Lesson: Sentence Correction General Strategy

Comment on Sentence Correction General Strategy

nice way of explaining
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Thanks!

WELL-STRUCTURED & PRESENTED
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Thanks!

Very useful videos.
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Thanks for the kind words, Tarvinder!

Hi Brent, I have a question about one example on OG 2019, hope you could help me. On page 678, Quantifying phrases section, the sentence ¨a small percentage of our employees oppose the new plan¨, why is not ¨opposes¨here please? Thank you x
gmat-admin's picture

In that particular example, PERCENTAGE OF is functioning in a manner similar to SOME OF.
When we use SOME OF, we determine whether we need a singular/plural verb based on the part that follows SOME OF.
For example,
Some of this APPLE (singular) IS (singular) rotten.
Some of my FRIENDS (plural) ARE (plural) lawyers.

Cheers,
Brent

Thank you thank you, this has been very helpful!!! x

Hi Brent, I´m wondering if you could help me with this question please? Thank you so much!! x

Although she had been known as an effective legislator first in the Texas Senate and later in the United States House of Representatives, not until Barbara Jordan’s participation in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon in 1974 was she made a nationally recognized figure, as it was televised nationwide.

later in the United States House of Representatives, not until Barbara Jordan’s participation in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon in 1974 was she made a nationally recognized figure, as it was

later in the United States House of Representatives, Barbara Jordan did not become a nationally recognized figure until 1974, when she participated in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, which were

later in the United States House of Representatives, it was not until 1974 that Barbara Jordan became a nationally recognized figure, with her participation in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, which was

then also later in the United States House of Representatives, not until 1974 did Barbara Jordan become a nationally recognized figure, as she participated in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, being

then also later in the United States House of Representatives, Barbara Jordan did not become a nationally recognized figure until 1974, when she participated in the hearings on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, which was
gmat-admin's picture

A) Although she had been known as an effective legislator first in the Texas Senate and later in the United States House of Representatives,
STOP HERE.

When we reach the comma, we should ask ourselves "Who had been known as an effective legislator?"
If the sentence is properly constructed, the part that follows the comma should answer our question
Reading on we get "not until Barbara Jordan’s participation...'
Hmmm. Barbara Jordan’s participation was known as an effective legislator?
This doesn't that make any sense. ELIMINATE A.

The same issue exists with answer choices C and D

We're left with B and E.
With answer choice E, we have a problem with subject-verb agreement.
"...when she participated in the HEARINGS on the impeachment of President Richard Nixon, which WAS televised nationwide."
It should be "...the HEARINGS WERE televised....

This leaves us with B.

Hi Brent, I´m wondering what is your strategy for solving this question please? Thanks x

Humans have been damaging the environment for centuries by overcutting trees and farming too intensively, and though some protective measures, like the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, having been taken decades ago, great increases in population and in the intensity of industrialization are causing a worldwide ecological crisis.

A. though some protective measures, like the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, having been taken decades ago, great increases in population

B. though some protective measures, such as the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, were taken decades ago, great increases in population

C. though some protective measures, such as establishing national forests and wildlife sanctuaries having been taken decades ago, great population increases

D. with some protective measures, like establishing national forests and wildlife sanctuaries that were taken decades ago, great increases in population

E. with some protective measures, such as the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, having been taken decades ago, great population increases
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First of all we use LIKE to compare nouns, and we use SUCH AS to provide examples.
In the sentence we aren't comparing protective measures with anything.
So, LIKE is incorrect here.
ELIMINATE A and D

There's also a parallelism issue at the end of the sentence.
Here, we have two types of increases.
We have an increase IN population, and we have an increase IN the intensity of industrialization.
So to maintain parallelism we need, "...great increases IN population and IN the intensity of industrialization"

Since C and E don't have this same parallelism.
ELIMINATE C and E

By the process of elimination, the correct answer is B

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