Directions: Each of these GMAT sentence correction practice test questions presents a sentence, some or all of which is underlined. Below the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. Option A always repeats the original phrasing, while the other four are different. Choose the answer that produces the most effective sentence based on the requirements of standard written English. Your answer should make the sentence clear, exact, and grammatically correct.
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Question 1 |
Contrary to big-bank policies, micro-loan financiers are, on the whole, more willing to invest in impoverished economies.
Contrary to big-bank policies, micro-loan financiers are, on the whole, more willing to invest in | |
Contrary to those who finance big-bank policies, micro-loan financiers are, on the whole, more willing to invest in | |
In micro-loans, as opposed to big-bank financing, they are, on the whole, more willing to invest in | |
In contrast to the policies of big-banks, micro-loan financiers are more willing to invest on the whole | |
Contrary to those working in big-banks, micro-loan financiers are, on the whole, more willing to invest in |
Question 1 Explanation:
(E) is the correct response. There is a contrasting comparison between “big-bank financiers” and “micro-loan financiers.” This is the only choice in which their forms are logically similar, and the comparison is clear.
If you chose (A), we cannot compare “policies” to “financiers.” Remember, a correct comparison sets things against things and people against people. Look for a choice that compares the financiers at the big-banks to the micro-loan financiers. Remember, we are comparing the financiers at big-banks (who presumably finance standard loans) to those who finance micro-loans, not the people who finance the POLICIES of the big-banks, which in itself is unclear.
If you chose (A), we cannot compare “policies” to “financiers.” Remember, a correct comparison sets things against things and people against people. Look for a choice that compares the financiers at the big-banks to the micro-loan financiers. Remember, we are comparing the financiers at big-banks (who presumably finance standard loans) to those who finance micro-loans, not the people who finance the POLICIES of the big-banks, which in itself is unclear.
Question 2 |
Early mariners from the Vikings to medieval explorers were usually able to find their way if they employed early man-made navigation tools such as rudimentary magnetic compasses, geomagnetic lodestones, astrolabes, first used in classical antiquity, or the sun and stars.
geomagnetic lodestones, astrolabes, first used in classical antiquity, or the sun and stars. | |
geomagnetic lodestones, astrolabes, which were first used in classical antiquity, or the sun and stars. | |
geomagnetic lodestones, and astrolabes, first used in classical antiquity, or if they could read the sun and stars. | |
geomagnetic lodestones, or astrolabes, first used in classical antiquity, or the reading of the sun and stars. | |
geomagnetic lodestones, astrolabes, which were first used in classical antiquity, and the sun and stars. |
Question 2 Explanation:
(C) is the correct response. It’s illogical to say “the sun and stars” are “man-made.” The list must be adjusted so that the meaning of this last phrase is clearly different from the preceding items.
Only choice (C) correctly lists the two conditions by which the earlier mariners could find their way: 1) by employing man-made tools, or 2) by reading the sun and stars. The word “could” correctly matches the earlier conditional “if.” Remember “the sun and stars” cannot be logically included in a list with other “man-made” tools, since they are not “man-made”!
Only choice (C) correctly lists the two conditions by which the earlier mariners could find their way: 1) by employing man-made tools, or 2) by reading the sun and stars. The word “could” correctly matches the earlier conditional “if.” Remember “the sun and stars” cannot be logically included in a list with other “man-made” tools, since they are not “man-made”!
Question 3 |
The Egyptologist chose mostly figurines from the 5th dynasty to display in the latest exhibit, but adding 4th century pottery including coptic jars from several important tombs to round out the display.
but adding 4th century | |
as well as adding 4th century | |
and additionally 4th century | |
yet added some 4th century | |
with addition of 4th century |
Question 3 Explanation:
If you chose (A), the word second verb “adding” is not parallel with the initial verb “chose.” We’re looking for another simple past tense verb to make the sentence correct.
If you chose (B), “adding” is not parallel with the earlier verb “chose” and the phrase “as well as” is wordy. In order to use the idiom “as well as” in this context, we would need to omit the verb “adding.”
If you chose (C), the conjunction “and” and the word “additionally” are redundant. That is, the meaning of one is inherently contained in the other. Look for a more concise choice.
(D) is the correct response. The conjunction “yet” provides the correct meaning by contrasting with the phrase “mostly” in the first-half of the sentence. More importantly, “added” is parallel with “chose.”
If you chose (E), we’d need an article in front of “addition” for this sentence to be grammatically correct, but more importantly changing the verb to a noun doesn’t allow the two halves of the sentence to be parallel.
If you chose (B), “adding” is not parallel with the earlier verb “chose” and the phrase “as well as” is wordy. In order to use the idiom “as well as” in this context, we would need to omit the verb “adding.”
If you chose (C), the conjunction “and” and the word “additionally” are redundant. That is, the meaning of one is inherently contained in the other. Look for a more concise choice.
(D) is the correct response. The conjunction “yet” provides the correct meaning by contrasting with the phrase “mostly” in the first-half of the sentence. More importantly, “added” is parallel with “chose.”
If you chose (E), we’d need an article in front of “addition” for this sentence to be grammatically correct, but more importantly changing the verb to a noun doesn’t allow the two halves of the sentence to be parallel.
Question 4 |
Portable computers are becoming more affordable, smaller, and more present in the classroom, and so too unfortunately are smartphones, those cell phones permitting students to text, check email, and browse the internet during class.
so too unfortunately are smartphones, those cell phones permitting | |
so too are smartphones unfortunately, they are the cell phones which permit | |
also unfortunately smartphones, they are the cell phones that permit | |
unfortunately also smartphones, which are the cell phones that permit | |
unfortunately, so too are smartphones, the cell phones that permit |
Question 4 Explanation:
(E) is the correct response. This one correctly contains a verb parallel to the “are” in “portable computers are” phrase. It also accurately uses “that” as a restrictive pronoun to join a required piece of information to the more general referent (“cell phones that permit”).
Question 5 |
One dangerous consequence of high-altitude climbing occurs when the blood-brain barrier is weakened such that intravascular proteins and fluids are able to penetrate into the cerebral parenchymal extracellular space that is the result of the body’s trying to deal with the severe lack of oxygen facing it.
trying to deal with the severe lack of oxygen facing it. | |
trying to face and deal with the severe lack of oxygen. | |
attempt to deal with the severe lack of oxygen. | |
attempt to try to deal with the severe lack of oxygen facing it. | |
attempt to try and deal with the severe lack of oxygen. |
Question 5 Explanation:
If you chose (A), since “body’s” is in its possessive form, what follows must be a noun, not a verb “trying.”
If you chose (B), you may have been swayed by the parallelism of “face” and “deal” but remember that the possessive “body’s” must be followed by a noun. The “body” cannot possess a progressive verb. Furthermore, “deal with” and “face” convey the same meaning.
(C) is the correct response. This choice provides a noun for the possessive “body’s” and eliminates the redundancy created by the use of both “deal with” and “face” in the original sentence.
If you chose (D), while “attempt” provides a correct possessive noun for “body’s” the phrase “attempt to try to deal” is unnecessarily wordy and redundant.
If you chose (E), “attempt to try and deal” is unnecessarily redundant. Remember that “to attempt” and “to try” are synonyms.
If you chose (B), you may have been swayed by the parallelism of “face” and “deal” but remember that the possessive “body’s” must be followed by a noun. The “body” cannot possess a progressive verb. Furthermore, “deal with” and “face” convey the same meaning.
(C) is the correct response. This choice provides a noun for the possessive “body’s” and eliminates the redundancy created by the use of both “deal with” and “face” in the original sentence.
If you chose (D), while “attempt” provides a correct possessive noun for “body’s” the phrase “attempt to try to deal” is unnecessarily wordy and redundant.
If you chose (E), “attempt to try and deal” is unnecessarily redundant. Remember that “to attempt” and “to try” are synonyms.
Question 6 |
Based on eye-witness accounts, claims of alien autopsy footage, and local folklore, many “Roswellians” are convinced that some type of extra-terrestrial crash-landing occurred in the New Mexico desert in 1947.
Based on eye-witness accounts, claims of alien autopsy footage, and local folklore | |
Having examined eye-witness accounts, claims of alien autopsy footage, and local folklore | |
Basing it on eye-witness accounts, claims of alien autopsy footage, and local folklore | |
With eye-witness accounts, claims of alien autopsy footage, and local folklore used for a basis | |
By eye-witness accounts, claims of alien autopsy footage, and local folklore |
Question 6 Explanation:
(B) is the correct response. The sentence begins with an opening modifier, but “many ‘Roswellians’” cannot be described as “based on….accounts” since people cannot logically be based on accounts. We must adjust the first-half of the sentence to correctly describe human beings. In choice (B), the verb “having examined” correctly modifies “Roswellians”.
Question 7 |
The caves of Lascaux, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were discovered in 1940 by teenagers near the village of Montignac, and is estimated at more than 17,300 years old today.
Site, were discovered in 1940 by teenagers near the village of Montignac, and is estimated at more than 17,300 years old today. | |
Site, were discovered in 1940 by teenagers near the village of Montignac, and were estimated to be more than 17,300 years old today. | |
Site, were discovered in 1940 by teenagers near the village of Montignac, and was estimated to be more than 17,300 years old today.
| |
Site, were discovered in 1940 by teenagers near the village of Montignac, and are estimated to be more than 17,300 years old today.
| |
Site, was discovered in 1940 by teenagers near the village of Montignac, and are estimated as being more than 17,300 years old today. |
Question 7 Explanation:
The correct response is (D). The subject of the sentence is the plural “caves” and so the predicate verb should be the plural “were.” The second verb in the sentence, “is”, doesn’t match “caves” either and should be changed to “are” since the estimation is happening in the present-tense.
In the original sentence, there is a confusing meaning. The heritage site wasn’t discovered. The caves were discovered, which is not clear in this version of the sentence. Additionally, “estimated at” is the incorrect idiom, although the question doesn’t hinge on knowing this idiom.
In the original sentence, there is a confusing meaning. The heritage site wasn’t discovered. The caves were discovered, which is not clear in this version of the sentence. Additionally, “estimated at” is the incorrect idiom, although the question doesn’t hinge on knowing this idiom.
Question 8 |
Of the over 1000 species of rhododendron, the Rhododendron ponticum, native to southern Europe and southwest Asia, is probably the more dangerous as it’s proven the honey which is produced from its pollen can be poisonous.
is probably the more dangerous as it’s proven the honey which is produced from its pollen can be poisonous. | |
is probably the most dangerous as it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen can be poisonous. | |
is possibly the more dangerous of them as it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen can be poisonous. | |
is most likely the more dangerous as it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen can be poisonous. | |
is possibly the most dangerous since it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen could be poisonous. |
Question 8 Explanation:
The correct response is (B). “More” is the comparative form, and is only correct when used between two items. Since there are “over 1000” species, we should use the superlative “most.” In the original sentence, the phrase “which is” creates an unnecessary relative clause.
Answer choice (E) is not correct. We use the modal verb "can" to make general statements about what is possible. We use "could" to show that something is possible in the future, but not certain. The sentence should say “it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen can be poisonous,” not “it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen could be poisonous.” In addition, we use “probably” to indicate that something is highly likely. We use “possibly” to indicate that the chances of something happening are not zero. Since the original sentence uses “probably”, we should stick with “probably”. In general, we should stick with the meaning conveyed in the original answer choice unless the original answer choice is illogical.
Answer choice (E) is not correct. We use the modal verb "can" to make general statements about what is possible. We use "could" to show that something is possible in the future, but not certain. The sentence should say “it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen can be poisonous,” not “it’s proven the honey produced from its pollen could be poisonous.” In addition, we use “probably” to indicate that something is highly likely. We use “possibly” to indicate that the chances of something happening are not zero. Since the original sentence uses “probably”, we should stick with “probably”. In general, we should stick with the meaning conveyed in the original answer choice unless the original answer choice is illogical.
Question 9 |
The Adirondack mountains, unlike other mountain ranges that lie on fault lines, are in the shape of a dome, largely in due course from a deep uplift under the Earth’s crust about a billion years ago.
in due course from a deep uplift under the Earth’s crust | |
because of a deep uplifting of the crust of the Earth, which occurred | |
because of a deep uplift, which occurred under the crust of the Earth | |
due to the course from a deep uplift under the Earth’s crust | |
being caused by a deep uplift under the crust of the Earth, occurring |
Question 9 Explanation:
The correct response is (C). The main issue with the sentence as written is that it is wordy and has an unclear meaning. There is a cause-and-effect meaning here that needs to be elucidated. Answer choice (C) does that using the word “because.” Answer choice (C) also makes it clear that the uplift occurred under the crust of the Earth about a billion years ago.
Answer choice (B) is incorrect. “Which” generally refers to the immediately preceding noun. Answer choice (B) illogically suggests that the earth occurred about a billion years ago.
Answer choice (B) is incorrect. “Which” generally refers to the immediately preceding noun. Answer choice (B) illogically suggests that the earth occurred about a billion years ago.
Question 10 |
Although it was known that inductive action traveled with finite velocity in space, and that an electro-magnet would affect the space about it practically inversely as the square of the distance, nearly all the physicists failed to form the only conception of it that was possible.
and that an electro-magnet would affect the space about it practically inversely as the square of the distance | |
and an electro-magnet would affect the space about it practically inversely as the square of the distance | |
and also that an electro-magnet would affect the space about it practically inversely like the square of the distance | |
and that an electro-magnet would affect the space about them practically inversely as the square of the distance | |
and also known that an electro-magnet would affect the space about it practically inversely as the square of the distance |
Question 10 Explanation:
The correct response is (A). There’s a nice parallelism in the original sentence with “known THAT…and THAT.”
If you chose (B), here we’re missing the parallelism for the second clause. There are two things that were “known.”
If you chose (C), the addition of the word “also” is wordy and not needed. Additionally, changing “as” to “like” changes the meaning of the sentence. The sentence is not drawing a comparison.
If you chose (D), the pronoun “them” is plural and cannot be used to refer to the singular antecedent “electro-magnet.”
If you chose (E), “and also known” is not parallel with the relative clause at the beginning of the sentence. The GMAT often uses the parallel construction: VERB + “THAT”….and THAT…
If you chose (B), here we’re missing the parallelism for the second clause. There are two things that were “known.”
If you chose (C), the addition of the word “also” is wordy and not needed. Additionally, changing “as” to “like” changes the meaning of the sentence. The sentence is not drawing a comparison.
If you chose (D), the pronoun “them” is plural and cannot be used to refer to the singular antecedent “electro-magnet.”
If you chose (E), “and also known” is not parallel with the relative clause at the beginning of the sentence. The GMAT often uses the parallel construction: VERB + “THAT”….and THAT…
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