Chapter 14

Sentence Correction: Putting It All Together

Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, you will be able to: 

• Immediately recognize the format of a Sentence Correction question and apply the Kaplan Method for Sentence Correction
• Quickly determine which grammatical issues are in play in the original sentence and the answer choices and eliminate wrong choices
  
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate your performance on Sentence Correction questions

This quiz is designed to give you practice with a mix of Sentence Correction questions, just like the variety of Sentence Correction questions you’ll see on Test Day. Take this quiz after you have studied the different types of grammar and usage issues that show up in Sentence Correction and practiced applying the Kaplan Method for Sentence Correction. 

How to Take This Quiz

By the time you take this quiz, you are hopefully well on your way to mastery of Sentence Correction, so set a timer. Give yourself 1 minute per question. So if you do all 15 questions in this set at once, set the timer for 15 minutes; if you decide to do fewer questions than that in one sitting, set the timer accordingly.

Make sure to use the steps of the Kaplan Method on every question. Students are often drawn into reading through the original sentence and all the choices from beginning to end, giving every word and phrase equal weight. Instead, use a mental checklist of GMAT-tested errors, based on the errors taught in the previous chapter, to focus your reading on potential problems with the sentence.   

Furthermore, remember that on Test Day, you can’t skip forward and back between questions, so challenge yourself to do the questions in order.

After you’ve finished the quiz and are reviewing the explanations, make sure you can explain why each wrong answer is incorrect. Being able to clearly identify the errors of grammar and usage in the four wrong choices will help you avoid picking them. 

In addition, if you missed a question, understand why you missed it. There is always a reason! The Kaplan Method can be a useful checklist to diagnose where you went wrong. 

• Were you unable to identify the error in the original sentence or recognize that there was no error?
• Did you have difficulty scanning the answer choices and grouping them in a meaningful way?
• When seeking to eliminate choices, did you have to rely on what “sounded wrong” rather than being able to point to an error that definitely made the choice wrong?

If you know why you missed a question, you can avoid making that error again. 

Above all, be patient with yourself. If you make a mistake, feeling bad about it will not improve your score. Just learn from it and make a plan to address whatever skill or knowledge you still need through more study and practice. Want more questions? Check out the Sentence Correction quizzes and Qbank questions in your online resources.