GMAT Sentence Correction Introduced

Sentence Correction Game Plan

Doing well on sentence correction questions requires being mechanical rather than being thoughtful. The GMAT is neither seeking aspiring novelists nor is it particularly concerned with whether you can tell the difference between metre and meter. What the GMAT does concern itself with is that you are familiar with and competent in the use of the basic mechanics of the language. English is a language rife with exceptions to every rule, but the GMAT does not concern itself with the exceptions and instead chooses to stick to rules that have very predictable responses.

Rather than a million rules, or even a hundred rules, the GMAT mainly tests six rules that focus on three fundamental issues:

1.    Consistency,

2.    Clarity, and

3.    Conciseness.

The GMAT focuses on these issues in various manners, but will consistently focus on these issues. There are six major rules tested on the GMAT:

·     Correct and clear placement of a Modifier

·     Correct and clear usage of a Pronoun

·     Making balanced and logical Comparisons

·     Making balanced and logical Lists

·     Correct agreement and tense with Verbs

·     Correct usage of common Idioms

To improve your performance on the GMAT you must:

·     Improve your understanding of the grammar rules in order to recognize and correct the various errors in application of these rules.

·     Be able to do it without using the answer choices as a crutch or letting the answers distract you.

·     Diminish your reliance on your ear or what “sounds right.”

Here is a process that when used with solid command of the rules will make Sentence Correction easy and fast.

Step One:     Read over the sentence looking for the spots that go with each GMAT Sentence Correction concept.

(Spot the Concept)

Step Two:      For each spot found check the rule that goes with the concept.

(Decide on a Fix)

Step Three:     Eliminate All Answers That Violate the Rule that Goes with the Concepts We Identified.

(POE)

Step Four:     Compare the remaining answer choices to each other.

(Chunk and Compare)

Step Five:     Reread the sentence with your choice inserted.

(Check)

On the following pages you will get a description of the various error types tested on the GMAT and then get a demonstration of how this process makes GMAT Sentence Correction into something that you love to conquer.

Enjoy and Succeed.

The Bell Curves Team