Last visit was: 19 Apr 2025, 13:32 It is currently 19 Apr 2025, 13:32
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 7,278
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,916
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,278
Kudos: 67,565
 [1676]
271
Kudos
Add Kudos
1398
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
warriorguy
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 04 Aug 2016
Last visit: 08 Feb 2023
Posts: 379
Own Kudos:
344
 [20]
Given Kudos: 144
Location: India
Concentration: Leadership, Strategy
GPA: 4
WE:Engineering (Telecommunications)
Posts: 379
Kudos: 344
 [20]
13
Kudos
Add Kudos
6
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
ydmuley
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Last visit: 01 Dec 2019
Posts: 809
Own Kudos:
881
 [19]
Given Kudos: 199
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.5
8
Kudos
Add Kudos
11
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
vksriram
Joined: 13 Jul 2017
Last visit: 24 Jul 2017
Posts: 1
Own Kudos:
2
 [2]
Given Kudos: 6
Posts: 1
Kudos: 2
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Excellent Post GMATNinja.. Sentence correction problems made easy :). Thanks a lot :)
User avatar
daagh
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Last visit: 16 Oct 2020
Posts: 5,264
Own Kudos:
42,317
 [12]
Given Kudos: 422
Status: enjoying
Location: India
WE:Education (Education)
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 5,264
Kudos: 42,317
 [12]
12
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This topic needs to be made into a permanent sticky. One can feel the kind of energy and diligence required to make such a focussed article.
User avatar
adkikani
User avatar
IIM School Moderator
Joined: 04 Sep 2016
Last visit: 24 Dec 2023
Posts: 1,239
Own Kudos:
1,305
 [4]
Given Kudos: 1,207
Location: India
WE:Engineering (Other)
Posts: 1,239
Kudos: 1,305
 [4]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi GMATNinja

Personally for me, the most awaited and exhaustive of posts your wrote earlier.
Since SC is easier to improve than CR/RC.
Definitely was worth the wait!! Thanks a ton.
WR,
Arpit

P.S. Felt nice to predict few tips as I mentioned in this post click here
lol!! :lol:
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 7,278
Own Kudos:
67,565
 [4]
Given Kudos: 1,916
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,278
Kudos: 67,565
 [4]
Kudos
Add Kudos
4
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Thank you for the kind words, everybody! Glad that the post is useful. And sorry for the wait -- it took some time to get this one to actually make sense. :)
User avatar
arvind910619
Joined: 20 Dec 2015
Last visit: 18 Oct 2024
Posts: 852
Own Kudos:
591
 [2]
Given Kudos: 755
Status:Learning
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36
GRE 1: Q157 V157
GPA: 3.4
WE:Engineering (Manufacturing)
Products:
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36
GRE 1: Q157 V157
Posts: 852
Kudos: 591
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
GMATNinja
Wow a very insightful post along with some really good points to work on.
I did learn grammar rules but i was not giving meaning top priority when i started preparing .
Now i have changed that strategy i am more focused on meaning rather that pure grammar and my accuracy has increased .
User avatar
sarbjeetsingh777
Joined: 06 Feb 2017
Last visit: 28 Jul 2018
Posts: 22
Own Kudos:
23
 [1]
Given Kudos: 29
Schools: ISB '19 IIMA
Schools: ISB '19 IIMA
Posts: 22
Kudos: 23
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I have gone through this post a month back and from that day, i started following the approach mentioned in this post. So today i decided to post my reply to mention that this approach, to find four wrong answer choices rather than finding one correct choice, really works. I can see the improvements in my SC practice questions.
Thanks a ton Gmatninja

Regards
Sarab
User avatar
kill3rlook5
Joined: 14 Dec 2016
Last visit: 24 Apr 2019
Posts: 46
Own Kudos:
101
 [1]
Given Kudos: 158
Status:Searching for something I've been searching..LOL
Location: India
Concentration: Healthcare, Operations
Schools: Ross '20
GMAT 1: 590 Q35 V42
GPA: 3.5
WE:Medicine and Health (Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals)
Schools: Ross '20
GMAT 1: 590 Q35 V42
Posts: 46
Kudos: 101
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This here is one of the best posts I've ever laid my eyes on. Can simply vouch for it because i suffer from the most dangerous of the problems outlined by you. I have the 'Bad ear syndrome'.
I trust my ears a bit too much when attempting a sentence correction problem. Appreciations and regards for pointing out the problems and also providing a pathway to tackle them.

Regards
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 7,278
Own Kudos:
67,565
 [2]
Given Kudos: 1,916
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,278
Kudos: 67,565
 [2]
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kill3rlook5
This here is one of the best posts I've ever laid my eyes on. Can simply vouch for it because i suffer from the most dangerous of the problems outlined by you. I have the 'Bad ear syndrome'.
I trust my ears a bit too much when attempting a sentence correction problem. Appreciations and regards for pointing out the problems and also providing a pathway to tackle them.

Regards
I'm so happy to hear that this is helpful, kill3rlook5! Keep kicking butt on the GMAT. :)
User avatar
septwibowo
Joined: 27 Dec 2016
Last visit: 20 Mar 2025
Posts: 193
Own Kudos:
188
 [2]
Given Kudos: 285
Concentration: Marketing, Social Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.65
WE:Marketing (Education)
Products:
Posts: 193
Kudos: 188
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Thanks GMATNinja for this extremely useful resource!

Actually I do your first approach, which another source called as "low hanging fruit", but unfortunately I am getting lost often in the second step : understand logic and meaning. Surely need more practice!

Btw, you are a great writer. It was enjoyable to read your story!
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 7,278
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,916
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,278
Kudos: 67,565
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
septwibowo
Thanks GMATNinja for this extremely useful resource!

Actually I do your first approach, which another source called as "low hanging fruit", but unfortunately I am getting lost often in the second step : understand logic and meaning. Surely need more practice!

Btw, you are a great writer. It was enjoyable to read your story!
Thank you (very belatedly!) for the kind words, septwibowo! I'm always thrilled to hear that this stuff is actually useful to somebody.

Enjoy your studies! SC can be oddly fun once you get the hang of it. :)
User avatar
GMATBusters
User avatar
GMAT Tutor
Joined: 27 Oct 2017
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 1,926
Own Kudos:
6,250
 [1]
Given Kudos: 241
WE:General Management (Education)
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 1,926
Kudos: 6,250
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Excellent Post GMATNinja.. Sentence correction is not an enemy anymore :). Thanks a lot :)
The Wednesday Live videos on youtube are incredibly helpful...
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 7,278
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,916
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,278
Kudos: 67,565
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
gmatbusters
Excellent Post GMATNinja.. Sentence correction is not an enemy anymore :). Thanks a lot :)
The Wednesday Live videos on youtube are incredibly helpful...
Thank you so much for the kind words, gmatbusters! Really happy to hear that it's all been helpful. :)
avatar
ywp033402
Joined: 06 Feb 2018
Last visit: 12 Nov 2020
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
2
 [1]
Given Kudos: 5
Posts: 15
Kudos: 2
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi GMATNinja,

I hope this is not a dead thread... but I have a question regarding the strategy you mentioned above. In questions such as the ones listed below, if there are no obvious errors when you first read it, how are you supposed to approach the problem? Should you jump straight to consider the meaning of the sentence?

Question 1
As the former chair of the planning board for 18 consecutive years and a board member for 28 years, Joan Philkill attended more than 400 meetings and reviewed more than 700 rezoning applications.

(A) As the former
(B) The former
(C) Former
(D) She was
(E) As the

Question 2
With centuries of seasonal roaming in search of pasture for their herds or food and water, the Nomads still found the goal of a
bawdy, prolonged adventure an elusive one

(A) With
(B) Following
(C) Despite
(D) Having spent
(E) As a result of

Thanks in advance! :)
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 19 Apr 2025
Posts: 7,278
Own Kudos:
67,565
 [2]
Given Kudos: 1,916
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,278
Kudos: 67,565
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ywp033402
Hi GMATNinja,

I hope this is not a dead thread... but I have a question regarding the strategy you mentioned above. In questions such as the ones listed below, if there are no obvious errors when you first read it, how are you supposed to approach the problem? Should you jump straight to consider the meaning of the sentence?
It's one of the awesome things about GMAT Club: threads never really die here! They might get quiet for a while, but there's never any harm in bringing one back to life.

And yes, if you can't find any obvious errors, then the best bet is to focus on meaning differences. This one is a classic... but it turns out that one answer choice actually has a mechanical error in it:

ywp033402
Question 1
As the former chair of the planning board for 18 consecutive years and a board member for 28 years, Joan Philkill attended more than 400 meetings and reviewed more than 700 rezoning applications.

(A) As the former
(B) The former
(C) Former
(D) She was
(E) As the
(D) is the only really clear offender here. "She was chair of the planning board..." is one independent clause (a phrase that could stand alone as a sentence), and "Joan Philkill attended more than 400 meetings..." is another independent clause, and it's not OK to connect two independent clauses with just a comma. (If you like jargon, this thing is called a "comma splice.") So we can eliminate (D).

After that, it's entirely about meaning! Think about what's happening here: "Philkill attended more than 400 meetings and reviewed more than 700 rezoning applications" when she served as the chair of the planning board. She did NOT do these things "as the former chair..." Presumably, once she was "the former chair", she stopped wasting her time with rezoning applications. So without cramping too many brain cells, we can eliminate (A), (B), and (C) pretty quickly, and (E) is our answer.

So yes, meaning is generally a tougher thing to work with than nice, clear grammar rules... but sometimes, a single meaning issue can help you eliminate a ton of answer choices quickly.

ywp033402
Question 2
With centuries of seasonal roaming in search of pasture for their herds or food and water, the Nomads still found the goal of a
bawdy, prolonged adventure an elusive one

(A) With
(B) Following
(C) Despite
(D) Having spent
(E) As a result of
This question is not from an official source, and it's definitely not worth your time. :)

I hope this helps!
User avatar
DVlearns
Joined: 22 Sep 2017
Last visit: 15 Nov 2018
Posts: 4
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 26
Location: India
Concentration: Marketing, International Business
Posts: 4
Kudos: 1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Brilliantly written and extremely helpful. I find it really helpful as I am just starting out in my prep.

Thanks a lot.
User avatar
CAMANISHPARMAR
Joined: 12 Feb 2015
Last visit: 13 Mar 2022
Posts: 1,026
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 77
Posts: 1,026
Kudos: 2,320
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hey GMATNinja

Is this a typo error?

Attachment:
SC Error.jpg
SC Error.jpg [ 36.12 KiB | Viewed 155612 times ]

Ideally would not have brought this up but just wanted to check as I was in a sentence correction mode :please :)
User avatar
GMATNinjaTwo
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 20 Nov 2016
Last visit: 18 Apr 2025
Posts: 233
Own Kudos:
1,055
 [1]
Given Kudos: 1,070
GMAT 1: 760 Q48 V47
GMAT 2: 770 Q49 V48
GMAT 3: 770 Q50 V47
GMAT 4: 790 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q168 V167
GRE 2: Q170 V169
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 4: 790 Q50 V51
GRE 1: Q168 V167
GRE 2: Q170 V169
Posts: 233
Kudos: 1,055
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
CAMANISHPARMAR
Hey GMATNinja

Is this a typo error?

Attachment:
SC Error.jpg

Ideally would not have brought this up but just wanted to check as I was in a sentence correction mode :please :)
Good eye, CAMANISHPARMAR... fixed!
 1   2   3   
Moderators:
Current Student
715 posts
Current Student
278 posts