Helping English

Sentence Correction

Sentence Correction tests mastery of the rules of formal written English. A deep knowledge of English grammar rules guarantees a significant gain in this question. 

Format

Sentence Correction question has a consistent format which never changes.

Question Type: A long sentence with part or whole underlined that contains an error.

The five (5) answer choices are possible replacement for the underlined segment.

Choice A is exactly the same as the underlined portion of the sentence. Choose A if you believe there is no error in the underlined part of the sentence.

“Best” does not mean “Ideal”

Choose the best option of those given not the best option in the universe.

Your task is to evaluate the given answer choices, not to create the ideal sentence.

Example:

  Although William Pereira first gained national recognition for his movie set designs, including those for the 1942 film “Reap the Wild Wind,” future generations remember him as the architect of the Transamerica Tower, the Malibu campus of Pepperdine University, and the city of Irvine.

1. including those for the 1942 film “Reap the Wild Wind,” future generations
2. like that for the 1942 film “Reap the Wild Wind,” future generations will
3.  like those for the 1942 film “Reap the Wild Wind,” future generations
4. including that for the 1942 film “Reap the Wild Wind,” future generations will
5. including those for the 1942 film “Reap the Wild Wind,” future generations will

Splits and Re-Splits Strategy

1. Read the sentence noting any obvious errors as you read
2. Scan the answer choices vertically- do not read them- looking for difference that split the answer choices. E.G  split the answer choices between those that begin with including and those that begin with like. Similarly at the end of the answers there is a split between those with will and those without will. Ideal split will divide the answer choices into a 2-3 split (two choices with one option, three with the other). Sometimes you will find a three-way split.
3. Choose a split for which you know the grammatical rule and which side of the split is correct.
4. Be careful! Sometimes both sides of a split are grammatically correct.
5. Compare the remaining answer choices by re-splitting. Continue to find differences in the answers, but make sure you use only the answer choices that remain from your initial split.

Split  #1

 Split the answer choices using  including versus like.

 Suppose we don’t know the rule of using including versus like. Look for another split!

Split #2

Fortunately, there is another 3-2 split at the end of the answers: will remember versus remember  

Since the subject of that verb is future generations the assigned action must be in the future tense.

Split# 3

Next, as we compare (B), (D) and (E), we find a split between those and that. Since that or  those  refers to movie set designs, a plural noun, we must use plural pronoun those.