Test your basic knowledge |

GMAT Verbal Foundations

Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Can have more than 1 helping verb - an adverb can separate individual verbs in the compound verb - eg: He HAS frequently DEFACED public property. ________________: has defaced






2. Used to ask a question - who - whom - whose - what - and which






3. Used as: -pronoun: One should learn grammar. -noun: One is the loneliest number. -adjective: I have only one pencil.


4. His car - its prey - other pronouns as adjectives: whose - which - this - that - these - those - all - both - some






5. Indefinite pronouns don't usually have one -'you' is often used without one -'it' may not need one if it come at the start of a sentence - eg: It is raining. It is hoped that the taxes will be payed.






6. Cannot be the main verb of a sentence - can be subjects of sentences or objects - another type of verbal that can be used as a noun - adjective - or an adverb (doesn't end in '-ing' - usually has 'to' before a verb; not a prepositional phrase!) - to






7. Countable -preceded by a number - e.g. one book - two books -have a plural form -Use: Number of.... A great number of friends have shown me great amount of kindness. Use: Fewer... This lane is for people with 3 items or fewer.






8. Formed from a proper noun: Roman ruins - Mexican food - Japanese






9. Can't be intensified -absolute eg: dead - square - essential - universal - immortal - absolute






10. Do not point out specific people - places or things -do not usually have antecedents -Always are singular - all - another - any - anybody - anyone - anthything - both - each - either - everybody - everyone - everything - few - many - more - most - m






11. Always needs a clear antecedent - same is true of them - their - it (sometimes) - its


12. Indicative mood - imperative mood - subjunctive mood






13. Will go - has been eating - is writing - had swollen - should have gone






14. Refers to the one speaking (first person) - the one spoken to (second person) - or the one spoken about (third person) - takes the place of a noun or nouns; they show number and gender; example: singular: I - me - my - mine - you - your - yours - he






15. Active - passive






16. Substitute the -ing word with a noun - sentence should make sense - eg: Dating is tricky --> Algebra is tricky (dating = gerund)






17. A noun that requires different modifiers such as 'little' and 'much' -do not have a plural form -Use: Amount of.... -Use: Less... I have less stress






18. Require a comma before each in a sentence - (for - and - nor - but - or - yet - so)






19. Made from adj. - Clean= cleanliness - Fluid = fluidity






20. Created by using compound words - hyphenated words or related words. The two words used are combined to create a descriptive adjective. (i.e. broken-hearted - lemon-lime)






21. Do not start with a capital letter; -do not refer to something specific: plane - car - cats - animals; -can be subdivided into countable or uncountable nouns;






22. Word used to modify or describe a noun or pronoun - such as happy - sad - pretty - ten-minute - red - annoying...- answer questions like: What kind is it? Which one? How many are there?






23. Describes action - a state of being - or what is being done to something or someone - critical part of a sentence's predicate - to laugh - to think - to drive - to run - to be - to do - accomplishes - is - went - arose - decided






24. Subjunctive Mood used to express ________________________ - I wish you were mine - I suggest that you be on time






25. Past - present - future






26. Joins a dependent clause to an independent clause (who - whom - whose - which - that and all of the W's + ever) -introduce modifiers - introduces an Adjective Clause or a Noun Clause; -eg:That - Which - Who - Whom - Whose - Where - Why - What.






27. Shows possession or ownership. They have antecedents. Must agree with its antecedent in person - number - and gender: Jayne has a skateboard. His skateboard is silver. Jo and Luis have bikes. Their bikes are new.






28. Names a person - place - thing - or idea - a word that can serve as the subject or object of a verb






29. Refer to groups composed of members; -always singular; -eg: administration - army - society - family - couple






30. Adjectives: a - an - the






31. Used to make a statement or ask a question. Most sentences are in the __________ - Do you like to play baseball? - I learned to play last year. - Baseball is my favorite game.






32. A complete _________ needs a subject and a verb eg: I ran. We left. I do.






33. Made from verbs - remove --> removal - discuss--> discussion - cry --> cry






34. Expresses what the writer believes about - or wants to do with - the action expressed by the verb - indicative mood >> expresses facts - imperative mood >> commands - subjunctive mood: >> unlikely or unreal conditions (usually after if or similar wor






35. Pronouns that are used after action verbs as direct or indirect objects and as objects of prepositional phrases - Pronoun form used when the word receives the action of the sentence or a preposition: him - her - them - whom - you - it - can be used a






36. Doesn't mix well with other pronouns - eg Wrong: One must be careful to account for all sources of income on your tax return -it is okay to use 'one' as a pronoun in a sentence when the other pronouns refer to different things - eg: Fire is alluring


37. Help verbs ending in -ing become complete - helps the main verb show an action. By itself - a _______________ cannot show action -He IS PLANNING to attend.-She Will BE LEAVING shortly. Planning & Leaving not complete verbs






38. A verbal that ends in -ing and acts as a noun -can be subjects of a sentence - Skiing is a popular winter sport. (Skiing - Sub)






39. Used to express a command or a request. - the subject of an imperative sentence is usually understood to be 'you' ex. Come to the library with me.






40. Am - are - is - was - were - will - would - be - being - been - may - might - must.






41. Consists of two or more verbs - sometimes are joined by a coordinating conjunction (e.g. FANBOYS) and have the same subject.






42. Nouns cannot be __________ by adding 'er' or 'est' to Absolute Adjectives. Use 'more nearly' or 'most nearly' to compare items using absolute adjectives. -eg: more nearly circular (not: more circular) -eg: more likely fatal (not: more fatal)






43. Show ownership -sometimes used an adjective -my - mine - your - yours - his - her - hers - its - our - ours - their - theirs






44. Xomparative & superlative forms -(-er - -est; or -ier - iest; or more- - most-) -smart - smarter - smartest -good - better - best - intelligent - more intelligent - most intelligent






45. Singular One - -body - -thing - each






46. Singular/plural Some - any - none - all - many - more - based on 'of construction'






47. -an '-ing' word without a helping verb isn't a real verb - CHECK: substitute a noun in the gerunds place - I am boxing (Compound verb: am boxing) I love boxing (Gerund: boxing - verb: love)






48. The verb form used to wish - hypothesize - or recommend. It can be used when a clause begins with 'if' and is contrary to fact: 'If I were President'(I am not President) or when a clause begins with 'that' and follows verbs such as 'ask' - 'insist' -






49. 1. does NOT show action 2. shows state-of-being 3. links the subject to a noun or adjective - He SEEMS nice - Otto IS a miniature bulldog






50. End in -self or -selves and refer to an earlier noun or pronoun in the sentence - myself - yourself - himself - herself - itself - ourselves - yourselves - themselves - Wrong: Bill will be sitting next to Jayne and myself.