GMAT Sentence Correction-Diagnostic Test
GMAT Sentence Correction-Diagnostic Test
DIRECTIONS: In each of the following sentences, some part of the sentence or the entire sentence is underlined. Beneath each
sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are
different. If you think the original is better than any of the alternatives, choose answer A; otherwise choose one of the others.
Select the best version.
This is a test of correctness and effectiveness of expression. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written
English; that is, pay attention to grammar, choice of words, and sentence construction. Choose the answer that expresses most
effectively what is presented in the original sentence; this answer should be clear and exact, without awkwardness, ambiguity,
or redundancy.
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
1. A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four
times as many than there were four years ago.
(A) there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(B) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(C) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were
(D) every thirty-two pupils now have one microcomputer, four times as many than there were
(E) every thirty-two pupils now has one microcomputer, four times as many as
2. Since 1986 when the Department of Labour began to allow investment officers’ fees to be based on how the funds they
manage perform, several corporations began paying their investment officers a small basic fee, with a contract promising
higher fees if the managers perform well.
(A) investment officers’ fees to be based on how the funds they manage perform, several corporations began
(B)investment officers’ fees to be based on the performance of the funds they manage, several corporations began
(C)that fees of investment officers be based on how the funds they manage perform, several corporations have begun
(D) fees of investment officers to be based on the performance of the funds they manage, several corporations have
begun
(E)that investment officers’ fees be based on the performance of the funds they manage, several corporations began
3. Like many self-taught artists, Hussain did not begin to paint until he was well into middle age.
(A) Like
(B)As have
(C)Just as with
(D) Just like
(E)As did
4. Never before had tenants seen so many changes at once as they had in the amended Rent Control Act.
(A) so many changes at once as they had in
(B)at once as many changes as
(C)at once as many changes that there were with
(D) as many changes at once as they saw in
(E)so many changes at once that they saw in
5. It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers
can be crucial to profits.
(A) the frequency of inventory turnovers can be
(B)the frequency of inventory turnovers is often
(C)the frequency with which the inventory turns over is often
(D) how frequently is the inventory turned over are often
(E)how frequently the inventory turns over can be
1
6. Those who come to a temple with a predisposition to religious belief will be happy in an auditorium or even a storefront, and
there is no doubt that religion is sometimes better served by adapted spaces of this kind instead of by some of the buildings
actually designed for it.
(A) adapted spaces of this kind instead of by some of the buildings actually designed for it
(B)adapted spaces like these rather than some of the buildings actually designed for them
(C)these adapted spaces instead of by some of the buildings actually designed for it
(D) such adapted spaces rather than by some of the buildings actually designed for them
(E)such adapted spaces than by some of the buildings actually designed for it
7. A firm that specialises in the analysis of handwriting claims from a one-page writing sample that it can assess more than
three hundred personality traits, including enthusiasm, imagination and ambition.
(A) from a one-page writing sample that it can assess
(B)from a one-page writing sample it has the ability of assessing
(C)the ability, from a one-page writing sample, of assessing
(D) to be able, from a one-page writing sample, to assess
(E)being able to assess, from a one-page writing sample
8. The question of whether to distance themselves from the RSS is particularly troublesome for the leaders of the BJP because
their ideological bases are more firmly rooted in the concept of Hindutva than most ordinary BJP workers.
(A) than
(B)than those of
(C)than is so of
(D) compared to
(E)compared to those of
9. A recent study revealed that the use of crack and cocaine is growing rapidly among unskilled workers, significantly
compounding the effects of alcohol abuse, which already are a cost to business of more than Rs. 1500 crores a year.
(A) significantly compounding the effects of alcohol abuse, which already are a cost to business of
(B)significantly compounding the effects of alcohol abuse, which already cost business
(C)significantly compounding the effects of alcohol abuse, already with business costs of
(D) significant in compounding the effects of alcohol abuse, and already costing business
(E)significant in compounding the effects of alcohol abuse, and already costs business
10. The Parthenon was a church from 1204 until 1456, when Athens was taken by General Mohammed the Conqueror, the
Turkish sultan, who established a mosque in the building and used the Acropolis as a fortress.
(A) who established a mosque in the building and used the Acropolis as
(B)who, establishing a mosque in the building, used the Acropolis like
(C)who, when he had established a mosque in the building, used the Acropolis like
(D) who had established a mosque in the building, using the Acropolis to be
(E)establishing a mosque in the building and using the Acropolis as
11. Along with the drop in producer prices announced yesterday, the strong retail sales figures released today seem like it is
indicative that the economy, although growing slowly, is not nearing a recession.
(A) like it is indicative that
(B)as if to indicate
(C)to indicate that
(D) indicative of
(E)like an indication of
12. Today, because of improvements in agricultural technology, the same amount of acreage produces double the apples that it
has in 1910.
(A) double the apples that it has
(B)twice as many apples as it did
(C)as much as twice the apples it has
(D) two times as many apples as there were
2
(E)a doubling of the apples that it did
13. Joan of Arc, a young Frenchwoman who claimed to be divinely inspired, turned the tide of English victories in her country
by liberating the city of Orleans and she persuaded Charles VII of France to claim his throne.
(A) she persuaded Charles VII of France to claim his throne
(B)persuaded Charles VII of France in claiming his throne
(C)persuading that the throne be claimed by Charles VII of France
(D) persuaded Charles VII of France to claim his throne
(E)persuading that Charles VII of France should claim the throne
14. Never before in the history of music have musical superstars been able to command so extraordinary fees of the kind they do
today.
(A) so extraordinary fees of the kind they do today
(B) so extraordinary fees as they are today
(C) such extraordinary fees as they do today
(D) such extraordinary fees of the kind today’s have
(E) so extraordinary a fee of the kind they can today
15. As it becomes more frequent to have spouses who both work outside the home, companies are beginning to help in finding
new employment for the spouses of transferred employees.
(A) it becomes more frequent to have spouses who both work outside the home
(B) it becomes more frequent to have couples both working outside the home
(C) it becomes more common that both husband and wife should be working outside the home
(D) it becomes more common for both husband and wife to work outside the home
(E) couples in which both of the spouses working outside the home become more common
16. Since independence there are twenty times a many Harijan college students enrolled, and the ten crores Harijan
students in college today represent 11 percent of all college students.
(A) Since independence there are twenty times as many Harijan college students enrolled
(B) The enrollment of Harijan college students was only one-twentieth at the time of independence
(C) The enrollment of Harijan college students has increased twenty times from independence on
(D) Increasing twenty-fold since independence, there are now twenty times as many Harijan college students enrolled
(E) The enrollment of Harijan college students has increased twenty-fold since independence
17. Like the one reputed to live in Loch Ness, also an inland lake connected to the ocean by a river, inhabitants of the area
around Lake Champlain claim sightings of a long and narrow sea monster.
(A) Like the one reputed to live in Loch Ness, also an inland lake connected to the ocean by river, inhabitants of the are
around Lake Champlain claim sightings of a long and narrow sea monster.
(B) Inhabitants of the area around Lake Champlain claim sightings of a long and narrow sea monster similar to the one
reputed to live in Loch Ness, which, like Lake Champlain, is an inland lake connected to the ocean by a river.
(C) Inhabitants of the area around Lake Champlain claim sightings of a long and narrow sea monster similar to Loch
Ness’s, which, like Lake Champlain, is an inland lake connected to the ocean by a river.
(D) Like Loch Ness’s reputed monster, inhabitants of the area around lake Champlain, also an inland lake connected to the
ocean by a river, claim sightings of a long and narrow sea monster.
(E) Similar to that reputed to live in Loch Ness, inhabitants of the area around Lake Champlain, also an inland lake
connected to the ocean by a river, claim sightings of a long and narrow sea monster.
18. A common disability in test pilots is hearing impairment, a consequence of sitting too close to large jet engines
for long periods of time.
(A) a consequence of sitting too close to large jet engines for long periods of time
(B) a consequence from sitting for long periods of time too near to large jet engines
(C) a consequence which resulted from sitting too close to large jet engines for long periods of time
(D) damaged from sitting too near to large jet engines for long periods of time
(E) damaged because they sat too close to large jet engines for long periods of time
3
1. Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir is suffering as a result of a sluggish economy, an indifferent state government, as well as the
chilling effects of terrorist activity that is persistent.
(A) as well as the chilling effects of terrorist activity that is persistent
(B) and the chilling effect of terrorist activity that is persistent
(C) but persistent terrorist activity has had a chilling effect too
(D) and the chilling effects of persistent terrorist activity
(E) as well as the chilling effects of terrorist activity that persists
2. Opening with tributes to the late CV Raman, the seminar will encapsulate his achievements.
3. In 1989 relatively small declines in the market ruined many speculators having bought on margin; they had to sell, and their
selling pushed other investors to the brink.
(A) speculators having bought on margin; they had to sell, and
(B) speculators who had bought on margin; having had to sell,
(C) speculators who had bought on margin; they had to sell, and
(D) speculators, those who had bought on margin; these speculators had to sell, and
(E) speculators, who, having bought on margin and having to sell,
4. The mistakes children make in learning to speak tell linguists more about how they learn language than the correct forms
they use.
(A) how they learn language than
(B) how one learns language than
(C) how children learn language than do
(D) learning language than
(E) their language learning than do
5. Building large new hospitals in the suburban area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of
duplicated facilities alone.
(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided
6. A recent survey by MARG showed that people living in small towns and rural areas consider themselves no happier than do
people living in big cities.
(A) no happier than do people living
(B) not any happier than do people living
(C) not any happier than do people who live
(D) no happier than are people who are living
(E) not as happy as are people who live
7. It may someday be worthwhile to try to recover uranium from seawater, but at present this process is prohibitively expensive.
(A) It may someday be worthwhile to try to recover uranium from seawater
(B) Someday, it may be worthwhile to try and recover uranium from seawater
(C) Trying to recover uranium out of seawater may someday be worthwhile
(D) To try for the recovery of uranium out seawater may someday be worthwhile
(E) Recovering uranium from seawater may be worthwhile to try to do someday
4
5