Gave the GMAT - Why?

I believe it is a common saying among International applicants. I kind of like it, because if you do poorly, then you could mention instead, that the "GMAT Gave it to me".

Just a simple lost in translation error I think...

~Sam

I think it is British English
'Sit' the GMAT is definitely British English
Have you guys heard of the ACCA qualification in accounting (https://www.accaglobal.com), it is kind of the UK equivalent of CPA, and in order to get the qualification you have to pass like 14 tests. And they call the tests 'papers', it is kind of funny to me when people ask me whether I 'passed the paper' ... and 'sit' the exams is used in all ACCA books.

I know thats how a lot of Indians say it...

It`s old British English.

After the British left India, the English language continued to change, however no longer under the direct influence of Britain, Indian English diverged and a lot of terms which sound strange to `native` English speakers are still used in India.

It is not incorrect, it is just the way English is used in India.

Another common term, is to refer to `the same` when referring back to the topic. Again, it is old colonial English, not modern English.

To `Sit` an exam is still used in the UK, and quite common amongst Commonwealth English countries.
There are 2 types of English.. American English and Commonwealth English... should be straightforward to determine who uses what... American English = USA, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Phillipines .. everyone else uses commonwealth English (not sure about LTA).

funy topic jb32

I think 'sit' is still commonly used in the US as well. I've heard "sit for the Bar Exam" and "sit for the CPA Exam"; though maybe not other things.

Same thing happens with Portuguese and Spanish. The Portuguese spoken in Brazil is different from that in Portugal (and also from that in Angola and Mozambique) at the same way, the Portuguese language in Portugal evolved whilst in Brazil we still use words and expression from 1800!

As in Brazil we are more influenced from USA than UK, the English there usually is the American one – I say that I took the GMAT. I remember my first time in London, I had some problems with words and accent, I remember asking the guys where was the Gloucester Road Station, and I couldn’t understand a word the guys was telling me, and then he said: “Oh you mean, “Glouster” Road?”

To add to what Toga has said, Indian English really has taken it's own form. For example, growing up, my English teachers always said the term "prepone an appointment" was not right English, and yet almost everyone around me used it to indicate advancing a meeting to a time earlier than originally scheduled, as an opposite of "postpone". Interestingly, the word is so prevalent that it made it's way to the Oxford dictionary now, so it isn't really considered wrong English anymore!

I've always thought it's less a language/culture thing and more a value thing. People, on here at least, revere/fear the gmat so much that they liken it to a certification that one would typically say, he "sat" for. People still speak of whether they "failed" or "passed" the gmat. Which is silly.

But yes, I prefer "took the test."

Good post, jb.

haha, that is so true. 'today I gave the gmat and failed with a 770. what did I do wrong???'

On June 27th, terp06 plans to give the GMAT.

A. give the
B. take the
C. sit for the
D. write the
E. give it to the

E for me, please!

I choose F.

F. going to go done givening

LOL Nice thread!


OA is B.



Just Kidding. I always wondered about this though.

How about "I appeared for the GMAT". Don't we say I appeared for the exams too in some kind of English.

In Russian you "give" or rather "submit" an exam or a test as a student; and you "take" or rather "accept" an exam or a test, when you are a professor

))

also F. gehen-ging-gegangen zuzueglich

Seriously, agree with helg. It must be "give the test". But better "sit for the test". But hec! Logically, it is "take the test".