Parsing Complex Sentence Structures Flashcards
(17 cards)
What three quick steps expose a sentence’s “skeleton”?
1) Cross out modifiers (clauses between commas, parentheses, long prep phrases). 2) Locate Subject + Verb (+ Object). 3) Check if that core is complete and agrees in number.
Rule of thumb for Subject–Verb Agreement when the subject is an of-phrase (e.g., “a bouquet of roses”)
The true subject is what comes before “of.” A bouquet is fragrant (singular), even though “roses” is plural
In GMAT/EA land, is data treated as singular or plural?
Usually plural—“data suggest,” “data indicate.” Treat it like “numbers,” not “information.”
Correct the sentence: “Unlike its competitors, the success of Company X were rapid.
“Unlike its competitors, the success of Company X was rapid.” (Singular subject “success,” singular verb “was.”)
What’s an absolute phrase and how is it punctuated?
A noun + participle (or noun + descriptor) tacked onto a full clause, set off by commas: “The meeting ended, its participants exhausted, before noon.”
“its participants exhausted” is the absolute phrase
Identify the flaw: “The upgrade improved speed, reliability, and was reducing costs.”
Mix of noun phrases and verb phrase—should be “speed, reliability, and costs” or “improved speed, increased reliability, and reduced costs.
GMAT-friendly template for not only … but also …
Keep structures parallel: Verb + Object … Verb + Object, or Prep Phrase … Prep Phrase. Example: “She not only drafted the policy but also presented the findings.
Why is “Unlike the rapid adoption of earlier apps, the popularity of micro-video apps have depended on …” wrong?
Subject-verb mismatch—“popularity … has depended.” Plus be sure you’re comparing like things (adoption vs. popularity is acceptable, but verb must agree).
Fix the faulty comparison: “The revenue of last quarter is higher than the previous quarter.”
“Revenue this quarter is higher than that of the previous quarter.”
Signal that the subjunctive is needed…
“Demand,” “insist,” “recommend,” “propose,” followed by that + base verb: “The CFO insisted that the report be revised.”
Identify the error: “The manager required that each intern submits timesheets daily.”
Should be base form: “that each intern submit timesheets daily.”
Verbs of demand, recommendation, or urgency—require, insist, recommend, mandate, ask, suggest, propose, advise—trigger the base-form verb (bare infinitive) after that.
Fix: “The CEO said profits were up and says they will rise further.”
Keep reporting verb consistent: either past-past or present-present. E.g., “The CEO said profits were up and would rise further.”
Replace the wordy phrase “in light of the fact that”
“because” / “since.”
Rewrite concisely: “There are several factors that are the cause of the delay.”
“Several factors caused the delay.”
Correct the sentence: “After being briefed on the issue, a revised timeline was proposed by the consultant.”
“After being briefed on the issue, the consultant proposed a revised timeline.” (Fix dangling modifier.)
First place to look after you’ve found the skeleton?
Subject-Verb number & tense agreement—the quickest, most common error type.
If two answer choices are grammatically fine but differ in length, which does GMAT/EA usually prefer?
The more concise one—unless it sacrifices clarity or changes meaning.
