Two Questions

[EricUva]

Both the OG and MGMAT (as far as I am aware) state that the participle "being" is awkward and almost always incorrect. Can you define a situation where the use of "being" is justified?

Also, has anyone found a comprehensive source (website or otherwise) for exceptions to grammar rules? I figure that the hardest SC questions will either test the most esoteric rules or exceptions to common rules.

Thanks again,

Eric

[StaceyKoprince]

"Am I being too picky?" "He is being used as a pawn in their game." Anyone else got one? And obviously nouns like human being are fine. :) Generally, "being" is used in passive sentences with relatively uncommon tenses, most common of which is probably present continuous.

The main reason "being" is almost always used incorrectly on the GMAT seems to be that it is really easy to use it incorrectly without making it sound terrible. So - they fool you.

Don't have a source for exceptions to rules - but, honestly, with everything else we have to study, I wouldn't consider that the best use of my study time. Occasionally a hard question does test something fairly esoteric but, most of the time, a question is harder because they have disguised things better or they try to fool my ear by making something bad sound particularly good and vice versa. Not many people will feel comfortable choosing an answer that sounds bad, even if it is grammatically correct.

[EricUva]

Thanks once again, Stacey. Much appreciated.

Eric