GMAT Verbal › Recognizing Sentences That Contain No Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Christopher loved to play video games in his free time; he found playing them relaxing.
Christopher loved to play video games in his free time; he found playing them relaxing.
Christopher loved to play video games in his free time, he found playing them relaxing.
Christopher loved to play video games in his freetime; he found playing them relaxing.
Christopher loved to play video games in his free time; he finds playing them relaxing.
Christopher loved to plays video games in his free time; he found playing them relaxing.
There are no errors in the above sentence. This sentence joins two related independent clauses without the use of a coordinate conjunction, so there should be a semicolon present after the word "time." In the other sentences, there are issues with parallelism (found...finds), verb agreement (loved to plays), word errors (freetime is not one word), or using a comma where a semicolon should be used. The correct choice is, "Christopher loved to play video games in his free time; he found playing them relaxing."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The teacher required the students to bring their own instruments when coming to the music lesson.
bring
take
carry
truck
lift
This sentence contains no errors. All of the available choices are synonyms for "carry," but the difference lies in the point of reference. "Carry," "lift," and "truck" are generic words for carrying something, but "bring" indicates that you are carrying something to the position where the subject is, and "take" indicates you are moving away from the subject. The words "when coming to the music lesson" indicate that they are moving towards the direction of the subject: the music teacher (presumably, the teacher is already there). The correct choice is, "bring."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
He decided to try meditation as a way of relieving stress.
He decided to try meditation as a way
He decided, to try meditation as a way
He decided: to try meditation as a way
He decided to: try meditation as a way
He decided to try meditation, as a way
This sentence contains no errors. This is a simple sentence containing two prepositional phrases (starting with "as" and "of"). There is no need for punctuation anywhere in the sentence (and punctuation is never used to split up verb phrases). The correct choice is, "He decided to try meditation as a way."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The new mural was enormous.
The new mural was enormous.
The new mural was great and enormous.
The new mural was: enormous.
The new, mural was enormous.
The new, mural was: enormous.
This sentence contains no errors. It is a simple sentence, so no punctuation is necessary (note: colons do no separate words in the same clause). Additionally, "great and enormous" is redundant because both of those words have the same meaning. The correct choice is, "The new mural was enormous."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The crew team was made up of a random assortment of people who would never have come together otherwise.
The crew team was made up of a random assortment of people who would never have come together otherwise.
The crew team was made up of random assortment of people who would never have come together otherwise.
The crew team was made up of the random assortment of people who would never have come together otherwise.
The crew team was made up of a random assortment of people who would ever have come together otherwise.
The crew team being made up of a random assortment of people who would never have come together otherwise.
The sentence is perfectly correct as written, and needs nothing done to it to improve it. Additionally, all of the answer choices that do make a change make the sentence confusing or grammatically incorrect. The best answer choice is to leave the sentence as it is written.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
He was only with the company for three months before moving on to a different job in the same industry.
He was only with the company for three months before moving on to a different job in the same industry.
He was with only the company, for three months, before moving on to a different job in the same industry.
He was only with the company for three months before moving on to a different job in the similar industry.
He was only with the company for three-months before moving on to a different job in the same industry.
He was only with the company for three months, before moving on to a different job, in the same industry.
The sentence is correct as written; no changes need to be made to it. All of the answer choices that change the sentence introduce errors, so the best answer choice is the one that keeps the sentence the same.
Unlike all of his siblings, the young boy had an artistic bent that his parents looked down upon.
Unlike all of his siblings, the young boy had an artistic bent that his parents looked down upon.
Unlike all of his siblings, the young boy had an artistic bent and his parents looked down upon.
Unlike all of his siblings, the young boy had an artistic bent that his parents looking down upon.
Unlike all of his siblings the young boy had an artistic bent that his parents looked down upon.
Unlike all of his siblings, the young boy having an artistic bent that his parents looked down upon.
The sentence is perfectly correct as written, and needs nothing done to improve it. Additionally, all of the other answer choices that do make a change also make the sentence grammatically incorrect. The correct answer choice is to leave the sentence as it is written.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The conflict lasted for some twenty years, nine of which saw heavy fighting.
nine of which saw heavy fighting.
nine of which see heavy fighting.
nine of them which saw heavy fighting.
nine of which saw heavy of the fighting.
the nine of which saw heavy fighting.
The sentence is correct as written; no changes need to be made to it. Additionally, all the answer choice that do change the sentence make it grammatically incorrect.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The older employees grew increasingly uncomfortably with the company's new hires, all of whom had advanced degrees and more training.
the company's new hires, all of whom had advanced degrees and more training.
the companies new hires, all of whom had advanced degrees and more training.
the company's new hires', all of whom had advanced degrees and more training.
the company's new hires all of whom had advanced degrees and more training.
the company's new hires, all of who had advanced degrees and more training.
The sentence is perfectly correct as written, with the possesive in "company's" correctly used, the dependent clause set apart from a comma, and the proper usage of "whom." The correct answer choice is to leave the sentence as it is written.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Rivers were once the key transportation method in civilization, but the paving of roads created concrete rivers across land masses.
the paving of roads
the paving roads
the roads paving
the road paving
the paving road
The underlined portion of the sentence features a gerund, a present verb form that can be used as a noun. Thus, the phrase "the paving of roads" can appropriately be a subject in the phrase, and the sentence is correct as written.