Any form of the verb to be requires a subject pronoun such as I, he, she, they, we:
The king was I.
The king is he.
The above sentences might sound strange and feel awkward, but they are grammatically correct. The verb to be expresses a state of being. To be is like an equals sign. The order of the elements can be reversed:
I was the king. (So the king was I.)
He is the king. (So the king is he.)
We can't say:
Me was the king.
So it's incorrect to say:
The king was me. Eliminate B and C.
Another issue is he vs. him. Who could have told them? No one could have told them. He or him is the object of the word but, so we need to say but him, just as we would say no one except him. Eliminate D.
In E, had told them is the wrong tense. Eliminate E.
The correct answer is A.
Please note: case (he vs. him, I vs. me) typically is not tested on the GMAT.
The king was I.
The king is he.
The above sentences might sound strange and feel awkward, but they are grammatically correct. The verb to be expresses a state of being. To be is like an equals sign. The order of the elements can be reversed:
I was the king. (So the king was I.)
He is the king. (So the king is he.)
We can't say:
Me was the king.
So it's incorrect to say:
The king was me. Eliminate B and C.
Another issue is he vs. him. Who could have told them? No one could have told them. He or him is the object of the word but, so we need to say but him, just as we would say no one except him. Eliminate D.
In E, had told them is the wrong tense. Eliminate E.
The correct answer is A.
Please note: case (he vs. him, I vs. me) typically is not tested on the GMAT.
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Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
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Student Review #3
