Concept Flashcards
(92 cards)
1
Q
Essential Modifier vs. Non-essential modifier
A
Essential Modifier: The modifier is necessary in order to understand the core sentence.
Non-essential modifier: If you take out the modifier, you can still understand the meaning of the core sentence.
2
Q
Core conjuctions
A
Core-conjuctions connect two parts of a sentence that are at the same level or serve the same functions.
Examples: and, for, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS)
3
Q
Sub-Conjuctions
A
Modifiers can be connected to independent clause by sub conjuctions
Examples: Although, because, while, though, unless, before, after and if
4
Q
Compound Sentence
A
Two complete sentences can be connected using a comma puls a co-conjuction (but/and) to create a compound sentence
5
Q
What’s a typical Run-On Sentence?
A
Any GMAT choice that connects two indenpendent clauses via only a comma is Run-On Sentence, which is incorrect
6
Q
What are the most common Co-Conjunctions in GMAT? (FANBOYS)
A
For, And, But, Or, Nor, Yet, So
7
Q
What are the ways to connect two independent clauses?
A
- Comma + Co-Conjunction
- Smicolon (;)
8
Q
What’s transition expression?
A
However, therefore, in addition
9
Q
When to use semicolon?
A
- To connect two independent clauses
- Before a transition expression, such as however, therefore, in addition (vs. co-conjunctions such as FANBOYS)
10
Q
What’s relationship between commas and semicolons?
A
NEVER interchangeable
11
Q
Under what condition Comma and Semicolon would appear together?
A
12
Q
What are popular noun modifiers?
A
which
that
-ed, -ing modifiers that are not set off from the rest of the sentence by commas
13
Q
What are commonly tested adverbial modifiers?
A
-ing and -ed modifiers that are set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma or commas
prep-phrase with commas
14
Q
What are placement rules about essential/nonessential/noun modifiers?
A
Place a noun and its modifier as close together as the sentence allows
In general, an essential modifier takes precedence over a nonessential modifier.
15
Q
When as a modifier….
A
When can be used to modify an event or a time, such as period, age, 1987 or decade.
During these circumanstance, it can also be replaced by in which or during which
16
Q
Preposition phrase as a modifier
A
Preposition phrase is a noun modifier, it will almost always follow the noun that it is modifying.
17
Q
What are the requirements for comma -ing and comma -ed modifiers?
A
The first piece of information leads to or results in the second piece of information.
Comma -ing and comma -ed are nonessential modifiers
18
Q
What’s Subordinate Clause? What are common subordinator markers?
A
It’s almost exactly like a complete sentence, but it has a subordinator (i.e. although) at the begining.
Common subordinator markers: after, although, because, before, if, since, so that, that, unless, until, when, while
19
Q
What does sub clauses usually modify?
A
Sub clauses modify the main clause to which they are attached
Sub clauses are always adverbial modifiers
20
Q
What are the requirement for opening mod to be correct?
A
An opening mod, by denifinition, doesn’t tell you what noun it is talking about. Therefore, the noun has to be the subject/main word right after the comma, otherwise you won’t understand the meaning of the sentence.
21
Q
What can’t be used with countable items? Is there any exception?
A
Do not use the word less with countable items. Fewer is the correct choice.
22
Q
Are unit nouns countable or uncountable? Name a few examples.
A
Countable unit nouns: dollars / gallons
Uncountable unit nouns: money, volume
23
Q
When compare the number/quanity, which word to use: greater than or more than?
For example, The rare Montauk beaked griffin is not extinct; its NUMBERs are now suspected to be much___than before.
A
Greater: Number could be only greater while the quantity can be more.
24
Q
When and is preceded by exactly two commas, what “and” try to convey?
A
- Two commas will convey a list of three things (Parallelism)
- Two commas may also be there to offset a modifier (Parralelism)
Example: The baker looked at the wedding cake, which stood over four feet high, and beamed proudly.
25
The blizzard deposited more than a foot of snow on the train tracks, prompting the transit authority to shut down service temporarily, causing discontent among communters who were left stranded for hours.
Two comma -ing modifiers in a row is almost never accpetable because it leads to an ambiguous meaning
26
Like vs. as
Comparison Parallelism
Like: Noun to Noun comparison
As: Claus comparison
27
Different use of “as”
1. Comparison: As X as (comparing clauses)
2. Convery a quantity: The temperature may drop as low as 20 degrees
3. Time marker: The new product may be available as soon as next week
4. Prep phrase (modifying clauses): Barry Bonds retired as the all-time home run leader
5. Conjunction (connecting clauses): **When “as” is used as a conjunction, it most often means “at the same time that”:** He looked down at his phone as he crossed street.
6. Idioms: X such as / such X as; So as to (in order to)
28
What's the condition to use comparative word such as: more likely, higher, less?
Do not use the comparative word unless the word than completes the comparison
29
Usage of “this, that, these, and those”
This, that, these and those can be used as adjectives in front of nouns. ***Do not use this or these in place for nouns (WRONG: This is great)**.*
i.e. these materials ⇐ _These can be only used with a noun following._
**“That” and “Those” may also be used to indicate a “new copy” of the antecedent. In contrast, ehrn you use it, they, or other personal pronouns, you mean the same actual thing as antecedent.**
i.e. The money spent by Cersei's parents is less than that spent by her children.
Here the “money” that represents is a new copy of the money spent by Cersei's parents. Different money is spent.
30
Requirements to use “that' and “those” to indicate a new copy or copies.
The pronoun must include a **_modifier**_ that describes how the new copy is different from the previous versions. In addition, this new-copy usage has to _**agree in numbers_** with the previous version.
i.e. The MONEY spent by Cersei's parents is less than that _spent by her children_.
“…spent by her children” is the modifier
31
What's the exception that a pronoun refers only to noun?
It's possible for a ponoun to refer to a possessive noun.
i.e. _The company's_ DIGITAL WATCH OFFERING is outperforming that of ***its*** competitor.
“Its” refer to “The company's”
32
Name several conditions (verb) doesn't have to be parallel?
Different verb tenses
Active and Passive voices
33
What are idioms to express purpose of doing/to do something?
*_In order to*_ is sometimes similar to _*so that_*
34
What's difference between so that vs. so
i.e. I lifted weights so that I can gain muscle
The ring-tailed squirrel is more adept at surviving harsh winter conditions than its cousin, the golden-mantled squirrel, so the golden-mantled squirrel typically lives in warmer climates.
so that means in order to, which expresses a purpose
, so the… “So” is similar to therefore, which follows by a consequence
35
What's required by not this…but…?
Not this but requires parallel elements following not and but
i.e. not by…but by…
36
Differences between: not a, b, and c vs. not a, b, or c
Not a, b, and c ⇒ not all of them
Not a, b, or c ⇒ not either of them
37
What are the proposition “ways” should connect with?
The word ***_ways_*** **suggest purpose**, so ways should connect with ***_to***_ or _***of_***, _rather than a athat clause_ to capture the intended meaning.
38
What does “so that” express?
so that can express purpose
39
Under what circumanstance *_passive voice_* is appropriate?
i.e. A joint Canadian–Russian study has found that…
or
…is found by a joint study
if you want to emphasize that a certain thing or person was acted upon, rather than some other thing or person, then you may want to use the passive voice, e.g., *The window was what John broke, not the door*.
40
Regulators are likely to end what are, in effect, long-standing exemptions permitting pilots of small turboprop aircraft at small carriers to fly _as much as 20 percent more hours per month than pilots at larger airlines fly, with the consequence that_ some carriers could be forced to hire additional pilots.
Anything Wrong? What's tested? How to fix it?
as many as…more…than
**_not more…as_**
than pilots at larger airlines **_do_ ⇐ Do needs to immediately follow airlines to complete the clause**
Regulators are likely to end what are, in effect, long-standing exemptions permitting pilots of small turboprop aircraft at small carriers to fly _as many as 20 percent more_ hours per month _than_ pilots at larger airlines **_do_**, and consequently some carriers could be forced to hire additional pilots.
41
What's the requirement for a clause to be **_conjoined (, and)_** with the first/another part of the sentence?
The clause has to be an independent clause
The company’s CEO backed away from her _planning on dividing the firm into five parts, and saying that she meant still_ to spin off or sell two units but that the company would retain ownership of two others as well as the core company.
, and _saying that…_ is not an independent cause and thus can't be conjoined with the first part of the sentence.
42
What's the expression (sentence structure) of an explaynatory rewording of a clause?
Scientists believe that x - [in other words,] that Y. In this construction, X and Y are parallel clauses.
43
Requirements to use subordinating conjunction
Subordinating conjunction such as *although*, is used only to introduce a subordinate clause, which is required to have its own verb.
44
What are requirements to express comparisons, such as similar?
Words that express comparisons, such as *similar*, require either a plural object, with an optional expression of the entities being compared, or a singular object, in which case this explicit comparison is required.
45
What's the relaitonship of two clauses with **_and_** between them?
i.e. A mutual fund having billions of dollars in assets will typically invest that money in hundreds of companies **_and_** rarely does it hold more than one percent of the shares of any particular corporation.
The use of *and* between the clauses makes them both main clauses. Thus, the cause-and-effect relationship between investing and holding is lost.
46
What does the participal pharase -ing (verb) refer to? When it's one of a series of actions?
i.e. adapting itself earlier
The present participle could be used for an event that was simultaneous with, or part of, the event mentioned before the underlined portion.
47
What's the requirement for a clause like “When they…..”
The pronoun *they* should **_refer forward_** to a plural noun or pronoun
48
What's the difference between X and Y vs. …., and….
No comma before and: X and Y need to be parallel
and… is set off by comma: Parallel is not required
49
What's the correct verb tense to use if action/result B is depndent on an action A that may or may not occur?
i.e. if A were B….
conditional verb form: would simple tense verb…
50
What do “themselves / herself" express?
These words would be either reflexive or emphatic.
Reflexive: The girl cut herself
Emphatic: The girl herself made the cake
51
What's the tense use when a sentence is a report of a past speech and a prediction made during the speech:
i.e. The central bank will lower the interest rate in the near future?
As the sentence is a port of a past speech, not of something that is currently occurring, so ***_to accurately represent the past communication, we should use the past tense_***, i.e. would lower the interest rate
52
What's the normal way to express indirect speech (as distinguished from direct quotation)?
***that-*****clause**
In a speech before the Senate Banking Committee, the chairman of the Federal Reserve painted an optimistic picture of the economy, suggesting to investors ***_that the central bank would not lower interest rates in the near future_***
.
53
When we use demonstrative pronoun, i.e. these/those?
When we'd like to point out any particular set
54
What's the present participial pharase modifying, when it appears after the clause and is separated from the preceding clause by a comma?
i.e. A 7,000-watt solar energy system now costs around $15,000, being a price that many can afford.
“, bing a price..” modifies the entire preceding clause *_rather than the noun that immediately preceeds the phrase_*.
55
How to use “due to..” in GMAT?
On the GMAT, and in most formal writting, “due to” is correctly used to begin a phrase that modifies a noun.
WRONG example: Sea and air travel are much safer now than they ***_were_*** in the past _due to_ the use of computers that accurately make predictions based in part on detailed information on the formation of storms by weather forecasters.
Here “due to” incorrectly begins a pharase that cmodifies a verb, “are”
56
What's the comparison word paired with weight, when it's used to express of quantities of weight?
Weight is uncountable thus less than xx pounds
57
What's the comparison word paired with time, when it's used to express of quantities of time?
Time is uncountable.
Thus, less than 30 days
58
What we need to pay attention for the sentence describing a cause-and-effect sequence?
the Causal Sequence or the causal chain of events
59
What's the difference when using “like” and “as” to introduce comparison?
Like (preposition): introduces nouns and noun phrases
as (conjunction): introduces verbs or clasues
60
What's the sentence structure to use “as” to introduce a comparison?
just as x so y
61
What's usually conveyd by the phrase “at least”? When it's used with more than?
*At least* would normally be used to indicate that the writer does not know, or prefers not to say a whether *X* is *Y*
In contrast, *And more* usually signal a definite commitment to a claim
**_Thus, use both of them together results a conflict_**
62
What's usually required by an inverted structure as following?
Making things even more difficult has been general market inactivity lately, if not paralysis, which has provided little in the way of pricing guidance.
In this construction, the subject (*general market inactivity*) can be directly compared with *paralysis*.
**_Such contrasts are best made using phrases that are adjacent, not separated by other material_** (here, the adverb *lately*).
This inverted structure makes *general market activity* the subject of *Making things even more difficult*. This would be legitimate by itself, but it requires *general market inactivity* to be next to both *if not paralysis* (for contrast) and *which* (marking a relative clause modifying *inactivity*).
63
What should immediately follow an opening adjectival phrase?
i.e. The largest of all the planets,….
The Noun described by the opening adjectival phrase
64
What does “be to + verb” try to convey?
i.e. are to include…
The phrase *are to include* can convey either a **_future sense_** or ***_an imperative sense_***
65
What does progressive verb forms usually suggest?
* Having been born…*
* Being born…*
Suggest continuous action
Doesn't establish a logical time sequence
66
What's parenthetical expression? What's the better way to deal with the parenthetical expression in a sentence?
A parenthetical expression is a word or words added to a sentence _without changing the meaning or grammar of the original sentence_.
**Parenthetical expressions give extra information but are not essential.**
You can add and remove a parenthetical and the sentence works just the same.
**In general, a parenthetical expression that needs to be set off from the rest of the clause, with some punctuation to indicate a pause at its end**
i.e. Recent interdisciplinary studies advance the argument that emotions***,*** _including those deemed personal or private_***_,_*** are social phenomena that are inseparable from bodily response.
67
What's the requirement of a clause modifier like “…who….”?
When a relative clause acting as a modifier, it must be placed immediately after the noun or pronoun it modifies
68
Intransitive verb and its usage?
An intransitive verb **_does not take an object_**.
**Using an object immediately after an intransitive verb will create an incorrect sentence.**
However, there may be other information after the verb, such as one or more _prepositional phrases_ or an _adverb_.
Correct: The students **arrived** _at the residency_ _in Houston_.
Incorrect: The students **arrived** *Houston*.
> he patient’s health **deteriorated** ***quickly***.
> Ahmad **voted** _in the local election_.
> May I **sit** ***here***?
> Attendance **increased** _at the weekly study sessions_ as finals drew near.
> Susan **laughed**.
69
Sound can travel through water for enormous distances, its acoustic energy ***_prevented from dissipating by_*** boundaries in the ocean created by water layers of different temperatures and densities.
vs.
**_its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by_**
Anything Wrong? What's Wrong? How to fix it?
*_from having . . . by_* erroneously suggests that **_the boundaries in the ocean are attempting to dissipate sound energy_**.
70
What's the best way to present a multistep process?
These steps are most clearly presented in chronological order.
71
What's the common way to link two independent clauses in a sentence?
The clauses must normally be **_set off from each other (by a_** ***_semicolon_***, for example)
Or else the second clause must ***_be introduced by***_ _***and***_ _***or some other conjunction_***, not merely an adverb like *thus*.
72
Is United States singular or prural?
Singular
73
Which is more preferrable to describe an unfolding pattern of events?
being…
OR
becoming?
Becoming
74
What rules we should follow to present a series of simultaneous events?
As a result of record low temperatures, the water pipes on the third floor froze, _which caused the heads of the sprinkler system to burst, which released torrents of water_ into offices on the second floor.
Iit is best to present these events as actions **_attached to the same subject_** (*heads of the sprinkler system*)
75
What's the appositive phrase? How to use it?
A**An** ***appositive*** [**noun**](https://www.grammarly.com/blog/nouns/) **or noun phrase follows another noun or noun phrase in** ***apposition*** **to it; that is, it provides information that further identifies or defines it.** Such “bonus facts” are framed by [commas](https://www.grammarly.com/blog/comma/) unless the **appositive** is restrictive (i.e., provides essential information about the noun).
i.e. a part of,
My childhood friend, **_Anne-Marie_**, loved horses.
When in a sentence, appositive phrase like relative pronoun (which, who..) must have a noun or noun phrase as a clear antecedent
76
noun + that
What's the role of “that” playing? We should pay attention to…?
“That” is restrictive. It's used to describe a particular one.
For examply: Floating in the waters of the equatorial Pacific, an array of buoys collects and transmits data on long-term interactions between the ocean and the _atmosphere that affects_ global climate.
Using the restrictive *that* after *atmosphere* illogically suggests that **_there are many atmospheres to differentiate from and the one in question in this sentence is the one affecting global climate_**.
77
What's the other way of using “show that…”
* show +* noun phrase + *ing* verb
* show chemical insecticides spreading many miles*
But there should be no pause in the middle of a construction of this latter type.
If there is such a pause, then *chemical insecticides* _becomes the direct object of_ *_show_*,
and the **_following verb-_*****_ing_*****_phrase_**is an awkward attempt at a***_modifier of this object_***.
78
one-third of apples
Plural or Singular?
Plural
79
What's usually indicated by conjunction “so”? Or what should follow “so”?
The conjunction *so* typically indicates that **_a consequence will follow_**
80
What to use when we seperate several parallel elements in a long sentence?
Comma: “,”
OR
Selicon: “;”
We can use both.
For example: Tropical bats play an important role in the rain forest ecosystem, aiding in the dispersal of cashew, date, and fig seeds**_;**_ pollinating banana, breadfruit, and mango trees_**;_** and indirectly helping to produce tequila by pollinating agave plants.
81
What's the most succinct way to express the two options?
whether X or Y…
82
Difference btw like vs. just as
The word *like* is a preposition that is normally **_followed by a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun (she, he. it) that it governs_**;
*just as* is normally used as a **_conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause_**.
83
X, Y and Z as a subject should be followed by prural or singular verb?
X, Y and Z is compound subject that should be followed by prural verb
84
When we shoudn't use past perfect times?
When the chronology is clear because of terms such as "before/after/when/earlier/later"…or because of clear mention of dates, use past perfect tense is not required, though not incorrect either.
85
What does the sentence try to say when we have two “past perfect tense events” in a sentence?
i.e. “had been released” and “had migrated”
If we have both “had been released” and “had migrated” in the past perfect tense, then the sentence is saying that these things both happened at the same time.
86
The construction of ,…., is not approriate for?
Information that is vital to the core meaning of the sentence cannot be placed between two commas.
87
How to join two/three elements in a sentence?
If a list contains only two elements, they must be joined by conjunction; the "comma + and construction" (oxford comma) is used for the last element in a list of three or more elements.
88
What precedes verb result?
***_X_*** results in….
Noun can't results in sth…
ONLY **_Action_** can result in sth…
89
What's the mood of "predicted + that + something be done?
Command as hypothetical future action indicates Subjunctive Mood
90
What's the preferred way for referring to the purpose/intent of action?
The infinitive verb form (_"to + base form of verb"_) is preferred over the present participle ("verb+ing") for referring to the purpose/intent of action.
91
What does the introduction of the _"present participle after comma”_ generally leads to?
Cause-effect relationship
For instance: As a novelist, Selma Lagerlöf turned away from literary realism and wrote romantic stories about the peasant life and landscape of northern Sweden, in 1909 ***_becoming the first woman_*** and also the first Swedish writer that won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The construction above incorrectly implies that Selma Lagerlöf was a novelist who turned away from literary realism to write romantic stories about the peasant life and landscape of northern Sweden, and ***_as a result_***, in 1909, she became the first woman and also the first Swedish writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature
92
In comparison, which pronoun to use when you compare A with B?
How to compare A vs. itself (i.e. in the past?)
In comparisons, if you want to compare one thing vs. another use "**_that**_," and if you want to _**compare something to itself, use "it"_**:
For example: "The seat of chair A is more worn than that of chair B."
v.s.
"The seat of chair A is more worn than it was last week."
