Sentence Correction: Meaning, Grammar, Idiom
Sentence Correction asks you to choose the version that is grammatically correct and preserves the intended meaning. Prioritize in this order: (1) does the sentence make logical sense? (2) is it grammatically sound? (3) is it concise and idiomatic?
Concepts to master
- Subject-verb agreement across interrupting phrases: "The box of tools is heavy."
- Pronoun reference and agreement: every "it" and "they" needs a clear, matching antecedent.
- Modifiers: place them next to what they describe. Dangling and misplaced modifiers are frequent.
- Parallelism: items in a list or comparison must share grammatical form.
- Comparisons: compare like with like-"rates of X" with "rates of Y," not "rates" with "Y."
- Idioms and tense: standard prepositions and consistent verb tense.
Traps that recur
- Sound-over-sense: a smooth-sounding choice that changes meaning.
- The original is not sacred: choice A is often wrong; don't anchor on it.
- Split-and-compare: find the 1-2 words that differ between choices and eliminate on those alone.
- Overcorrection: a longer, "more formal" option that introduces an error.
Rule of thumb
Read the whole sentence for meaning first, then scan for the most common error (agreement, pronouns, modifiers). Eliminate choices one concrete error at a time rather than judging holistically.
Worked example
"Walking to the store, the rain soaked Maya." The modifier "walking" dangles-it should describe Maya, not the rain. Correct: "Walking to the store, Maya was soaked by the rain."