N NN No oo ot tt t e ee e b bb bo oo oo oo ok kk k: :: : GMAT_ Verbal

C CC Cr rr re ee e a aa at tt t e ee e d dd d: :: : 3/8/2014 9:52 PM U UU Up pp pd dd da aa at tt t e ee e d dd d: :: : 3/9/2014 12:18 AM

Chapter Two: Nouns Pronouns & Adjectives
NOUNS:
Definition = A place/thing/idea/person/animal
Types of Noun:
1. Proper Nouns =
Name of a person, place, animal etc.
Always starts with a capital letter
2. Common Nouns =
All Other nouns apart from the proper nouns are common nouns
3. Compound Nouns =
When 2 Nouns combine to refer to a single thing/object
e.g, Kitchen Sink or dog collar
The first noun is usually the modifying noun.
4. Collective Noun =
Refers to groups combined of members
e.g, Army, Administration, jury, family, society, agency, couple, duo, any kind of
group (tour group, study group)
For GMAT- These are singular - ALWAYS!
5. Count Nouns =
Can be counted normally
e.g pen (one pen , two pens)
It is singular - if one and plural if more than one
In sentences, always use the word "number" when referring to countable nouns
e.g I have a number of pens, I have fewer books, I have many jackets, we have
more paintings than him.
6. Mass Nouns=
These cannot be counted by themselves
e.g. Milk, water, bread
They need a unit to make them count
e.g. a liter of milk, 5 pieces of bread etc.
They do not have plural forms - there is nothing like waters or breads.
In sentences, always use words like " less" or amount , when referring to these
nouns.
PRONOUNS:
** Pronoun Based questions are very common in GMAT - Please see all the rules carefully
Definition = A word used for a noun or a noun phase
Types of Pronouns:
1. Personal Pronouns=
Used to represent person
Further Classified into
a. Subject Pronoun :=
Used as subjects in sentences or clauses that can make a
complete sentence
e.g He ate ; We went etc
b. Object Pronoun :=
Serve as objects for a verb
eg, I saw you - I is subject pronoun and you is object
pronoun
c. Possessive Pronoun :=
indicate ownership
e.g, the book is mine
** Pronouns when referring back to a noun should be clear... it there is even a slightest ambiguity
to which noun the pronoun refers to, the sentence is incorrect

2. Reflexive Pronouns =
When the pronoun refers to the subject doing the action for the subject
eg. I made this tea for MYSELF -- adds self at the end of the word
The person doing the action and receiving the action are the same.
3. Interrogative pronouns =
(who, whom, whose, which) are used to ask questions.

4. Demonstrative pronouns =
used to point out a specific thing
this, that, these, those
Are those myshoes? That is my car right over there
5. Indefinite Pronouns =
Donot refer to specific person, thing or place
e.g everyone has a mobile phone these days
** Indefinite pronouns are ALWAYS singular - often tested in GMAT
ANTECEDENT:
Definition = Word or a group of words that a pronoun refers to.
** Special Cases:
a. Indefinite Pronouns- Will never have an antecedent
b. you - always refers to a particular person, thus it does not have an antecedent
c. It - when appearing at the starting of a sentence, will not have an antecedent eg. It is
raining outside.
d. They Them Their it (except for case c) SHOULD always have an antecedent
** Pronoun can appear before its antecedent - it is a correct sentence e.g Having finally put the
pain behind her, Shilpa decided it was time to have a little fun.
** Pronouns and antecedent can appear in different sentences .. not an issue!
** 'one' when appearing as pronoun CANNOT be interchanged with other pronouns when referring
the same thing- a very common problem in gmat
ADJECTIVES:
Definition = Adjectives describe or modify nouns or pronouns
Types of Adjectives:
1. Proper Adjectives:
Made from proper nouns
e.g Indian
Numbers when describing the quantity of things are adjectives , 500 students
2. Compound Adjective:
Composed of More than one word
e.g first-year student

3. Absolute Adjectives:
Cannot be intensified further, that is they do not have a superlative form.
e.g unique, or dead, circular - more circular is wrong --- more nearly circular is correct
** GMAT problems will test absolute adjective usage
** hyphens in compound adjectives can change the basic meaning of them
e.g smelly cheese salesman = salesman is smelly and sells cheese
smelly-cheese salesman = salesman is selling smelly cheese.