GMAT by the Numbers: Sentence Correction

Now that you’ve learned how to approach Sentence Correction questions on the GMAT, let’s add one more dimension to your understanding of how they work.

Take a moment to try this question. Following is performance data from thousands of people who have studied with Kaplan over the decades. Through analyzing this data, we will show you how to approach questions like this one most effectively and how to avoid similarly tempting wrong answer choice types on Test Day.

1. The European Union announced that cod and mackerel are the only fish that exceeds their new requirements for dioxin level and that they allow fishermen to catch.
   1. exceeds their new requirements for dioxin level and that they allow
   2. exceed its new requirements for dioxin level and that they allow
   3. exceeds its new requirements for dioxin level and that it allows
   4. exceed its new requirements for dioxin level and that it allows
   5. exceed their new requirements for dioxin level and that they allow

Explanation

Attention to the Right Detail and Pattern Recognition are both essential to success on Sentence Correction questions. You want to check the sentence very carefully for errors, giving special consideration to the recurring patterns that the GMAT test maker is so fond of. In this sentence, there are two underlined pronouns plus an underlined verb. Both underlined pronouns, “their” and “they,” refer to the European Union, which is a singular noun. These pronouns are therefore incorrect; the sentence should use “its” and “it,” respectively. Only (C) and (D) get both pronouns right, so one of these choices has to be the correct answer. The difference between (C) and (D) is the use of “exceeds” versus “exceed.” Since there are two kinds of fish, “cod and mackerel,” you need the plural verb. Choice (D) is correct.

Question Statistics

 2% of test takers choose (A)

 6% of test takers choose (B)

14% of test takers choose (C)

56% of test takers choose (D)

22% of test takers choose (E)

Sample size = 4,437

Note that the two most popular wrong choices, (C) and (E), each correct one of the two errors in the sentence but not both. Many test takers will spot an answer choice that fixes the one mistake they were scanning for and think, “Aha—that’s the answer!” and move on without actually reading the answer back into the sentence. The test maker is aware of this tendency. So beware of trap answers that correct just one of two or more errors, as well as trap answers that fix one mistake but introduce another. Always read your choice back into the sentence. It only takes a few seconds and prevents careless mistakes.

More GMAT by the Numbers . . .

To see more questions with answer choice statistics, be sure to review the full-length CATs in your online resources.