Sample Questions Printable Sections:
  

 


Sample Questions: Easy
  

1. The new chairs and sofabeds, displayed so brightly in the department store window, receives many stares from the passers-by. 

A.     displayed so brightly in the department store window, receives

B.     which are displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receives

C.      are displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive

D.     being displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receiving

E.     displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive

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The new chairs and sofabeds, displayed so brightly in the department store window, receives many stares from the passers-by.

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Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement

The subject of the sentence — new chairs and sofabeds — is plural, and a plural verb must follow.  displayed so brightly in the department store window is a modifying phrase.

NOTE: Modifying phrases are often used to obscure agreement issues by splitting apart subject and verb.

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A. displayed so brightly in the department store window- receives
receives (singular verb form) Agrees: NO

B. which are displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receives
receives (singular verb form) Agrees: NO

C.  are displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive
- receive (plural verb form) Agrees: YES
Additional errors?
 Run-on sentence!

D.    being displayed so brightly in the department store window, and receiving
-
receiving (progressive verb form) Agrees: NO!
Additional errors?
Sentence fragment.

E.     displayed so brightly in the department store window, receive
-  receive (plural verb form) Agrees: YES
Additional errors?
None

(E) is correct because it is the only choice in which the verb agrees with the subject by being in the plural form, without creating further errors.


2. The jazz band has played all night and are finally ready to go home.

A.  has played all night and are finally

B.  has played all night and is finally

C.  have played all night and are finally

D. have played all night and is finally

E. has been playing all night and are finally

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The jazz band has played all night and are finally ready to go home.

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Grammar issue presented: subject/verb agreement

The subject of the sentence is jazz band, which is a group, but is a singular entity.  Therefore singular verbs must follow.  Has is singular, but are is not.

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A.  has played all night and are finally

-  has (singular), are (plural) Agree: NO

B.  has played all night and is finally

has (singular), is (singular) Agree: YES

C.   have played all night and are finally

-  have (plural), are (plural) Agree: NO

D. have played all night and is finally

have (plural), is (singular) Agree: NO

E. has been playing all night and are finally

has (singular), are (plural) Agree: NO

(B) is correct because it is the only choice in which both verbs agree with a singular subject

3. Finally rescued from the streets, the shelter provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.

A. the shelter provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.

B. the shelter provides food and routine exercise to the dogs.

C. food and routine exercise is provided to the dogs in the shelter.

D. the dogs are provided with food and routine exercise in the shelter.

E. the dogs, with food and routine exercise, provide in the shelter.

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Finally rescued from the streets, the shelter provides the dogs with food and routine exercise. 
                               

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Grammar issue presented: modifiers

Finally rescued from the streets is a modifier.  It must be placed as close as possible to what it describes.

Finally rescued from the streets, the shelter provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.

The modifier is misplaced because it is next to shelter. The dogs are what is rescued from the streets, NOT the shelter.

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A.     the shelter provides the dogs with food and routine exercise.
Modifies: shelter
Correct: NO

B.     the shelter provides food and routine exercise to the dogs.
Modifies: shelter
Correct: NO

C.    food and routine exercise is provided to the dogs in the shelter.
Modifies: food and routine
Correct: NO

D.    the dogs are provided with food and routine exercise in the shelter.
Modifies: the dog
Correct: YES
Additional errors? None

E.   the dogs, with food and routine exercise, provide in the shelter.
Modifies: the dog
Correct: YES
Additional errors? Changes in meaning ,
sentence fragment

(D) is the only choice which resolves the misplaced modifier without creating additional problems.


4. Betsy loves summertime when she swims, plays tennis, and is making friends.

A.  and is making friends.

B.  and makes friends.

C.  and is able to be making friends.

D. and friends are made.

E. and there will be friends to make.

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Betsy loves summertime when she swims, plays tennis, and is making friends.

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Grammar issue presented: parallelism

-          The sentence contains a list, which is a case for parallelism.

-          All items in a list must be parallel.  

This sentence contains faulty parallelism because the verb form is making does not match the form of swims and plays.  

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A.     and is making friends.
Parallel? NO - swims / plays / making

B.     and makes friends.
Parallel? YES  - swims / plays / makes

C.      and is able to be making friends.
Parallel? NO - swims / plays / to be making

D.     and friends are made.
Parallel? NO - swims / plays / made

E.     and there will be friends to make.
Parallel? NO - swims / plays / to make

(B) is the only choice which contains proper parallel construction.

 

5. I was surprised that, when given the news, Jack called you and she before anyone else.

A. Jack called you and she before anyone else.

B. you and she were called before anyone else by Jack.

C. Jack called you and her before anyone else.

D. Jack called, before anyone else, you and she.

E. her and you were called by Jack before anyone else.

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I was surprised that, when given the news, Jack called you and she before anyone else.

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Grammar issue presented: pronoun agreement

In the underlined portion Jack is the subject.  The people he calls are the objects.  The pronoun she is a subjective pronoun, meaning it is used to indicate the subject of a sentence.  Thus it is in the wrong case.  In order to be correct, she must become her, an objective pronoun.  

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A. Jack called you and she before anyone else.
Subject / object / subject
Agrees: NO
she must become her

B. you and she were called before anyone else by Jack.
Subject / subject / object
Agrees: YES
Additional errors? Passive voice: were called, by Jack

C. Jack called you and her before anyone else.
Subject / subject / object
Agrees: YES
Additional errors: None

D. Jack called, before anyone else, you and she.
Subject / object / subject
Agrees: NO
she must become her

E. her and you were called by Jack before anyone else.
object / subject / object
Agrees: NO
she must become her

(B) and (C) contain pronoun agreement.  Though, (B) is not incorrect, it is not the best choice.  The active voice is preferable on the test, making (C) the clearest and best choice.

 

 

6. Every person feels that their needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.

A. their needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.

B. his needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.

C. his needs are more crucial than those of other human beings.

D. his needs are more crucial from that of other human beings.

E. their needs are more crucial from those of other human beings.

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Every person feels that
their needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.

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Grammar issue presented: pronoun and noun agreement

In the original sentence person is singular, while their and human beings are both plural. In addition, needs is plural while that is singular.  The sentence must correct agreement in number.

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A. their needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.  
singular noun (person), plural pronoun (their)
Agree: NO
singular comparison (than that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO

B. his needs are more crucial than that of other human beings.
singular noun (person), singular pronoun (his)
Agree: YES
singular comparison (than that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO

C.
his needs are more crucial than those of other human beings.
singular noun (person), singular pronoun (his)
Agree: YES
plural comparison (than that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: YES

D.
 his needs are more crucial from that of other human beings.
singular noun (person), singular pronoun (his)
Agree: YES
improper comparison (from that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO

E.
their needs are more crucial from those of other human beings.
singular noun (person), plural pronoun (their)
Agree: NO
improper comparison (from that of), plural noun (human beings)
Agree: NO

(C) is correct because it is the only choice that contains complete agreement.

7. John Edward Kenna, a Senator from West Virginia, was born near St. Albans, in Kanawha County, Viginia, which becomes part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

A.  which becomes part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

B.  which was becoming part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

C. which became part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

D. which had become part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

E. which will become part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

GMAT Sentence Correction: If graphic doesn't load, press shift-refresh in your webbrowser to reload the page.
John Edward Kenna, a Senator from West Virginia, was born near St. Albans, in Kanawha County, Viginia, which becomes part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.

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Grammar issue presented: verb tense

- The sentence begins in the past and discusses past events.  Therefore all verbs should be in past tense.

-   which becomes is in the present tense and must be corrected.

  GMAT Sentence Correction: If graphic doesn't load, press shift-refresh in your webbrowser to reload the page.  

A. which becomes part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
Tense: present
Correct: NO

B. which was becoming part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
Tense: progressive past
Correct: NO  

C. which became part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
Tense: past
Correct: YES
additional errors? none

D. which had become part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
Tense: past perfect
Correct: NO  

E.  which will become part of the state of West Virginia in 1863.
Tense: future
Correct: NO

(C) correctly puts the sentence into the past tense.

 


8. Alice Robie Resnick was elected in 1988 as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

A.  as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

B. to be only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

C. as only the second woman in Ohio who served on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

D.  as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

E. as only the second woman in Ohio who had served on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

  GMAT Sentence Correction: If graphic doesn't load, press shift-refresh in your webbrowser to reload the page.
Alice Robie Resnick was elected in 1988 as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
     

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Grammar issue presented: verb tense

- All events in the sentence take place in the past.  Therefore all verbs should be in past tense.

- is subsequently reelected is in the present tense and must be corrected.

Alice Robie Resnick was elected in 1988 as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state

                              (past tense)


bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
    

          (present tense)

  GMAT Sentence Correction: If graphic doesn't load, press shift-refresh in your webbrowser to reload the page.    

A.     as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: present
Correct: NO  

B.   as only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: past
Correct: YES
Additional errors?
None

C.   as only the second woman in Ohio who had served on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: past
Correct: YES
Additional errors?
had served (past perfect)  - should be infinitive to serve.

D.   to be only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: present
Correct: NO

E. as only the second woman in Ohio who served on the state bench, and is subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.
Tense: present
Correct: NO

(B) to be only the second woman in Ohio to serve on the state bench, and was subsequently reelected in 1994 and 2000.

 

9. 42nd Street has more theaters than any street.

A. than any street.

B. than any other street.

C. then any other street does.

D.  than theaters on other streets.

E.  than any street has.  

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42nd Street has more theaters than any street.

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Grammar issue presented: comparison

-          The sentence compares 42nd St to any street.

This sentence contains faulty comparison because to compare one street to any street is illogical.  Any street includes the street being compared.  Any other street must be used to indicate we are comparing one street with all the rest.

GMAT Sentence Correction: If graphic doesn't load, press shift-refresh in your webbrowser to reload the page.  

A.     than any street.
Proper Comparison? NO
42nd Street to any street

B.    than any other street.
Proper Comparison? YES
42nd Street to any other street
Additional errors? none

C.   then any other street does.
Proper Comparison? YES
42nd Street to any other street
Additional errors?
Improper use of then.  Than must be used in comparisons.

D.    than theaters on other streets.
Proper Comparison? NO