The Complete Guide To The TOEFL Test
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194 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression
Even during economic booms, there is a small number of unemployment.
ABC D
The word amount must be used to refer to a non-count noun such as
unemployment. ...
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G) Other Word-Form Problems
Other pairs of words are sometimes confused in Written Expression, including those listed below. All of the sentences with asterisks are examples of errors and are INCORRECT.
no |
Used as an adjective before nouns; means "not any." |
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Also used in the expression no longer. |
not |
Used to make all other words negatives. |
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*Not gasoline was left in the tank. |
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"This is no the station I usually listen to. |
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*1 not longer listen to that station. |
most |
Used in superlative adjective phrases; also used to mean "the majority." |
almost |
Used as an adverb to mean "nearly." |
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*This is the almost interesting chapter in the book. |
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"I've read almost of the chapters in the book. |
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*I've solved most all of the problems in the book. |
twice |
Used as an adjective to mean "two times." |
double |
Used as an adjective to mean "make twice as large." |
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"Henry has double as much money as he did before he invested it. |
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"Henry twice his money. |
earliest |
Used as a superlative adjective to mean "most distant in time." |
soonest |
Used as a superlative adverb to mean "most promptly." |
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*These are the soonest examples of the artist's works. |
(You will probably not see earliest used incorrectly in place of soonest.)
percent |
Used after a number. |
percentage |
Not used after a number. |
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*Fifty percentage of the people voted in favor of the initiative. |
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*The percent of people who approve of the initiative has been steadily |
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growing. |
after |
Used as a preposition before a noun or as an adverb clause marker before |
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a clause. |
afterwards |
Used as an adverb, means "after that." |
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"We'll go to dinner afterwards the play. |
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"We'll go to dinner afterwards the play is over. |
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*First the performer played the guitar and after she played the flute. |
ago |
Used to talk about a time earlier than the present. |
before |
Used to talk about a time earlier than some other point in time. |
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*Harold won a gold medal in the Olympics last year, and four years ago that, |
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he won a silver medal. |
Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 195
(You will probably not see before used incorrectly in place of ago.)
tell |
Used with an object; also used in certain set expressions: tell a story, |
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tell the truth, tell a secret. |
say |
Used without an object. |
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*Mr. Hunter said us that he'd had a good trip. |
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*Joe said a wonderful story. |
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*Mr. Hunter told that he'd had a good trip. |
ever |
Means "at any time." Used with not to mean "never." |
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Also used in some set expressions such as ever since and hardly ever. |
never |
Means "at no time." Not used with a negative word. |
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*He hardly never goes to that club. |
(You will probably not see ever used incorrectly in place of never.)
alive |
Used after a verb. |
live |
Used before a nOlln. |
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'Sue likes to have alive plants in her apartment. |
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*Although she forgot to water it for a week, the plant was still live. |
around |
Used as a preposition to mean "in a circular path." |
round |
Used as an adjective to mean "circular in shape." |
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*The new office building will be around glass tower. |
(You will probably not see round used incorrectly in place of around.)
age |
Used as a noun, often in these patterns: |
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at the age of twenty-one |
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twenty-one years of age |
old |
Used as an adjective, often in this pattern: |
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twenty-one years old |
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*Harriet will be thirty years age next week. |
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'Operators of motor vehicles must be thirty years of old in this state. |
near |
Used as an adjective; means "close to." |
nearly |
Used as an adverb; means "almost." |
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Lynn is looking for an apartment nearly the Medical Center. |
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The two-bedroom apartment she looked at cost near a thousand dollars |
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a month. |
some |
Used as a determiner before a noun to mean "an indefinite amount." |
somewhat |
Used as an adverb to mean "slightly." |
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*This bicycle is some more expensive than the one I looked at yesterday. |
(You will probably not see somewhat used incorrectly in place of some.)
You can practice the distinctions between many of these words in Exercise 44.7.
Note: The distinctions between words such as desert and dessert, stationary and stationery, capital and capitol, which are really spelling problems, are NOT tested on TOEFL.
196 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression
Exercise 33.1
Focus: Choosing correctly between do and make.
Directions: Underline the word that correctly completes each sentence below. The first one is done as an example.
1.The tips of high-speed dental drills are (done/made) oftungsten steel and often contain diamonds.
2.A cottage industry is a form of manufacturing (done/made) at home.
3.Margaret Mead (did/made) fundamental contributions to both the theory and field work of anthropology.
4.Many universities receive grants to (do/make) research for the federal government.
5.Research in genetics in the early nineteenth century (did/made) much to improve agriculture.
6.Futurologists study current trends to (do/make) predictions about the future.
7.Filmmaker George Lucas has (done/made) many advances in the production of motion pictures, especially in the use of special effects.
8.The distinction between wildflowers and weeds is one that is often difficult to (do/make).
9.The helicopter can (do/make) jobs that no other aircraft can.
10.Yeast is added to dough to (do/make) bread light and porous.
Exercise 33.2
Focus: Choosing correctly between like and alike and like and as.
Directions: Underline the word that correctly completes each sentence below. The first one is done as an example.
1.The government of the United States and that of Canada are (alike/like) in that both conduct a complete census every ten years.
2. Fashion design, (as/like) all types of design, has been greatly aided by computers.
3.(Alike!Like) stars, galaxies tend to congregate in clusters.
4.Fungi are the most important decomposers of forest soil, just (as/like) bacteria are the most important decomposers of grassland soiL
5.The spinal column is (alike/like) the brain in that its main functions can be classified as either sensory or motor functions.
6.A peanut is not actually a nut but a legume (alike/like) peas and beans.
7.The stately Government House in Annapolis serves (as/like) the residence of the Governor of Maryland.
8.The cetosaur was a dinosaur that looked much (as/like) the whales of today.
9.Fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and carbon atoms just (like/as) carbohydrates are.
10.One way pumpkins and watermelons are (like/alike) is that both grow on vines trailing along the surface of the ground.
Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 197
Exercise 33.3
Focus: Choosing correctly between so, such, too, and as.
Directions: Underline the word that correctly completes each sentence below. The first one is done as an example.
1.The mineral talc is ~such) soft that it can be scratched with a fingernail.
2.Oceanographers use rohots and unmanned submarines to explore parts of the ocean that are (so/too) deep for people to explore safely.
3.(So/As) much paper money was printed during the Revolutionary War that it became almost worthless.
4.The walking stick is an insect with (so/such a) close resemblance to a twig that it escapes the notice of its enemies.
5.At present, solar cells are (so/too) expensive and inefficient to be used in the commercial generation of electricity.
6.Acrylic plastics are very hard and are (so/as) clear as glass.
7.Founded in ]682, Norfolk developed (so/such a) prosperous sea trade that it quickly became the largest town in the colony ofVirginia.
8.Continental islands are (so/so much) close to continents that their plant and animal life are identical to life on the mainland.
9.Timberline is the elevation on a mountainside above which temperatures hecome (so/too) cold for most trees to grow.
10.A few people have (such/too) good eyesight that they can actually see the brightest stars during full daylight.
Exercise 33.4
Focus: Choosing correctly between other and another.
Directions: Underline the word that correctly completes each sentence below. The first one is done as an example.
1.Lightning is a rush of electrical current from a cloud to the ground or from one cloud to (another/other).
2.A ballet dancer's techniques and skills are very different from those of (another/other) dancers.
3.The commercial center of New York City, the island of Manhattan is joined to the (another/other) boroughs by bridges and tunnels.
4.The legal surrender of a criminal suspect from one state or country to (another/other) is called extradition.
5.Rocky Mountain spotted fever is one type of disease that is carried by ticks, and Colorado tick fever is (another/other).
6.The art of photography has often been influenced by-and has influenced-(another/other) fine arts.
7.William 0. Douglas was a Supreme Court justice for thirty-six years, longer than any (another/other) justice in the history of the Court.
8.In physics, diffusion is the spread of one substance's molecules or atoms through those of (another/other).
198 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression
9.A basketball player may advance the ball by dribbling it or passing it to (another/other) player.
10.Limkins are water birds that eat snails and (another/other) mollusks.
Exercise 33.5
Focus: Choosing correctly between because of or because and similar expressions.
Directions: Underline the word that correctly completes the sentences below. The first one is done as an example.
1.(Although/Despite) cats cannot see in complete darkness, their eyes are much more sensitive to light than humans' eyes.
2.(Because!Because of) cheese is essentially a concentrated form of milk, it contains the same nutrients as milk.
3.(Although/In spite of) its frightening appearance, the octopus is shy and completely harmless.
4.(Because!Because of) its acute sense of smell, the bloodhound is often used in tracking.
5.(When/During) the female oriole is absent from the nest, the male oriole stands guard.
6.(Although/Despite) their light weight, aluminum alloys can be very strong.
7.(Although/In spite of) Adlai Stevenson was never elected preSident, he was one of the preeminent American politicians of the mid-twentieth century.
8.Snakebirds were not given their name because they eat snakes, but (because!because of) their long, slender necks resemble snakes.
9.In the sixteenth century, it was thought that a compass needle pointed north (because!because of) some mysterious influence of the stars.
10.(Although/Despite) it can occur in adults, chicken pox is classified as a disease of childhood.
11.Opinion polls are often used (while/during) political campaigns to find out how voters feel about candidates and issues.
12.Geneticists often experiment with bacteria and viruses (because!because ot) those organisms reproduce so quickly.
Exercise 33.6
Focus: Choosing correctly between much or many and similar words.
Directions: Underline the word that correctly completes each sentence below. The first one is done as an example.
1.(Many/Much) industrial products can be made from soybeans.
2.Desert plants compete fiercely for the (few/little) water that is available.
3.The American designer Louis Comfort Tiffany took (many/much) of his inspiration from nature.
4.A (few/little) simple precautions can prevent accidents at home and on the job.
5.In a formal debate, the same (number/amount) of persons speak for each team, and both teams are granted an equal (number/ amount) of time in which to make their arguments.
6.Bats do (few/little) damage to people, livestock, or crops.
7.Even small (numbers/amounts) of zinc can have a significant effect on the growth of plants.
Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression 201
10. |
Early explorers in Utah named the cliffs they encountered "reefs" because they thought |
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ABC |
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these cliffs looked alike coral formations. |
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11. |
Today oysters are grown and harvested much like any another crop. ______ |
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D |
12. |
Walter Hunt invented an enormous amount of devices, including the safety pin and a |
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A |
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B |
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machine for making nails. ______ |
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C |
D |
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13. |
Connecticut, like the other New England states, are dotted with many little lakes. |
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- :\ |
- B - |
C |
- D - |
14. The soonest parachutes were made of canvas, but later, silk and then nylon were used.
A |
B |
-C- |
D |
15. When vigorous exercise, muscles require a much greater amount of oxygen than
ABC
when they are at rest.
D
16. One should never throw water on an alive electrical fire.
- B - |
C |
D |
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202 Section 2 • Guide to Structure and Written Expression
LESSON 34
ERRORS WITH VERBS
Whenever the verb is underlined in a Written Expression problem, you should check for the common verb errors outlined in this lesson.
A) Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement
If a subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Most problems involving subject-verb agreement on TOEFL are simple, but a few are tricky.
T Sample Items
Minerals in seawater exists in the same proportions in
A |
- B - |
C |
all of the oceans of the world.
- D -
The plural subject minerals requires a plural verb, exist. You might have found this question tricky because the singular noun seawater comes between the subject and the verb, and you may have mistaken that word for the true subject.
Bowling, one of the most popular indoor sports, are popular all over
ABC
the United States and in other countries.
D
The subject of the sentence is bowling, not sports. The singular verb form is should therefore be used.
There are some special rules about subject-verb agreement that you should be familiar with:
• A sentence with two subjects joined by and takes a plural verb.
The chemistry lab and the physics lab are. ..
•Some words end in -s but are singular in form. Many of these words are the names of fields of study (economics, physics, and so on). News is another word of this kind.
Economics is. . .
The news was. . .
•Irregular plurals (children, feet, mice, and so on) do not end in -s but take plural verbs.
The women were. ..
His feet are. ..
• When a clause begins with the expletive there, the verb may be singular or plural, depending on the thematic subject.
There was a loud noise...
There were a few problems...