparing?
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Use not/but to join linguistically equivalent
things. - “Pucci is not a dog but a cat.” |
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In contrast ___?
Similar _____? |
In contrast to
Similar to |
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“Each” is singular or plural?
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Each is usually singular.
But when each follows a plural subject, the verb and subsequent pronouns remain in the plural. - “Three cats each eat.” (Correct) - “Three cats, each of which eats…” (Correct) |
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How should “so … as to” be written?
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So + ADJECTIVE + as to + VERB
- “Her debts are so extreme as to threaten her company.” (Correct) - “He exercises everyday so as to build his stamina.” (Incorrect) |
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What does “due to” mean? What is a common misuse of the “due to”?
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Due to means “caused by.” Due to does not mean
“because of.” - “The game was postponed due to rain.” (Incorrect) - “The game was postponed because of rain.” (Correct) - “The game’s postponement was due to rain.” (Correct) |
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When you use “..not ___ but ___..” what are you comparing?
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Use not/but to join linguistically equivalent
things. - “Pucci is not a dog but a cat.” |
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In contrast ___?
Similar _____? |
In contrast to
Similar to |
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Are collective nouns singular or plural? class, orchestra, army, administration,etc.
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singular
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which indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural and how can you remember them?
What determines whether they are singular or plural? |
SANAM pronouns: Some, Any, None, All, Most
look at the object of the "of" construction to determine the number of the subject. |
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Each and Every are singular or plural?
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Singular
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use "majority" as a singular subject as well as a plural subject
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singular: the student majority is opposed to the death penalty.
plural: The majority of students in this class are hard workers. |
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singular or plural: the subject is an entire phrase
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the subject is singular and hence the verb must be singular too
example: "Having good friends is a wonderful thing" |
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when the subject comes after the verb in a sentence, how do you check its agreement?
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flip the word order of the sentence so that the subject precedes the verb:
There is a young man and an older woman at the bus stop. flip: a young man and an older woman ARE a the bust stop correct: There are a young man and an older woman at the bus stop. |
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whats the difference between the indicative mood vs the subjunctive mood?
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verbs in the indicative mood deal with real events. Verbs in the subjunctive mood deal with events that are not necessarily true.
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what is the infinitive form of a verb?
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when a verb takes the form "to" + the verb.
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what is a split infinitive?
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when a word is inserted between "to" and the verb. This is an error and should be avoided.
example: "I need you to quickily run out to the store" -- incorrect correct: I need you to run quickly to the store |
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difference between the simple tense vs. the progressive tense
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the progressive tense indicates an ongoing action, in the past, present or future.
The simple tense is the basic tense. example: Simple Present: Sandy plays with her friends Simple Past: Sandy played with her friends Simple Future: Sandy will play with her friends Present Progressive: She is playing with her friends Past Progressive: She was playing with her friends Future Progressive: She will be playing with her friends. |
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what is the perfect tense?
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perfect tense = have/has + past participle
past participle = the verb with -ed ending (walked, danced). irregular verbs have unique past participles (gone, thrown, been, etc..) The three perfect tenses in English are the three verb tenses which show action already completed. (The word perfect literally means "made complete" or "completely done.") They are formed by the appropriate tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the verb. Present Perfect: I have seen it. (Present tense of to have plus participle. Action is completed with respect to the present.) Past Perfect: I had seen it. (Past tense of to have plus participle. Action is completed with respect to the past.) Future Perfect: I will have seen it. (Future tense of to have plus participle. Action is completed with respect to the future.) |
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present perfect tense example:
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has owned
has enforced have been |
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describe the past perfect form vs the simple perfect form.
does it matter which verb comes first in the sentence? |
past perfect describes the earlier action in the past.
simple perfect describes the later action in the past. past perfect = had + past participle When forming the past perfect tense, it doesnt matter which verb comes first in the sentence, only which verb comes first in time |
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give an example that employ mixed different past tenses.
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several teachers thought that jimmy had cheated on the exam.
the movie had ended, but we remained in our seats. |
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if an action began in the past and continues in the present, what tense do you use?
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present perfect.
my family has owned this farmhouse since the early nineteenth century. |
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give the past participle for the following verbs:
begin brought do drink forget get go hang (object) lay (to put) lie (to tell an untruth) lie (to recline) rise swim throw |
she has begun
they have brought he has done she has drunk she has forgotten she has gotten he has gone she has hung they have hanged he has laid she has lied about he has lain she has risen he has swum she has thrown |
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how do you write the present perfect and past perfect tense for the verb "to have"?
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he has had many affairs - present perfect of "to have"
his wife divorced him because he had had an affair - past perfect of "to have" |
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does an if-then clause require the "then"?
does the if in an if-then clause have to come first? |
then is frequently omitted.
if clause does not have to appear first. |
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how do you write the following if then clause in the present, past and past perfect tenses:
if you study, you _____ score highly if you studied, you _____ score highly if you would have studied, you _____ scored highly |
present:
if you study, you will score highly WILL + BASE VERB past: if you studied, you would score highly WOULD/COULD + BASE VERB past perfect: if you had studied, you would have scored highly WOULD/COULD + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE |
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whats wrong with the following sentence:
I don't know if i will go to the dance. |
the if (in this sentence) does not imply a then clause... it implies a conditional sentence.
Use whether when you have a conditional sentence. correct: I don't know whether I will go to the dance. |
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when can you see the subjunctive used?
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1. if clauses, when the if clause expresses a condition contrary to reality
2. Hopes, proposals, desires, and requests formed with the word "that" it is urgent that he sign the bill. I respectfully ask that he be allowed to continue It is used with the infinitive form (without "to") |
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whats wrong with the following sentence and how do you fix it?
If I was rich, I would donate money to rebuild my old school. |
in this use of the subjunctive of the verb to be always appears as the word were, regardless of the subject. It never appears as the word was.
correct: If I were rich, I would donate money to rebuild my old school. |
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fix the following and explain why:
the parolee knew it was imperative that he found a job quickly. |
this use of the subjunctive (uncertainty: hopes, proposals, desires, and requests) is formed with the word that + the infinitive form of the word (without the word to)
correct: the parolee knew it was imperative that he find a job quickly. |
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fix the following and explain why:
the parolee knew it was imperative that he found a job quickly. |
this use of the subjunctive (uncertainty: hopes, proposals, desires, and requests) is formed with the word that + the infinitive form of the word (without the word to)
correct: the parolee knew it was imperative that he find a job quickly. |
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what types of verbs can never be written in the passive voice
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only transitive verbs (verbs that take direct objects) can be written in the passive voice.
verbs that do not take objects can never be written in the passive voice. example: incorrect: after they advertised, sales were increased by 25% correct: after they advertised, sales increased by 25% |
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when can you use the passive voice? (rare)
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when the subject of the sentence contains the person or agent performing the action preceded by the word by.
example: the shuttle launch was seen around the world by people of all ages, all races, and all religions. |
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What 3 things should you avoid in style?
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redundancy, alteration of meaning and wordiness.
redundancy: being excited about her finals, she couldn't focus on her exams. the word being is redundant altered intent: original sentence: red wine, the finding of recent studies, may prevent serious heart problems in many adults. alters meaning: recent studies have found red wine to prevent serious heart problems in many adults. this says that red wine does prevent heart disease instead of may prevent heart disease. wordiness: past experience reveals that cancer patients rarely ever exhibit the exact same symptoms. correct: experience reveals that cancer patients rarely exhibit the same symptoms |
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what 3 types of errors with pronouns can you expect on the gmat?
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reference, agreeement, and case.
reference: pronouns must reference one and only one noun agreement: pronouns must agree with the antecedent in number case: pronouns must be in the proper case given its use in the sentence i.e. if the pronoun is used as the subject, it must use the subject form example: Janice and me went on a picnic --incorrect correct: Janice and I went on a picnic. |
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give the object and possessive form of the following subject pronouns:
I you he she it we they who |
object:
me you him her it us them whom possessives: my,mine your, yours his her, hers its our, ours their, theirs whose |
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correct the following sentence and explain what is wrong:
Joe's room is so messy that his mother calls him a pig |
him doesn't refer to anything as the subject is joe's room.
fix: joe's room is so messy that his mother calls joe a pig. |
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what four pronouns should be wary of? why?
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It, Its, they, their
these are commonly misused in everyday speech. incorrect: everyone here will need their own pencil. correct: everyone here will need his own pencil. |
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a consequence _____
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a consequence of
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a debate ____
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a debate over
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a responsibility ____
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a responsibility to perform x
don't confuse with: he is responsible for performing x |
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a sequence ____
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of
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an adverb can modify what?
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usually a verb but it also describe an adjective, another adverb, a preposition or a phrase
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correct and explain:
My friend Katy is a real interesting person. |
real modifies interesting.
interesting is an adjective, thus real must be in its adverb form really. correct: my friend Katy is a really interesting person. |
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when do you use good vs well?
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good is an adjective that modifies a noun:
Amy is a good person Well can be used either as an adjective that means healthy or as an adverb that means competently Amy is feeling well. - used as adjective Amy writes well - used as adverb |
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Does an adverbial modifier need to be as close as possible to the word it is modifying?
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no. When the word being modified is not a noun, the modifying phrase is called an adverbial phrase and does not need to touch the word being modified.
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How can you tell whether a modifying phrase is adverbial?
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if the modifier answers the question how? about a verb, it is an adverbial modifier.
However, it must not change the meaning of the sentence and not be ambiguous. |
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fix and explain:
we test-drove a car having engine trouble |
it is an awkward construction.
correct: we test-drove a car that had engine trouble |
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what is preferable: a modifier ending in -ing or a relative pronoun (which, that, who, whose, whom) + simple verb?
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use a relative pronoun + simple verb over a modifier ending in -ing
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when deciding between which and that, what is a good method to use?
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which:
a modifier introduced by the word which can be removed from the sentence without the sentence losing any essential meaning. that: a modifier introduced by the word that is essential to the meaning of the sent. |
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what is usually used to set off non essential clauses from the main clause?
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a comma
essential clauses are usually not set off with a comma. |
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if an answer choice differs from the original sentence in that it sets a clause apart with commas, how should you pick an answer?
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ask yourself whether the sentence requires an essential or non-essential clause to preserve its logical meaning.
an essential phrase will NOT be set off by a comma. |
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in the gmat, if which refers to the action of the preceding clause.. what should you do?
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look for a choice that links which properly with a noun antecedent or that reworks the sentence to avoid the use of which entirely
"which" can be used as a relative pronoun. i.e. it refers to the noun immediately preceding it - not to the action of the entire preceding clause. thus "which" should refer to a noun, if it doesn't refer to a noun, then do the above. example: the police found the murder weapon, which made the prosecutor's job easier. Here "which" refers to murder weapon when it should refer to the action of finding the weapon. correct it by eliminating "which": The police found the murder weapon, making the prosecutor's job much easier. here "making" can only refer to a verb. i.e. "found" |
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more x ____ y
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more x than y
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the more x the _____ y
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the more x the greater y
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no less was x ____ was y
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no less was x than was y
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as x ___ y
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as x as to y
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x instead ___
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x instead of y
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the same to x ___
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the same to x as to y
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range from x ___
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range from x to y
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both x ___
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both x and y
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either x __ y
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either x or y
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neither x ___ y
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neither x nor y
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mistake x __ y
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mistake x for y
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prefer x ____ y
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prefer x to y
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x regarded ____ y
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x regarded as y
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to think of x ___ y
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to think of x as y
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believe x ____ y
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believe x to be y
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when looking at parallelism errors, do all of the verbs in a sentence need to be parallel?
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no. one set of verbs might modify the main verb. the members of that set need to be parallel however.
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in looking at parallelism with forms of the word to be, what must you be careful of?
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make sure both sides of the verb are parallel in structure and in meaning.
example1: the attitudes of that politician always seem to be attacking the poor. -- incorrect It is not the attitudes that are attacking, it is the politician that is attacking correct: Because of his intolerant attitude, that politician always seems to be attacking the poor. example 2: the flower boquet was the husband's giving of love to his wife. meaning is fine, but it is structurally incorrect. correct: The flower bouquet was the husband's loving gift to his wife |
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when should you use the idiom X enough to Y
vs so X as to Y ? |
use X enough to Y
when X is the criteria by which an ability to achieve Y is measured: example: Bob is tall enough to reach the top shelf use so X as to Y when the X is so extreme in the particular case that results in Y example: Bob is so tall as to reach the top shelf. the focus here is the consequence of bob's extreme height. |
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access __
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access to
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agree ____ (person/idea) / ( a plan or action)
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agree with (person/idea)
agree to ( a plan or action) |
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allows ___
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allows for
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appeals ___
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appeals to
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approve/disapprove ___
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approve/disapprove of
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ask x ___ y
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ask x to y
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associate ___
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associate with
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attribute x __ y
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attribute x to y
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better served by x ___ y
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better served by x than by y
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capable ____
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capable of
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compare _____ (similarities)/(differences)
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compare to (similarities)
compare with (differences) |
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contend ____ + (object)
contend _____ (without object) |
He had to contend that taxes were too high (without object)
contend with (with object): to contend with the enemy for control of the port contend for (with object): to contend for first first place contend against (with object): to contend against falsehood. |
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contrast x ___ y
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'contrast' is used as a noun in 'in contrast to' and as a verb in 'contrast with'.
in contrast to - *the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared contrast with - *put in opposition to show or emphasize differences |
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dispute ___
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dispute whether
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distinguish x ___ y
distinguish between x ____ y |
distinguish x from y
distinguish between x and y |
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enable x ___ y
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enable x to y
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enough x ___ y
x enough ___ y easy enough ____ |
enough x that y
x enough to y easy enough to/for (not that) |
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estimated ___
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estimated to be
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except ___ (idiom) how do you also write it as a conjunction? as a preposition?
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except for
idiom example: She would travel more, except for the lack of money can also be used as a conjunction: example: these are parallel cases except that one is older than the other. can also be used as a preposition: example: they were all there except me. |
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forbid x __ y
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forbid x to y
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identical ___
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identical with
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in contrast ____
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in contrast to
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insist ___
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insist that
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know ___ x
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know to do x
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native ___
a native ___ |
native to
a native of |
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not only x ___ y
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not only x but also y
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not so much x ___ y
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not so much x as y
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not x but __ y (alternative choice/instead of)
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not x but rather y
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noted ____
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noted that
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prohibit x ___ y
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prohibit x from y
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he has the potential ____
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he has the potential to
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rates ___
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rates for (not 'of')
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regard ___
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regard as
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requiring ___ x do y
requiring x __ y |
requiring that x do y
requiring x to do y |
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responsible ___
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responsible for
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retroactive ___
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retroactive to
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so as not to be _____ by
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so as not to be hindered by
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so x ___ y (3 ways to write this)
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so x as to (be) y
so x that y so x as to constitute y |
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such x ___ y __ z
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such x as y and z
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when is "used to" used vs "used as" ?
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used to (no object)
he used to go every day. used as (with object) The tshirt was used as a towel. do not confuse with use for He had no use for the city. |
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view x ___ y
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view x as y
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worried _____
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worried about (not 'over')
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x is attributed ___ y
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x is attributed to y
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x out ___ y (numbers)
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x out of y (numbers)
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what three things (all starting with C) should you be looking out for in sentence correction?
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correctness, concision and clarity
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what topics of errors should you check for each sentence? (7 items)
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1. subject-verb agreement
2. verb tense, mood, voice 3. pronouns 4. modifiers 5. parallellism 6. comparisons 7. idioms |
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many vs much?
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many is used for countable things
much is used for uncountable things |
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how can you tell if a noun is a countable item?
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use the counting test:
1 dollar, 2 dollars, 3 dollars -- dollar is countable 1 money, 2 monies, --- money is not countable |
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can the following phrase be used:
the numbers of _____ |
the numbers of is always incorrect
the number of is correct |
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fix and explain:
the price of silver fell by a more than 35% decrease |
redundant.
correct: the price of silver decreased by more than 35%. |
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what does a colon do and how do you use it properly?
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a colon is used to equate two parts of a sentence. it is often used to equate a list with its components. Only the statement that precedes the colon must be able to stand alone.
example: I love many kinds of music: classical, rock, and pop. |
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when you see the phrase "do it" what should it signal?
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the phrase "do it" is almost always wrong and it signals the wrong answer
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when you see the phrase "the numbers of" what should it signal?
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the phrase "the numbers of" is almost always wrong and it signals the wrong answer
use "the number of" |
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when you see the phrase "whether or not" what should it signal?
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the phrase "whether or not" is almost always wrong and it signals the wrong answer
use "whether to" |
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What does the subjunctive form require? (in terms of the verb 'to be')
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subjunctive requires the verb "were".
example: Were the salary cap of the nba to be removed, the cost of running a championship team would increase |
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can "whose" refer to things as well as people?
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yes. "whose" can refer to things
example: The city has proposed a number of water treatment and conservation projects whose cost will raise water bills so high that water bills high enough so that even environmentalists are beginning to raise alarms. |
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When should either or neither be always singular?
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When they are Without or or nor
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Which pronouns can be plural or singular?
What is their acronym? and how do you determine their singularity or plurality? |
SANAM:
some any none all most look at the object of the "of" construction to determine the number of the subject |
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what is the infinitive form of a verb
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when a verb takes the form to + the verb
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when can you split an infinitive?
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you should never split it as it is almost always incorrect.
Incorrectly: I need you to quickly run out to the store correct: I need you to run quickly out to the store |
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when should you use the past perfect tense
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when an action precedes an earlier past action, use past perfect
had + participle OTHERWISE STICK TO THE SIMPLE TENSE! |
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use of the subjunctive follows which words or phrases?
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advice, advisable, ask, arrange, better, demand, desire, desirable, direct, directive, essential, fitting, imperative, important, insist, instruct, instuctions, intend, intentions, necessary, order, pray, prefer, preferable, pleade, propose, recommend, request, require, suggest, suggestion, urge, urgent, vital
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what's wrong with the following sentence?
Joe's room is so messy that his mother calls him a pig. |
him has no antecedent. the subject of the sentence is joe's room. "his" is ok because it refer's back to "Joe's" (they are
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When is it not necessary for a modifying phrase to touch the word that it modifies?
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when the word that it modifies is not a noun.
If the modifying phrases modifies a verb, then it is an adverbial phrase and does NOT have to touch the verb that it modifies. |
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when a sentence talks about the future in a past tense is that a subjunctive form?
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NO.
example: the rules were established to ensure that patients --- would be warned of the risks and that a panel would --- evaluate the experiment. when 'would' appears in a sentence whose principal action is in the past tense, it's almost always functioning as a past-tense form of 'will'. this is the indicative (normal form) of the verb and NOT the subjunctive. |
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if you preface someone's name with a noun describing their occupation (or other word describing what that person does), without an article, do you need a comma?
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when you preface someone's name with a noun describing their occupation (or other word describing what that person does), WITHOUT AN ARTICLE, you DO NOT use a comma.
if there's an article, you DO use a comma. if it's an adjective, you DO use a comma. example: Jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk ... --> correct A jazz pianist and composer, Thelonious Monk ... --> correct Creative and original, Thelonious Monk ... --> correct |
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what is a participle?
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A participle is a verbal ending in -ing (present) or -ed, -en, -d, -t, or -n (past) that functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun.
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what does a participle phrase consist of?
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A participial phrase consists of a participle plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s)
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where must participle phrases be placed in a sentence?
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Participles and participial phrases must be placed as close to the nouns or pronouns they modify as possible, and those nouns or pronouns must be clearly stated.
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When is a participle phrase set off with commas?
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A participial phrase is set off with commas when it:
a) comes at the beginning of a sentence b) interrupts a sentence as a nonessential element c) comes at the end of a sentence and is separated from the word it modifies. |
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what is a gerund?
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A gerund is a verbal ending in -ing that is used as a noun.
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what is a gerund phrase?
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A gerund phrase consists of a gerund plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or complement(s).
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what punctuations do gerund phrases require?
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Gerunds and gerund phrases virtually never require punctuation.
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what is an infinitive?
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An infinitive is a verbal consisting of the word to plus a verb; it may be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
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what is an infinitive phrase?
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An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive plus modifier(s), object(s), complement(s), and/or actor(s).
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when does an infinitive phrase require a comma?
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An infinitive phrase requires a comma only if it is used as an adverb at the beginning of a sentence.
To buy a basket of flowers, John had to spend his last dollar. |
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When you have a subject in a possessive form (Jack's mom), can you use a pronoun to reference the possessor (Jack)?
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NO!
The subject is jack's mom. A pronoun further in the sentence could only reference jack's mom. Jack would need to be specified further down in the sentence. example: Jack's mom noticed that a button was falling off his coat and that his clothes were in a general state of disrepair, so she advised Jack to fix his coat. (his coat & his clothes is ok here because they are in the possessive and refer to the coat and clothes, not jack) |
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Indicate/indicates X ___ Y
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Indicate/indicates X as Y
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participles that are possessed by a subject become ____
example: Jack, smiling slyly, made a joke. Jack's smiling slyly gave away the joke. |
nouns clauses
example: jack, smiling slyly, made a joke. -- smiling slyly modifies jack, therefore it functions as an adjective (which is what a participle does). Jack's smiling slyly gave away the joke. -- here smiling slyly is the subject of the sentence, not Jack. |
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Expect that X ______ Y (expectation of X to be Y)
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Expect that X will be Y
NOT Expect that X should be Y |
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Considers X _____
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Considers X Y
NOT Considers X as Y |
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Seems ____
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Seems that X or Seems as if X
NOT Seems like X |
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how do you handle a list that has within the list a list that is subordinate to an item ?
example: Maribel proved herself deserving of the MVP award in girls’ basketball, scored a record number of goals, became the first female player at the school to slam dunk in a championship game, and inspired her teammates immeasurably. |
Items in the subordinate need to be parallel only.
Correct: Maribel proved herself deserving of the MVP award in girls’ basketball, scoring a record number of goals, becoming the first female player at the school to slam dunk in a championship game, and inspiring her teammates immeasurably. Here we changed all of the verbs to participles to show how or why she was deserving of the mvp |
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for the gmat, what is the only word that can make two independent clauses into a plural subject?
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AND
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what word is used to compare nouns?
what word is used to compare actions? |
Like compares nouns
As compares actions |
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can the word 'that' modify people?
example: students that struggle, fail to plan. |
That cannot modify people
Correct: students who struggle, fail to plan. |
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what can the word 'where' modify?
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where can only modify places.
use 'which' or 'in which' instead of 'where' to modify something that is not a location or place |
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less/more talented _____
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less/more talented than
NOT less/more talented as |
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'do it' , the 'it' can only modify what ?
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a noun.
example: Here is your assignment; I suggest that you do it. NOT Although her shyness was keeping Sofia from asking Walter to dance, after consuming an energy‐drink cocktail, she was able to do it. (be wary of when pronouns are at the end of sentences) |
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on the gmat, when is it ok to use 'being'
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when 'being' is before an adjective:
example: As a pacifist, I was upset not only that she was being so militaristic but also that she was torturing the captives. |
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which is correct:
requires X do Y or requires that X do Y |
requires that X do Y
or requires X to do Y NOT requires X do Y |
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when to use 'such as' vs. 'like'?
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'such as' is used to list examples
'like' is used to indicate similarity example: Animals such as lions and zebras live on the Serengeti plain Animals like lions and zebras live on the Serengeti plain |
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when you see a noun + of + phrase, what is the subject
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the subject is the noun, not the phrase after 'of'
example: the discovery of new lands was vital. the subject here is discovery (not lands) which requires a singular verb 'was' (not 'were') |
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whats the only word that can change a singular subject to a plural one?
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'AND'
example: Joe and his friends are going to the beach. Joe, along with his friends, is going to the beach. 'along with' is an additive phrase and doesnt affect the number of the subject. |
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what are additive phrases?
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along with, in addition to, as well as, accompanied by, together with, including
These phrases DO NOT make the subject plural! |
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what verb form (singular or plural) should be used when using 'either ...or' & 'Neither...nor"?
What is the exception to the above rule? |
the verb form should match the subject closest to the verb
example: Neither joe nor his friends are going. Neither his friends nor Joe is going. When using 'either' or 'neither' alone in the sentence, they are considered singular and take singular verbs |
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what is a collective noun?
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a collective noun refers to a group of people and is singular.
example: army, class, crowd, faculty, etc.. |
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whats an indefinite pronoun?
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an indefinite pronoun is one that is not specific about the thing to which it refers:
ex: anyone, anybody, anything, everyone, everybody, everything, whatever, whoever, either, neither, someone, somebody, something, no one, nobody, nothing, each, every The above are singular The following can be singular or plural: Some, any, none, all, most to determine if they are singular or plular, check the 'of' construction following the word ex: Some of the money was stolen. Some of the documents were stolen. |
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When 'each' or 'every' precedes the subject, does it take a singular or plural verb?
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singular.
ex: every dog has paws every dog and cat has paws each of these shirts is pretty |
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how do you handle the word 'each' when it follows the subject:
They each ____ great tennis players singular or plural? |
when 'each' follows the subject, it has no bearing on the subject.
They each are great tennis players use plural since the subject is plural here |
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are the words 'majority', 'minority', 'plurality' singular or plural?
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it depends on the context
if it is referring to many individual parts of the whole, then it is plural. If it referring to the whole itself, use the singular form. ex: the majority of the students are hard workers. The student majority is opposed to the death penalty |
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When an entire phrase is the subject, is it always singular or plural?
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singular
ex: Having good friends is wonderful. Whatever they want to do is fine with me. |
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if you aren't sure if a subject is singular or plural, what should you guess?
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guess singular because the majority of subjects are singular vs plural.
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when the subject follows its verb, how do you handle the number of the verb (singular/plural)?
Near the office buildings (sit/sits) a lonely house, inhabited by squatters |
Just flip the subject and verb to find the number:
a lonely house, inhabited by squatters, sits near the office building ex2: There is a young man and an older woman at the bus stop --incorrect. flip it--> A young man and an older woman are at the bus stop correct--> There are a young man and an older woman at the bus stop. thus: Near the office building sits a lonely house, inhabited by squatters. |
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give the present, past, and past perfect forms of the word 'will'.
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present: will
past: would past perfect: would have |
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in what situation , you can NOT or can use present perfect tense?
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We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc
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what's wrong with the following sentence:
"I don't know if I will go to the dance" |
the 'if' is not used as a condiitional if-then statement (it's not necessary to have the 'then'). In this case use 'whether' instead of 'if'
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what can 'which', 'that', and 'who' modify?
person, thing or both? |
which, that modifies a thing or things
who modifies people but can modify things when it is talking about the possession of something. example: the building whose bricks are crumbling is condemned. |
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fill in the appropriate parallel idioms:
More X ___ Y the more X ___ ____ Y No less was X ___ ___ Y As X ____ Y Not only X ____ ____ Y Not X ___ ___ Y X instead ____ Y The same to X ___ ___ Y Range from X ___ Y Both X ____ Y Either X ___ Y Neither X ___ Y Mistake X ___ Y Prefer X ___ Y X regarded ____ Y To think of X ____ Y Believe X ____ _____ Y |
More X than Y
the more X the more Y no less was X than was Y As X to Y Not only X but also Y Not X but rather Y X instead of Y The same to X as to Y Range from X to Y Both X and Y Either X or Y Neither X nor Y Mistake X for Y Prefer X to Y X regarded as Y To think of X as Y Beleive X to be Y |
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an instance ____
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an instance of
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as a result ___
resulting ____ to result ___ |
as a result of
resulting in to result in |
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as good/great/ ____
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as good as
as great as |
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as many ____
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as many as
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attend ____
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attend to
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be afraid____
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be afraid of
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claim ___
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claim to be
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conform ___
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conform to
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consider X ___
(without 'to be') |
Consider X Y
(without 'to be') |
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declare X ___
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declare X Y
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defined ____
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defined as
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demand ___
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demand that
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depends on ____
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depends on whether
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depicted ___
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depicted as
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different ___
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different from
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disagree ___ (person/idea)
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disagree with
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discourage _____
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discourage from
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doubt ____
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doubt that
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encourage ____
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encourage to
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expect ___
expect X __ Y expect that X ___ Y |
expect to
expect X to Y expect that X will be Y |
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fascinated ____
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fascinated by
(fascinated with is sometimes used with persons or real objects, but for the gmat use fascinated by) |
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in danger ____
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in danger of
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When do you use independent of vs independent from?
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independent of is used with processes that occur with little bearing on each other. for instance:
the decomposition of this particular chemical is independent of temperature. -- independent from is used for the independence of entities such as people or nations. he may seem innocent, but he has been independent from his parents since he was 13. Finland has ben independent from Russia since 1917. |
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indifferent ____
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indifferent towards
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interaction ____
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interaction of
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isolated ___
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isolated from
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less X ___ Y
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less X than Y
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likely ____
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likely to be
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mandate ____
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mandate that
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modeled ____
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modeled after
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more common among X __ Y
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more common among X than Y
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not so much X ___ Y
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not so much X as Y
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permit X __ Y
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permit X to Y
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persuade X ___ Y
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persuade X to Y
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sacrifice X ___ Y
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sacrifice X for Y
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_________ hindered ____
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so as not to be hindered by
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subscribe ____
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subscribe to
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whether ___
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whether to
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X __ Y (numbers)
4 __ 5 surveyed recommend crest toothpaste. |
X out of Y
4 out of 5 ... |
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what should you watch out for when you see percentages or the words 'increase' / 'decrease'
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watch out for redundancy:
The prices rose by a more than a 35% increase. |
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what is a run-on sentence
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one in which there is no connection between two independent clauses:
example: I need to relax, I have so many things to do. correct: I need to relax, but I have so many things to do. |
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what phrases are always wrong (for the gmat)
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Do it
- the 'it''s antecedent is almost always vague. Replace with "do so" example: she asked him several times to take out the garbage, but she wasn't sure whether he would do it. correct: she asked him several times to take out the garbage, but she wasn't sure he would do so. The numbers of - this is always incorrect. replace with 'the number of' example: the politicians were amazed at the numbers of protestors correct: the politicians were amazed at the number of protestors Whether or not - this is always incorrect. replace with "whether to" example: He couldn't decided whether or not to take out the garbage correct: He couldn't decide whether to take out the garbage. |
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when to 'lay' vs 'lie'
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Lay or Lie?
Lay means "to place something down." It is something you do to something else. It is a transitive verb. Incorrect: Lie the book on the table. Correct: Lay the book on the table. (It is being done to something else.) Lie means "to recline" or "be placed." It does not act on anything or anyone else. It is an intransitive verb. Incorrect: Lay down on the couch. Correct: Lie down on the couch. (It is not being done to anything else.) The reason lay and lie are confusing is their past tenses. The past tense of lay is laid. The past tense of lie is lay. Incorrect: I lay it down here yesterday. Correct: I laid it down here yesterday. (It is being done to something else.) Incorrect: Last night I laid awake in bed. Correct: Last night I lay awake in bed. (It is not being done to anything else.) The past participle of lie is lain. The past participle of lay is like the past tense, laid. Examples: I could have lain in bed all day. They have laid an average of 500 feet of sewer line a day. Layed is a misspelling and does not exist. Use laid. |
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when do you use the following:
X as a means of Y vs X as a means to Y ?? |
x {as a means of} y = x is a type of y
x {as a means to} y = x is a method to achieve y For example: Walking is a means of exercise. Some people use walking as a means to stay fit. |
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where should relative pronouns that are separated by a comma be placed?
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right after the word they modify.
relative pronouns are : who, whom, which, whose, that, where, when, why. |
