Misceleneous Tips

[1]Use of - one Of
(Sahils)
one of the NOUN (this noun will always be plural) + that/who + PLURAL VERB
Example:
He is one of the persons who make money.
This is one of the cars that run on hydrogen.

[2] Use of - OR
(Sahils)

When there are 2 or more options separated by ‘OR’, both should
equally apply to the following clause.

e.g. Slowing the growth or damaging forests (Both slowing the growth and
damaging apply to forests. Now, consider the clause ‘slowing the growth forests’
and ‘damaging forests’. The first one, does not seem fine. As, it should be ‘slowing
the growth of or damaging forests).

Damaging or slowing the growth of forests – Is the correct usage (Damaging
forests or slowing the growth of forests).

[3] Like V/s As (Sahils )

Like is used to express similarity. It is normally used to show similarity
between two nouns e.g. Lemons are like limes.
As on the other hand would normally compare two clauses and not two nouns.
E.g. He looks as if he is drunk.


The ordinance is intended to force householders to separate such hazardous waste like
pesticides, batteries, fertilizers, and oil-based paints from the general stream of
household trash.
(A) to separate such hazardous waste like
(B) that they should separate such hazardous waste like
(C) separating such hazardous wastes as
(D) that they should separate such hazardous wastes as
(E) to separate such hazardous wastes as

E is the correct answer. Examples to be given, so ‘as’.

For some reason the new consultant treats his clients like idiots, talking to them like
they were mentally deficient and incapable of understanding more than the simplest
ideas.
(A) like idiots, talking to them like they
(B) as if they were idiots, talking to them like they
(C) like idiots, talking to them as if they
(D) as idiots, talking to them like they
(E) like idiots who
C is correct.
Like the government that came before it, which set new records for growth, laissezfaire
capitalism is the cornerstone of the new government.
(A) laissez-faire capitalism is the cornerstone of the new government
(B) the cornerstone of the new government is laissez-faire capitalism
(C) laissez-faire capitalism is the new government’s cornerstone
(D) the new government has made laissez-faire capitalism its cornerstone
(E) the new government has a laissez-faire cornerstone of capitalism
D is correct

According to a recent poll of the entering class, joining a fraternity or sorority is still
a priority of a majority of freshmen, <like that of earlier classes>.
A) like that of earlier classes
B) as that for earlier classes
C) just as earlier classes did
D) as have earlier classes
E) as it was of earlier classes

(E) The intended comparison should be completed by a clause beginning with as
and containing a subject and verb that correspond to the subject and verb of
the main clause. In E, the best choice, it refers unambiguously to the phrasal
subject joining. . . sorority, the verb was corresponds to is, and today's majority of
freshman are appropriately compared to earlier classes. Choices A and B lack a
verb corresponding to is and a clear referent for that. Choices C and D are
confusing and illogical because their verbs, did and have, cannot substitute for is
in the main clause.

Another example stressing the point, that like is used to compare nouns only, and
as to compare actions.

During an ice age, the buildup of ice at the poles and the drop
in water levels near the equator speed up the Earth's rotation,
like a spinning figure skater whose speed increases when her arms
are drawn in.
(A) like a spinning figure skater whose speed increases when her
arms are drawn in
(B) like the increased speed of a figure skater when her arms
are drawn in
(C) like a figure skater who increases speed while spinning with
her arms drawn in
(D) just as a spinning figure skater who increases speed by
drawing in her arms(E)
(E) just as a spinning figure skater increases speed by drawing
in her arms
rotation of the earth is compared to spinning of a figure skater (so E is the OA)
A is like B. like is a proposition linking 2 nouns and 2 clauses should not be linked
with it.

More than thirty years ago Dr. Barbara Mc-Clintock, the Nobel Prize winner,
reported that genes can “jump,” as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to
another.
(A) as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(B) like pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(C) as pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(D) like pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(E) as do pearls that move mysteriously from one necklace to some other one
B is right.

[3] Like V/s Such As (Self )

It is normally used to give examples. Compare the two sentences ‘I
want you to buy fruits like lemons and limes’. However, if you want lemons and
limes, you would say that ‘I want you to buy fruits such as lemons and limes’. The
earlier sentence means you don’t want lemons and limes, but fruits like those.

Animal such as tiger and lion live in Serengeti.
( Such As indicate examples)
Animal like tiger and lion live in Serengeti.
( Like indicate similarity , tiger , lion , leopard ( perhaps ! ) )

In GMATLand, like means similar to (generally excluded from the group), and
such as means for example ( included in the group).

Can you buy me some fruit like oranges or grapefruit?
( this sentence would mean that you do NOT want oranges or grapefruit; instead, you'd prefer some fruit similar to oranges and grapefruit. For example, you may want pomelo, lemons, or limes.)

As rare as something becomes, be it a baseball card or a musical recording or a postage stamp, the more avidly it is sought by collectors.
(D) The rarer something becomes, like (wrong – use “such as” )
(E) The rarer something becomes, whether it is


Example of Such as:
While the base salary for the top five officers of the company did not change
from 1990 to 1991, cuts were made nonsalary compensation, as in allowances for
overseas assignments and club memberships.
(A) cuts were made nonsalary compensation, as in
(B) cuts were made in such nonsalary compensation as
(C) cuts were made in such nonsalary compensation as those in
(D) cuts in nonsalary compensation were made in areas like
(E) there were cuts made in nonsalary compensation, in areas like
B is the correct answer. It uses ‘such as’ to furnish 2 examples.

[4] Because v/s. In That

When ETS puts ‘because’ and ‘in that’ in a sentence, more
often than not, ‘in that’ would be correct. ‘In that qualifies’ the previous
sentence, while ‘because’ is just used to show a simple causal relationship.


Teratomas are unusual forms of cancer because they are
composed of tissues such as tooth and bone not normally found in the
organ in which the tumor appears.

A. because they are composed of tissues such as tooth and bone
B. because they are composed of tissues like tooth and bone that are
C. because they are composed of tissues, like tooth and bone, tissues
D. in that their composition , tissues such as tooth and bone, is
E. in that they are composed of tissues such as tooth and bone, tissues


E is the correct answer.

[5] Can v/s. Could

If you are just assuming something, ‘could’ should be used.
e.g.

Artificial intelligence emerged during the late 1950's as an academic
discipline based on the assumption that computers are able to be programmed
to think like people.
(A) are able to be programmed to think like people
(B) were able to be programmed to think as people
(C) can be programmed to think as people can
(D) could be programmed to think like people
(E) are capable of being programmed to think like people do

Can is used for : General ability (I can speak English), opportunity (I can help her
now), request (Can I have a glass of water?), possibility (Anyone can become
rich and famous).

Could is used for: possibility (John could be the one who stole the money),
condition (If I had more time, I could travel around the world), suggestion (You
could spend your vacation here), polite request (Could I have something to
drink?)

[6] EACH v/s. EVERY

The dog has bitten my younger son twice, and each time, he has had to be sent
to his kennel.
(A) each time, he has had to be sent to his
(B) every time, it has had to be sent to his
(C)each time, it has had to be sent to its
(D)every time, it has had to be sent to its
(E)each time, he has had to be sent to its


‘Each time’ because it has bitten only twice. The use of the pronoun "he" is unclear here -
does it refer to the dog or to the son? In fact, tracing our way back along the sentence,
we find that we come across the word "son" before we come across the word "dog",
which rather implies that it is the son who owns, and is sent to, the kennel.
The way to get round this ambiguity is to use "it" followed by "its" (no apostrophe!). This
limits the choices to (C) and (D). The only difference between these options is the fact
that one uses the word "every" and the other uses the word "each". Since these refer to
the two times that the dog bit the son, we shouldn't use "every" (that refers to three or
more times). The correct option is therefore (C).

[7] "Rather Than" v/s. "Instead Of"
(manhattan)
'rather than' is less restrictive than 'instead of': 'rather than' can be used with just about any part of speech. so, for instance, i can write any of the following:
i chose to forsake my chance to attend law school rather than accrue major debt to enter a career about which i was ambivalent (used with verb)
[i]james differs from many negotiators in that his default attitude toward negotiation is cooperative rather than confrontational (used with adjective)
[i]i chose to rent a compact car rather than a midsize sedan (used with nouns)

'instead of', by contrast, can only be used with nouns, or with constructions that function as nouns (like gerunds and noun phrases).

--

for sentences in which either of the two constructions is acceptable, our rather extensive research indicates that the gmat prefers 'rather than' pretty much across the board. so, if you're in doubt, you might want to go with that one.

(prachi)
Rather than - shows preference. This expression is generally used in 'parallel' structures. e.g - with two nouns, adjectives, adverbs, infinitives or -ing forms.

e.g

1). We ought to invest in machinery rather than buildings.
2). I prefer starting early rather than leaving things to the last minute.

When the main clause has a to - infinitive, rather than is usually followed by an infinitive without to or -ing form.

e.g - I decided to write rather than phone/phoning.

Instead of - suggests that one person, thing or action replaces another. Instead is not used alone as a preposition; we use the two words instead of.
Instead of is not usually followed by an infinitive.

e.g

1). I'll have tea instead of coffee, please.
2). I stayed in bed all day instead of going to work.
3). Amit was invited to the reception, but he was ill, so Akash went instead of him.

Note - Instead (without of) is an adverb. It begins or ends a clause usually.

e.g - She didn't go to Greece after all. Instead , she went to America.

[8] Ellipse
Julia was able to climb the tree as fast as her brothers did.
Land values in most parts of the pinelands rose almost as fast as those outside the pinelands.
The DID is missing in the second example.
(Ron - Manhattan)
This can definitely get confusing. You need to repeat the verb when what you're comparing is an action. You don't need to repeat the verb when you are not comparing actions.

The first sentence compares Julia's ability to climb to her brothers' ability to climb (actions), so we need to use that "did."

The second sentence compares land values in one area to land values in another area.
(Guest)
Sorry for bumping up the thread. I still share the same doubt as the second sentence, IMO, is also comparing actions - how fast are the land values increasing compared to others?. Correct? Please clarify.
(Ron)
here's a better, and less hair-splitting, rule to follow:
if there's any ambiguity in the version that doesn't feature a verb, then throw the verb in there to resolve the ambiguity (even if one of the 2 ambiguous meanings is a bit farfetched - remember that ambiguity is ambiguity, and that we aren't supposed to use 'common sense' to resolve meanings). so, in the sentence about julia WITHOUT the 'did', we could read the sentence as meaning that julia climbed the tree as fast as she climbed up her brothers' backs. a bit strange, but not meaningless or ungrammatical, so we must consider it a genuine ambiguity. therefore, we need the verb.

in the sentence about land values, there is no possible ambiguous reading that doesn't violate some rule of grammar or parallelism, so the verb is not necessary.

how 'bout that?

[9] The GMAT fanatically prefers the second verb in a set to be in infinitive form. 
Before the Civil War, Harriet Tubman, herself an escaped slave, returned again and again to Maryland to guide other slaves along the Underground Railroad to freedom. 

(A) herself an escaped slave, returned again and again to Maryland to guide 

(C) an escaped slave herself, returned again and again to Maryland for guiding 

So, on the GMAT, you should always pick "returned to guide" over "returned for guiding".