GMAT Verbal : Sentence Correction
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
All GMAT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #6 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The football player, having the most muscular physique of everyone in the room, dominated the entire party as soon as he arrived.
having the most muscular physique of everyone, in the room
having the most muscularly physique of everyone in the room
having the most muscular physique of everyone in the room
having the more muscular physique of everyone in the room
had the most muscular physique of everyone in the room
having the most muscular physique of everyone in the room
The sentence is grammatically correct. The answer choice which makes no changes should be chosen after reviewing all of the other answer choices, as every single one makes a change which does create a grammatical problem.
Example Question #7 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Nowhere was the candidate more beloved than in his home state, where all of his competitors refused even to campaign.
where all of his competitors refusing even to campaign.
where all of these competitors refused even to campaign.
where all of his competitors refused even to campaign.
where all the competitors refused even to campaign.
where competitors refused to campaign.
where all of his competitors refused even to campaign.
The sentence has no grammatical problems as it is written, and needs no corrections made to it. Every answer choice that does make a change actually puts in a grammatical problem. The correct answer choice is to leave the sentence as it is written.
Example Question #1571 : Sentence Correction
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The dispute grew to involve a number of different parties, only a handful of which were actually present for the initial conflict.
only handfuls of which were actually present for the initial conflict.
only a handful of which were present actually for the initial conflict.
only a handful of which were actual present for an initial conflict.
only a handful of which were actually present for the initial conflict.
only a handful of that group were actually present for the initial conflict.
only a handful of which were actually present for the initial conflict.
There is nothing gramatically wrong with the sentence as it is written, and nothing has to be done to the sentence to correct it. Additionally, all of the other answer choices which do change the sentence actually make the sentence gramatically incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer choice is to leave the underlined portion of the sentence alone without making a change.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing Correct Sentences
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Consumer confidence began waning toward the end of the year, with experts citing rising gas prices as a key motivation for the change.
with experts citing rising gas prices as a key motivation to the change.
with experts citing rising gas prices as a key motivation for the change.
with experts citing rising gas prices as a key motivating for the change.
experts citing rising gas prices as a key motivation for the change.
with experts citation rising gas prices as a key motivation for the change.
with experts citing rising gas prices as a key motivation for the change.
The sentence is perfectly correct as is written, and needs no changes made to it for any grammatical reason. Additionally, every choice that does make a change creates a grammatical problem. The correct answer choice is to leave the sentence alone.
Example Question #2 : Recognizing Sentences That Contain No Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Working hard to meet the oncoming deadline, the team began staying at the office well past midnight and returning to work before seven the next day.
the team began staying well past midnight at the office and returning to work before seven the next day.
the team began staying at the office well past midnight and returning to work before seven the next day.
the office was occupied by the team from seven in the morning until well past midnight.
the team began staying at the office, well past midnight, and returning to work before seven the next day.
staying well past midnight and returning to work before seven the next day was the team began doing.
the team began staying at the office well past midnight and returning to work before seven the next day.
While there are lots of parts to this sentence that could create a grammatical problem, this sentence is perfectly correct as it is written, with a properly placed modifier, correct adverb usage, and parallel structure. Additionally, every answer choice that makes a change creates a grammatical problem. The correct answer choice is to leave the sentence as it is written.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing No Errors
More recently, the trend reversed itself to come back to the original position.
reversed itself
reversing itself
reversed themselves
reverses themselves
reverses itself
reversed itself
The underlined portion is correct as is. While the sentence is somewhat awkwardly worded, the underlined portion is gramatically correct, and there is little that other answer choices do to improve the sentence.
Example Question #1572 : Sentence Correction
The identity of the killer remained a mystery for the next fifty years.
until fifty years.
and fifty years.
until the next fifty years.
in fifty years.
for the next fifty years.
for the next fifty years.
The "identity of the killer" was unknown a while, so the use of the preposition "for" is correct, as it indicates the length of time was fully taken by the mystery of the killer's identity. The sentence is correct as written.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing No Errors
Forcing the issue, the students brought up the teacher's overly long assignments.
Forcing issues,
Force the issue,
Issue forcing,
Forcing the issue,
Issue being forced,
Forcing the issue,
The underlined section of the sentence is a dependent clause, meaning it defines the rest of the sentence, but is not able to stand alone. The phrase "Forcing the issue" is correct in its usage.
Example Question #4 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing No Errors
Hungry and tired, the group stopped under the tree by the river bank for the night.
under the tree by the rivers banks
under tree by river bank
under the tree by the river bank
under the tree, the river bank
under the tree by bank of river
under the tree by the river bank
The underlined phrase, although slightly awkward and over worded, is actually perfectly grammatically correct. As none of the "corrected" answer choices are grammatically correct, the unchanged form of the underlined portion is the correct answer.
Example Question #5 : Correcting Other Errors And Recognizing No Errors
No one will come to our defense but ourselves in our time of need.
ours
ourselves
ourself
our own
our self
ourselves
The use of "ourselves" is actually correct in the sentence, as it refers to the previous use of "our" in the phrase "our defense;" therefore, the correct answer is to keep the word as "ourselves."
All GMAT Verbal Resources
