GMAT Concepts

Parallelism
Comparable parts of a sentence/list must be parallel in structure, i.e. be
similar or match each other in structure
E.g.:
1. Incorrect: Mary enjoys reading books and likes to eat chips
2. Correct: Mary enjoys reading books and likes eating chips
The rule of parallelism extends to all comparable parts of a sentence. Note
the following examples:
Incorrect: John believes in a combination of luck, charm and working
hard.
Correct: John believes in a combination of luck, charm and hard work.
How to figure out what the comparable parts of a sentence are:
As you read the sentence, the sentence will split at some point into bits
and those bits may further split into smaller pieces. Try to draw a
hierarchical diagram when figuring out the comparable bits and then
make them parallel. Tip: A conjunction like (and, but, not only ... but also,
etc) is a clue that youve reached a place where the sentence splits.
Example:
When starting an entrepreneurial venture, an entrepreneur must identify a
venture worth dabbling in and raise enough capital, for building the
organization and to provide a base for operations.
Note the first and. Lets draw a hierarchy structure:
When starting ... an entrepreneur must:
1) Identify
2) Raise
The above two bits seem parallel. Lets check the second and and draw
a hierarchy.
Common places where parallelism between X and Y is mandatory
1.
2.
3.
4.

Not only X ... but also Y

Just as X ... so Y
Both X ... and Y
Between X ... and Y

5. From X ... to Y
6. More X ... than Y
7. Less X ... than Y
E.g.:
1. John is not only sweet but also he is charming.
2. John is not only sweet but also charming.
Common idiomatic usage concepts
Correct
Between A and B
The reason ... is

Incorrect
1. Between A or B
2. Between A with B
3. Between A to B
The reason ... is

that ...

because ...

Subject Comma Subject

Often sentences compare two things/people. Grammar states that apples
should be compared to apples, i.e. two subjects being compared must be
similar/parallel.
Usually in sentences beginning with:
Like, unlike, similar to, just as, as, compared to, etc
E.g.:
1. Like her sister Mary, Janes dancing is also excellent.
2. Like her sister Mary, Jane also dances excellently.
1 is wrong because it compares Mary with Janes dancing and not with
Jane (apples with apples)

2/2+
GMAT often tests this concept
In English, we make a differentiation between two types of situations and
the adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions and prepositions we use for them.
The situations are classified as talking about 2 things or talking about
more than 2 things
Some common examples

2
Between
Better
More
Each

2+
Among
Best
Most
One

other
As well

another
And

as/and
Redundancy
Using words which are not required
E.g.:
1. Both the students tried the new testing pattern
2. Both of the students tried the new testing pattern
Redundant combinations
Both + two, and + as well, and + also, and + too, as + in the same way,
reason + because, reason + being, because + so
Tenses
1. Mary has gone to the market.
2. Mary had gone to the market when her aunt came.
3. When her aunt had come, Mary went to the market.
Whats the difference in the above?
In the 1, she is still at the market.
Is/ was = Present v/s past. If any action is over, it is put into the past
tense.
Has means she is still at the market.
When an action starts in the past and continues in the present =
has/have (present perfect tense)
Lets try a timeline concept
Had

Was

Has/have

Is

----|---------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|
Double past
Present

Past
Future

Past into present

When two or more actions happen in the past, to show which happened
first, we use the double past format.
In 2, Mary went to the market before her aunt came
In 3, Mary went to the market after her aunt came
Modifier Comma Subject
Sometimes, you may have to add extra info at the beginning (modifier),
even at that, the subject must be the first thing after the modifier.
In other words, the subject of the modifier must be the subject of the
sentence too.
This usually begins with a gerund (having, being ...)
E.g.:
As much as humanly possible for a woman, the unconscious boy was
being carried away from the danger by his brave mother.
The beginning phrase is describing whom? That person must follow after
the describing phrase.
Hence,
As much as humanly possible for a woman, the brave mother was carrying
her unconscious boy away from the danger.
Incorrect:
As much as humanly possible for a woman, the mothers bravery was
carrying the unconscious boy away from the danger.

Who/Whom
After the who/whom, if verb follows it must be who
After the who/whom, if person (noun/pronoun) follows it must be whom
E.g.:
1. The teacher who/whom we hated is quitting.
2. The teacher who/whom hated us is quitting.