"A" Vs. "An" in Text Completions and Sentence Equivalence Questions

[Almaqah Thwn]

Hello all,

I was doing a GRE practice test and came across a fill in the blank question that said: "... is not likely to become a ________ procedure." Out of the three answer choices provided, the one that made the most sense also began with a vowel. However, that would normally require "an" instead of "a." So, I selected a different answer choice, and as it turns out, the answer beginning with a vowel was correct and I missed the question.

So my question is: for those of you who have taken the GRE, was there ever a question wherein the blank started with "a" but the correct answer began with a vowel, or the blank started with an "an" but the correct answer started with a consonant (aside from the whole "an hour" vs. "a hour" thing)? 

 

 

[grad29]

It was probably a bad test question. The real GRE won't reveal the correct answer by a simple "a" or "an". If they use an "an" all of the answer choices will probably start with vowels and vice versa. 

[juilletmercredi]

I can't remember whether this happened on my GRE since it was years ago now, but I will say that you should ignore things like that. The GRE isn't designed to trick you with tiny little things like that. Pick the best answer and assume that the "a" would become "an" if it needed to.

[TakeruK]

I agree with the above. The test questions won't reveal the answer with an "a" vs. an "an". I vaguely remember seeing some instances of "a/an" in the text but I also took the "old" GRE so maybe they have changed the way they write these questions. If you do see an "a" or "an" followed by a blank, I would follow juilletmercredi's advice and go with the best answer.

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi Almaqah Thwn,

 

What 'Test' was this (what 'brand' of GRE MST)?

 

The Official GRE won't include this type of 'wordplay' on Test Day, so it's not something that you should worry about (or focus on).

 

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[Almaqah Thwn]

Thanks everyone, that is very helpful. It's good to know that even though they'll try to trick me on the answers, it won't be with a/an. 

 

And EMPOWERgrRichC, it was the very first question on one of the verbal sections in the 2 free practice tests within Princeton's 2015 version of Cracking the GRE (sorry about being a little round-a-bout, I do not have the book on me). 

Edited July 23, 2015 by Almaqah Thwn

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi Almaqah Thwn,

 

I'm not familiar with that book, and that might have just been a 'typo', but I would suggest keeping an eye out for extra 'errors' in that book. It might be that the book is not as reliable of a resource as you think it is.

 

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[darksteam]

In my GRE test last year, there was  a question and the answers began with different articles.

So, for example, the answers will look like this.

 

1.  an apple

2.  a bear

3.  a cat

4.  an orange

.

.

.

.

.

 

They won't reveal the correct answer just by article.

 

We can't outsmart ETS on the GRE.