GMAT Sentence Correction: Question, Grammatical Rules and Practice Papers

GMAT Sentence Correction mainly depicts the process of error finding in the sentence and considering the correct answer to fix the problem. GMAT Sentence Correction is one of the toughest portions for every candidate. It consists of 11-16 questions that need to be finished within 65 minutes. The sentence correction questions mainly include questions on Verbal Reasoning, Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. Each Sentence Correction question comprises a sentence with a definite underlined segment of the sentence with 0-2 errors. It helps the candidate to easily find the mistake in the sentences. GMAT sentence correction practice will enable the candidates to top in this section. The sentence correction questions are based on our language proficiency which includes effective expression, proper diction, and correct expression.

Not compulsory for GMAT Sentence Correction questions:

• The names of the grammatical rules like “subjunctive”, “pluperfect conditional” etc.
• Vocabulary
• Spelling
• Outside knowledge of topics as depicted in GMAT SC questions.

GMAT Sentence Correction Grammatical Rules

The verbal reasoning section of GMAT is equally hard as the Quantitative section of GMAT. As a result, it is important to enhance the basic rules of English grammar. The Sentence Correction Questions follow the rules of GMAT grammar. The GMAT sentence Corrections questions identify the basic grammar of the candidates and also the appropriate use of phrases and words. While preparing for the GMAT SC questions, the candidates need to concentrate on two aspects- the meaning of the sentence and the sentence structure. The candidates can easily realize the GMAT exam pattern by practising more GMAT sentence correction practice questions and examples. Here presenting the following grammar rules that need to prepare for the GMAT sentence correction section:

Verb Tenses

The GMAT sentence correction practice aligns with the verb tense. The verb tenses consist of present simple, present perfect, past simple, and many more.

Example:

Since the website’s ranking dropped last month, the site developers have been determined to update the content daily, and they are.

1. Have been determined to update the content daily, and they are
2. Are determined to update the content daily, and have been
3. Were determined to update the content daily, and they were
4. Have been determined to update the content daily, and they do
5. Had been determined to update the content daily, and they have

Subject/Verb Agreement

GMAT subject-verb agreement often gives rise to confusing sentences with verbs in between subjects. The subject-verb agreement signifies an agreement among the verb & subject and number in a sentence. It often makes the subject pseudo-plural, which generates confusion about whether the subject is plural or singular.

Example:

In the U.S., German luxury brands have succeeded in getting people who might have once thought the cars were out of their league in buying and leasing some snazzy rides.

1. Have succeeded in getting people who might have once thought the cars were out of their league in buying and leasing some snazzy rides
2. Have succeeded in getting people who might have once thought the cars were out of their league to buy and lease some snazzy rides
3. Have succeeded in getting people who once might have thought the cars were out of their league to buy and lease some snazzy rides.
4. Has succeeded in getting people who might have once thought the cars were out of their league to buy and lease some snazzy rides.
5. Has succeeded in getting people who might have once thought the cars were out of their league in buying and leasing some snazzy rides.

Modifiers

GMAT sentence correction tests give rise to modifiers also cited as ‘dangling participle’, or ‘misplaced modifier’. They are used to modify nouns, adjectives, adverbs and other verbs in a sentence. Let us discuss this with an example to comprehend the GMAT sentence correction modifiers.

1. “Looking out the door, the shop was noticed by her.”
2. “Looking out the door, she noticed the shop.”

Comparisons

The GMAT sentence correction practice questions often include comparison questions. The comparison question concentrates on sentences that are logically and grammatically correct.

Let us focus on the example to understand this:

1. ‘Bob liked the movie better than Jerry’.
2. Bob liked the movie better than Jerry did.’

Pronouns

GMAT sentence correction mock test papers focus on the use and applications of pronouns in a sentence. A pronoun is a sort of word that substitutes an antecedent and must always represent the antecedent- plural, singular, object and more. The pronoun replaces the noun while maintaining the meaning and grammatical logic of the sentence. The latest edition of Manhattan sentence correction consists of more such examples.

Example:

We have both read the report, but neither of us will make any comment until the committee talks both to him and to I.

Possible Answers:

1. until the committee talks both to him and to me.
2. until a committee talks both to he and to I.
3. until the committee talks both with him and to I.
4. until the committee talks to both he and to me.
5. until the committee talks both to him and to I.

Idioms

GMAT SC questions also focus on the use of idioms. Idiom questions are considered a basic type of questions on the GMAT exam and they emerge very frequently. The test maker of the GMAT investigates the ability of the candidates to detect the correct use of idiom in the least time possible. Some of the most common idioms of GMAT are ‘refer to’, ‘appeal to’, ‘a debate over’, ‘belief x to be y’, ‘associate with’, ‘disclose to’, ‘credit to’, and more. GMAT Ninja sentence correction provides vast examples of such kinds.

Example:

The sense of elitism in the art world is deepened by the fact that the determination of the authenticity of long-lost works of reputed renaissance-era painters such as Da Vinci is usually not possible by just scientific analysis and forensics but need the expert ‘eye’ of the connoisseurs.

1. painters such as Da Vinci is usually not possible by just scientific analysis and forensics but need
2. painters like Da Vinci is usually not possible by just scientific analysis and forensics but also needs
3. painters such as Da Vinci is usually not possible by just scientific analysis and forensics but also needs
4. painters like Da Vinci are usually not possible by just scientific analysis and forensics but also needs
5. painters such as Da Vinci are usually not possible by just scientific analysis and forensics but need

Clarity

Lastly, the thing that needs to be focused on is clarity in the sentence. Is it negative? Or ambiguous? Do the meaning and structure of the question go hand in hand?

Example:

It is ironic that while the word “perfect” is considered to be the highest compliment possible, calling someone a “perfectionist” is perceived by many as anything but

1. considered to be the highest compliment possible, calling someone a “perfectionist” is perceived by many as anything but
2. considered the highest possible compliment, calling someone a “perfectionist” is perceived by many as anything but
3. considered as the highest compliment that is possible, calling a person “a perfectionist” is perceived as nothing much by many
4. considered the highest compliment possible, calling a person “a perfectionist” is perceived as anything but by many
5. considered the highest possible compliment, calling someone “a perfectionist” is perceived by many as nothing much

Solving GMAT Sentence Correction Questions

Here presenting a quick example of hypothetical Sentence Correction question:

Example:

Several employees of Company X believe that the reason that sales are alarmingly declining is that the design department knows little about marketing and strategy.

1. that sales are alarmingly declining is that the design department knows little about marketing and strategy
2. that sales are alarmingly declining is because the design department knows little about marketing and strategy
3. for the alarming decline in sales is that the design department knows little about marketing and strategy
4. that sales are alarmingly declining is that the design department knows little about marketing as well as strategy
5. that sales are declining alarmingly is that the design departments know little about marketing and strategy

It is mandatory to follow sentence correction GMAT strategy guide to work through these answer options. Here discussing the method step-by-step:

1. Check the Grammatical Errors

Follow the GMAT grammar rules and examine whether there are any grammatical mistakes in the underlined portion of the passage. Then, eliminate any of the answer options immediately that repeat the error in the original sentence.

2. Check the Precision

GMAT SC specifically used to determine the correct answer options by perfectly eliminating the other four wrong answer options. You should check the precision by differentiating between options that need to be eliminated, for example, repetitive redundancies.

3. Check if the original meaning of the sentence varies

You need to choose the sentence that experiences no variation in the original meaning. Moreover, an answer choice can alter the meaning but actually fix the intended meaning of the original sentence too, you need to be careful in that case.

4. Last step: Check if the Whole Underlined Portion Fits into the Sentence.

Just ensure that you focus on the whole answer option. The last step assures that you have not missed anything- lots of people go through only the underlined portion.

Let’s apply these basic rules to the sample question above.

Note the Question. Focus on the Difference Between A and B.

A has "the reason…is that…” while B has “the reason…is because…” This is an example of redundancy. Eliminate B. The correct expression is “the reason is that”.

• A maybe there does not seem to be any grammatical error. “Sales are alarmingly declining” is not as good as “sales are declining alarmingly”.

Look for an option that will resolve this. How about E then? It eliminates the awkwardness of A by placing the adverb after the verb – “sales are declining alarmingly”. Notice the other subtle difference between A and E. This should be immediately eliminated for grammatical errors. So A is still better so far.

• D repeats the weird structure of A, and also replaces “and” with “ as well as”. “As well as'' is considered more worthy than “and”. Eliminate D.
• The only options remaining are A and C. C is the correct answer, as it removes the awkwardness of A. “The alarming decline in sales” is stylistically better than “sales are alarmingly declining”. Notice that C is actually longer than A by one word.