GMAT Verbal › Correcting Correlative Conjunction Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The professor allowed her class to choose the assignment style for the semester: either several small quizzes and one large final exam and one large midterm exam and one large final exam.
semester: either several small quizzes and one large final exam or one large midterm exam and one large final exam.
semester, either several small quizzes and one large final exam, or one large midterm exam and one large final exam.
semester: either several small quizzes and one large final exam and one large midterm exam and one large final exam.
semester, either several small quizzes and one large final exam, and one large midterm exam and one large final exam.
semester; either several small quizzes and one large final exam or one large midterm exam and one large final exam.
Although the constituents in the list are a bit convoluted, this can be boiled down to a simple either A or B. A and B each have an "and," which can make the sentence seem more confusing, but, when simplified, it can be easier to tell that the sentence is describing a choice BETWEEN two options (both of which include two items and an "and"), so the "and" between "quizzes" and "one" needs to be replaced with "or."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Neither the advisors' ominous projections or the board's grim outlook bothered the CEO enough to make her change her course.
Neither the advisors' ominous projections nor the board's grim outlook
Neither of the advisors' ominous projections or the board's grim outlook
Neither the advisors' ominous projections or the board's grim outlook
Either the advisors' ominous projections nor the board's grim outlook
Neither the advisors' ominous projections, nor the board's grim outlook
The correct correlative conjunction pair here is "neither/nor." No comma is needed. The other pairings listed are either mismatched or inappropriate. The correct correlative conjunction for "either" is "or."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The temperature dropped suddenly in the chamber, which will mean that the pipes passing through the manifold will be frozen by the chill.
and the resulting chill will freeze the pipes that are passing through the manifold.
which will mean that the pipes passing through the manifold will be frozen by the chill.
which will mean that the chill will freeze the pipes passing through the manifold.
and this will mean that the pipes passing through the manifold will be frozen by the chill.
and as a result, the pipes will be frozen by the chill, passing through the manifold.
The word “which_”_ does not have an antecedent noun, and so the construction is incorrect in the two answer choices in which it is present. Similarly, in the sentence implementing “this,” there is no noun to which it refers. The final incorrect answer leaves the modifier “passing through the manifold” dangling too far from the noun to which the modifier refers.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Neither of my colleagues or our professor could answer the question I raised, which I found quite disconcerting.
Neither my colleagues nor our professor could answer the question I raised
Neither my colleagues or our professor could answer the question I raised
Neither of my colleagues and nor our professor could answer the question I raised
Neither of my colleagues and our professor could answer the question I raised
Neither of my colleagues, our professor could answer the question I raised
The central issue here is the proper implementation of the correlative conjunction "neither...nor." The use of the preposition "of" and the conjunctions "or," "and," etc., appropriately resolve the issue. If anything, these other modifications result in unidiomatic phrases or awkward syntax.
Neither the ringing alarm clock or the crowing rooster were enough to rouse Old MacDonald from his slumber.
Which option best replaces the underlined portion of the sentence?
Neither the ringing alarm clock nor the crowing rooster
Neither the ringing alarm clock or the crowing rooster
Either the ringing alarm clock or the crowing rooster
Either the ringing alarm clock nor the crowing rooster
Neither the ringing alarm clock and the crowing rooster
Neither always goes with nor, and either always goes with or. Neither neither nor either go with "and."
The two hour delay caused problems not only for Buckley, and Ronnie as well.
What option best replaces the underlined portion of the sentence?
not only for Buckley, but also for Ronnie.
not for Buckley, but also for Ronnie.
not only for Buckley, but also for Ronnie as well.
not only for Buckley, also Ronnie.
not only for Buckley and Ronnie.
"Not only" is a conjunction that always correlates with "but also;" furthermore, "but also" is sufficient, adding "as well" on top of that is needlessly repetitive.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Just as "he who sings, prays twice" cannot be properly attributed to Augustine, even if similar statements can be found in his sermons, so too is there no evidence that his mentor Ambrose is responsible for the saying "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Just as "he who sings, prays twice" cannot be properly attributed to Augustine, even if similar statements can be found in his sermons, so too is there no evidence
While "he who sings, prays twice" cannot be properly attributed to Augustine, even if similar statements can be found in his sermons, so too is there no evidence
Just as "he who sings, prays twice" cannot be properly attributed to Augustine, even if similar statements can be found in his sermons, and there is no evidence
While "he who sings, prays twice" cannot be properly attributed to Augustine, even if similar statements can be found in his sermons, and there is no evidence
While "he who sings, prays twice" cannot be properly attributed to Augustine, even if similar statements can be found in his sermons, but there is no evidence
"Just as . . . so too" is the proper form of the correlative conjunction in this instance, establishing the relationship (one of similarity) between the two examples mentioned in the passage.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
In the future, not Ellen and not Marcia are allowed to go outside without asking the teacher for permission.
neither Ellen nor Marcia is allowed
not Ellen and not Marcia is allowed
neither Ellen nor Marcia are allowed
neither Ellen and Marcia are allowed
not Ellen and not Marcia are allowed
The correct form for this sentence is "neither . . . nor." In addition, "neither . . .nor" leads to use of the singular form "is"rather than "are_."_
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
In Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights, the heroine, Catherine, must choose between true love or social preeminence.
the heroine, Catherine, must choose between true love and social preeminence.
the heroine, Catherine, must make a choice between true love or social preeminence.
the heroine, Catherine, must have to be choosing between true love either or social preeminence.
the heroine, Catherine, must have chosen between true love or social preeminence.
the heroine, Catherine, must choose between true love or social preeminence.
Only answer choice "the heroine, Catherine, must choose between true love and social preeminence" correctly uses "and" with the preposition "between."
The other answer choices, including the original text "the heroine, Catherine, must choose between true love or social preeminence," contain an incorrect idiomatic expression. When we have "between," we typically need the word "and"—rather than "or"—to separate the entities that follow.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The remake of the film was neither enjoyable and definitely not faithful to the original film.
nor faithful to the original film
and definitely not faithful to the original film
and it wasn't even faithful to the original film
nor were it faithful to the original film
nor was it faithful to the original film
When "neither" is used in a sentence, "nor" should follow it, creating the structure "neither X nor Y," where X and Y are items formatted in the same manner. To correct the sentence, we need to change "and definitely not" to "nor." Several answer choices do this: "nor faithful to the original film," "nor were it faithful to the original film," and "nor was it faithful to the original film." "Nor were it faithful to the original film" and "nor was it faithful to the original film" might each look like potentially correct answers, but each introduces a verb that disrupts the parallel structure of "neither X nor Y," in which "nor" should be immediately followed by "faithful to the original film." The correct answer is thus "nor faithful to the original film," making the corrected sentence, "The remake of the film was neither enjoyable nor faithful to the original film."