Agree to/ Agree with/ Agree on

Agree to something: Give consent to; accede to
Agree to a suggestion, to agree to an action proposed by someone else.
e.g:
Russia and Spain agree to Cooperate In Energy Sector
We agreed to her suggestion


Agree with someone/ something: get on, be good for, suit; to approve of it
Agree with a person, opinion or policy
e.g:
The copy agrees with the original.
I don’t agree with some of the issues they have raised in the rating rationale


Agree on something:To come to terms, as in the details of a transaction, reach agreement on, settle on
Agree on a matter for decision, to agree on an action that is jointly worked out; have similar feelings about a specific matter
e.g:
Democrat Obama and Republican McCain agree on a range of issues that have divided the parties under Bush
Major EU states agree on tighter regulation

Among vs Between

1) Use between with two items.
e.g:
Emily was standing between Sam and Adam.
Ram divided his property equally between his two children.


2) Between can be used to talk about distance and intervals.
e.g:
I will be at the college between eight and ten.
The distance between wooden studs in new houses in UK is 350mm


3) Between is used before each
e.g:
There seems to be less and less time between each event
Insert a space between each character
There are 9 lines between each centimeter


4) Use among with three or more items.
e.g:
Ram divided his property equally among his three children.
The letter is somewhere among these papers.


5) Use between when something/ someone is between several clearly separated thing/ people. Use among when something/ someone is in a group/ crowd/ mass which we cannot see separately.
e.g:
My villa is between the woods, the river and the village.
Your villa is hidden among the trees.


6) When talking about dividing and sharing things between or among more than two people or groups - can use any of the two
e.g:
Ram divided all his property between/ among his children and grandchildren - both between and among are correct
We shared the work between/ among four of us. - both between and among are correct


7) Generally between is used after difference.
e.g:
What's the difference between a Democrat and a Republican?
There are enormous differences between developing countries in burden of disease , financial resources, educational attainment, and health systems

Usual vs Is Usual

When something is compared to itself, usual is fine.
When something is compared to a subgroup to which it belongs, is usual should be used.

For example:

1. He is nicer than usual

2. He is faster than is usual for any human being.

3. Ram is faster than usual today.

4. Emails are often written in a much formal way than is usual in writing.

5. The sun looks less brightly than usual to-day.

6. The new sports car is heavier than is usual for a performance automobile, but it is exceptional because of its high-powered engine .

7. Successful completion of Grammar course is not easy and requires more planning and preparation than is usual for normal course completion .

8. There was a higher ratio of comedy to drama than is usual in a one hour show.

9. I checked this article more carefully than usual for grammatical errors.

10. The gravel was damper than usual, since it rained heavily yesterday.

11. Today I was busier than usual at work.

GMAT Question example:

The Parthenon is larger than usual for a Doric temple, with eight columns on the short sides and seventeen on the long ones rather than the typical six and thirteen.

(A) usual

(B) is usual

(C) has been usual

(D) one usually is

(E) it is usual

Answer: B

Participles

A participle is a verbal (verb form) which is used as an adjective.

There are three participles that are commonly used as adjective: the present participle(active voice); the past participle (passive voice) and the perfect participle (active voice).

* The present participle always ends in ing
* The past participle usually ends in ed, d, t, n, or en.The past participle of some of the verbs do not have distinctive endings: swum, gone, sung etc.
*The perfect participle is always formed by prefixing the word having to the past participle: having sung, having driven, having seen etc

Consider an example from GMAT Prep SC:

First discovered more than 30 years ago, Lina's sunbird, a four-and-a-half-inch animal found in the Phillippines and that resembles hummingbird, has shimmering metallic colors on its head; a brilliant orange patch, bordered with red tufts, in the center of its breast; and a red eye.

A. found in the Phillippines and that resembles
B. found in the Phillippines and that, resembling
C. found in the Phillippines and resembling
D. that is found in the Phillippines and it resembles
E. that is found in the Phillippines and that, resembling

OA : C

As we know :

Past participle ---- represents
1) a past condition, or
2) the passive voice or
3) a condition done onto the subject

Present participle ---- represents
1) a present condition, or
2) the active voice or
3) a condition performed by the subject

In the given sentence, we can clearly see that for the 1st participial phrase, the action of "found" happened in the past because Lina's sunbird was found more than 30 years ago. Further Lina's sunbird did not do any finding instead they were found by X not mentioned in the sentence so passive voice is right.

The second participial phrase starting with "resembling" implies that the "Lina's sunbird" is still resembling in the present(a present condition), so the use of present participle is better. We cannot say that the Lina's sunbird "resembled" because then this would illogically mean that they no longer resemble the humming bird.

The present and past participles are used to describe the "Lina's sunbird", they act as adjectives..

For more examples click on the link below:
GMAT Sentence Correction Questions

Until vs. As long as

Until can be used both as a preposition and as a conjunction. Until is used to express a point of time in the future

Until (preposition) -

1. Up to the time of: We danced until dawn.
2. Before (a specified time): She can't leave until Friday

Until (conjunction) -

1. Up to the time that: We walked until it got dark.
2. Before: You cannot leave until your work is finished.
3. To the point or extent that: I talked until I was hoarse

As long as means that one thing will occur while another thing is still true

As long as (conjunction) -

1. During the time that: I'll stay as long as you need me.
2. Since: As long as you've offered, I accept.
3. On the condition that: I will cooperate as long as I am notified on time.

Idiom

1. For the period of time that, as in You may keep the book as long as you want, that is, keep it for whatever time you wish to.
2. Also, so long as. Since, because, as in Please pick up some milk as long as you are going to the store, or So long as you're here, you might as well stay for dinner.
3. Also, so long as; just so. Provided that, as in As long as you don't expect it by tomorrow, I'll make the drawing, or So long as sales are greater than returns, the company will make a profit, or You may have another cookie, just so you don't take the last one.

Source: http://www.answers.com

1. In order to express a future idea. after as long as, we use a present tense.
e.g - As long as I live, I shall smoke no more cigarettes
2. Before a number, as long as can be used to suggest great length
e.g - The discussion can last as long as six hours

Verb, Infinitive, Gerund - 1

Below is the list of Verbs generally followed by an infinitive with to

agree
appear - e.g Her health appeared to be worse
arrange
ask
attempt
care
claim
dare
decide - e.g We decided to go to Hawaii
demand
deserve
endeavor
expect
fail
get
grow
happen
hasten
help
hesitate
hope
hurry
intend
leap
learn
long
make (passive)
manage
neglect
offer
pay
plan - e.g We plan to go to India this year
pledge
pretend
refuse - e.g: I refuse(verb) to lie(infinitive) to my friends
resolve
say
seek
seem
struggle
swear
tend
vow
want
would like - e.g We would like to leave now
wish
yearn

Verbs + infinitive with to or a gerund:

attempt
begin - e.g He began singing; He began to sing
can't bear
continue
dread - e.g She dreaded taking the risk; She dreaded to think of the consequences of her actions
forget
go on
hate
intend
love - e.g She loves to dance; She loves dancing
mean
plan
prefer
propose
regret
remember
start
stop - e.g He stopped drinking; He stopped to rest for a few minutes
try

Verbs + object + infinitive with to or a gerund

admit
allow
consider
forbid
imagine
keep(in order to) - e.g The attackers kept hostages to prevent the police from entering; She kept talking.
need - e.g He need to call his boss; The house needs cleaning
permit
require

Usage of One

In sentences that contain the phrase one of.....

1. In simple form one of or one of the, a singular verb is used.

e.g - One of the books is missing from my cupboard.

2. In sentences that contain phrases one of those who or one of the things that, a plural verb is used.

e.g - He is one of our employees who are always alert.

3. When only precedes one of /one of those, a singular verb is used. (Do not mix this rule with the 2nd rule stated above)

e.g - Ram is the only one of our employees who is always alert.

Aim to vs Aim at

Aim to (idiom)

Try or intend to do something.

• We aim to please our customers.
• She aims to fly to California.

Correct usage: aim to + verb

Aim at (idiom)

Direct a missile or criticism at something or someone.

• In his last speech the President took aim at the opposition leader.
• He aims at finishing tomorrow.

Correct usage: aim at + noun

Different from vs Different than

Different from means not the same.

e.g. Sara's taste is different from mine.

Different than: In US English, than is an alternative to from before a clause.

e.g. Sara's appearance was very different than I'd expected.

NOTE : On GMAT different than is always wrong when comparing two nouns. 
Different than is only correct when a sentence compares a noun and a clause.


On GMAT sentence correction if you come across a question comparing two nouns and a choice with the phrase different than eliminate that choice.
Since the 18th century, language critics have singled out different than as incorrect.

Editing Comma Splice

Comma splice is the error of joining two independent clauses with nothing but a comma.

Comma splice has two main forms -

1). Run on sentence joined by a comma alone. (Run on sentences are independent clauses that have not been joined correctly).

e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking, others find it dull. - incorrect - comma splice run-on.

2). Run on sentence joined by a comma and a word that is not a coordinating conjunction.

e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking, however, others find it dull. - incorrect - comma splice run-on.

There are 4 ways to revise a run on sentence.

1). Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking, but others find it dull. - Correct

2). Make the clauses into seperate sentences.

e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking. Others find it dull. - Correct

3). Restructure the sentence i.e convert an independent clause to subordinate/dependent clause.

e.g - Although some gourmets like the new French cooking, others find it dull. - Correct

4). Use a semicolon.

e.g -

Some gourmets like the new French cooking; others find it dull. - Correct

OR

Some gourmets like the new French cooking; however, others find it dull. - Correct.

OG 10th - Ques number 10 - Example of Comma splice run-on.

10. However much United States voters may agree that there is waste in government and that the government as a whole spends beyond its means, it is difficult to find broad support for a movement toward a minimal state.

(A) However much United States voters may agree that
(E) There is agreement among United States voters that

A is the correct answer.

E - incorrect

E starts with an independent rather than a subordinate clause i.e
(There is agreement among United States voters that there is waste in
government and that the government as a whole spends beyond its means)

and

separates its two independent clauses with a comma hence creates a run-on sentence.
There is agreement among United States voters that there is waste in government and that the government as a whole spends beyond its means -- Independent clause
It is difficult to find broad support for a movement toward a minimal state. -- Independent clause

Would vs Used to

1). Used to can refer to repeated actions and events in the past, in the same way as would.

e.g

Sometimes he used to bring me little presents without saying why.

Sometimes he would bring me little presents without saying why.

2). Only used to, not would can refer to past states.

e.g

I used to have an old Rolls-Royce. (NOT - I would have an old Rolls-Royce.)

3). We use used to, not would, to talk about regular and important habitual behaviour.

e.g

I used to smoke. (NOT- I would smoke.)

Would - Uses

Would is a modal auxiliary verb.
Would is used as a softer less definite form of will, in some cases as past of will.

1). In indirect speech, would is used after past reporting verbs where will was used in direct speech.

e.g

Tomorrow will be fine - DIRECT
The forcast said the next day would be fine - INDIRECT

2). Future in past tense - Would is used to express the idea of "future in the past" - to talk about a past action which had not yet happened at the time we are talking about.

e.g

In Berlin, he first met the woman he would one day marry.
There was a chance that my letter would arrive in time.

3). Would is used in polite requests and offers as a softer form of will.

e.g

Would you open the window, please?
If you would come this way.....

4). Would can refer to past willingness of a general kind, but not to willingness to do something on a particular past occassion.

e.g

She would hoover, dust and iron, but she didn't like doing windows.
She agreed to come and see me . (NOT - She would come and see me)

But would not can be used to refer to a refusal on a particular past occassion.

e.g

I asked her very politely, but she wouldn't tell me.

5). Conditional auxiliary: I would....if - Would is often used as an auxiliary with verbs that refer to unnreal or uncertain situations - for example in sentences with if.

e.g

I would tell you if I knew.
It would have been nice if he'd thanked you.

6). Typical behaviour - Would is used as the past of will to talk about typical behaviour in the past.

e.g

When she was old, she would sit in the corner talking to herself for hours.

Sentences with stressed would can be used to criticise people's behaviour.

e.g

He was a nice boy, but he would talk about himself all the time.

Stressed would can also be used to criticise a single past action - the meaning is ' that's typical of you '

e.g

You would tell Sania about the party - I didn't want to invite her.

Ago vs Since

Ago vs. Since

Both words speak of the past, and they are often used interchangeably.

Ago: from the present to the past. It is used after the word or phrase it modifies, especially with the simple past tense, not with the perfect tense.

e.g. It happened a few minutes ago.

Since: from the past to the present. It is used with the present or past perfect tense.

e.g. I haven't eaten since breakfast.

Compare to vs. Compare with

Compare to is used to liken two things or to put them in the same category. You should use compare to when you intend to simply assert that two things are alike. Use compare to to illustrate that two things are similar.

1. The economy can be compared to a stallion charging at the gate.
2. I compare getting comments from students in class to pulling teeth.
3. She compared her work for women's rights to Susan B. Anthony's campaign for women's suffrage.

Compare with is used to place two things side by side for the purpose of examining their similarities or differences. Use compare with to illustrate the differences a comparison draws.

1. The American economy can be compared with the European economy to note how military history impacts future economics.
2. It would be interesting to compare Purdue with Ohio State.
3. Ann has a 3.5 GPA, compared with Jim's 2.9.

Agreement of Verb with Collective Nouns

In my post on Subject Verb Agreement I had already mentioned this rule. On request from many students, I am explaining this particular concept in detail.

A collective noun is a noun that represents a group or a collection of objects usually considered as a unit. Words like crowd, troop, herd, people, flock, and jury are collective nouns.

A collective noun that is singular in meaning requires a singular verb. A collective noun that is plural in meaning requires a plural verb.

If the collective noun in a particular sentence represents the individuals acting as a unit, the noun is singular. If the sentence indicates clearly that the individuals are acting seperately, the noun is plural.

e.g -

1). The committee is opposed to the plan. (acting as a unit)
2). The board of directors is in session. (as a unit)
3). The jury returned its verdict. (as a unit)
4). The jury have returned to their homes. (as individuals)
5). The family have given their contributions. (as individuals)

In most cases where the individuals composing a group are acting seperately, it is better to use such expressions as the members of the jury, the members of the family, etc. These expressions sound better and clearly indicate that the individuals are acting seperately.

1). The members of the jury have returned to their homes.
2). The members of the band wore their uniforms.
3). The people in the audience waved their hands.

Special case of Agreement

The words like "half" , "part" etc are singular or plural according to the meaning of the sentence. When these words refer to a mass or a section, they are singular. When they refer to a number of individuals or things, they are plural.

e.g -

1. Half of the boys are in camp. (number -- plural)
2. Half of the pie is left. (mass or section -- singular)
3. Part of the roof was destroyed. (mass or section -- singular)
4. Part of the guests have arrived. (number -- plural)

Do vs Make

1. Do - for indefinite activities e.g with words like thing, something, nothing, anything, what. e.g

a). Do something!
b). What shall we do?
c). Then Ram did a very strang thing.

2. Do - when we talk about work and jobs. e.g

a). I'm not going to do any work today.
b). It's time to do the accounts.
c). I would't like to do your job.

3. We use do...... ing structure to talk about activities that take a certain time, or are repeated. Usually there is a determiner (e.g the, my, some ) before the -ing form. Verb after do cannot have object in this structure.But do can be used with a compound noun that includes verb + object. e.g

a). During the holidays I'm going to do some walking and a lot of reading.
b). I'm going to watch some TV.
c). I want to do some bird-watching this weekend.

4. Make - we use make to talk about constructing, building, creating etc.e.g

a). My father and I once made a boat.
b). Let's make a plan.

5. Common fixed expressions

do good, harm, business, one's best, a favour, sport, exercise, one's hair, one's teeth, one's duty.

make a journey, an offer, arrangements, a suggestion, a decision, an attempt, an effort, an excuse, an exception, a mistake, a noise, a phone call, money, a profit, a fortune, peace, love, war, bed, a fire, progress.

6. After make + object, we use the infinitive without to. e.g

I made her cry. (not - I made her to cry. or I made her crying)

The infinitive must follow the object. e.g

I can't make the television work. ( not - I can't make work the television)

In passive constructions the infinitive with to is used. e.g

Ram was made to repeat the whole story.

7. In some cases make can be followed by myself, yourself etc and a past participle. This structure is common with understood and heard. e.g

She had to shout to make herself heard.

8. We can talk about an effect or change with make + object + adjective/noun . e.g

The rain made the grass wet. ( not - The rain made wet the grass).

We do not use make ... be in this structure.

You have made me a happy man. ( not - You have made me be a happy man).

Do - Substitute verb

Do - Substitute Verb - (auxiliary verb + do) - In British English (but not American), do can be used alone as a substitute verb after an auxiliary verb. e.g

a). He smokes more than he used to - American english
He smokes more than he used to do.- British English

b). Do you think Phil will come? ~ He might.- American english
Do you think Phil will come? ~ He might do.- British English

Do - auxiliary verb

The auxiliary verb "do" - followed by infinitives without "to". It has several uses, one of them -- Ellipsis

In cases where an auxiliary verb is used instead of a whole verb phrase, "do" is common in affirmative clause, questions and negatives. e.g

a). She doesn't like singing , but I do.
b). You saw Ram, didn't you?
c). Emil thinks there's something wrong with Ann, and so do I.


NOTE -

An auxiliary verb combines with another verb to help form the tense, mood, voice, or condition of the verb it combines with.
The verbs to have, to be, to do, will, shall, would, should, can, may, might, and could are the common auxiliary verbs in English.
Auxiliary verbs are sometimes called helping verbs.

Ellipsis - We often leave out words to avoid repetition, or in other cases when the meaning can be understood without them. This is called ellipsis.

Less vs Fewer

1). Less and Fewer -- Difference -

Less is the comparative of little ( used especially before uncountable nouns).

e.g - I earn less money than you.

Whereas

Fewer is the comparative of few ( used before plural nouns)

e.g - I've got fewer problems than I used to have.

2). Less of and fewer of - used before determiners such as the,, my, this and before pronouns.

e.g - At the college reunions, there are fewer of us each year.
I'd like to spend less of my time answering mails.

* Before nouns without determiners, of is not used.

e.g - If you want to lose weight, eat less food. (NOT less of food)

3). Nouns can be dropped after less and fewer if the meaning is clear.

e.g - Some people go to church, but less/fewer than 20 years ago

* Less can be used as an adverb (the opposite of adverb more)

e.g - I worry less than I used to.

4). Lesser - used to mean "smaller" or "not so much"

e.g - the lesser of two evils.

GMAT Examples - Sentence No 49 at the link below
http://gmatsentencecorrection.blogspot.com


5) Use less when referring to statistical or numerical expressions.
e.g:
Sara is less than five feet tall
Your issue essay should be a thousand words or less

NOTE: It's possible to regard the quantities as sums of countable measures