IDIOMS

Idioms come in two main forms. The first involves the proper combination of prepositions and nouns, verbs and adjectives. Some examples of these idioms include responsibility to, depend on, and different from. The second type of idiom involves the construction of certain types of phrases. Following the word neither with nor is one example of such an idiomatic expression, as is using the construction not onlybut also

Idiom List Frequently tested on the GMAT: according to appear to as great as as good as, or better than attributed to based on because of choose from conclude that contribute to a debate over defined as

determined by a dispute over different from in danger of not onlybut also prohibit from rather than regard as result of seeas subject to think ofas

Drill 1 DIRECTIONS: Underline the idioms in the following sentences and make any necessary corrections. 1. Matt told Stephanie that he wasnt feeling well, but he would try and make her party anyway. 2. Although resembling an alligator in many respects, the crocodile is quite different than its freshwater loving cousin. 3. The U.S. government calculates the number of households living in poverty by comparing the household incomes to the federal poverty line, a value determined with various factors. 4. Because of the new legislation, many states have not only increased the number of tests required of students, but they have instituted measures of teacher proficiency. 5. In the years leading up to the War of 1812, America and Britain disputed about Britains military support of Native American tribes. 6. Astronomers have recently discovered as many objects orbiting the giant planet Saturn that they are reconsidering the definition of what a moon is. 7. According to legend, Galileo dropped objects of various weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to see if they fell at different rates. 8. Just as reading Moby Dick provided Valerie with interesting facts about the whaling industry, reading The Grapes of Wrath gave her insight into the lives of migrant farmers. 9. Robotics technology has advanced to the point that certain robots can distinguish an individuals voice over the background noise surrounding it. 10. Many historians consider John Adams to be one of the most underappreciated founding fathers. Drill 2 DIRECTIONS: In each of the following sentences, the underlined part may contain an idiom error. Circle the letter of the answer choice that corrects the error. If there is no error, circle choice A. 1. Despite the growing world population, estimated at around 6 billion and growing every day, few economists believe the dire predictions of Thomas Malthus would come true.

A. estimated at around 6 billion and growing every day, few economists believe the dire predictions of Thomas Malthus would come true B. estimated at around 6 billion people, growing every day, few economists believe the dire predictions of Thomas Malthus will come true C. estimated to be about 6 billion people and growing every day, few economists believe the dire predictions of Thomas Malthus will come true D. estimated to be around 6 billion and it grows every day, few economists believe the dire predictions of Thomas Malthus will come true E. estimated at about 6 billion people that grows every day, few economists believe that the dire predictions of Thomas Malthus would be true 2. Some adults lack the enzyme that splits lactose into simple sugars and thus find it difficult to digest milk products. A. into simple sugars and thus find it difficult to digest milk products B. down to simple sugars and thus find it difficult to digest milk products C. down to simple sugars and thus find difficulties in digesting milk products D. into simple sugars and thus finds it difficult for digesting milk products E. among simple sugars and thus finding it difficult to digest milk products 3. The effectiveness of a drug on a measurable variable, such as drowsiness, may depend on if the level for that variable is higher or lower at the time of the drugs administration. A. if the level for that variable is higher or lower at the time of the drugs administration B. if the level of that variable, higher or lower, is at the time of the drugs administration C. the level of that variable at the time of the drugs administration D. whether the level for the variable at the time of the drugs administration is high or low E. whether the level of variables during the time of the administration of the drug is higher or lower 4. Doctors warn that those who are overweight have a danger to develop diabetes by the time they reach middle age. A. those who are overweight have a danger to develop diabetes by the time they reach middle age B. those that are overweight are in danger of developing diabetes at the time they reach middle age C. overweight people are in danger to develop diabetes by the time middle age is reached D. overweight people are endangered by developing diabetes by the time they reach middle age E. overweight people are in danger of developing diabetes by the time they reach middle age 5. Of the 85 political essays that comprise The Federalist Papers, it is certain that Hamilton wrote 51 of them, Madison, 14, and Jay, five; historians have a dispute about the authorship of the remaining fifteen. A. have a dispute about the authorship of B. have a dispute with the authorship of C. dispute about the authorship of D. dispute the authorship of E. are in dispute about the authorship of

A
absorb account add adjust admit in for to to to

agree apply appeal argue argue arrange apologize approve accuse smb arrest smb

with for to with about for for of of smt for smt on for from in to about from for smt on smb for / about between on with with with / to with about of about / with on to with on of to with with on with into with smt

B
base beg benefit believe belong boast borrow blame smb blame smt C care choose comment collide communicate compare compete complain compose concern concentrate confess confuse congratulate consist contribute cope correspond count cover crash charge smb

charge smb convict smb convince smb D decide dedicate depend despair deter differ disagree disapprove discuss devote dream drink demand smt derive smt discourage smb distinguish smb/smt distract smb E elaborate emerge escape experiment excuse smb exchange smt exclude smt expel smb F face feel feel fight forget forgive someone G guess get married get rid get tired grumble

for smt of smt of smt

on / against to on of from from with of with to of / about to from smb from smt from smt from/between smb/smt from smt on from from on for smt for smt from smt from smt

with like about against/with/for about for something at to of of about

H hope help smb hinder smb/smt I impress insist insure interfere invest involve smb/smt J joke L laugh listen long lend smt M meet mistake get married O object operate P participate persist pray prepare prohibit praise smb present smb prevent smb provide smb provide smt punish smb Q quarrel quarrel R react of / for with smt from smt on on against with / in in in smb/smt about at/about to for to smb with for to to on in in for for from for smt with smt from smt with smt for smb for smb about smt with smb against / to

recon recover refer rely reply resign respond rob smb retire

on from to on to from to in from of smt

S search see shout smile specialise speak stand stare stem subscribe substitute succeed sentence smb share smt subject smb suspect smb T talk talk think turn tell smb thank smb translate smt trust smb U use V vote W wait

for to at at in to for at from to for in to smt with smb to smt of smt to about of/about to about smt for smt into smt with smt for for for

wonder work worry write warn smb

at on about to / about about/against