### GMAT Mini-Test: Sentence Correction Questions and Answers
#### Introduction
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a standardized test used by many business schools to assess the readiness of candidates for advanced study in business and management. One of the sections of the GMAT is the Verbal Reasoning section, which includes Sentence Correction questions. These questions aim to evaluate a candidate’s ability to identify grammatical errors and improve the clarity and effectiveness of written English.
In this article, we will explore two sample Sentence Correction questions from a GMAT Mini-Test, along with their explanations. We will focus on understanding the underlying principles that guide the selection of the correct answers and the common pitfalls that test-takers should avoid.
#### Instructions for Sentence Correction Questions
Before diving into the questions, it is important to familiarize ourselves with the instructions provided:
- **Underlined Text**: Each question presents a sentence, part of which or all of which is underlined.
- **Five Choices**: Below the sentence, there are five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first choice repeats the original sentence, while the other four offer alternative phrasings.
- **Choosing the Best Answer**: If you believe the original sentence is correct, choose the first answer. Otherwise, select one of the other options.
- **Criteria for Selection**: Choose the answer that results in the most effective sentence. This means selecting the option that is clear, exact, and free from awkwardness, ambiguity, redundancy, or grammatical errors.
#### Question 1: Carbon-14 Dating
**Original Sentence**: "Carbon-14 dating reveals that the megalithic monuments in Brittany are nearly 2,000 years as old as any of their supposed Mediterranean predecessors."
**Explanation**:
- **Choice 1**: This choice repeats the original sentence. However, the phrase "as old as" implies equality in age, which contradicts the sentence's intended meaning that the Brittany monuments are older than the Mediterranean ones by about 2,000 years.
- **Choice 2**: This is the correct answer. It uses "older than" to clearly indicate the comparative age difference between the monuments.
- **Choice 3**: Similar to Choice 1, it uses "as old as," which is logically incorrect.
- **Choice 4**: Uses "supposedly" instead of "supposed," which is not the right form to modify "Mediterranean predecessors."
- **Choice 5**: Like Choice 3, it incorrectly uses "as old as."
**Correct Answer**: Choice 2.
#### Question 2: Hemingway’s Wives
**Original Sentence**: "Each of Hemingway's wives—Hadley Richardson, Pauline Pfeiffer, Martha Gelhorn, and Mary Welsh—were strong and interesting women, very different from the often pallid women who populate his novels."
**Explanation**:
- **Choice 1**: Uses "Each" but pairs it with "were," which creates a subject-verb disagreement.
- **Choice 2**: Correctly pairs "Each" with "was," ensuring subject-verb agreement. However, the phrase "Each… were wives" is illogical since "Each" cannot be plural.
- **Choice 3**: Uses "Everyone" with "was," which is also a subject-verb disagreement.
- **Choice 4**: Uses "Women" with "was," creating another subject-verb disagreement.
- **Choice 5**: Correctly pairs "Each" with "was" and avoids the illogical statement present in Choice 2.
**Correct Answer**: Choice 5.
#### Conclusion
Sentence Correction questions on the GMAT require a thorough understanding of grammar rules, sentence structure, and clarity of expression. By carefully analyzing each choice and comparing it to the given sentence, test-takers can identify and correct grammatical errors, improve sentence structure, and ensure that the final answer is both accurate and effective. Understanding the principles behind these corrections is crucial for success in the GMAT Verbal Reasoning section.
