Mastering Sentence Correction: Key Grammatical Errors
Sentence correction is a crucial component of verbal reasoning in competitive exams like the GMAT. It tests your understanding of standard English grammar and your ability to identify and correct errors that make sentences unclear, awkward, or grammatically incorrect. This module focuses on three fundamental areas: Subject-Verb Agreement, Pronoun Agreement, and Verb Tense.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement
The verb in a sentence must agree in number with its subject. This means a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. The challenge often arises when the subject is separated from the verb by other words or phrases, or when dealing with compound subjects or collective nouns.
The verb agrees with the main subject, not the noun in the intervening phrase.
2. Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns must agree in number, gender, and person with their antecedents (the nouns they replace). A pronoun should clearly refer to a specific noun, and its form should match that noun.
An ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when it's unclear which noun a pronoun refers to. It's an error because it creates confusion and makes the sentence unclear.
3. Verb Tense Consistency and Application
Verb tenses indicate when an action takes place. Maintaining consistent and logical verb tenses within a sentence and across related sentences is crucial for clarity and coherence. GMAT often tests the correct use of past, present, and future tenses, as well as perfect tenses.
Visualizing the timeline of verb tenses helps understand their application. The simple present describes ongoing or habitual actions. The simple past marks a completed action at a specific past point. The present perfect connects past actions to the present, indicating duration or relevance. The past perfect places an action definitively before another past event, creating a clear sequence.
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Putting It All Together: Practice and Application
Mastering these grammatical concepts requires consistent practice. Focus on identifying the subject and verb, the antecedent of pronouns, and the logical flow of time indicated by verb tenses. Analyzing official GMAT questions and explanations is the most effective way to hone these skills.
On the GMAT, sentence correction questions often combine multiple error types. Be vigilant and check for all three: subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, and verb tense consistency.
Learning Resources
The official guide from the Graduate Management Admission Council provides comprehensive explanations and practice questions for all sections of the GMAT, including detailed sections on Sentence Correction.
Manhattan Prep offers in-depth strategy guides for GMAT preparation, with dedicated resources for Sentence Correction that cover common errors and advanced techniques.
A vibrant community forum where GMAT aspirants discuss strategies, share practice questions, and get expert advice on Sentence Correction, including detailed explanations of grammar rules.
Magoosh provides free blog posts with practical tips, common error explanations, and strategies for tackling GMAT Sentence Correction questions.
While not GMAT-specific, Khan Academy offers excellent foundational lessons on grammar, including subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, and verb tenses, which are essential for building a strong base.
The Purdue Online Writing Lab provides clear and concise explanations of subject-verb agreement rules, including common exceptions and tricky cases.
This resource from Purdue OWL details the rules for pronoun agreement, covering number, gender, and clarity of reference, with helpful examples.
Grammarly's blog offers a comprehensive guide to verb tenses, explaining their usage and common mistakes, which is beneficial for understanding the nuances tested in GMAT.
Kaplan offers a series of free YouTube videos that break down GMAT Sentence Correction concepts, including subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, and verb tenses.
A classic guide to English usage and style, this book provides timeless advice on grammar, punctuation, and composition that is highly relevant for understanding sentence structure and correctness.