The post GMAT Practice Questions Explained: Sentence Correction Isn’t Scary appeared first on Kaplan GMAT Blog.
Did our latest GMAT Practice Questions scare you into studying? We gave you two questions, and today we have the answers and explanations we know you’re just dying to read.
Question Explanations
The First Question:
Researchers have found that, on average one American should be struck by lightning every 13 days.
- A. one American should be struck by lightning every 13 days
- B. an American should be struck by lightning once in every 13 days
- C. lightning will strike some American once every 13 days
- D. every 13 days an American is struck by lightning
- E. every 13 days an American should be struck by lightning -
Always start these problems with eliminating as many of the answers as you can. Do a vertical scan of the answer choices, and you will see three options – “should be struck”, “will strike”, and “is struck.” “Should be struck” implies that the researchers believe Americans ought to be struck by lightning which is illogical and slightly inappropriate, Dr. Research. So you can eliminate (A), (B), and (E).
Next, look at (C) which suggests that the same American will be struck by lightning every 13 days. That’s one unlucky American! However, it’s not the correct meaning of the original statement. Remember, a correct Sentence Correction answer will never change the meaning of the sentence.
That leaves you with (D). The present tense generalizes the action in a way that makes it clear lightning strikes different Americans on different occasions. (D) is your correct answer.
The Second Question:
Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.
- A. Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.
- B. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning.
- C. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, “ball lightning” cannot be studied by the same experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning as normal lightning.
- D. Because “ball lightning” is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to it as they are to normal lightning.
- E. “Ball lightning” is not subject to experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning in the same way as normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.
Start by eliminating the answers that cannot be true. With this question, the false statements confuse “ball lightning,” and “normal lightning,” so that you cannot determine which is rare and unpredictable. By that, you can eliminate (A) as you cannot tell from the structure whether “it” refers to “ball lightning” or “normal lightning.” The use of “it” must refer clearly to “ball lightning” and with that in mind, you can eliminate both (B) and (E). That leaves you with (C) and (D).
(C) implies that the experiments are studying the lightning but, in fact, people are studying the lightning via the experiments. If that’s not enough for elimination, (C) also uses the odd phrasing of “understanding of lightning as normal lightning.” (C) can be eliminated.
That leaves you with the correct answer (D). Though it may not sound “right,” it does express the idea best. While you may be able to write a better sentence, you won’t get any points on the GMAT for that, so instead, choose (D).
Want to try more GMAT practice questions? Need some help with your GMAT studying? Try one of our free online GMAT sample classes, designed to give you tips and tricks to help raise your GMAT score! Need more help with tackling GMAT Sentence Correction questions? Check out our YouTube video for guidance.
