GMAT Verbal : Sentence Correction
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Verbal
All GMAT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #61 : Sentence Correction
Giggling at the loud sound his wagging tail made when it hit the sofa, my dog and I watched television together.
(No changes needed)
I giggled at the loud sound his wagging tail made when it hit the sofa, my dog and I watched television together.
Giggling at the loud sound his wagging tail made when his tail hit the sofa, my dog and I watched television together.
My dog and I watched television together; I giggled at the loud sound his wagging tail made when it hit the sofa.
Giggling at the loud sound his wagging tail made when it hit the sofa, my dog and I watched television together.
My dog and I watched television together; I giggled at the loud sound his wagging tail made when it hit the sofa.
The modifier “giggling at the loud sound his wagging tail made when it hit the sofa” needs to describe what comes directly after it: “I”. Because it does not, the original statement is not correct.
Example Question #62 : 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.
Utilizing modern technology, ancient Roman ruins are being rapidly discovered and unearthed by archeologists.
archeologist’s ruins, from the ancient Romans, are discovered and rapidly unearthed.
archeologists rapidly discover and unearth ancient Roman ruins.
archeologists rapidly discovering and unearthing ancient Roman ruins.
ancient Roman ruins are being discovered and unearthed by archeologists.
ancient Roman ruins, by archeologists, have been discovered and unearthed rapidly.
archeologists rapidly discover and unearth ancient Roman ruins.
The modifier at the beginning of the sentence, “utilizing modern technology”, requires the second part of the sentence to refer to the people “utilizing” the technology. The way the sentence is originally written gives the impression that the "ancient Roman ruins" are the ones utilizing the technology. Of the five available answers, only "archeologists rapidly discovering and unearthing ancient Roman ruins" and "archeologists rapidly discover and unearth ancient Roman ruins" correctly link the archeologists to the utilization of the technology. "Archeologists rapidly discovering and unearthing ancient Roman ruins" is grammatically incorrect because of its use of "discovering" and "unearthing," words which are acting as participles, not verbs, and making the sentence incomplete for lack of a predicate. So, the correct answer is "archeologists rapidly discover and unearth ancient Roman ruins."
Example Question #63 : 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.
Often forgotten, the fire bombings of Tokyo, which started in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945, were considerably deadlier than the two nuclear attacks combined.
Starting in November of 1944 and lasting until August of 1945, the fire bombings of Tokyo in World War 2, often forgotten,
Often forgotten, the fire bombings of Tokyo, which started in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945,
The fire bombings of Tokyo started, often forgotten, in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945 and
Often forgotten, starting in November of 1944 and lasting until August of 1945, the fire bombings of Tokyo in World War 2,
Often forgotten, being the fire bombings of Tokyo which started in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945,
Often forgotten, the fire bombings of Tokyo, which started in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945,
This question concerns the correct way to employ a modifier. The modifiers in the sentence need to be placed near the noun that they are modifying. For example, in the answer choice "The fire bombings of Tokyo started, often forgotten, in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945 and," the modifier “often forgotten” is no longer modifying the “fire bombings” but instead is modifying “started,” making it seem as if it is the date on which they started that is often forgotten and not the fire bombings themselves. Therefore, the only answer that correctly employs the modifier and isn’t too wordy or awkward is "Often forgotten, the fire bombings of Tokyo, which started in November of 1944 and lasted until August of 1945."
Example Question #64 : 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.
Several famous organizations condemned recently laws that allow illegal immigrants to be detained for extensive periods of time.
in recent history, condemned laws that allow
condemned recently laws allowing
recently condemned laws that allow
condemned recently laws that allow
recently condemned laws that allowing
recently condemned laws that allow
The best answer is "recently condemned laws that allow" because "recently," the modifier, appears before the verb.
Example Question #65 : 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 supermarket stopped carrying my favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix; needless to say, I am very disappointed.
favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix, needless to say,
favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix; so needless to say,
favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix; needless to say
favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix; needless to say,
favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix, it goes that needless to say,
favorite tea, as well as my favorite hot chocolate mix; needless to say,
Here, "as well my favorite hot chocolate mix" is the modifier, and it is properly used. The semicolon is also properly used to divide two independent clauses that are related in content. Therefore, there is no error, and the original version of the sentence is also the correct one.
Example Question #66 : 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.
Jessica, who was frustrated after an argument with her mom, threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and angry.
mom threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and with anger.
mom, threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and angry.
mom threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and angry.
mom, threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and angrily.
mom, threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and angrily.
mom, threw the basketball against the wall powerfully and angrily.
In this sentence, the adjective “angry” modifies the verb “threw.” Given that adverbs can only modify verbs, the proper word would instead be “angrily,” which is an adverb.
Example Question #67 : 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.
An earthquake of a magnitude of 8.2 has prompted panic in Chile because a major tsunami is likely.
Panic has been prompted in Chile due to an earthquake of a magnitude of 8.2 and a likely major tsunami.
An 8.2-magnitude earthquake, which is likely to cause a major tsunami, has prompted panic in Chile.
An earthquake of a magnitude of 8.2 has prompted panic in Chile because a major tsunami is likely.
Panic has been prompted in Chile due to an 8.2 magnitude earthquake and a likely major tsunami.
An earthquake of a magnitude of 8.2, which is likely to cause a major tsunami, has prompted panic in Chile.
An 8.2-magnitude earthquake, which is likely to cause a major tsunami, has prompted panic in Chile.
The original sentence is grammatically correct, but it is not written as effectively as it could be. The string of prepositional phrases "of a magnitude of 8.2" would convey its information more concisely as adjectives before the noun: "8.2-magnitude earthquake." In addition, the original sentence surrounds the effect ("has prompted panic") with a cause before ("An earthquake of a magnitude of 8.2") and a cause after ("because a major tsunami is likely"). The best choice puts both causes together before the effect.
Example Question #68 : 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.
Winning the Abel Prize, Yakov Sinai's contributions to science include work on dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.
Winning the Abel Prize, Yakov Sinai's contributions to science include working on dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.
Winning the Abel Prize, Yakov Sinai has contributed to science including work on dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.
Dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics are among the contributions to science that Yakov Sinai has made, winning the Abel Prize.
Winning the Abel Prize, Yakov Sinai's contributions to science include work on dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.
Yakov Sinai, the winner of the Abel Prize, has contributed to science through his work on dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.
Yakov Sinai, the winner of the Abel Prize, has contributed to science through his work on dynamical systems, ergodic theory, and mathematical physics.
In the original sentence, the phrase "Winning the Abel Prize" appears to modify "Yakov Sinai's contributions," not Yakov Sinai himself. The correct answer fixes this by putting that information in an apposite phrase after the name. It also preserves the active voice and connects all phrases correctly.
Example Question #68 : 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 African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an ebola virus outbreak, a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever.
The African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an ebola outbreak, a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever.
The African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an outbreak of ebola virus, a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever.
The African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an ebola virus outbreak, which is a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever.
The African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an ebola virus outbreak, a viral hemorrhagic fever that is very dangerous.
The African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an outbreak of ebola virus, a viral hemorrhagic fever that is very dangerous.
The African nation of Guinea is currently suffering from an outbreak of ebola virus, a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever.
The original sentence contains the modifying phrase "a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever," which describes the ebola virus. However, the phrase is placed next to "outbreak" instead of "ebola virus." The correct answer changes the word order to put "ebola virus" next to the modifying phrase. It also maintains the concise wording of the last phrase.
Example Question #67 : Sentence Correction
Although we arrived at the island later than we expected, we were still able to kayak, swimming, and sailing.
Although we arrived at the island later than we expected, we were still able to go kayaking, swimming, and sailing.
Although we had arrived at the island later than we expected, we were still able to kayak, swimming, and sailing.
Although we arrived at the island later than we expected, nevertheless, we were still able to kayak, swimming, and sailing.
(No changes needed)
Although we arrived at the island later than we had expected to, we were still able to kayak, swimming, and sailing.
Although we arrived at the island later than we expected, we were still able to go kayaking, swimming, and sailing.
The verbs "to kayak," "to swim," and "to sail" all must have the same tense because they are all in a list.
All GMAT Verbal Resources
