GMAT exam success Episode 1 Part 7 ppt

Sentence correction questions are designed to measure your knowledge of both grammar and effective style.
Chances are you already know most of these rules and guidelines even if you don’t know how to articulate
them. You can often tell when something sounds wrong, even if you don’t know exactly why it is wrong. That
is good news because on the GMAT® exam you do not have to identify the grammar rule that has been bro-
ken or what makes the writing ineffective. Rather, you will simply have to identify which sentence is free of
errors and written most effectively.
That said, you can still benefit a great deal from a review of the basic rules of grammar and guidelines
for effective style, especially if you feel that grammar is not your strong suit. You may find some sections here
more basic than you need, but give yourself the opportunity to review everything in this section. You may find
that you have forgotten some rules and guidelines, and a review of the rules and terminology can give you
more confidence on the exam.
CHAPTER
Sentence
Correction
7
109
24 Rules for Grammar and Style
Throughout this chapter, you will learn about and review each of these rules in depth. After you have completed
the chapter, use the following list as a checklist as you review for the GMAT exam:
1. Follow the basic subject-predicate word order for sentences: subject, verb, indirect object, and direct
object.
2. Make sure sentences have both a subject and a predicate and express a complete thought.
3. Respect sentence boundaries. Do not let two or more independent clauses run together.
4. Keep modifiers as close as possible to the words they modify.
5. Use parallel structure for any series of actions or items or the not only/but also construction.
6. Make sure verbs agree in number with their subjects.
7. Keep verb tenses consistent.
8. Use the correct subject or object form of personal pronouns. Determine whether a pronoun is function-
ing as a subject or object in the sentence.
9. Use apostrophes with pronouns to show contraction only. Pronouns do not need apostrophes to show
possession.

10. Use who for people, that for things, and which for nonessential clauses that do not refer to people.
11. Make sure pronouns agree in number and person with their antecedents.
12. Be consistent in pronoun point of view.
13. Use less (meaning a smaller amount) for singular nouns representing quantity or degree. Use fewer
(meaning a smaller number) for plural nouns and countable items.
14. Use good and bad to modify nouns and pronouns; use well and badly to modify verbs.
15. In comparisons, add -er or -est to short modifiers. For longer words, use more/the most or less/the least
before the modifier.
16. Do not use double comparisons.
17. Do not use double negatives.
18. Use idioms correctly.
19. Be concise. Avoid unnecessary repetition or wordiness.
20. Be precise. Use exact words.
21. Avoid ambiguity. Make sure word choice and pronoun references are clear and modifiers properly
placed.
22. In general, use the active voice.
23. Use variety in sentence structure.
24. Avoid jargon and pretentious language.
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
Sentence Structure
The best place to begin a grammar review is with the basics of sentence construction. Although you will not
need to diagram a sentence on the GMAT exam, understanding the fundamentals of sentence structure can
help you better remember the rules of grammar and style.
Sentence structure refers to the way sentences are composed: how subjects, verbs, objects, and modi-
fiers are strung together in clauses and phrases. Awkward or incorrect placement of phrases and clauses can
result in sentences that are confusing, unclear, or say things that you do not mean. Indeed, many sentences
on the GMAT exam will be wrong precisely because of misplaced sentence elements. Sentence structure is also
important to style. If sentence structure is too simple or repetitive, the writing becomes monotonous for the
reader. (Style will be addressed later in this section.)

Subjects, Predicates, and Objects
The sentence is the basic unit of written expression. It consists of two essential parts
—
a subject and a pred-
icate
—
and it must express a complete thought. The subject of a sentence tells the reader who or what the sen-
tence is about
—
who or what is performing the action of the sentence. The predicate tells the reader something
about the subject
—
what the subject is or does. Consider the following sentence:
The clock is ticking.
The word clock is the subject. It tells you what the sentence is about
—
who or what performs the action
of the sentence. The verb phrase is ticking is the predicate. It tells you the action performed by (or informa-
tion about) the subject.
The subject of a sentence can be singular or compound (plural):
I
slept all day. Kendrick and I worked all night.
singular subject compound subject (two subjects performing the action)
The predicate can also be singular or compound:
I r
eceived a bonus.I received a bonus and got a raise.
singular predicate compound predicate (two actions performed by the subject)
Subject-predicate is the fundamental word order of sentences. When this order is reversed, the result is
an awkward and perhaps unclear sentence such as the following:
A bonus I received.

– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
111
In such a short sentence, the meaning is often clear despite the awkward word order. However, in longer
sentences, when the subject and predicate are reversed, the sentence can be quite confusing, as in the following
sentence from the pretest:
Creating a fundamental shift in American foreign policy and establishing a “policy of containment” that
framed our foreign policy as a battle between the forces of good (America and other democratic soci-
eties) and evil (the Soviet Union and other communist nations), was the 1947 Truman Doctrine.
In many sentences, someone or something “receives” the action expressed in the predicate. This person
or thing is called the direct object. In the following sentences, the subject and predicate are separated by a
slash (/) and the direct object is underlined:
I / bought a present. (The present receives the action of being bought.)
Jane / loves ice cream. (Ice cream receives the action of being loved by Jane.)
Sentences can also have an indirect object: a person or thing who “receives” the direct object. In the fol-
lowing sentences, the direct object is underlined and the indirect object is in bold:
I / gave Sunil a r
aise. (Sunil receives the raise; the raise receives the action of being given.)
The student / asked the professor a quest
ion. (The professor receives the question; the question
receives the action of being asked.)
Rule #1: Follow the basic subject-predicate word order for sentences: subject, verb, indirect object, and
direct object.
Independent and Dependent Clauses
A clause contains a subject and a predicate and may also have direct and indirect objects. An independent
clause expresses a complete thought; it can stand on its own as a sentence. A dependent clause, on the other
hand, cannot stand alone because it expresses an incomplete idea. When a dependent clause stands alone, it
results in a sentence fragment.
Independent clause: She was excited.
Dependent clause: Because she was excited.
Notice that the dependent clause is incomplete; it needs an additional thought to make a complete

sentence:
S
he spoke very quickly because she was excited.
The independent clause, however, can stand alone. It is a complete thought.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
112
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
A subordinating conjunction such as the word because makes a dependent clause dependent. Subordinating
conjunctions connect clauses and help show the relationship between those clauses. The following is a list of
the most common subordinating conjunctions:
after even though that when
although if though where
as, as if in order that unless wherever
because once until while
before since
When a clause begins with a subordinating conjunction, it is dependent. It must be connected to an
independent clause to become a complete thought:
I never knew true happiness until I met you.
independent clause dependent clause
After Johnson quit, I had to work extra overtime.
dependent clause independent clause
CONJUNCTIVE
ADVERBS
A very common grammar mistake is to think that words such as however and therefore are subordinating con-
junctions. But however and therefore belong to a group of words called conjunctive adverbs, which also sig-
nal relationships between parts of a sentence. When they are used with a semicolon, they can combine
independent clauses. The following is a list of the most common conjunctive adverbs:
also indeed now
anyway instead otherwise
besides likewise similarly

certainly meanwhile still
finally moreover then
furthermore namely therefore
however nevertheless thus
incidentally next undoubtedly
I did not go to the party; inst
ead, I stayed home and watched a good film.
Samantha is a fabulous cook; indee
d, she may even be better than Jacque.
I need to pay this bill immediately. Othe
rwise, my phone service will be cut off.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
113
COMPOUND
SENTENCES AND COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
When two independent clauses are combined, the result is a compound sentence such as the following:
He was late, so he lost the account.
The most common way to join two independent clauses is with a comma and a coordinating con-
junction: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet. Independent clauses can also be joined with a semicolon if the ideas in
the sentences are closely related:
I am tall, and he is short. [IC, coordinating conjunction ϩ IC]
I am tall; he is short. [IC; IC]
I was late, yet I still got the account. [IC, coordinating conjunction ϩ IC]
Sentence Boundaries
Expressing complete ideas and clearly indicating where sentences begin and end are essential to effective writ-
ing. Two of the most common grammatical errors with sentence boundaries are fragments and run-ons.
INCOMPLETE SENTENCES (FRAGMENTS)
As stated earlier, a complete sentence must (1) have both a subject (who or what performs the action) and
a verb (a state of being or an action) and (2) express a complete thought. If you don’t complete a thought,
or if you are missing a subject or verb (or both), then you have an incomplete sentence (also called a sentence

fragment). To correct a fragment, add the missing subject or verb or otherwise change the sentence to com-
plete the thought.
Incomplete: Which is simply not true. (No subject. Which is not a subject.)
Complete: That is simply not true.
Incomplete: For example, the French Revolution. (No verb.)
Complete: The best example is the French Revolution.
Incomplete: Even though the polar icecaps are melting. (Subject and verb, but not a
complete thought.)
Complete: Some people still do not believe in global warming even though the polar
icecaps are melting.
Rule #2: Make sure sentences have both a subject and a predicate and express a complete thought.
Run-On Sentences
A run-on sentence occurs when one sentence “runs” right into the next without proper punctuation between
them. Usually, the sentence has no punctuation at all or it has just a comma between the two thoughts (called
a comma splice). But commas alone are not strong enough to separate two complete ideas. See the examples
of run-ons on the next page.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
114
Let us go it is getting late.
I aced the interview, I should get the job.
Whether or not you believe me it is true, I did not lie to you.
You can correct run-on sentences in five ways:
■
with a period
■
with a comma and a coordinating conjunction: and, or, nor, for, so, but, or yet
■
with a semicolon
■
with a dash

■
with a subordinating conjunction to create a dependent clause: although, because, during, while, and
so on
The following is a run-on sentence corrected with each of the previous techniques:
The debate is over, now it is time to vote.
PUNCTUATION CORRECTED SENTENCE
period The debate is over. Now it is time to vote.
comma ؉ conjunction The debate is over, and now it is time to vote.
semicolon The debate is over; now it is time to vote.
dash The debate is over—now it is time to vote.
subordinating conjunction Since the debate is over, it is time to vote.
Rule #3: Respect sentence boundaries. Do not let two or more independent clauses run together.
Phrases and Modifiers
Sentences are often “filled out” by phrases and modifiers. Phrases are groups of words that do not have both
a subject and predicate; they might have either a subject or a verb, but not both, and sometimes neither. Mod-
ifiers are words and phrases that qualify or describe people, places, things, and actions. The most common
phrases are prepositional phrases, which consist of a preposition and a noun or pronoun (e.g., in the attic).
Modifiers include adjectives (e.g., slow, blue, excellent) and adverbs (e.g., cheerfully, suspiciously). In the fol-
lowing examples, the prepositional phrases are underlined and the modifiers are in bold:
He was very late f
or an important meeting with a new client.
He brazenly looked thr
ough her purse when she got up from the table to go to the ladies’ room.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
115
PLACEMENT OF
MODIFIERS
As a general rule, words, phrases, or clauses that describe nouns and pronouns should be as close as possible
to the words they describe. The relaxing music, for example, is better (clearer, more concise, and more pre-
cise) than the music that is relaxing. In the first sentence, the modifier relaxing is right next to the word it mod-

ifies (music).
When modifiers are not next to the words they describe, you not only often use extra words, but you
also might end up with a misplaced or dangling modifier and a sentence that means something other than
what was intended. This is especially true of phrases and clauses that work as modifiers. Take a look at the
following sentence:
Whispering quietly, I heard the children stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
Who was whispering quietly? Because the modifier whispering quietly is next to I, the sentence says that
I was doing the whispering. But the context of the sentence indicates that it was the children who were doing
the whispering. Here are three corrected versions. In the first version, the modifier is moved to its proper place,
next to children. In the second and third versions, I is removed from the sentence to eliminate any confusion:
I heard the children whispering quietly as they stole cookies from the cookie jar.
The children, whispering quietly, stole cookies from the cookie jar.
Whispering quietly, the children stole cookies from the cookie jar as I listened.
Here’s another example:
Worn and tattered, Uncle Joe took down the flag.
It’s quite obvious that it was the flag, not Uncle Joe, that was worn and tattered. But because the mod-
ifier (worn and tattered) isn’t right next to what it modifies (the flag), the sentence actually says that Uncle
Joe was worn and tattered. Here are two corrected versions. The first simply puts the modifier in its proper
place. The second moves the modifier and puts it in a restrictive clause (a which clause) that clarifies what is
modified:
Uncle Joe took down the worn and tattered flag.
Uncle Joe took down the flag, which was worn and tattered.
Rule #4: Keep modifiers as close as possible to the words they modify.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
116
A word’s function and form is determined by its part of speech. The word calm, for example, can be either a
verb (calm down) or an adjective (a calm afternoon); it changes to calmly when it is an adverb (they discussed
the matter calmly). Be sure you know the different parts of speech and the job each part of speech performs
in a sentence. The following table offers a quick reference guide for the main parts of speech.
PART OF SPEECH FUNCTION EXAMPLES

noun names a person, place, thing, water, Byron, telephone, Main Street,
or concept tub, virtue
pronoun takes the place of a noun so that I, you, he, she, us, they, this, that,
noun does not have to be repeated themselves, somebody, who, which
verb expresses an action, occurrence, wait, seem, be, visit, renew
or state of being
helping verb combines with other verbs (main forms of be, do and have; can,
(also called auxiliary verb) verbs) to create verb phrases that could, may, might, must, shall,
help indicate tenses should, will, would
adjective modifies nouns and pronouns; can green, round, old, surprising; that
also identify or quantify (e.g., that elephant); several (e.g.,
several elephants)
adverb modifies verbs, adjectives, other dreamily, quickly, always, very, then
adverbs, or entire clauses
preposition expresses the relationship in time in, on, around, above, between,
or space between words in a sentence underneath, beside, with, upon
Prepositions are extremely important; they help us understand how objects relate to each other in space and
time. Recognizing them can help you quickly check for subject-verb agreement and other grammar issues. The
following is a list of the most common prepositions. See pages 127–128 for notes about the most common
prepositional idioms.
about above across after
against around at before
behind below beneath beside
(continued)
Parts of Speech: A Brief Review
117
Parts of Speech: A Brief Review
besides between beyond by
down during except for
from in inside into

like near of off
on out outside over
since through throughout till
to toward under until
up upon with without
118
Parallel Structure
Parallel structure means that words and phrases in a sentence follow the same grammatical pattern. When-
ever a sentence has a series of actions, a list of items, or a not only/but also construction, it should have par-
allel structure. Parallelism makes ideas easier to follow and expresses ideas more gracefully. Notice how
parallelism works in the following examples:
Not parallel: We came, we saw, and it was conquered by us. (The first two clauses use the active we ϩ
past tense verb construction; the third uses a passive structure with a prepositional phrase.)
Parallel: We came, we saw, we conquered. (All three clauses start with we and use a past tense verb.)
Not parallel: Please be sure to throw out your trash, place your silverware in the bin, and your tray
should go on the counter. (Two verbs follow the to ϩ verb ϩ your ϩ noun pattern; the third puts the
noun first and then the verb.)
Parallel: Please be sure to throw out your trash, place your silverware in the pin, and put your tray on
the counter. (All three items follow the to ϩ verb ϩ your ϩ noun ϩ prepositional phrase pattern.)
The following are two more examples of sentences with correct parallel structure:
Hermione’s nervousness was exacerbated not only by the large crowd but also by the bright lights. (Each
phrase has a preposition, an adjective, and a noun.)
Their idea was not only the most original; it was also the most practical. (Each phrase uses the superla-
tive form of an adjective [see page 126 for more information on superlatives].)
Rule #5: Use parallel structure for any series of actions or items or the not only/but also construction.

Grammar and Usage
Grammar and usage refer to the rules that govern the forms of words people use and the special combina-
tions of words that create specific meanings. In this section, you will review the following areas of basic gram-
mar and usage:

■
subject-verb agreement
■
consistent verb tense
■
pronoun cases
■
pronoun agreement
■
pronoun consistency
■
adjectives and adverbs
■
idioms
Agreement
In English grammar, agreement means that sentence elements are balanced.Verbs, for example, should agree
in number with their subjects. If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular; if the subject is plural,
the verb should be plural.
Incorrect: Robin want to meet us later. (singular subject, plural verb)
Correct: Robin wants to meet us later. (singular subject, singular verb)
Incorrect: He do whatever he want. (singular subject, plural verbs)
Correct: He does whatever he wants. (singular subject, singular verbs)
Of course, to make sure subjects and verbs agree, you need to be clear about who or what is the subject
of the sentence. This can be tricky in sentences with indefinite pronouns and in inverted sentences. Use the
following guidelines for proper subject-verb agreement:
■
Remember that subjects are never found in prepositional phrases, so the subject must be elsewhere in the
sentence. Sometimes the subject is the antecedent of a noun found in a prepositional phrase, as in the
following example:
Only one of the students was officially registered for the class.

The pronoun one is the subject of the sentence, not students, because students is part of the preposi-
tional phrase of the students. The verb must therefore be singular (was).
■
If a compound, singular subject is connected by and, the verb must be plural.
Both Vanessa and X
ui want to join the committee.
■
If a compound, singular subject is connected by or or nor, the verb must be singular.
Neither V
anessa nor Xiu wants to join the committee.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
119
Verb Review
If English is your second language, a quick review of verb conjugation and usage rules might be in order. Turn
to Chapter 11 for an overview of verb forms, a list of irregular verbs, and a review of troublesome verbs such
as lay/lie.
120
■
If one plural and one singular subject are connected by or or nor, the verb agrees with the closest
subject.
Neither Vanessa nor the t
r
easurers want to join the committee.
Neither the treasurers nor V
anessa wants to join the committee.
■
In an inverted sentence, the subject comes after the verb, so the first step is to clearly identify the sub-
ject. (Sentences that begin with there is and there are, for example, and questions are inverted sen-
tences.) Once you correctly identify the subject, then you can make sure your verb agrees. The correct
subjects and verbs are underlined in the following examples:

Incorrect: There is plenty of reasons to go.
Correct: There ar
e plenty of reasons to go.
Incorrect: Here is the results you have been waiting for.
Correct: Here ar
e the results you have been waiting for.
Incorrect: What is the side effects of this medication?
Correct: What ar
e the side effects of this medication?
Rule #6: Make sure verbs agree in number with their subjects.
Consistent Tense
One of the quickest ways to confuse readers, especially if you are telling a story or describing an event, is to
shift verb tenses. To help readers be clear about when actions occur, make sure verb tenses are consistent. If
you begin telling the story in the present tense, for example, stay in the present tense; do not mix tenses as
you write. Otherwise, you will leave your readers wondering whether actions are taking place in the present
or took place in the past:
Incorrect: She le
ft the house and forgets her keys again.
Correct: She le
ft the house and forgot her keys again.
Incorrect: When we w
ork together, we got better results.
Correct: When we w
ork together, we get better results.
When we w
orked together, we got better results.
Rule #7: Keep verb tenses consistent.
Pronouns
Pronouns, as noted earlier, replace nouns, so you don’t have to repeat names and objects over and over. There
are several different kinds of pronouns, and each kind of pronoun follows different rules.

PERSONAL
PRONOUNS
Personal pronouns refer to specific people or things. They can be either singular (I) or plural (we); they can
be subjects (I) or objects (me). Pronouns reflect three points of view: first person (I, we), second person (you),
and third person (he, she, it, them).
SUBJECT OBJECT POINT OF VIEW
singular I me first person
you you second person
he him third person
she her third person
it it third person
plural we us first person
you you second person
they them third person
Pronoun mistakes are often made when you use the subject form when you really need the object form.
Here are two guidelines to follow:
■
Always use the object pronoun in a prepositional phrase. Pronouns and nouns in prepositional
phrases are always objects:
He promised to bring a souvenir for Betty and me
.
Please keep this between us
.
■
Always use the subject pronoun in a than construction (comparison). When a pronoun follows than,it
is usually part of a clause that omits the verb to avoid redundancy:
I realize that Alonzo is more talented than I
. [than I am]
Sandra is much more reliable than he
. [than he is]

Rule #8: Use the correct subject or object form of personal pronouns. Determine whether a pronoun is
functioning as a subject or object in the sentence.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
121
POSSESSIVE
PRONOUNS
The possessive pronouns its, your, their, and whose are often confused with the contractions it’s (it is or it has),
you’re (you are), they’re (they are), and who’s (who is). Because writers use apostrophes to show possession in
nouns (Louise’s truck, the rug’s pattern), many people make the mistake of thinking that pronouns use apos-
trophes for possession, too. But possessive pronouns do not take apostrophes. When a pronoun has an apos-
trophe, it always shows contraction.
POSSESSIVE
PRONOUN MEANING EXAMPLE
its belonging to it The dog chased its tail.
your belonging to you Your time is up.
their belonging to them Their words were comforting.
whose belonging to who Whose tickets are these?
CONTRACTION
it’s it is It’s time to eat.
you’re you are You’re not going to believe your eyes.
they’re they are They’re getting their tickets now.
who’s who is Who’s got my tickets?
Rule #9: Use apostrophes with pronouns to show contraction only. Pronouns do not need apostrophes to
show possession.
The pronouns who, that, and which are also often confused. The following lists the general guidelines
for using these pronouns correctly:
■
Use who or whom when referring to people:
She is the one who should make that decision, not I.
■

Use that when referring to things:
This is the most important decision that she will make as director.
■
Use which when introducing clauses that are not essential to the information in the sentence (nonre-
strictive), unless they refer to people. In that case, use who.
– SENTENCE CORRECTION–
122
123
Sam bought a suit to wear to his new job, which will begin on Monday.
Emily married Sonny, who has been in love with her since first grade.
Antoinette, who is a computer programmer, would be a good match for Daniel.
Rule #10: Use who for people, that for things, and which for nonessential clauses that do not refer to
people.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Just as subjects (both nouns and pronouns) must agree with their verbs, pronouns must also agree with their
antecedents
—
the words they replace. For example, consider the following sentence:
Children will often believe everything their parents tell them.
The word children is the antecedent and is replaced by their and them in the sentence. Because children
is plural, the pronouns must also be plural.
Indefinite pronouns can also be antecedents. Singular indefinite pronouns require singular pronouns:
E
veryone has his or her own reasons for coming.
N
either of the physicists could explain what she saw.
Plural indefinite pronouns, on the other hand, require plural pronouns, just like they require plural
verbs:
both few many several
B

oth of them have finished their work.
Only a f
ew are still in their original cases.
Contraction Confusion
It is easy to make a mistake with pronouns and contractions because apostrophes are used to show posses-
sion of nouns (Ralph’s car). With pronouns, however, possession does not require an apostrophe. If you get con-
fused, think of a possessive pronoun that doesn’t get confused with contractions, such as my or our. These
do not have apostrophes; other possessive pronouns should not either.
Here is one way to remember to use that when referring to things: both words begin with the letters th.
A Bad Habit
One of the most common mistakes people make when speaking and writing is an error of pronoun-antecedent
agreement. You may often say sentences such as the following:
Everyone will receive their scores within two weeks.
Most people make this mistake because it’s easier (shorter and faster) to say their—but it’s not correct. When
the antecedent is singular, the pronouns must be singular, too:
Everyone will receive his or her scores within two weeks.
The students will receive their scores within two weeks.
124
Finally, those pronouns that can be either singular or plural, depending upon the noun or pronoun to
which they refer, should take the pronoun that matches their referent. If the antecedent is singular, the pro-
noun and verb must also be singular. If the antecedent is plural, they must be plural:
all any most none some
All of the chocolate is gone. It was delicious!
All of the cookies are gone. They were delicious!
None of the information is accurate; it’s all out of date.
None of the facts are accurate; they are all out of date.
Rule #11: Make sure pronouns agree in number and person with their antecedents.
Pronoun Consistency
Just as you need to be consistent in verb tense, you should also be consistent in your pronoun point of view.
A passage that begins in the third-person plural should continue to use that third-person plural point of view.

Incorrect: We have tested our hypothesis and the team believes it is correct.
Correct: We have tested our hypothesis and we believe it is correct.
Incorrect: If you prepare carefully, one can expect to pass the exam.
Correct: If you prepare carefully, you can expect to pass the exam.
If one prepares carefully, one can expect to pass the exam.
Rule #12: Be consistent in pronoun point of view.
Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives and adverbs help give our sentences color; they describe things and actions. Adjectives describe
nouns and pronouns and tell us which one, what kind, and how many:
that book romance novel several chapters
the other class steep expense multiple options
Adverbs, on the other hand, describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They tell us where, when, how,
and to what extent:
flying south arrive early sings beautifully very talented
wait here meet tomorrow fight courageously severely compromised
Remember to keep modifiers as close as possible to what they modify.
FEWER/LESS, NUMBER/AMOUNT
As a rule, use the adjective fewer to modify plural nouns or things that can be counted. Use less for singular
nouns that represent a quantity or a degree. Most nouns to which an -s can be added require the adjective
fewer.
Use less salt
this time. Use fewer eggs this time.
I had less r
eason
to go this time. I had fewer reasons to go this time.
Rule #13: Use less (meaning a smaller amount) for singular nouns representing quantity or degree. Use
fewer (meaning a smaller number) for plural nouns and countable items.
GOOD/BAD, WELL/BADLY
These pairs of words
—

good/well, bad/badly
—
are often confused. The key to proper usage is to understand
their function in the sentence. Good and bad are adjectives; they should only be used to modify nouns and
pronouns. Well and badly are adverbs; they should be used to modify verbs:
I was surprised by how g
ood Sebastian’s cake was.
Jennelle hasn’t been f
eeling well lately.
Her e
xperience is good, but she didn’t do well in the interview.
Rule #14: Use good and bad to describe nouns and pronouns; use well and badly to describe verbs.
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COMPARISONS
An important function of adjectives and adverbs is comparisons. When you are comparing two things, use
the comparative form (-er) of the modifier. If you are comparing more than two things, use the superlative
form (-est) of the modifier.
To create the comparative form, either
■
add -er to the modifier.
■
place the word more or less before the modifier.
In general, add -er to short modifiers (one or two syllables). Use more or less with modifiers of more than
two syllables.
cheaper less expensive
smarter more intelligent
To create the superlative form, either
■
add -est to the modifier.

■
place the word most or least before the modifier.
Again, as a general rule, add -est to short modifiers (one or two syllables). Use more, most, less, or least
with modifiers that are more than two syllables:
Wanda is mor
e experienced than I, but I am the most familiar with the software.
Ahmed is clearly the smar
test student in the class.
Rule #15: In comparisons, add -er or -est to short modifiers. For longer words, use more/most or less/least
before the modifier.
DOUBLE COMPARISONS AND DOUBLE NEGATIVES
Be sure to avoid double comparisons. Don’t use both -er/-est and more/less or most/least together.
Incorrect: She has the most long
est hair I have ever seen.
Correct: She has the long
est hair I have ever seen.
Incorrect: Minsun is mor
e happier now.
Correct: Minsun is hap
pier now.
Rule #16: Do not use double comparisons.
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126
Likewise, be sure to avoid double negatives. When a negative word such as no or not is added to a state-
ment that is already negative, it results in a double negative and potential confusion. Hardly and barely are
also negative words. Remember, one negative is all you need:
Incorrect: He doesn’t have no idea what she’s talking about.
Correct: He doesn
’t have any idea what she’s talking about.
He has no

idea what she’s talking about.
Incorrect: I can’t hardly wait to see you.
Correct: I can har
d
ly wait to see you.
I can
’t
wait to see you.
Rule #17: Do not use double negatives.
Idioms
Every language has its share of idioms: those odd expressions that have a special meaning not consistent with
the literal meanings of the words. For example, to say you are all ears certainly does not mean that you are
composed entirely of ears; rather, it means that you are listening attentively.
Fluency in idiomatic expressions reflects a comfort with and command of the English language, and that
is why some sentence correction questions will test your knowledge of idioms. For example, you might find
a sentence correction question such as the following:
I have been so busy because I have ha
d to pick through a slack since Winston quit.
a. had to pick through a slack
b. had to pick the slack
c. had to pick up the slack
d. slacked through the pick
e. been unable to see through the slack
The correct answer is c, which correctly uses the idiom pick up the slack, meaning to do someone else’s
work, or fill in. All of the other versions use incorrect forms of the idiom.
P
REPOSITIONAL IDIOMS
Prepositional idioms are the specific word/preposition combinations that English speakers use, such as take
care of and according to. Unless English is your second language, most of these idioms should be part of your
everyday vocabulary, but a quick review of the list below may be helpful.

according to afraid of anxious about apologize to (someone)
apologize for approve of ashamed of aware of
(something) bored with capable of compete with
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127
Idiom Review
Many websites offer extensive lists of English language idioms. Try one of these sites for a helpful idiom review:
• Wayne Magnuson English Idioms: home.t-online.de/home/toni.goeller/idiom_wm/index.html
• The Idiom Connection: www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6720
128
blame (someone) composed of concentrate on concerned with
for (something) conscious of consist of depend on/upon
complain about except for fond of from now on
congratulate on frown on/upon full of glance at (something)/glance
equal to grateful for in accordance with through (something
—
e.g.,
from time to time (something) insist on/upon a book)
grateful to (someone) inferior to knowledge of incapable of
in conflict interested in opposite of in the habit of
in the near future on top of related to next to
of the opinion regard to satisfied with prior to
proud of responsible for take care of rely on/upon
respect for suspicious of similar to
sorry for with regard to thank (someone) for
tired of (something)
Rule #18: Use idioms correctly.

Style
Style refers to the manner in which something is said or done. In writing, style is largely controlled by two

elements: sentence structure and word choice. Together, these two elements determine the tone, the level of
formality, and the level of detail, creating the overall feel of the text
—
smooth or choppy, formal or informal,
juvenile or sophisticated, friendly or sinister. These two elements also exert a great deal of control over the
readability and clarity of the text. A sentence that is grammatically correct but that has problems with its style
can still be difficult (even impossible) to understand.
To keep sentences clear and effective, writers should follow these guidelines for effective style:
1. Be concise.
2. Be precise.
3. Avoid ambiguity.