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GMAT SC > Idioms > Flashcards

Idioms Flashcards

(101 cards)

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1
Q

Capable_?

A

Capable of not Capable for

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2
Q

Between X_Y

A

Paralle

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3
Q

Distinguish X_Y

A

Paralle

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4
Q

Neither X_Y

A

Paralle

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5
Q

Consider X_Y

A

Paralle

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6
Q

In contrast to X_Y

A

Paralle

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7
Q

Estimate X_Y

A

Paralle

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8
Q

Mistake X_Y

A

Paralle

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9
Q

View X_Y

A

Paralle

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10
Q

Whether X_Y

A

Paralle

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11
Q

Comparison idioms: such

A

X such as / such X as

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12
Q

Deliver

A

X (delivers) such Y that Z (occurs)

The Z and X elements can be the same thing, but Y and Z cannot be the same thing.

i.e. The bite of the king cobra delivers such strong neurotoxins that they can kill an Asian elephant.

X: bit of the king cobra

Y: strong nuerotoxins

Z: “they” refer to nuerotoxins

Z & Y are the same elements, which are not allowed

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13
Q

Appear

A

Appear to be X = Appear X

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14
Q

Try

A

Try to do not Try doing

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15
Q

Succeed

A

Succeed in doing not Succeed to do

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16
Q

Allow

A

Allow to do

Allow for (permits the existence of) i.e. The demolition of the old building allows for new construction

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17
Q

As

A

During: As I walked, I became more nervous.

Because/Since: As I had already paid, I was unconcerned

In the same way: As we did last year, we will win this year.

In the same way: Just as we did last year, we will win this year.

In the role of: As the president of the company, she works hard.

In the role of: My first job was an apprenticeship as a sketch artist.

In the stage of being: As a child, I delivered newspapers.

As part of the arrangement, he received severance.

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18
Q

as…as

A

as adj. as: Cheese is as great as people say

not as adj. as: Cheese is not as great as people say.

as many noun as: We have as many apples as need to be cooked

xx times as many noun as: We’ve three times as many apples as you.

at least as many noun as: We have at least as many apples as you.

about as many as: We have 10 apples, about as many as we picked yesterday.

as much…as: His knowledge springs as much from experiences as much from schooling.

not so much…as: His knowledge springs not so much from experiences as from schooling.

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19
Q

What are the traps GMAT set for idioms: “as…as”

A
  1. Using so to replace as: Cheese is so great as people say.
  2. Using than to replace as in “as many…as”: We have as many apples than you
  3. As many or more…than: We’ve as many or more apples than you.
  4. About equivalent to vs. About as many as
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20
Q

What’s the wrong usage GMAT use when “can” is tested?

i.e. Plant can cause damage.

The manager can run the plant.

A

Wrong: Has the ability of

Wrong: Has the capability of

Wrong: Has the possibility of causing

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21
Q

Consider

A

Consider her a friend

Consider her intelligent

Consider adj. (long objects) i.e. I consider illegal the law passed last week by the new regime.

Consider…as is ambiguous

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22
Q

Indicate

A

Correct: indicate…that… i.e. A report indicates that unique bacteria live on our skin.

Suspect: indicate…of.. i.e. A new report is indicative of the presence of unique bacteria on our skin.

Wrong: A report indicates unique bacteria live on our skin. ⇐ THAT is needed.

indicate…as..: A report indicates unique bacteria as present on our skin.

indicate…to…: A report indicates unique bacteria to live on our skin.

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23
Q

not only…but also…

A

Correct: We wore not only boots but also sandals.

Correct: We wore not only boots, but also sandals.

Correct: We wore not only boots but sandals.

Correct: We wore not just boots but also sandals.

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24
Q

not only…but also…

A

We wore not only boots but also sandals.

We wore not only boots, but also sandals.

We wore not only boots but sandals.

We wore not just boots but also sandals.

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25
such as
Matt drives fast cars, such as Ferraris. (introducing examples) Matt enjoys driving **_such cars as Ferraris_**.
26
Use of “Than”
More than Less than No less than Higher than
27
Whether vs. if
I don't know whether I'll go. If requires a consequence
28
whether…or…
whether…or….(requires paralleism)
29
adept
adept at doing sth.
30
increase\_what
**increase in not increase of**
31
ability
ability to do ⇒ introduces the ability that is being discussed ability of ⇒ refers to someone's ability
32
authority
authority on
33
better
X is a better poet than Y X is the better poet WRONG: X is the better poet than Y
34
idiomatic expression introduced by is (are) to…
x is to y what a is to be Adam Smith wrote two major books that ***_are to_*** democratic capitalism **_what_** Marx's Das Kapital ***_is to_*** socialism
35
not only…but also vs. not only…but…
Not only…But also… requires parallelism For instance, *not only* . . . *but also* . . . should follow the verb *was*, making both purposes predicate nominatives.
36
What is the idiom to explain the current conditions that make the possible future event a reason for concern?
At a time when
37
Concern
Correct: Concern that… ⇐ subjunctive mood (could be damage) to describe concern about a potential problem ## Footnote **_Wrong: Concern of…_**
38
not as…but as..
The idiomatic choice of words to express the negation of one clause and the affirmation of another is *not as* . . . *but as*. . .. Should involve two clauses
39
What's the idiom to express the negation of one clause and the affirmation of another?
Not as…but as.. Many experts regarded X not as a sign that Y but as a sign of Z.
40
Dated… Expressing estimation of age
Dated at have been dated at 3.47 billion years old
41
goal
_Goal of_ is better than the _Goal to_
42
ability
ability to not ability for / not ability of
43
What's the wrong version of “both…and…” always tested in GMAT?
both…**_as well as_**…
44
admiration\_sb admiration\_sth
Admiration for someone Admiration of something
45
not just because of X, but because of Y Conditions for X and Y What's the wrong way mostly tested in GMAT?
X and Y should be parallel not just because of X, but Y ⇐ **_N_****_ot parallel_**
46
Difference between plan to do… vs. plan for…
Plan to do: An action that is planned, i.e. a plan to divide the firm into five parts Plan for: A plan or series of steps for implementing that action, i.e. a plan for dividing the firm into five parts
47
research as a noun / verb
The verb research requires a direct object, not a preposition followed by its object, i.e. research on… The noun research requires a preposition, i.e. research on mamals
48
sometime vs.?
at some time
49
at some time vs.?
sometime
50
despite
Desipte is normally used as a preposition and must be followed by a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun that it governs (as in despite that fact) **Despite that is incorrect! It's not a subordinating conjunction ⇐** The correct way to express it would use the **_conjunction although_**
51
Similar to…
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. i.e. “its being so genetically similar” **_without an explicit comparison_** is incorrect. Correct example: becuase **_they**_ are so genetically similar to _**one another_** ⇐explict to one another
52
unlikely unlikely for
Correct: unlikely for…to… It's unlikely for the company to survive this recession Wrong: unlikely for…-ing (verb) i.e. unlikley for the index continuing to go up
53
attribute
attribute to + noun phrase not the infiinitive to plus a verb (i.e. attribute…to be…)
54
insufficient
Correct: insufficient to Wrong: insufficient for
55
arise
arise with (has to be followed by with)
56
Discover
Correct: Discover that… WRONG: Discover as…
57
Comparison: probably not x…but…?
probably not x…but more than likely y When more is used in the comparative form of an adjuctive (more difficult) or adverb (more likely), it is followed by than.
58
at such a adj. Noun = ?
so adj. noun at such a young age = at so your an age
59
Clue\_preposition?
Clues to rather than clues about or X's clues
60
climate preposition North Pole
climate of X climate at X WRONG: climate **for**
61
What does “As opposed to x….y…” / “Unlike X, Y….” try to convey?
As opposed to x…y… would normally indicate that waht is said about Y is simply not true of X
62
pound for pound
Compared pound for pound with X
63
What does “*_from…and then to…_*” indicates?
Indicates indirectness
64
so long as
*As long as* and *so long as* are conjunctions. ## Footnote We use *as long as* to refer to the intended duration of a plan or idea, *_most commonly referring to the future_*. **We always use the present simple to refer to the future after** ***as long as*****:** > *We are very happy for you to stay at our house **as long as** you like.* > *I’ll remember that film **as long as** I live.* > Not: … as long as I will live. > > **_As long as or so long as also means ‘provided that’, ‘providing that’ or ‘on condition that’:_** > > > *You are allowed to go **as long as** you let us know when you arrive.* > > *So long as* is a little more informal: > > > *You can borrow the car **so long as** you don’t drive too fast.*
65
conceived of…which preposition to use? What's the wrong one usually tested in GMAT?
conceived of….**_as_** not conceived of…to be
66
way…?
way to way of NOT Way For
67
helping producing vs. helping to produce
Helping Producing is an incorrect construction in English
68
Comparison word (less, fewer, more) to describe Sunday papers & # of Sunday papers
i.e. the company sold an average of 81,000 fewer Sunday papers the average number of Sunday papers sold by the company was 81,000 less than
69
Comparison word to describe weight & weigh
Less weight **_NOT_** lighter weight weighs far lighter
70
How to compare how much one thing weighs with how much another thing?
less than NOT weigh ligher
71
What does ***X***\_“to determine” mean when compared with "for determingning, toward determining, or to help determine)?
*To determine* (instead of *for* determining, *toward determining*, or *to help determine*) suggests that ***_X_*** would be used as a sufficient basis for determining the information needed. That makes it rhetorically somewhat at odds with the standard meaning of *clues*; clues are normally thought of as incomplete bits of evidence.
72
Cluse\_determine/determining
Clues for determining Clues toward determining Clues to help determine NOT WRONG: Clues to determine
73
“to one another” singular or prural?
prural
74
Examination\_?
Examination of NOT Examination about / Examination with
75
as big as
Idiomatically incorrect expression of the comparison
76
What's the difference between “when compared to” and “X compared with Y”
“When compared to” emphasize ***_that is, at the time it is compared_***
77
What should follow the word “ability”
*ability* must be followed by an infinitive, *to develop*, not a phrase like ability of doing..
78
What's the standard formal, written word to express a quantity just short of everything?
almost not most all of
79
play as good as or play as well as
as well as is the correct form
80
What's the more idiomatic preposition followed by determined? determined\_?
Determined by rather than detiermined through
81
What's the correct idiom to contrast prices with the norm?
Higher than usual - not usually
82
What's the correct idiom to indicate the span of time from the present to the end of the year?
**_Through the end of the year_** not throughout
83
bombarded… Which perposition? What's the wrong way usually tested in GMAT?
bombarded by… NOT bombarded for…
84
What's the way to emphasize the special prominence of just three specific companies, as opposed to all other companies? vs. Or just to indicate that these three were merely among a number of highly prominent ones?
Thre were more prominent than any others: ***_the_*** three most prominent companies It needs to be preceded by _a denifnite article:_ **_THE_** To indicate that these companies were merely among a number of highly prominent ones, it should say **_three of the most prominent companies_**
85
incentive…which preposition?
incentive to better than incentive for
86
“able” suggests what? Can't be used with what?
**_Able suggests agency_**, which is not appropriate with subject such as “methods” Agency should be paired with subject such as human beings
87
A direct link…(?) X (?) Y Which preposition?
A direct link betwen X and Y
88
What's the prepoisiton to introduce examples? What's the wrong way usually tested in GMAT?
such as…(as to introduce examples) NOT like….
89
introduce….(preposition)… Which preposition? What's the wrong one usually tested in GMAT?
introduce…to… NOT introduce…for…
90
What's the idiomatice way to use the word “spread”?
Spreads from **_a place**_ or _**an entity_** WRONG: spread from their _original use_
91
what should followed by dcline to…?
The object of *decline to* should be a word or phrase naming **_a number or estimated number_** (e.g., a phrase such as *an estimated 200,000*), **_not the phrase_** ***_an estimate_***.
92
Use of “help” What's the wrong way usaully tested in GMAT?
help to do sth. NOT help doing sth. Help with the production of… NOT Help the producing of…
93
What's preposition requied for depend and dependent when two ideas are linked?
ON depend on… dependent on…
94
What's the charateristic of “appear”? How to use it? What's a wrong way usually tested in GMAT?
“Appear” is **_intransitive_** and is most efficiently followed by the ***_infinitive form***_ _***to_*** appear to… WRONG: appear that it has…
95
What's the proposition used with “contrast”
When contrast functions as a **_noun**_, i.e. in contrast….it pairs with _**to_** In contrast to… When contrast functions as a **_verb_** Contrast **_with_**…
96
Legacy _ which preposition? What's the wrong one usually tested in GMAT?
legacy **_to_** NOT legacy for
97
Around 1900, fishermen in the Chesapeake Bay area landed more than seventeen million pounds of shad in a single year, but by 1920, overfishing and the proliferation of milldams and culverts that blocked shad from migrating up their spawning streams had reduced landings to _ than four million pounds. Fewer or Less?
Less. *Less* is more appropriate than *fewer* for the comparison. The fishermen ***_landed different amounts of fish_***; they did not ***land the number of pounds*** in terms of which those amounts are measured.
98
Two prepositions paired with a period of time?
during *_a period of time_* at the time of *_a period of time_*
99
Without the presence of X vs. Without X Which is better?
Whitout X Without the presence of is wordy
100
What's the idiom to describe comparison of miultiple times (likely to happen)?
four times as likely as
101
What usually follows one group is mroe likely than another group to\_\_\_?
One group might be more likely than another group ***_to do_*** **_something_**. But _it's odd to say_ that one group is more likely than another group simply *t**o be***.

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