SENTENCE CORRECTION

SC TIPS:
-Intuition is your LAST resort.
-Use Horizontal/Vertical Scanning to look for differences.
-Look for 2/3 or a 3/2 split.
-Choice A can be the right choice in a substantial number of questions.
LOCATION OF ERRORS AT 4 POTENTIAL PLACES:
-beginning of underlined portion
-end of underlined portion
-after comma
-one word/phrase before the underlined portion
SC- What to watch out for?
(1)grammar
Subject Verb Agreement
Comparisons
Prepositions, Idioms,
Numerical Idioms

Modifier
Pronouns
Punctuation

Parallelism
Verbs
Style-short vs. long
sentences; meaning clarity

(2)idiom (has to be memorized-very crucial for success on GMAT-SC)

-expressions that are the way they are
CORRECT
WRONG
Forbid TO DO
Forbid FROM DOING
COPE WITH
COPE UP WITH
COMPRISE
COMPRISE OF
Mistake A FOR B
Mistake A AS B
CONSIDER
CONSIDER TO BE/ CONSIDER AS
(3)meaning clarity
(4)concision (short vs. long)
USE
ALTHOUGH
CAN
SAME
NEAR
EXPERIENCE
OUTCOME

AVOID
Despite the fact that
Have the capability
Exactly the same
In close proximity to
Past experience
Final outcome

(5)GMAT favorites (has to be memorized)

USE
RATHER THAN
BECAUSE OF
DOUBLE/TWICE

AVOID
Instead of
Due to
2 times

LACK OF BEING
COMPARE WITH
DO SO
PERHAPS
WHETHER
IT IS HOPED
AND
SO
ABLE
CAN
RESULT FROM
ONCE
QUADRUPLE
ECONOMIC
TRY TO
LIKELY
SHOULD
ALTHOUGH
AVOID WHICH AFTER THE COMMA

Being
Compare to
Do it
May be
If
Hopefully
As well as
Enough
Ability
Capability
As a result from
One time
4 times
Economical
Try and
Liable
Ought to
But
which after the comma

SC ERROR TYPES:

(1)PARALLELISM
-means consistency in writing
-parallel connectors: AND (X AND Y), BUT, AS WELL AS, OR, YET, ALTHOUGH
-list (string)
A. N + N + N
B. V + V + V
C. ADJ + ADJ + ADJ
D. INFINITIVE + INFINITIVE + INFINITIVE (Ex. I like to sing, to act, and to draw.)
E. PHRASE+PHRASE (Ex. With his arms akimbo and in a state of bliss, he leaped off the cliff)
F. CLAUSE + CLAUSE (Ex. If she capitulates and when she apologizes, we will forgive her
blunders and unforgettable actions.)
G. CAUSE EFFECT PARALLELISM
-the cause is generally in the past/present simple tense and all the effects have to be parallel in
the -ing form
-Ex. Ken traveled around the world, visiting historic sites, eating native foods, and learning
about new cultures.
H. THAT and THAT PARALLELISM
-Ex. The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too
much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.
-Ex. My objections are, first, that the measure is unjust; second, that it is unconstitutional.
I. X is Y PARALLELISM
CORRECT
One legacy of Madison Avenues recent

WRONG
One legacy of Madison Avenue's recent

campaign to appeal to people fifty years old

and over is the realization that as people age,
their concerns change as well.

campaign to appeal to people fifty years old

and over is to realize that when a person ages,
his or her concerns change as well.

The experience we have in childhood still

influence our behavior in adulthood.

The experiences we have when children still

influence our behavior in adulthood.

The new toy was the fathers attempt to

appease the ruffled child.

The new toy was the fathers trying to

appease the ruffled child.

J. OMISSION PARALLEL STRUCTURE

CORRECT
The doctors have been conducting and will
continue to conduct tests on the sick patient.
She is a believer in and a supporter of the
theory of love at first sight.

WRONG
The doctors have been and will continue to
conduct tests on the sick patient.
She is a believer and supporter of the theory
of love at first sight.

K. SEMICOLON-BOTH SIDES PARALLEL

CORRECT
WRONG
Formerly, science was taught by the textbook Formerly, science was taught by the textbook
method; now it is taught by the laboratory
method, while now the laboratory method is
method.
employed.

(2)SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

-singular subjects with singular verbs ; plural subjects with plural verbs
-subject and verb must make sense together
-subject and verb must agree in number
a) Or , Either-Or, Neither-Nor
-Neither the coach nor the players ARE going to the beach.
-Neither the players nor the coach IS going to the beach.
-Either/Neither alone in a sentence(no or/nor)- singular verbs
b) Collective Nouns
-almost always singular
PEOPLE
Agency, army, audience, class, orchestra,
team, committee

THINGS
Baggage, citrus, equipment, fleet, fruit,
furniture

c) Indefinite Pronouns
-usually singular
-all the pronoun that end in -one , -body , or -thing fall into this category
Anyone, anybody, anything
No one, nobody, nothing
Each, every(as pronouns)
Someone, somebody, something
Everyone, everybody, everything
Whatever, whoever

d) SANAM pronouns
-look at the noun object of the of-phrase to determine the number of subject
-Ex. Some of the money WAS stolen from my wallet.
-Ex. Some of the documents WERE stolen from the bank.
e) EACH and EVERY
-singular
Every dog HAS paws.
Every dog and cat HAS paws.
Each of these shirts IS pretty.

They each ARE great players.

f) THE NUMBER OF VS. A NUMBER OF

-THE number of hardworking students in this class IS quite large.
-A number of students in this class ARE hard workers.

3)VERBS
*IF-THEN (CONDITIONAL) SENTENCES
a) REALISTIC FUTURE= use PRESENT + FUTURE combination
CORRECT
WRONG
If I score 700+ , I will apply to Harvard
If I will score 700+ , I will apply to Harvard
Business School.
Business School.
b) COULD HAVE BEEN possible past= use HAD+WOULD HAVE combination
CORRECT
WRONG
If I had scored 700+, I would have applied to If I would have scored 700+, I would have
Harvard Business School.
applied to Harvard Business School.
Had I scored 700+, I would have applied to
Harvard Business School.
*TO EXPRESS WISH/AS IF/AS THOUGH= USE WERE
-Ex. I wish he were here.
-Ex. If I were the CEO, I would effect a lot of changes.
-Ex. He behaves as if he were the boss.
-Ex. She dresses as though she were a fashion model.
*TO EXPRESS INDIRECT SPEECH=USE THAT
CORRECT
WRONG
He said that he would go to New York next
He said, I will go to New York next week.
week.
*SUBJUNCTIVE STRUCTURE: V + THAT + BASE form of the verb
Advise, ask, command, demand, desire, insist, Ordered, mandatory, ruled, authorized,
Propose, recommend, request, suggest, urge
condition, imperative, important, required,

proposed, necessary, demand

*VERB TENSES
a)PAST TENSE
ONLY ONE ACTION IN
THE PAST

TWO ACTIONS IN THE

PAST HAPPENING
SIMULTANEOUSLY

TWO ACTIONS IN THE

PAST HAPPENING ONE
AFTER THE OTHER

-written in PAST SIMPLE

tense(second form of verb
without had)

-both written in PAST

SIMPLE tense (second form
of verb without had)

-Ex. I watched a movie

yesterday. (not had watched)
-Ex. At a recent conference,
the minister said (not had
said)
-Ex. India progressed
throughout the 20th century
(not had progressed)

-Ex. While I slept, he studied.

-Ex. When he came, I left.

-earlier action: PAST

PERFECT (had+third form
of verb)
-later action: PAST SIMPLE
(second form of verb
without had)
-Ex. The flight had taken off
before I reached the airport.
-Ex. The patient had died
before the doctor reached.
-Ex. I had eaten my dinner
before the phone rang.

b)PRESENT TENSE
TO SHOW A TREND
-use PRESENT SIMPLE
-Ex. These days, Indian
cricketers spend a lot of their
time endorsing products. (not
are spending)
-Ex. As per a recent study,
men show more vulnerability
to psychosomatic disorders
than women. (not are
showing)

TO SHOW SOMETHING
THAT HAS JUST
FINISHED
-use PRESENT PERFECT
-Ex. It has rained for 3 hours.
-Ex. India has become a
strong economy.
-Ex. He has gotten a raise in
salary.

TO SHOW SOMETHING
THAT HAS BEEN
CONTINUING FOR SOME
TIME
-use PRESENT PERFECT
CONTINUOUS
-Ex. It has been raining for 3
hours.
-Ex. I have been studying
since 3 pm.
-Ex. I have been going to the
gym since 1999.

*NEVER PUT AN ADVERB BETWEEN TO AND VERB

CORRECT
WRONG
-Ex. He asked me to give my opinion freely.
-Ex. He asked me to freely give my opinion.
-Ex. Commodity prices can cause inflation to -Ex. Commodity prices can cause inflation to
rise suddenly.
suddenly rise.

*Prefer ACTIVE over PASSIVE

4) PRONOUNS
*Pronoun Errors Typically Tested:
-pronoun agreement (singular/plural)
Ex. When a person calls, take down his/her information.
Ex. Meg left all her class notes at school because she decided that she could do
her homework without them.
Ex. If one is hungry, one may eat. (not he may eat)
Ex. Some people believe that the benefits of a healthy diet outweigh those of
regular exercise.
Ex. When the definition of Generation X is hotly debated concerning the age
ranges of its members, culturists generally agree that it describes a group of
adults that are self-focused, cynical, and skeptical. (not they describeambiguous referral of they)
Ex. With the release of its fifth album, Hotel California, the band explored the
pursuit of the American dream when accompanied by the loss of innocence
and the presence of temptations.
Ex. Counting each of the nine planets and its many moons, there are 162 known
and accepted celestial bodies in our solar system.
Ex. Jim may not be elected CEO by the board because he does not meet its
standards.
-pronoun ambiguity/reference/antecedent (which/it/they)
Ex. If the baby does not thrive on fresh
milk, the milk should be boiled.

Ex. If the baby does not thrive on fresh

milk, it should be boiled.

Ex. At Ivy-GMAT, a great deal of practice on

computer is provided.
Ex. The teams poor sportsmanship made all
of the players look like whiners.
Ex. The parents tried to explain the risks
involved in hitch hiking, but the explanation
was useless.
REPHRASED CORRECTLY/CLEARLY
Ex. Last night on the news, the newsreaders
said pilot error caused the air show collision.

Ex. At Ivy-GMAT, they provide a great deal

of practice in computer.
Ex. The teams poor sportsmanship made all
of them look like whiners
Ex. . The parents tried to explain the risks
involved in hitch hiking, but it was useless.
AMBIGUOUS PRONOUNS
Ex. Last night on the news, they said pilot
error caused the air show collision.

-implied reference (to a full clause, verb, or expression)

REPHRASED CORRECTLY/CLEARLY
Ex. Susan has changed her major twice this
semester. This change might mean she is
unsure of her career goal.
Ex. When John finally proposed, he did so
only because he had learned of her
inheritance.
Ex. The storms lasting all weekend made us
feel depressed.
Ex. While most Americans have heard of and
used Microsoft products, few people know
that the companys name is actually short for
microcomputer software.
Ex. Real estate analysts have found that home
prices have nearly doubled in the last ten
years in the southern California market,
research consistent with the increases in
population and inflation there.

-possessive pronouns
CORRECT
Ex. Janes first novel was so well
received that Jane thought of writing
its sequel.
Ex. CORRECT
Ex. Janes first novel was so well
received that the publisher thought of
giving Jane an additional royalty of
10%, lending credence to the fact that
her subsequent writings could be even
more passionate.

AMBIGUOUS PRONOUNS
Ex. Susan has changed her major twice this
semester. This might mean she is unsure of
her career goal.
Ex. When John finally proposed, it was only
because he had learned of her inheritance.
Ex. The storm lasted all weekend long, which
made us feel depressed.
Ex. Ex. While most Americans have heard of
and used Microsoft products, few people
know that its name is actually short for
microcomputer software.
Real estate analysts have found that home
prices have nearly doubled in the last ten
years in the southern California market,
which is consistent with the increases in
population and inflation there.

WRONG
Ex. Janes first novel was so well
received that she thought of writing its
sequel.
Ex. Janes first novel was so well
received that her bank balance soared.
Ex. Janes first novel was so well
received that the publisher thought of
giving her an additional royalty of
10%, lending credence to the fact that
her subsequent writings could be even
more passionate.

Ex. Kathys suitcase was so stuffed that Ex. Kathys suitcase was so stuffed that
Kathy decided to pack another one.
she decided to pack another one.
Ex. Marco Polos travels, which took
Ex. Marco Polos travels, which took
Marco Polo over 17 years, are documented in
his book, II Milione.

over 17 years, are documented in his book, II

Milione

-pronoun case
Ex. Janice and I went on a picnic together. (subject)
Ex. The picnic was attended by Janice and me. (object of the prep by)
Ex. Whom are you going to marry?
Ex. I dont understand why I and Bob always have to take out the garbage.
Ex. NASA has agreed to send one American astraunot to the International Space
Station for a six month experiment, although whom it will send has yet to be
determined.
-pronoun position
Ex.
CORRECT
Ex. At the end of the day, the
chaperons , who were exhausted from
running after the children, took the
fourth graders back to school.
Ex. We finally returned all the books ,
leaving them at the librarys front desk.

WRONG
Ex. At the end of the day, the
chaperons took the fourth graders back
to school, who were exhausted from
running after the children.
Ex. We finally returned all the books to
the library, which we left at the front
desk.

5) COMPARISONS
a. Illogical Comparisons
CORRECT
The damage done by the flood was
worse than that by the fire.
The girls teeth were prettier than the
boys.
Education Hall is older than any other
building on campus.
b. Parallelism
CORRECT
Spences desk, like most desks at work,
is laden with pictures of his family.
Like a woman I once met on the bus, the
hostess was dressed somewhat flamboyantly.

WRONG
The damage done by the flood was
worse than the fire.
The girls teeth were prettier than the
boy.
Education Hall is older than any
building on campus.
WRONG
Like most desks at work, Spence has his
laden with pictures of his family.

Like a woman I once met on the bus,

the hostess attire was somewhat

The sixth Harry Potter book, by British

author J.K. Rowling, sold a record 8.9
million copies in the first 24 hours it
was on sale-more than those by any
other author.
c. Clause | | Clause Comparison
CORRECT
The blue dress looks more flattering to
you than the red one does.
Sam was away on a vacation longer than his

flamboyant.
The sixth Harry Potter book, by British
author J.K. Rowling, sold a record of
8.9 million copies in the first 24 hours
it was on sale-more than any author till
date.

Three times more students attended the

WRONG
The blue dress looks more flattering to
you than the red one.
Sam was away on a vacation longer
than his friends.
Three times more students attended the

prom this year than did last year.

prom this year than last year.

The tycoon contributed more to the

candidates campaign than did anyone

The tycoon contributed more to the

candidates campaign than anyone in
the industry.
Covering the floors with tiles costs
twice as much as linoleum.

friends were.

else in the industry.

Covering the floors with tiles costs

twice as much as covering them with
linoleum.

d. LIKE vs. AS
-like: when comparing nouns
-as : when comparing actions, trends, phrases
CORRECT
As I said earlier
Bella and June, like their mother
Like a detective, Andrea solved the
puzzle.
Speak as an American does.
Speak like an American.
Like other children in their
neighborhood who were homeschooled
e. LIKE vs. SUCH AS

WRONG
Like I said earlier
Bella and June, as their mother
As a detective, Andrea solved the
puzzle.
Speak as an American.
Speak like an American does.
As with other children in their
neighborhood who were homeschooled

-like : used to highlight ; the particular noun is essential ; should not be

used to begin a list of examples
-such as : used to give examples ; the particular noun is replaceable
LIKE
Animals like lions and zebras live on
the Plain.

SUCH AS
Animals such as lions and zebras live
on the Plain.

CORRECT
It was not long after the 1930s
commenced that such baritone singers

WRONG
It was not long after the 1930s
commenced that baritone singers like

as Bing Cosby and Russ Columbo contributed

to the popularization of a type of romantic,
soothing singing that came to be called
crooning.

Bing Cosby and Russ Columbo contributed to

the popularization of a type of romantic,
soothing singing that came to be called
crooning.

6) MODIFIERS
CORRECT
Using the latest technology, the
engineer identified the mechanical problem

WRONG
Using the latest technology, the
mechanical problem was identified quickly.

quickly.

The owner of the coins, which were

locked in a vault for 50 years, decided
to sell them.
Sailing up the river, we saw the Taj
Majal.
Unskilled in complex math, Bill scored
low on the entrance exam.
The police reported that two cars were
stolen yesterday.
The patient with several emotional
problems was referred to a
psychologist.
The store sold childrens inflatable
toys.

Locked in a vault for 50 years, the

owner of the coins decided to sell
them.
Sailing up the river, the Statue of
Liberty was seen.
Unskilled in complex math, Bills
score on the entrance exam was poor.
Two cars were reported stolen by the
police yesterday.
The patient was referred to a
psychologist with several emotional
problems.
The store sold inflatable childrens
toys.

7) NUMERICAL IDIOMS
COUNTABLE
-few
-many

UNCOUNTABLE
-little
-much

-fewer
-less
-number
-amount
greater- used to denote number alone more used to show quantity or
percentage
*Avoid Equivalent
*Use AS MANY and AS MUCH
8) WORDINESS
Wordy Expression
after the conclusion of
at this point in time
despite the fact that
due to the fact that
excessive number of
in order to
in the event that
is in a position to
regardless of the fact that

Redundant Expression
advance planning
all year round
annually each year
biography of his life
close proximity
customary habit
end result
essential requirement
exactly identical
forward progress
free gift
group together
honest truth
joint cooperation
meet together
necessary requirement

Concise Correction
after
now
although, even though, despite
because, because of, since, for, as
too many
to
if
can
although, despite

new breakthrough
past history
postpone until later
protest against
reduced down
repeat again
reverse back
rising increase
sharing the same
temporary loan
terrible disaster
usual habit
wealthy millionaire

9) PUNCTUATION
a. comma - used to separate two parts of a sentence at least one part is
dependent on the other part for its meaning
Ex. Though he is disabled, he is full of passion.
b. semicolon - used to separate two parts of a sentence that can stand
independently of each other (i.e., each has a subject and a verb)
Ex. Jack and John are inseparable; they do everything together.
c. colon - used to start a string of examples: the left side must stand alone
Ex. I love many kinds of music: classical, rock, and pop.