GMAT Verbal : Sentence Correction
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #62 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Hannah traveled to Rome, Italy, Berlin, Germany, and Paris, France.
Rome Italy; Berlin Germany; and Paris France.
Rome, Ital, Berlin, Germany, and Paris, France
Rome, Italy; Berlin, Germany; and Paris, France.
Rome; Italy, Berlin; Germany, and Paris; France.
Rome Italy, Berlin Germany, and Paris France.
Rome, Italy; Berlin, Germany; and Paris, France.
In this example, the semicolon is used to separate the items. When listing items in a series that already utilizes internal punctuation, such as the comma's between the city and its respective country, use a semicolon to separate each item.
Example Question #63 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Please bring needed classroom supplies for example a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
Please bring needed classroom supplies for example a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
Please bring needed classroom supplies: for example, a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
Please bring needed classroom supplies; for example; a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
Please bring needed classroom supplies, for example, a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
Please bring needed classroom supplies. For example; a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
Please bring needed classroom supplies, for example, a notebook, pens or pencils, and looseleaf paper.
If introductory words like "for example," or "such as" follow a complete sentence/independent clause, you can use either a comma or semicolon to separate the remainder of the sentence. Also, comma's should always be placed after introductory word/phrases.
Example Question #61 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Due to the age of the defendant, the judge shortened his sentence. He was only fourteen.
shortened his sentence. He was only fourteen.
shortened his sentence, he was only fourteen.
shortened his sentence; he was only fourteen.
shortened his sentence he was only fourteen.
shortened his sentence: he was only fourteen.
shortened his sentence; he was only fourteen.
The conjunction between these two clauses works in parallel. The second part goes into further detail about the preceding statement. Since they are parallel statements, the punctuation needed between them is a semicolon. Separating the statements into two sentences, but that would hint at separate topics and be choppy. Therefore, the best version is the semicolon connector.
Example Question #62 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Cleo liked her cat food a bit too much, we had to put her on a diet.
much; so we had to put her on a diet.
much: and so therefore we had to put her on a diet.
much; we had to put her on a diet.
much we had to put her on a diet.
much . . . we had to put her on a diet.
much; we had to put her on a diet.
We need a punctuation that joins the two independent clauses in this sentence. In this case, the best option is the semicolon because each clause is a complete sentence in itself. Therefore, we can just use a semicolon to not impede the thought of passage. A comma and an appropriate coordinating conjunction ("like" and or "so") would have also been a correct option, but was not provided with the given answers. Coordinating conjunctions (like "so) cannot, however, follow semicolons when joining two independent clauses into one complex sentence.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Colon 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.
Among the many odd experiments being demonstrated at the exhibition were: a waterless dishwasher, an electric personal helicopter, and a solar-powered machine gun.
demonstrated at the exhibition were, a
demonstrated at the exhibition were; a
demonstrated at the exhibition were—a
demonstrated at the exhibition were a
demonstrated at the exhibition were: a
demonstrated at the exhibition were a
The colon in this sentence is used incorrectly, as it divides a sentence that should be uninterrupted. While colons are used to introduce lists, they are used to introduce lists after independent clauses, and "Among the many odd experiments being demonstrated at the exhibition were" is not an independent clause. The correct punctuation mark for the underlined portion of this sentence is no punctuation mark. As the only answer choice that removes, rather than replaces, the colon, "demonstrated at the exhibition were a" is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Colon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
You may be required to produce the following items; Photo identification, proof of insurance, and proof of ownership.
the following items. Photo identification, proof of insurance, and proof of ownership.
the following items; photo identification, proof of insurance, and proof of ownership.
the following items: photo identification: proof of insurance: and proof of ownership.
the following items: photo identification, proof of insurance, and proof of ownership.
the following items: photo identification and proof of insurance and proof of ownership.
the following items: photo identification, proof of insurance, and proof of ownership.
A colon is used to introduce a series of items in a list, or when a second independent clause is necessary to explain a preceding clause. Semicolons are used to join two independent clauses into one compound sentence, and should not be used interchangeably with colons. It is is incorrect to capitalize the first item in a list after a colon.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Colon 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.
The novel was immensely confusing to most readers, featuring such complexities as: characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps, and a non-linear story structure.
such complexities as, characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps, and a non-linear story structure.
such complexities as: characters with multiple names; expansive time jumps; and a non-linear story structure.
such complexities as characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps, and a non-linear story structure.
such complexities as: characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps and a non-linear story structure.
such complexities as: characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps, and a non-linear story structure.
such complexities as characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps, and a non-linear story structure.
The colon placed in the middle of the underlined portion of this sentence is incorrect and unnecessary. The sentence actually needs no punctuation in this location in the sentence, and the colon should be removed. This is because colons should only introduce lists that follow independent clauses, and "The novel was immensely confusing to most readers, featuring such complexities as" is not an independent clause (a sentence that can stand on its own). As the only answer choice that makes this change, the correct answer choice is "such complexities as characters with multiple names, expansive time jumps, and a non-linear story structure."
Example Question #3 : Correcting Colon 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.
First, we were faced with one major issue. Fixing the leak before the boat sank.
with one major issue: fixing the leak before the boat sank.
with one major issue: Fixing the leak before the boat sank.
with one major issue, fixing: the leak before the boat sank.
with one major issue; fixing the leak before the boat sank.
with: one major issue, fixing the leak before the boat sank.
with one major issue: fixing the leak before the boat sank.
The example sentence requires a colon rather than a period to be correct. Colons are used to introduce, in general, lists and quotations. They must be preceded by an independent clause, but are often used to introduce sentence fragments or dependent clauses. In this case, "fixing the leak before the boat sank" cannot be preceded by either a period or semicolon because it is not a grammatically complete independent clause. Note that there is no need to capitalize the first word after a colon, unless that word is a proper noun (since proper nouns are always capitalized). The correct version of the sentence reads, "We were faced with one major issue: fixing the leak before the boat sank."
Example Question #5 : Correcting Colon Errors
William of Ockham was a truly original figure: among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name: Ockham's Razor.
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.
figure; among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are: radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name: Ockham's Razor.
figure; among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name; Ockham's Razor.
figure: among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name: Ockham's Razor.
figure: among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name; Ockham's Razor.
figure; among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name: Ockham's Razor.
figure; among his more notable contributions to the arts and sciences are radical nominalism, paraconsistant logic, and the well-known principle that bears his name: Ockham's Razor.
A semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction, not a colon, should be used to join the two independent clauses. Colons should follow independent clauses when introducing lists. A colon may be used to introduce an interrupting phrase at the end of a sentence that renames a thing or idea, in this case the "principle."
Example Question #3 : Correcting Colon Errors
The political crises that most significantly influenced legal thought in the late thirteenth and fourteenth centuries were: the Second Council of Lyon; the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum; the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity;" and the Western Schism.
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.
were the Second Council of Lyon: the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum: the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity": and the Western Schism.
were the Second Council of Lyon, the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum, the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity" and the Western Schism.
were the Second Council of Lyon; the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum; the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity"; and the Western Schism.
were: the Second Council of Lyon; the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum; the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity;" and the Western Schism.
were: the Second Council of Lyon, the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum, the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity," and the Western Schism.
were the Second Council of Lyon; the issuing of the papal bull Unum Sanctum; the Avignon Papacy and the "Babylonian Captivity"; and the Western Schism.
An explanation of a list after a colon needs to be introduced by an explanation of what that list is before the colon, and colons should follow independent clauses when introducing lists. In this case, semicolons ought to be used to separate the individual items in the list; colons are never used for this purpose.
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