GMAT Verbal : Correcting Pronoun Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
All GMAT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #12 :Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
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 questions have onlybeen seen by myself.
自己被看见。
been seeing myself.
been seen by myself.
been seen by me.
been seen myself.
been seen by me.
The use of "myself" is incorrect in the sentence, as it is a reflexive pronoun and needs the first person pronoun "me" to precede it. Therefore, "myself" must be changed to the first person pronoun "me," making the correct answer "been seen by me."
Example Question #51 :Correcting Word Usage Errors
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 game scorewas reported directly to myselfas soon as the contest was over.
was reporting directly to myself
was reported directly for myself
was reported directly to me
was reported direct to myself
was reported directly to myself
was reported directly to me
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in this sentence, as there is no previous usage of the first person pronoun for it to be referring to. "Myself" should be replaced by the simple objective pronoun "me." The correct answer is the only answer choice that does this, "was reported directly to me."
Example Question #52 :Correcting Word Usage Errors
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 group has already expressed thanksboth to the senator and myself.
both to the senator, and myself.
both to the senator and I.
both to me and the senator.
both to the senator and myself.
both to myself and the senator.
both to me and the senator.
Using the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in this sentence. A reflexive pronoun needs to follow a previous use of the regular pronoun, and so this pronoun needs to become the simple first person objective pronoun, "me." The only answer choice that uses the correct pronoun is "both to me and the senator."
Example Question #53 :Other Pronoun Errors
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.
Every item wasinspected by myself before it leftthe warehouse.
inspected by myself before leaving
inspecting by myself before it left
inspected by me before it left
inspected by myself before it left
inspected by myself before it leaves
inspected by me before it left
The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect, as a reflexive pronoun always needs to be preceded by a previous pronoun to which it can refer. The reflexive pronoun "myself" needs to be replaced by the simple objective first person pronoun "me." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "inspected by me before it left."
Example Question #54 :Other Pronoun Errors
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 news report wasfirst read by myself,then by everyone else in the room.
first read by me,
first reading by myself,
first read for myself,
first read to myself,
first read by myself,
first read by me,
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in the sentence, as it needs to refer back to a previous use of the pronoun, and this sentence does not contain one. The pronoun that is appropriate in the sentence is the simple objective first person pronoun "me." Therefore, "first read by me," is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #55 :Other Pronoun Errors
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.
These presentswere all given to myself by my familyas birthday gifts.
were all given to myself from my family
were all given to myself by my family
were all giving to myself by my family
were all given to me by my family
were each given to myself by my family
were all given to me by my family
The use of the reflexive pronoun in the sentence is incorrect, as it does not have a previous first person pronoun to which it can refer back. "Myself" should be changed to the simple first person objective pronoun, "me." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "were all given to me by my family."
Example Question #51 :Other Pronoun Usage Errors
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 conditions of the agreement were always offensive to themselves.
The conditions of the agreement was always offensive to themselves.
The conditions, of the agreement, were always offensive to themselves.
The conditions in the agreement were always offensive to themselves.
The conditions of the agreement were always offensive to them.
The conditions of the agreement were always offensive to themselves.
The conditions of the agreement were always offensive to them.
The use of the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in this sentence is incorrect, as "themselves" needs to refer to a previous usage of the third person plural pronoun. As none exists in the sentence, "themselves" should be changed to the simple third person plural pronoun, "them." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "The conditions of the agreement were always offensive to them."
Example Question #52 :Other Pronoun Usage Errors
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 entire procedure was carefully laid out by each participantdirectly to myself.
direct to myself.
directly to me.
directly to myself.
directly toward myself.
directly for myself.
directly to me.
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous usage of the first person pronoun to refer back to earlier in the sentence. The reflexive pronoun needs to be changed to the simple first person objective pronoun, "me," making the correct answer choice "directly to me."
Example Question #53 :Other Pronoun Usage Errors
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 assistant always read the papercompletely to myself every morning.
completely to me every morning.
completely for myself every morning.
completely to my own self every morning.
complete to myself every morning.
completely to myself every morning.
completely to me every morning.
The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous first person pronoun to refer to. The simple first person objective pronoun is the only pronoun that should be used in this instance. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "completely to me every morning."
Example Question #53 :Correcting Word Usage Errors
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 news came as a complete surprise not only to me,but to himself as well.
but to himself as well.
but to himself just as well.
but also to himself as well.
but for himself as well.
but to him as well.
but to him as well.
The use of "himself" is incorrect in this statement, as it is a reflexive pronoun with no previous third person pronoun to which it can refer back. The simple third person pronoun is all that is needed in this spot. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "but to him as well."
All GMAT Verbal Resources
