Need help detecting SC errors despite knowing the rule/content

Question

HI all,

During my SC practice, I've noticed that I get a lot of the questions wrong because I just don't notice errors when I'm reading the responses. Eg for a sentence such as "Found only in the Western Hemisphere and surviving through extremes of climate, hummingbirds' range extends...", I will read it and not notice the fact that the modifier is modifying "hummingbirds' range" when it should modify "hummingbirds". Whenever this happens, I look at the answer explanation and it seems obvious but while answering the question it just doesn't jump out at me. It seems like I have the knowledge to answer the question but I find it hard to detect the errors when I see them. Is there any way to address this?

broall · Answer

Hi, did you practice with Manhattan SC Guide? If not, then I suggest you practice with that book to improve your SC skill.

Also, I think that you could read questions slower so that you could understand questions better.

wolfgangkhan · Answer

Hi  broall

Thanks for your reply. I have gone through the Manhattan SC once. Will try your tip of reading through the question slower, thanks for that!

BrightOutlookJenn · Answer

Hi  wolfgangkhan ,
Are you keeping an Error Log? I like to have a "Key Takeaway" column in an Error Log where you coach yourself on what to do differently in the future. In this case, you could say something like "When the sentence begins with a modifier, slow down and be very nit-picky about what comes after the comma". So, instead of just noting what you did wrong, note how you want to do things differently/better the next time.
Then, before your next rounds of SC practice, re-read your Error Log, focusing on your Key Takeaway column. Take a moment and really envision yourself doing the things you have suggested. Then you can get into your SC practice and try to act out what you have envisioned.

I'd be interested to hear back from you about whether this helps!

Best, Jennifer

ccooley · Answer

It sounds like you may not be focusing enough on the differences between the answer choices. For every error, there's always at least one answer choice that does it correctly, and at least one answer choice that does it incorrectly. It's hard to see the errors when you just look at them on their own in one answer choice, but when you compare correct versus incorrect, by looking at more than one answer choice at a time, they jump out a bit more.

wolfgangkhan · Answer

ccooley  - Thanks for the tip! Will try and incorporate it into my approach.

jennpt  - Thanks for the reply. I have been keeping an error log but perhaps I haven't been specific enough with my I'm getting them wrong. I usually do make a note on why I got the question wrong. In regards to my hummingbird example, my note was "Found only in the Western Hemisphere and surviving through extremes of climate, hummingbirds' range... is wrong because the range and not the bird is being modified"

I think your tips are helpful and I'll start noting not only why I got the question wrong but also what tips and tricks I can come up with to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Need help detecting SC errors despite knowing the rule/content

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards