This is the final part of a 5-Day Handbook on the Basics of Sentence Correction that will help you brush-up your basic grammar, especially that required to ace the SC section on the GMAT. This is a required pre-read for our Sentence Correction course at CrackVerbal.

1. Sentence Correction Basics
For The GMAT:
A 5-Day Handbook
Day 5
(Please read this Prep Material before attending your
Sentence Correction Classes)

2. Contents of SC Pre-Read
Day 5:
 Comparisons ------ Slide 3
 Tenses ------------- Slide 9
 Idioms ------------- Slide 14

3. Comparisons
Compared items must be logically similar.
Example:
 The doctors of City hospital are more dedicated than other hospitals. 
This sentence is incorrect because it is comparing doctors with hospitals, which is
illogical.
The correct sentence is:
 The doctors of City hospital are more dedicated
than those of other hospitals.

4. Comparison (Contd.)
Compared items must be grammatically similar.
It means that nouns should be compared with nouns, verbs with verbs, etc. It is
grammatically wrong to compare a noun with an adverb or an adjective with a
pronoun.
Example:
 Paul likes eating yogurt more than to drink buttermilk. 
This sentence is incorrect because it is comparing ‘eating’
(gerund) with ‘to drink’ (infinitive). This is grammatically incorrect.
The correct sentence is:
 Paul likes eating yogurt more than drinking buttermilk.

5. Unclear Comparisons
 Patrick dislikes Sandra more than Julie. 
This is an example of unclear comparisons because this sentence can be
understood in two ways.
Patrick dislikes Sandra more than he dislikes Julie OR
Patrick dislikes Sandra more than Julie dislikes Sandra.
This confusion can be rectified by adding certain words:
 Patrick dislikes Sandra more than he does Julie.
 Patrick dislikes Sandra more than Julie does.

6. Illogical Comparisons
 The flowers in this vase are much more beautiful than other vases. 
This sentence indicates an illogical comparison, as it is ridiculous to compare
flowers with vases.
A logical comparison would be:
 The flowers in this vase are much more beautiful than the flowers in other
vases.
 The flowers in this vase are much more beautiful than those in other vases.

7. Comparative/Superlative forms
Comparative forms are used when we compare two things, and superlative forms
are used when we compare more than two things.
Examples:
 Between Charles and Stephen, Charles is smartest. 
 Among all the students, Rene is more intelligent. 
Both the above sentences are incorrect! In the first sentence, as the comparison is
between two people, comparative form should be used. In the second sentence,
as the comparison is between more than two people, superlative form should be
used.
 Between Emily and Kate, Kate is taller.
 Among all the students, Rene is the most intelligent.
Read more about Comparative and
Superlative forms here!

8. Word Omissions
In comparisons, certain word omissions are grammatically correct. For example:
 Alan’s ideas are better than Ian’s (ideas).
 He works harder than his brother (does).
 My dress is prettier than Jessie’s (dress).
 Martin received more marks in Physics than
(he received) in Chemistry. Physics Chemistry

9. Types Of Tenses
Tenses are verb forms used to indicate time in English language.
Basically there are three types of tenses:
 Past tense
 Present tense
 Future tense
There are four variations of each of these
three tenses:
 Simple
 Perfect
 Continuous

10. Types Of Tenses
Past Tense – Used to talk about events/actions that happened in the past
Example:
Harry sang in the class yesterday.
Present Tense – Used to talk about general truths or events/actions/facts that
are true at present
Example:
Harry sings in the class everyday.
Future Tense – Used to talk about events/actions that will
happen sometime in the future
Example:
Harry will sing in the class tomorrow.

11. The Past Tense
Simple Past: The event/action took place in the past and is complete.
Example:
Maria sang in the class.
Past Perfect: Used to show the sequence of events when
we discuss 2 events that happened in the past.
It takes the (had+verb) form.
Example:
The program had ended by the time we reached the hall.
Past Continuous: Used to depict an action/event that was ongoing till a certain
time in the past.
Example:
Jerry was playing video games till 11 PM last night.

12. The Present Tense
Simple Present: The event/action is true at present; nothing is known about its
state of completion
Example:
Maria sings.
Present Perfect: The event/action happened at an unspecified
time before now or happened in the past, but has a result in
the present
Example:
I have travelled to Europe and Africa many times.
She has learned knitting.
Present Continuous: Used to depict an action/event that is happening now
Example:
It is raining heavily.
Sandra is crying her heart out.

13. The Future Tense
Simple Future: The event/action will happen in future. Nothing is mentioned
about its state of completion.
Example:
The sun will set.
Future Perfect: The event/action will happen in
future, before another event/action happens. Used to show sequence.
Example:
Mr. Jones will have arrived by 8 PM.
Future Continuous: Used to depict an action/event that will
happen at some time in the future, and will not be complete at that particular
time.
Example: Learn more about Tenses
The family will be eating dinner at 9 PM. here!

14. Idioms
An idiom is a phrase or a group of words that has a figurative meaning different
from its literal meaning. The idioms tested on the GMAT, however, have more to
do with the way certain phrases are framed. Idioms are not governed by logic or
rules – they are just the way they are!
Examples:
 The Great Himalayan Blue Monkey is
native to Himachal Pradesh.
 The Board concurred with his
suggestions.
 You are old enough to distinguish
good from bad.

15. Idioms (Contd.)
For GMAT test-takers whose first language is not English, idioms are a tough
nut to crack, simply because there is no logic or rule to learn them.
The best way to learn idioms is to create your own study list. Make sure that
you learn only the ‘right versions’ of the idioms – if you try to learn what is
right and what is wrong, you may end up getting confused on test day!
On the bright side, the GMAT will never give you a Sentence Correction
question based solely on idioms. Every question will test you on multiple
concepts.
You can find a list of idioms commonly tested on the GMAT in
Appendices A and B of the CrackVerbal Sentence Correction Guide.

16. That’s all folks!
Your are now ready to attend our
Sentence Correction course –
see you in class!
You can see our SC Course Plan on the next slide

17. 12-Hour Sentence Correction Course
Agenda For Day 1 Agenda For Day 2
 Sentence Correction 101  Pronouns
 Basic Grammar Review  Modifiers
 Subject Verb Agreement
Agenda For Day 3 Agenda For Day 4
 Parallelism  Tenses
 Comparisons  Idioms
 Advanced concepts

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