Mastering Sentence Correction: Strategies for Eliminating Incorrect Options

Sentence Correction on the GMAT is a critical section that tests your understanding of grammar, syntax, style, and logic. A key to excelling is not just identifying the correct answer, but efficiently eliminating incorrect ones. This module focuses on strategic approaches to quickly discard flawed options, saving you time and boosting your accuracy.

The Power of Elimination

In a multiple-choice format, every incorrect option you eliminate brings you closer to the correct answer. Effective elimination strategies allow you to narrow down choices rapidly, reducing cognitive load and increasing your confidence. This is particularly vital under timed conditions.

Common Errors to Watch For

Many incorrect options on the GMAT are flawed due to recurring grammatical and stylistic errors. Recognizing these patterns is the first step in effective elimination.

Error Type	Description	Example of Flaw
Subject-Verb Agreement	The verb must agree in number with its subject.	The team of scientists were excited.
Pronoun Agreement	Pronouns must agree in number and gender with their antecedents.	Each student should bring their book.
Verb Tense Consistency	Verb tenses should be consistent unless a shift is logically required.	She walked to the store and buys milk.
Parallelism	Items in a list or comparison must have the same grammatical structure.	He likes running, to swim, and biking.
Misplaced Modifiers	A modifier should be placed as close as possible to the word it modifies.	Running down the street, the dog chased the ball.
Dangling Modifiers	A modifier that does not clearly modify any word in the sentence.	Having finished the assignment, the TV was turned on.
Idioms	Prepositional phrases and word choices that are conventionally used together.	He is different than his brother.
Wordiness/Redundancy	Using more words than necessary to convey meaning.	The reason why is because...

Strategic Elimination Techniques

Here are actionable strategies to quickly identify and discard incorrect answer choices:

Think of elimination as a process of 'guilty until proven innocent.' If an option contains a clear error, it's guilty. If it seems correct, hold onto it, but keep looking for definitive proof of correctness in other options.

What is the first step you should take when reviewing answer choices in a Sentence Correction question?

Scan for obvious grammatical errors like subject-verb disagreement or incorrect verb tenses.

Why is it important to focus on the differences between answer choices?

It helps you identify the specific grammatical or stylistic point being tested and saves time by avoiding re-reading the entire sentence.

Applying Elimination in Practice

Let's consider an example to illustrate these strategies.

Consider the sentence: 'The committee, after reviewing the proposals, decided to postpone their decision until next week.'

Let's analyze potential incorrect options:

(A) The committee, after reviewing the proposals, decided to postpone their decision until next week. (B) The committee, having reviewed the proposals, decided to postpone its decision until next week. (C) The committee, reviewing the proposals, decided to postpone their decision until next week. (D) The committee, after reviewing the proposals, decided to postpone its decision until next week. (E) The committee, after reviewing the proposals, decided to postpone their decision for next week.

Analysis:

Option A: 'their decision' refers to the committee. 'Committee' is a singular collective noun, so it should be 'its decision'. This is a pronoun agreement error.
Option C: 'reviewing the proposals' is a dangling modifier if it's meant to modify 'committee' directly without a clear subject. It's awkward. Also, 'their decision' is incorrect for a singular committee.
Option E: 'postpone... for next week' is idiomatically incorrect. The correct idiom is 'postpone until next week'.

By quickly spotting these errors, we can eliminate A, C, and E. Now we compare B and D. Both use 'its decision' correctly. Option B uses 'having reviewed the proposals,' which is grammatically sound but slightly more wordy than the participial phrase in D. Option D is the most concise and grammatically sound choice, correctly using 'its decision' and the standard idiom 'postpone until next week.'

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In the example sentence, what was the primary error in option E?

Idiomatic usage: 'postpone for next week' instead of 'postpone until next week'.

Key Takeaways for Elimination

Mastering sentence correction on the GMAT is a skill honed through practice and strategic thinking. By consistently applying these elimination techniques, you can significantly improve your performance and approach the exam with greater confidence.

Remember to:

Scan for obvious errors first.
Focus on the differences between options.
Systematically check for common errors like parallelism and modifiers.
Evaluate idiomatic usage and word choice.
Practice regularly to build speed and accuracy.

Learning Resources

GMAT Sentence Correction: The Ultimate Guide(blog)

A comprehensive guide covering common GMAT SC errors and strategies, including elimination techniques.

GMAT SC - Common Errors and Strategies(blog)

This resource from Manhattan Prep breaks down frequent errors and offers strategic advice for tackling Sentence Correction questions.

GMAT Sentence Correction Strategies: Elimination Techniques(blog)

Kaplan's blog post provides practical tips and strategies specifically focused on eliminating incorrect answer choices in GMAT SC.

GMAT Sentence Correction - Pronoun Agreement(blog)

Focuses on a common error type (pronoun agreement) with examples and strategies for identifying incorrect options.

GMAT Sentence Correction - Parallelism(blog)

A detailed explanation of parallelism errors and how to spot them, crucial for elimination.

GMAT Official Guide - Sentence Correction Explanations(documentation)

Sample questions and explanations from the official GMAT guide, which often demonstrate elimination logic.

Sentence Correction: Modifier Errors(blog)

Explains dangling and misplaced modifiers, common pitfalls that lead to incorrect answer choices.

GMAT Sentence Correction: Idiom Rules(blog)

A compilation of common GMAT idioms and how to recognize their incorrect usage in answer choices.

GMAT Sentence Correction - Verb Tense(blog)

Covers verb tense consistency and shifts, a frequent source of errors in incorrect options.

GMAT Sentence Correction Practice Questions(documentation)

Official practice questions from the GMAT website, essential for applying elimination strategies in real scenarios.