Sentence Correction—Your 4-Step Game Plan

The first task in this section is to learn the four basic steps for handling a GMAT Sentence Correction question. You’ll apply these steps to the following sample question:

Despite sophisticated computer models for assessing risk, such a model is nevertheless limited in their ability to define what risk is.

1. Despite sophisticated computer models for assessing risk, such a model is nevertheless
2. Sophisticated computer models, which assess risk, are nevertheless
3. Despite their sophistication, computer models for assessing risk are
4. Assessment of risk can be achieved with sophisticated computer models, but these models are
5. Assessing risk with sophisticated computer models is limited because such models are

Step 1: Read the original sentence carefully. As you do so, ask yourself:

• Does it sound odd or wrong to my ear?



• Do any errors in grammar jump out at me?



• Is the sentence confusing, and would I have to read it again to try and figure out what it means?

If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” you can confidently eliminate choice (A), the original underlined part, even if you’re not sure why it’s wrong.

Step 2: Plug your remaining choices, one at a time, into the original sentence, and read the entire revised sentence. As you do so, ask yourself the same three questions as in Step 1, and eliminate any choice for which your answer to any of those questions is “yes.”

Step 3: If you still haven’t narrowed the choices down to a clear winner, compare the remaining candidates. Resolve close judgment calls in favor of:

• A briefer, more concise version



• A version that more accurately conveys the intended meaning of the sentence



• A less awkward version

Step 4: Verify your selection before confirming your response. Check your selection one more time by plugging it into the sentence. If it sounds right, confirm your response, and move on.

Now let’s walk through the sample question about computer models, using this 4-step approach.

Step 1: Upon a first reading, doesn’t “such a model” sound a bit awkward? That’s a good clue that (A) is not the correct response. In fact, the original sentence contains two flaws. One is a grammatical error: the plural pronoun their is used to refer to the singular noun model. Either both should be plural or both should be singular, but they must match! The word their is not part of the underlined phrase, so look for an answer choice that uses models instead of model. (In grammatical terminology, the original sentence contains an error in “pronoun-antecedent agreement.”) The other flaw is one of ineffective expression: the first clause (before the comma) is structured differently than the second clause, and the result is an awkward and confusing sentence. So you should look for an answer choice that renders the sentence clearer and perhaps a bit more concise—one that helps the sentence sound a bit sweeter and “flow” more smoothly.

Step 2: Substitute each answer choice in turn for the underlined part.Choice (B) does not contain any grammatical errors. But doesn’t the phrase which assess risk appear to describe computer models in general rather than models for assessing risk? Surely, this isn’t the intended meaning of the sentence. (B) is a perfect example of an answer choice that is wrong because it either distorts, confuses, or obscures the intended meaning of the sentence. Eliminate (B). Choice (C) takes care of both problems with the original sentence. The plural noun models matches the plural pronoun their, and both clauses are now constructed in a similar way, making for a clearer and briefer sentence. (C) is probably the correct answer, but read the remaining choices anyway. Choice (D) sounds pretty good when you read it as part of the sentence, doesn’t it? No grammatical errors jump out at you. So is it a toss-up between (C) and (D)? Well, go on to (E) for now, then come back to the (C)-versus-(D) debate. Choice (E) incorrectly uses the phrase is limited to describe assessing risk. It is the computer models’ ability, not assessing risk, that is limited. Eliminate (E).

Step 3: Go back to (C) and (D). Is one less awkward than the other? More concise? Closer in meaning to the original version? Perhaps you noticed that the first clause in (D) (assessment of risk can be achieved) sounds a bit awkward. So you’ve got a good reason to choose (C) over (D).

Step 4: Check (C) one more time by plugging it into the sentence: Despite their sophistication, computer models for assessing risk are limited in their ability to define what risk is. Sounds great! Confirm your response, and move on to the next question.

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