5 Tips to crack the sentence correction section of the GMAT.

Here are some of the GMAT sentence corrections tips I compiled.  I have added examples for each tip.

1.Check pronouns:their,his,her…..

Wrong sentence: The instructor asked everyone of the trainees to remain in their respective seat.
Correct sentence: The instructor asked everyone of the trainees to remain in his respective seat.

2. Check for pronoun omission:

Wrong sentence: In Japan elderly people are treated with far greater respect than most Western countries.
Elderly people in japan vs western countries?????

Correct sentence: In Japan elderly people are treated with far greater respect than those in most Western countries.

3. Check subject verb

Wrong sentence: A slowdown becomes useful only when the opportunity to both reorient as well as innovate are used for further growth.
Slowdown …………………………..are???

Correct sentence: A slowdown becomes useful only when the opportunity to both reorient as well as innovate is used for further growth.

4. Watch for incomplete comparisions

Wrong sentences: California’s child-support payments are as high or higher than other states.
As high…..as…..

Correct sentences: California’s child-support payments are as high as or higher than other states.

5.Watch for descriptions in the beginning

Wrong sentences: Disturbed by the media’s relentless criticism, it was decided by Gupta to resign as the chairman of TERI.
What does it refer to…….medias criticism or the disturbances

Correct sentences: Disturbed by the media’s relentless criticism, Gupta designed to resign as the chairman of TERI.

These are some of the three dozen tips..read this space for more… email us your feedback urmentor@semanticslearning.com or visit www.semanticslearning.com

GMAT sentence correction tips

GMAT sentence correction tip

check each sentence for semantics( meaning conveyed) and syntax( the grammatical structure and conformity).
syntax is altered to convey the meaning aptly, not the other way around.

in addition to these two, terseness is important- being economical with words
caution: if being terse, ie reducing words, lead to ambiguity, length is welcome.
here are two eg.

eg. 1.
ambiguous: Piaget noted that in children a repertoire of skills is acquired during preschool period and need further
strengthening through organized learning experienced at school.

what needs strengthening is ambiguous, so we need to repeat some words

Piaget noted that in children a repertoire of skills is acquired during preschool period and these skills need further
strengthening through organized learning experienced at school.


eg 2- a wordy sentence
The houses were mostly well built in construction, but the interior furnishing within the house left much
to be desired.
economical
the houses were mostly well- built, but the interiors left much to be desired.

How to cross the magical 700 score barrier in the GMAT -1

So you are at your fag end of your preparation. You have just completed a GMAT CAT, you got a score of 640. You also notice that your score has been hovering around 600 to 650. Well you are not alone.

A recent survey states that the average GMAT score is 560, down 10 points when compared to last years average. How is that few people cross 700 whereas the rest of the test aspirants(approximately 2,00,000 out of 2,65,000 GMAT takers) languish in mere 600’s?
Here is my 2 cent

The GMAT score is an indicative of the current aptitude level of an individual. Your aptitude quotient doesn’t improve over night. It takes at-least 3 months of preparation to improve your score. So what is POA right now.

1.Repetition
It is better to work on a question 10 times than working on 10 different questions. Aptitude exams don’t test your knowledge of formula. It tests you on your application of concepts.
Study each problem 10 times, observe the parts a problem
• Variables: elements in the problem which maybe independent, dependent or hidden vis-à-vis other variables.
• Conditions: relationships that relate variables
• Constraints: Conditions that limit the scope of the problem
These parts of the problem indicate the steps and the time taken to solve the problem. This factor results in effective time management.

2. Reason with math
To improve your math preparation, reason with mathematical problems.
For example
What is the product of 5^25 x 2^32?
To solve this sum reason with the problem:
Observe a sample and derive a pattern:
5^1 and 2^1 gives 10
5^2 and 2^2 gives 100 or 10^2
5^3 and 2^3 gives 100 or 10^3
The pattern is one 5 and one 2 gives 10, two 5’s and two 10’s gives 100…. The number of 5’s and the number of 2’s gives the number of 0’s.

Conclusion one 5 and one 2 gives one 10 or a number with one 0.
Hence 5^25 x 2^32 = 5^25 x 2^25 x 2^7
Which is 128 …….(25 times)

3. Do not revise just the formula, learn how to derive it.
Most mathematical problems in the GMAT are related to the method of deriving certain standard formula than the formula itself. For example
While deriving the area of the equilateral triangle = sqrt(3) side^2/4
You will notice that the altitude bisects the triangle into two halves of equal area
The altitude splits the base into two halves of equal length.

4. Compare critical reasoning questions and derive generalization.
Study the CR questions in groups. For example study all “the weaken the argument” questions together. You will observe standard steps every time.
For example you will observe you have
• to first find the conclusion
• then identify the logic( whether its an analogy, a statistical data, a cause effect relationship or an example)
• then choose the option that negates the logic

Simple aint’ it.

5. If you are not strong with sentence correction and reading comprehension till now and if you have only two weeks to go, then there is nothing that can be done. It requires at-least 3 weeks of structured learning.

Use any course ware you have or use the course ware which I have recommended. Its on your right pane. Or if you don’t have the right material mail me ill help….:-)



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