Idioms Gmatpill

7/31/2019 Idioms Gmatpill

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A

2. able + infinitive

3. ability to

4. accede to

5. access to

6. acclaimed as is the correct idiom (Acclaimed to be is wrong)7. accompanied by

8. according to

9. account for (When explaining something)

10. on account of

11. account to (When receiving blame or credit)

12. accuse of

13. acquaint with

14. acquiesce in

15. adapted for

16. affect to

17. affinity with18. afflicted with

19. afraid of

20. agree on + noun

21. agree on + gerund

22. agree to

23. agree with

24. aid + person/thing

25. aid in + gerund

26. aim at

27. allergy to (Allergy of, allergy for are incorrect)

28. allocated to

29. allows for

30. a lot

31. although x,y

32. alternative to

33. amount to

34. analogy with

35. analogous to

36. angry at

37. widely anticipated that

38. appear to39. apply to

40. argue over/ with

41. appeal to

42. approve/disapprove of

43. *as.as

44. as X so Y

45. as so too


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46. as X to Y

47. ask of

48. ask X to Y

49. ask + infinitive

50. ask + person + infinitive

51. *associate with52. associate X with Y

53. assume to be of

54. assure that

55. at least as . . . as

56. attend to (someone)

57. attribute X to Y / X is attributed to Y

58. attempt to

59. attention to

60. attended by

61. attest to

62. authority on63. available to

64. averse to

65. aware of

66. aware that

67. B

68. *base on

69. based on

70. because of

71. begin + infinitive

72. believe X to be Y

73. belief in

74. benefit from

75. between [a] and [b]

76. better served by X than by Y

77. better than

78. both X and Y (Both X as well as Y is incorrect)

79. both at X and at Y

80. both on X or on Y

81. boom in

82. built by

83. C

84. call for

85. capable of

86. care about

87. care for

88. centers on + person/thing


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89. center upon ( not round)

90. choice of

91. choose to / from

92. choose + infinitive

93. claims to

94. claims to be95. collaborate with

96. collide with (not against)

97. comment on

98. combined X with Y

99. combined X and Y

100. compare to (similarities)

101. compare with (differences)

102. *compare A to B

103. *compare A with B

104. compensate for

105. comply with106. comprise of

107. to be + composed of + thing

108. concerned for worried

109. concerned with

110. conclude that

111. concur in ( an opinion)

112. concur with ( a person)

113. conducive to

114. conform to

115. in conformity with

116. connection between X and Y

117. consequence of

118. consider X Y (without to be)

119. consist with

120. consist in

121. consist of

122. consistent with

123. contend that

124. *consider + person/thing

125. continue + infinitive

126. contrast A with B127. in contrast to

128. contribute to

129. contrary to

130. convert to

131. correspond to

132. correspond with

133. *count on + person/thing


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134. cost to/of

135. craving for

136. created with (not to)

137. give credit for (something or doing something)

138. to credit with

139. credit X Rupees to Ys account (When money is involved)

140. D

141. are in danger of + gerund

142. date from

143. deal with

144. debate over

145. debate on

146. decide + infinitive

147. decide on + thing/person

148. decline in

149. defend against150. defined as

151. delighted by

152. demand that

153. demonstrate that

154. depend on

155. depends on whether

156. depicted as

157. descend from

158. descendent of (descendent for is incorrect)

159. desirous of

160. determined by

161. *different from/differ from

162. difficult + infinitive

163. at a disadvantage

164. disclose to + person/organization

165. *distinguish between X and Y

166. *distinguish X from Y

167. disagree with (person/idea)

168. discourage from

169. dispose of

170. feel disgusted with ( not at)171. at ones disposal

172. dispute whether

173. divergent from

174. doubt that

175. draw on (take out)

176. draw + thing

177. to be drawn to + thing/person


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178. *dream of/about

179. due to

180. dwindle from

181. E

182. [in an] effort to183. easy to

184. [in an] effort to

185. either or

186. elect to

187. elect + person

188. be embarrassed by ( not at)

189. emerges from

190. *enable + person + infinitive

191. enable X to Y

192. enamored with

193. *encourage + person + infinitive194. encourage X to Y

195. encouraged by

196. end with, end in (not by)

197. entrusted with

198. be envious of, jealous of

199. be equal to ( not as)

200. escape from

201. be essential to

202. estimate to be

203. to be + essential to + person/thing

204. except for + person/thing

205. except for + gerund

206. except that

207. to exchange X for Y (exchange X with Y or any other form is incorrect)

208. expect to

209. X expected to Y

210. expected X to be Y

expected that X would be Y

211. explain to

212. expose to

213. extend to214. extent of

215. equal

216. equal to

217. F

218. fail in

219. fail to


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220. fear that

221. fluctuations in

222. be familiar with

223. fascinated by

224. flee from

225. *forbid to226. forbid X to do Y

227. for overXXX years

228. force + thing/person + infinitive

229. focus on + thing/person

230. frequency of

231. from [a] to [b]

232. G

233. get credit for/give credit for

234. get rid of

235. grow from236. grow out of

237. H

238. help + thing/person + infinitive

239. be hindered by

240. hypothesize that

241. I

242. in contrast to

243. inclined to

244. in danger of

245. identical to/with

246. independent from

247. Independent of

248. indifferent towards

249. indicate that

250. indicate to + person

251. infected with

252. inherit from

253. in order to

254. Inside255. insist that

256. instance of

257. instead of

258. X instead of Y

259. instill something in someone ( not instill someone with)

260. intent to

261. interaction of


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262. introduce to

263. invest in

264. isolate from

265. J

266. judge by ( not on)267. just asso too

268. just as X, so Y

269. K

270. know to do X

271. L

272. leads to

273. less than

274. less X than Y

275. likely to276. likely to be

277. liken to

278. localized in

279. M

280. Manage to

281. mandate that

282. *make + thing/person + verb (simple form)

283. meet with

284. Meet

285. *mistake + thing/person + for

286. modeled after

287. to monitor

288. more common among X than among Y

289. (no) morethan/(no) lessthan

290. more than ever

291. move away from

292. N

293. Name

294. *native to295. *a native of

296. need

297. need to

298. a need for

299. to be + necessary + infinitive

300. necessity of

301. necessity for


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302. neithernor

303. no less than

304. no less an authority than

305. no less was X than was Y

306. X is unknown, nor it is known is a correct idiom (Neither is not required)

307. no soonerthan308. not X but rather Y

309. noted that

310. not [a] but [b]

311. Not . but [rather merely]

312. not in a flashbut in a

313. not onlybut also

314. Not so . as

315. not so muchas

316. not so much to Xas to Y

317. not ( X or Y ) nor Z

318. O

319. be oblivious of

320. oblivious to

321. off

322. One X for every Z ( some numeric number) Ys

323. opportunity for

324. opportunity to

325. opposed to

326. opposition to

327. opposite of

328. to orbit

329. X ordered Y to do Z

330. ought to

331. Originate in

332. P

333. partake of

334. participate in

335. Perceive as

336. *permit + thing/person + infinitive

337. permit X to Y338. persuade X to Y

339. plead guilty for failing

340. potential to

341. practice for

342. practice to

343. practice of

344. predisposed to


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345. preferable to

346. prefer X to Y

347. prejudiced against

348. pressure to

349. prevent from

350. prior to351. prized by

352. prized as

353. prized for

354. profit by ( not from )

355. *prohibit from + gerund

356. prohibits X from doing Y

357. prohibits X from Y

358. promise of + thing

359. promise to

360. protect against

361. protest against ( not at )362. provide with

363. way to provide (Way for providing is incorrect)

364. published by

365. published in

366. Q

367. question whether

368. R

369. range of

370. *range from X to Y

371. rates for (not of)

372. rather than

373. to ratify (At ratifying is incorrect)

374. receptive of

375. receptive to

376. related to

377. relations with ( not towards )

378. refer to

379. *regard as

380. X regarded as Y381. regardless

382. repent of

383. replace with

384. in response to

385. require + thing/person + infinitive

386. required of

387. requiring that X Y


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388. require that X be Y (Not require that X is Y)

389. requiring X to Y

390. research to

391. resemble + thing/person

392. resemblance of X to Y ( resemblance X with Y is incorrect)

393. resemblance between X and Y394. resistance to

395. responsibility to

396. responsible for

397. restitutionfor

398. results in

399. results from

400. result of

401. retroactive to

402. rivalry between X and Y

403. *the rivals X and Y

404. rule that

405. S

406. sacrifice X for Y

407. [the] same as

408. the same to X as to Y

409. Save for

410. save from

411. in search of

412. see as

413. seek + infinitive

414. seek + thing/person

415. seem + infinitive

416. seem to indicate

417. sense of sothat

418. send to

419. be sensible of

420. be sensitive to

421. separate from ( not away from or out )

422. sequence of

423. similar to

424. sleep with425. so (adjective) that

426. so X that Y

427. so X as to be Y

428. so X as to constitute Y

429. so as not to be hindered by

430. be solicitous of ( not to )

431. be sparing of ( not with )


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432. speak to + person

433. speak with + person

434. spend on

435. subject to

436. subscribe to

437. substitute [a] for [b]438. suchas

439. such X as Y and Z

440. such X that

441. suffer from ( not with)

442. superior to

443. supplant by

444. to survive

445. suspicious of

446. sympathy for

447. sympathize with

448. T

449. Take advantage of

450. tamper with

451. target at

452. teach + person + infinitive

453. teach + person + thing

454. tell + person

455. Tend

456. tend to

457. tendency to ( not for)

458. that X that Y

459. think ofas

460. threaten to

461. tie to

462. tinker with ( not at )

463. be tolerant of ( not to )

464. train to

465. transit to

466. transmit to

467. try to

468. to try to fix is the right idiom (to try and fix is incorrect)469. type of

470. U

471. use as

472. Use + person/thing + infinitive

473. used + infinitive


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474. to be + used to + gerund

475. [the] use of

476. V

477. view as

478. vote for479. in violation of

480. Visit

481. W

482. wait for

483. wait on

484. X is to whatY is to

485. to be + willing + infinitive

486. worry about

a long faceWhy have you got such a long face? I just lost all my money in the casino.

ability to

Correct Usage: Bats have the ability to fly in the dark

Incorrect Usage: Bats have ability of flying in the dark

act as

A big tree can act as an umbrella in the rain.

act like = behave in a certain way

Please stop acting like a child, said the mother to the teenager.

agree (up)on

Lets try to agree upon a date for the vacation

We agreed to go to the play together.

agree to

We agreed to share the lottery prize.

aid in

The explorers needed aid in finding drinking water.

allow for

Allowing for his youth and lack of experience, I forgave him completely for his

oversight.

appeal to

The idea of a vacation to Florida this winter appeals to me a lot.


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are in danger of

Correct Usage: These days, fewer people are in danger of dying due to bacteria

related diseases.

Incorrect Usage:

- These days, fewer people are in danger to die due to bacteria related diseases.

- These days, fewer people have a danger of dying due to bacteria related diseases

as an adolescent

Correct Usage: As an adolescent, he suffered from acne.

Incorrect Usage: While in adolescence, he suffered from acne.

as good as

She owes me an apology she as good as called me a liar.

ask for

The child asked for a glass of water

The diners asked the waiter for a type of wine the restaurant didnt have.

associate with

I always associate Water with pizza for some reason

attend to

Please attend to your teachers instructions

attribute to

We attribute our success to your good advice

base on

I based my opinion upon my own seasoned judgment.

begin to see daylight

Ive been working on my thesis for two years, and at last Im beginning to see

daylight.

between x and y

Correct Usage: He had to choose between studying or going to play.

Incorrect Usage: He had to choose between studying with going to play.

burn the candle at both ends

Shed been burning the candle at both ends studying for her exams and made

herself ill.

care about

I care very much about my family.


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care for

I dont care for sweet desserts

choose for

I chose a funny card for his birthday.

choose as

We will choose her as our representative.

claim to or claim that

He claims that he can run backwards.

Columbus laid claim to America through the cunning use of flags.

come to a dead end

Ive come to a dead end. Im fresh out of ideas.

He compared himself to one of the knights of the round table.

compare with

Lets compare the virtues of savings accounts with investing in bonds.

composed of

The committee is composed of people from every department.

consider (as)

I dont consider you as a possible candidate

I consider myself an excellent athlete.

contend with

I dont want to have to contend for the job with Ed

continue with

Do you mind if I continue with my knitting as we talk?

conform to

Does my casual dress conform to your regulations?

conform with

Does this part conform with the specifications?

consider x y

Correct: Michael Owen is a good football player, but not generally considered an

all time great.

Incorrect: Michael Own is a good football player, but not generally considered to be

an all time great.


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In Contrast to

In contrast to previous reports, one senior British official suggested an attack was

not imminent,

contrast with

The black one contrasts nicely with the white one.

count on

We can count on Bill to get the job done.

to credit with

Correct Usage: Newton is credited with discovering the laws of motion

Incorrect Usage:

- Newton is credited as discovering the laws of motion

- Newton is credited to having discovered the laws of motion

- Newton is credited for discovering the laws of motion

credit for

Mary should get a lot of credit for the teams success.

credit to

We had to credit much of our success to simple good luck.

credit with

We have to credit Jeff with saving us a lot of money.

debate about

The candidates debate about taxes tomorrow

debate on

Are they still debating on the question?

decide on

I decided on the chocolate flavored ice cream.

declared unconstitutional

Correct Usage: The Dictator declared all fundamental rights unconstitutional.

Incorrect Usage: The Dictator declared all fundamental rights as unconstitutional.

define as

We have to define that comment as careless and unthinking.

delighted to

Im delighted to make your acquaintance,


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different from

I am very different from my twin sister.

disclose to

Please disclose the names to me at once.

distinguish between

Psychopaths cannot distinguish between right and wrong.

distinguish from

Psoriatic arthritis can be difficult to distinguish from rheumatoid arthritis

draw a line

Lets draw a line under the whole episode and try to continue our work in a more

positive frame of mind.

draw attention toNow, I would like to draw your attention to Fred, the gentleman we have all heard

so much about

draw (up)on

By the end of the contest I had drawn upon all the energy I had

draw to

He was drawn to the sports car.

dream about

I dreamed about you all night last night.

dream of

I dreamed of a huge chocolate cake.

dwindle away

noise dwindled away to nothing.

easier said than done

finding a good job is easier said than done.

easy to come by

A good job is not very easy to come by

either x or y

The money is either in my wallet or I have lost it.


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elect as

She was elected as our president.

elect to

We elected you to office, so do your job.

emerge as

The caterpillar would emerge as a butterfly in a short time

enable to

This money will enable me to open my own business

encourage in

We want to encourage her in her musical career

encourage to

We encouraged her to develop her musical talents

enough to

Correct Usage: The Kid was not tall enough to go on to the ride.

Incorrect Usage: The Kid was short enough not to go on the ride.

escape from

I wish to escape from my addiction.

escape to

Max escaped from prison to a hideout in Alabama.

escape notice

Im sorry. Your letter escaped my notice.

essential to

Heat is essential to life.

estimated to be

Correct Usage: The antique picture was estimated to be worth much more than the

floor price.

Incorrect Usage: The antique pictures worth was estimated at much more than the

floor price.

except for

The car is beautiful and perfect, except for one thing the price

Except for being good with numbers, she wasnt anything great.


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expected to

Correct Usage: The king was expected to protect his people.

Incorrect Usage: The king is expected that it should protect his people.

explain oneself

Jo Cooper? You had better explain yourself, and it had better be good.

explain to

Please explain the experiment to me.

explain away

You will find it hard to explain away all these mistakes

expose to

Do not expose the film to the light.

fail onThe teacher failed half the class on the assignment

fail in

I hope I do not fail in math.

flee from

The children fled from the wrath of the old man.

flee to

The little mouse fled to its hole in the wall when the cat came around.

focus on

Lets focus our attention on Tom and discuss his achievements so far.

forbid to

They forbade them to enter the castle

forbid from

They forbade them from entering the castle.

go to the mat

When he believes in a project, hes willing to go to the mat for it.

grow from

Can you grow a mango tree from a seed?

grow into

The child grew into a tall, powerful athlete.


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grow out of

A big argument has grown out of a tiny disagreement!

have a run of something

I had a run of bad luck at the casino

help (someone) (get) over something

I helped the puppy over the barrier.

in contrast to or in contrast with

Correct Usage:

- In contrast to his earlier self, the athlete appeared weak & frail.

- In contrast with his earlier self, the athlete appeared weak & frail.

Incorrect Usage:

As contrasted with his earlier self, the athlete appeared weak & frail

include someone out

I am not interested in your games. Include me out of them.

independent of

His reasoning was flawed, and appeared to be independent of any logic.

independent from

The children have been independent from their parents

indicate that

Studies indicate that women actually live longer than men.

indicate to

Fred indicated his assent to me.

indifferent towards

Can you make yourself indifferent towards someone you might love?

in order to

Correct Usage: She began dating the playboy in order to go to the best parties.

Incorrect Usage: She began dating the playboy in order that she got to go to the best

parties.

inherit from

My dark hair was inherited from my father.

invest in

I invested five weeks of my time building this model ship.


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modeled after

Robot Modeled After Bat And Dolphin Echolocation Behavior

more than ever

Correct Usage: I regret more than ever not getting into HBS

Incorrect Usage: I regret more than never not getting into HBS

much as

Much as she needed the job, she had to refuse.

native of

Svetlana is a native of Poland

native to

The cobra is native to Africa

necessary toLisa deemed it necessary to go home.

originate from

Some of our customs originate from old beliefs

originate in

All your troubles originate in your lungs.

originate with

This idea originated with the committee.

permit (someone) through

Would you permit me through the door?

permit up

She would not permit me up the ladder

prized above

He prized his only daughter above everyone else in the world

prized as

pink corals have been prized as jewelry for 5000 years

prized for

Gold Jewellery Has Been Prized for Thousands of Years

prohibit from

Correct Usage: Only when we prohibit people from driving fast will we reduce the


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number of accidents.

Incorrect Usage: Only when we prohibit people to drive fast will we reduce the

number of accidents.

promise the moon

My boss promised the moon, but never gave me a raise

promise to

Is this book promised to anyone?

range from

The winter weather ranges from bad to terrible in this part of the north.

range over

These animals range over a very large territory

reluctant toCorrect Usage: The child was reluctant to jump into the deep end of the pool.

Incorrect Usage: The child was reluctant about jumping into the deep end of the

pool.

refer to

My doctor referred me to a specialist.

regard as

I have always regarded you as my friend.

required to

The employees were required to hand over the pass when the quit the company.

require of

What is required of me in this job?

resemble in

This resembles vanilla ice cream in flavor, but not in consistency.

result from

It will be interesting to see what results from your efforts.

result in

I hope that this will result in the police finding your car.

rival in

No one rivals Ted in pitching a baseball.


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sacrifice for

Would you sacrifice your bank account for a chance to go to Europe?

sacrifice to

I sacrificed a lot of money to a fancy lifestyle

seem like

seemed like such a nice person when I met you.

seem to

Correct Usage: The officer went to question the man who seemed to be hiding

something.

Incorrect Usage: The officer went to question the man who seemed like hiding

something.

seek out

Liz sought out a helper for Karen.

seek from

We will seek an injunction from the judge

seek after

will continue to seek after the thief who stole my car.

seek revenge

I will not seek revenge for what he did to me.

sequence of

The sequence of events folded step by step

speak about

And now I will speak about Abraham Lincoln.

speak against

Please dont speak against cats in my presence.

speak down to (Talk in simple language)

There is no need to speak down to me. I can understand anything you are likely to

say.

speak from

Believe me, I speak from experience.

speak up

I want to speak up for the rights of students.


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speak volumes

The unsightly yard and unpainted house speaks volumes about what kind of people

live there.

speak with

He did what? I will speak with him!

speak for

Is the experiment a success? I think the numbers speak for themselves

take advantage of

to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.

good advantage

Having and using a large vocabulary shows your intelligence to good advantage.

target atCorrect Usage: The uncomplimentary remarks were targeted at the host.

Incorrect Usage: The uncomplimentary remarks were targeted to the host.

think of or think to be

Correct Usage:

- I think of him as my best friend.

- I think him to be my best friend.

train to

Correct Usage: He was trained to become an athlete ever since he was a child.

Incorrect Usage: He was trained as an athlete ever since he was a child.

try to or try and

Correct Usage: He tried to start afresh after the set back.

Incorrect Usage: He tried and started afresh after the set back.

unlike x, y

Unlike Tom, Brenda loves to go shopping

used as

Correct Usage: language can be used as a weapon

Incorrect Usage: language can be used like a weapon.

Other idioms rules generally tested on the GMAT

Among Vs Between

Among is used when more than two items are in question, between is used when


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there are only two

items:

e.g. I have to choose between studying & watching a movie.

I have been admitted to several schools. I now need to choose the best among them.

Both Vs Each

Use both to point similarities, each to point differences. Each is always

singular

Twice Vs Double

Use twice, thrice for comparison; double, triple is used as a verb only.

Each Other Vs One another

each other is for two things; one another for more than two.

If v/s Whether

If there is a choice between the two, use whether. On GMAT, if is primarily for

if/then type sentences.

like v/s such as

Use such as when possible. On GMAT. like is used when implying similar to

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Idioms Gmatpill