Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Sentence Correction - Self-study in 7 Lessons

Warm Up
Look:

I YOU

Now:

I YOU

Got the feeling?

Now you know how I feel about you. Let’s think of the verb as the soul of a sentence. With a verb, you
can express an idea, a thought, opinion, or feeling:

love
hate
admire
1
I respect
you
envy
trust

Above, we see different feelings expressed by different SENTENCES. What changes the meaning of a
sentence is its verb. From now on, think of a sentence as a group of words that contain a verb (love,
hate, admire, respect, envy, trust), a subject (in this case I) and a complement (you). Simply put:

S V C
Subject Verb Complement

A sentence is formed by at least one combination of SVC – subject, verb, and complement. Each time
you combine S+V+C, you will have different ideas:

I love you.
I cannot lend you my car.
I love you, but I cannot lend you my car.
Although I love you, I cannot lend you my car.
Because I love you, I cannot lend you my car.

Combinations of S+V+C yield an infinite number of ideas. You must first understand how one sentence
works, so that later, you can correct whatever does not work in a sentence. The questions in Sentence
Correction will always present issues related to these three elements. Shall we start?

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Lesson 1
Parts of Speech – VERB - definition

Verbs are the first element in the SVC structure that we will study because, as we saw, a verb is
the “soul” of a sentence. Now, you should know when words together form a sentence and
when they do not:

Victoria, the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood and my best friend
Victoria, the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood, is my best friend.

VERBS are words that indicate action and state or existence. Thus, they are classified into
action verbs and linking verbs. Most common linking verbs: “is, am, are, was, were, be, being,
been, seem, look, feel, and become”. They just show that something exists.

Exercise: identify the verbs in the following sentences:

1. Anna, my co-worker, loves dancing.

2. You seem upset about the outcome of our actions so far.

3. The pie on top of that filthy counter looks good. 2

4. Before he worked as a mailman, my uncle had been a pilot.

5. The girl dressed in pink looks at you in disbelief.

6. While the dog barked at the man, the children laughed.

7. After many frustrated attempts, I have finally written my first essay.

8. Victoria, my neighbor and best friend, has never been to Japan.

9. The teacher has required that the student provide an explanation.

10. If you do not sit down now, I will be mad at you.

11. Despite the problems, he appeared happy.

12. The image appeared in the mirror.

Answer key:

1 loves 7 have written

2 seem 8 has (never) been
3 looks 9 has required, provide
4 worked, had been 10 do not sit, will be
5 looks 11 appeared
6 barked, laughed 12 appeared

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Lesson 2
Parts of Speech – VERB versus VERB FORM

S V C
Subject Verb Complement

Now, take two simple sentences and identify their elements above (S+V+C):

Sentence 1

Victoria loves music

Sentence 2

Victoria loves dancing

3
Clearly the verb is loves. Now, both “music” and “dancing” fall into the same category. Both are in C
(complement). Therefore, “dancing” is not the verb in this sentence.

Let’s choose another two simple sentences and identify their elements (S+V+C):

Sentence 3

I want food

Sentence 4

I want to eat

Notice that “food” and “to eat” fall into the same category. Both are in C (complement). Therefore, “to
eat” is not a verb in this sentence. “Dancing” and “to eat” are verb forms – words derived from verbs
that play other functions in a sentence. In this case the gerund (dancing) and the infinitive (to eat)
are the C in the SVC.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Now, why are we saying all this? With a combination of SVC structures, one sentence may
take up to four lines. If you can identify the V (verb) and the verb form as S or C, you can
analyze the sentence structure, spot the mistakes (if any), make corrections (if any), eliminate
bad choices, and choose your answer confidently.

Exercise: identify the VERB in the following sentences.

Example:

Talking to the teacher, the students understood the difference between verbs and verb forms.

Talking to the teacher, the students understood the difference between verbs and verb forms.

1. Supported by directors, the managers were able to make the right decisions to benefit the company.

2. After sweating much, I have finally written my first essay.

3. To achieve a high score on the GMAT, you will need a lot of patience and practice.

4. The mailman, scared by the dog’s loud barking, left the house porch running.

5. By applying the grammar rules properly, anyone can succeed in the verbal section.

Answer key:

1 were able to make

2 have written
4
3 will need
4 left
5 can succeed

Exercise: choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

01.) A laser beam _______ a concentration of pure light.

(A) consists of
(B) which consists of
(C) it consists of
(D) consisting of

02.) Eli Whitney, a northerner, _______ the cotton gin that revolutionized the economy of the South.

(A) who invented

(B) when he invented
(C) invented
(D) he invented

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

03.) Diamonds _______ an unstable form of carbon.

(A) which are

(B) being
(C) although they are
(D) are

04.) Lightning rarely _______ twice in the same place.

(A) is striking
(B) strikes
(C) does it strike
(D) it strikes

05.) The regular major league baseball season _______ each team to play 162 games.

(A) which requires

(B) requiring
(C) it requires
(D) requires
5
06.) The brakes _______.

(A) needs to be adjusted

(B) needs adjustment
(C) need to adjust
(D) need adjusting

07.) I wish that we _______ with my brother when he flies to England next week.

(A) could go
(B) had gone
(C) will go
(D) are going

08.) Are you sure Miss Smith _______ use the new equipment?

(A) know to
(B) is able
(C) can
(D) have the ability to

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

09.) _______ you rather sit by the window?

(A) Don't
(B) Will
(C) Wouldn't
(D) Won't

10.) Excuse me, but it is time to have your temperature _______.

(A) taking
(B) to take
(C) take
(D) taken

11.) The debate _______ by the partisan review drew a large crowd.

(A) sponsored
(B) was sponsored
(C) has sponsored
(D) sponsoring

12.) The man who was driving the truck would not admit that he had been at fault, and _______.

(A) neither the other driver

6
(B) neither would the other driver
(C) neither had the other driver
(D) the other driver neither

Answer key
1A 5D 9C
2C 6D 10D
3D 7A 11 A
4B 8C 12 B

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Lesson 3
Parts of Speech – Verb - position

Verbs are often placed after their owners (subject). Therefore, the most usual order in a
sentence is S+V+C. However, we can change that order in some cases and even give the SVC
a meaning:

- Turn affirmation into question

- Place emphasis on a negative expression
- Place emphasis on location / movement
- Express comparisons
- Express conditions

Questions:

Are the boys here?

Have you been driving long?
Will Mary finish the job on time?

Negative / restrictive expressions:

Under no circumstance should you press that button. 7

Not until I arrived home did I realize that my shoes were untied.
Not only does she sing but she also dances.
Only at night can I find peace to study.
You did not offer help, nor did I expect you to do so.

Location / Movement:

Here comes the bride.

Up went the balloon.
Behind the door was the broom.
Down the corridor to the right is the bathroom.
At risk, once you change the rules, is the children’s safety.

Comparisons:

So beautiful was the art piece that visitors sighed.

Victoria has studied harder for the test than has any other student in this class.
Julia comes from Rio de Janeiro as does her father.
No less important than your test score are your essays.
So quickly did she speak that we could not take any notes.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Conditions:

Should you have any doubts, please let us know.

Should I get lost, I will call you.
Had I remembered his name, I could have invited him to the event.
Had you told me the truth, I would have helped you.
Were you a bit more patient, you might convince me to join you.
Were he our friend, he would offer us support.

Exercise A: choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

01.) Never _______ such a starry sky.

(A) I did see

(B) have I seen
(C) have seen I
(D) I saw

02.) _______ the destruction that the city took decades to recover.

(A) So great is
(B) Too great was 8
(C) Such grate is
(D) So great was

03.) _______ when the Chargers found themselves 7-0 down.

(A) Hardly had the game begun

(B) Hardly the game had begun
(C) The game hardly begun
(D) Hardly had begun the game

04.) So little _______ that the neighbors could not settle their differences.

(A) they agreed

(B) agreed did they
(C) did they agree
(D) they did agree

05.) Only once before _______.

(A) has happened this

(B) happened this
(C) this has happened
(D) has this happened

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

06. Not only _______ places of beauty, but they also serve scientific and educational purposes.
(A) are botanical gardens
(B) botanical gardens to be
(C) botanical gardens are
(D) to be botanical gardens

07.) Not only _______ but he also owned a movie studio.

(A) Hughes owned Las Vegas hotels

(B) did Hughes own Las Vegas hotels
(C) owned Hughes Las Vegas hotels
(D) Las Vegas hotels owned Hughes

08.) Only when it rains _______.

(A) does the river overflow

(B) the river does overflow
(C) overflows does the river
(D) overflow the river

9
Exercise B: rewrite each sentence beginning with the expression in parenthesis:

1. There are no circumstances under which audience members may consume alcohol.

(Under no circumstance)

2. Nobody has won so many matches for his team since 1994. (Not since)

3. We not only consider you competent but also want to hire you. (Not only)

4. The gang didn't know that the police had it under surveillance. (Little)

5. You can't use my car at any time. (At no time)

6. They started to argue soon after they had gotten married. (No sooner)

7. The dancers have not only performed well but also shown grace (Not only)

8. If Rex were a little more focused, we might hire him. (Were)

9. If Mr. Chan had been less greedy, his business would not have collapsed. (Had)

10. The robbers not only broke into the house but took every valuable electronic item. (Not only)

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Exercise A - Answers:

1B 5D
2D 6A
3A 7B
4C 8A

Exercise B - Answers:

1. Under no circumstance may audience members consume alcohol.

2. Not since 1994 has anybody won so many matches for his team.
3. Not only do we consider you competent but we also want to hire you.
4. Little did the gang know that the police had it under surveillance.
5. At no time can you use my car.
6. No sooner had they gotten married than they started to argue.
7. Not only have the dancers performed well but they have also shown grace
8. Were Rex a little more focused, we might hire him.
9. Had Mr. Chan been less greedy, his business would not have collapsed.
10. Not only did the robbers break into the house but they took every valuable electronic item.

GMAT Sample:

GMAT Sentence Correction questions involving this issue will look like this:
10

i.) Our volunteer action at a retirement house in Rio de Janeiro has had positive impact on its
members: not only did the elderly feel safe but they also seemed happier.

(A) not only did the elderly feel safe but they also seemed happier
(B) not only the elderly felt safe but they seemed happier also
(C) not only felt the elderly safe and also they seemed happier
(D) the elderly felt safe and also they happy seemed
(E) the elderly felt safe and also happy

ii.) The population’s complaints about traffic delay in the subway were all over the paper and TV:
the mayor not only grew tense and also spoke rudely with his staff.

(A) the mayor not only grew tense and also spoke rudely
(B) not only did the mayor grow tense but he also spoke rudely
(C) not only the mayor grew tense and he also spoke rudely
(D) not only the mayor did grow tense but he also spoke in a rude manner
(E) the mayor grew not only tense and rude but also speaking

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

iii.) We are studying the inversion of subject and verb in grammar; in case of you needing
additional examples, write me an email with a formal request.

(A) in case of you needing additional examples

(B) if you are needing more additional examples
(C should you need additional examples
(D) if you should be needing additional examples
(E) should need you more additional examples

Answers & Explanations

i.) The original sentence about the elderly people in Rio is correct. You should choose A, which
repeats the underlined portion of the sentence. The S and V are properly inverted after a negative
expression. Now, why is E incorrect? The original reads “happier”, so don’t change that. Moreover,
what happened to the verb “seemed”? Finally, you should not say “and also”. That is redundancy
(and equals also). You could correct E if you changed the rest of the structure: “the elderly not only
felt safe but also seemed happier”.

ii.) The sentence about the mayor is incorrect because “not only” should be complemented by “but
also”. B is best because it corrects this mistake and shows proper inversion of S+V after a negative
expression. It would be correct to insert the S at the beginning of the sentence, as shown in A and E.
However, the rest of the structure needs to be changed: “the mayor not only grew tense but also
spoke rudely”. That is the so called parallel construction, which we will see in details later.

iii.) The sentence about the inversion of subject and verb is incorrect. In fact it cannot be called a 11
sentence simply because there is no verb in it. Remember that “needing” is only a verb form. Best
would be “if you need additional examples, write me an email”, but we do not see any SVC in such
order among the choices. Answer C is the correct choice – proper inversion to express conditional.
Observe that “more” places B and E out promptly.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Lesson 4
Parts of Speech – Verb - tense

1. Past, Present, or Future: it depends on “when”. Find the answer in C. In the sentences
below, the time or condition indicated in C defines the verb tense.

S V C
worked last week/yesterday/ a month ago
was working during Christmas
Victoria works on her every day
is working project right now
is going to work next Monday
will work if you motivate her

12
2. Present Perfect: when to use? The use of “HAVE / HAS DONE” is confusing because this
verb tense can function as past, present, and present perfect, depending on the context in
which it appears Take the sentence: I have lived in Rio:

I have lived in Rio twice, but I do not plan to go back there. vivi
I have already lived in Rio. vivi
I have lived in Rio since I was born, and I love my hometown. vivo / tenho vivido
I have lived in Rio for the past twenty-three years. tenho vivido
I have lived in Rio since 2008. vivo /tenho vivido
I have been living in Rio for the past twenty-three years. tenho vivido

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

S V C

has worked since last week

for five days
has been working in the past three days
Victoria on her project in the last week

has just worked The words in bold between

has never worked has and worked make the
has always worked use of present perfect
has already worked mandatory.
has not worked yet

3. Simple Past or Present Perfect: which one to use to talk about the past? 13
The difference between “I did” and “I have done” is “when”.
In all examples below, the translation of the verb is the same – “anunciou”.
When the time in C shows a period that is over (finished), use the simple past:

My boss announced my promotion yesterday.

My boss announced my promotion about two hours ago.
My boss announced my promotion last week.
My boss announced my promotion during dinner.
My boss announced my promotion before I expected.
My boss announced my promotion as soon as I arrived.
My boss announced my promotion on my birthday.
My boss announced my promotion in January.
My boss announced my promotion around Christmas.

When there is no indication of time, use the present perfect:

My boss has announced my promotion.

My boss has just announced my promotion.
My boss has finally announced my promotion.
My boss has already announced my promotion.
My boss has never announced my promotion.
My boss has not announced my promotion yet.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Again, if the period indicated in C is over (finished), use simple past. Otherwise, use present
perfect.

Jane worked hard yesterday. (over)

Jane has worked hard since yesterday. (until today)

The periods in C below “are not over yet”. The timeframe indicated by “in the” includes the
current day, month week, or year.

S V C

worked hard last week / last month / last year / last semester
Jane
hard in the last/past week(s) /
has worked hard in the last few days
has been working hard in the past month(s)
hard in the last two years

Translating, we would have (the same meaning):

Jane tem trabalhado muito nos últimos meses (incluindo esse agora).
Jane vem trabalhando muito nesse último ano (esse agora). 14

4. Simple Past / Past Continuous / Past Perfect: all express past happenings.

i.) Here is one sentence in the past:

When I arrived home yesterday, my mother cooked dinner for me.

Can you imagine the scene? My mother waited for me to arrive home and then cooked dinner. I
am lucky to have someone cook for me, but in this case, I had to wait for a while before I could
eat.

ii.) Here is another sentence in the past:

When I arrived home yesterday, my mother was cooking dinner for me.

Can you imagine the scene? I could smell food from the elevator. Something was going on at
the moment I got home. I had to wait less in this case.

iii.) Here is still another sentence in the past:

When I arrived home yesterday, my mother had cooked dinner.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Can you imagine this scene? In this last case I did not have to wait at all. Food was ready and
on the table. When you think of two happenings or actions in the past and one is clearly more
recent than the other, use did for the “more recent” and had done for the “older”.

iv.) Sometimes you will not identify the “more recent” action or happening through a verb (did),
but the context of the sentence still allows you to understand that something “had happened”
already. Check the examples:

Before the end of the meeting, the secretary had used all available paper for notes.
By ten o’clock last night the airplane taking the president had taken off.
According to yesterday’s late news, all three passengers had survived the helicopter accident
in Sao Paulo.

v.) The past perfect (had done) can be used to express regret:

Victoria wishes she had visited the museum. (But she did not)
I wish I had not gone to the party. (But I went.)
If only she had not bought that car. (But she did.)

vi.) The past perfect (had done) can also be used to express condition (in past events): 15
If I had worked harder, I would have passed the exam. (But I didn't, so I failed.)
If you had told me, I could have helped. (But you didn't tell me, so I couldn't help.)
If they had left earlier, they might have caught the plane. (But they missed it.)

Exercise: choose the answer that best completes the sentence

1. He refused our invitation to the movie theater because he ___________the film.

(A) could see

(B) had seen
(C) have seen
(D) would have seen

Now, would “saw” also be correct? Yes, and that is why it is not a choice here. Two verbs in the
simple past would be possible. A richer context (more information) should help you choose the
proper verb tense.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

2. I have no doubt that Susan married John because she _________him.

(A) had loved

(B) was loving
(C) loved
(D) had been loving

Now, would “loves” also be correct? Yes. A richer context would show that Susan still loves
John.

3. The lady recognized us at the airport because I ______ our picture two days before.

(A) will send her

(B) had sent them
(C) had send her
(D) had sent her

4. The little girl started to cry. She _______ her doll, and no one was able to find it.

(A) has lost

(B) had lost
(C) was losing
(D) lost 16
5. Jane's eyes burned and her shoulders ached. She _______ at the computer for 5 straight
hours. Finally, she took a break.

(A) is sitting
(B) has been sitting
(C) was sitting
(D) had been sitting

Answers:
1B
2C
3D
4B
5D

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Exercise: in the sentences below, identify the one underlined phrase that is incorrect.

01.) The Elgin Marbles, which have been taken to England in the nineteenth century,
A B
have recently been the subject of considerable controversy.
C D

02.) When Alaska became the forty-ninth state, the forty-eighth, Arizona, was a state for forty-seven
years.
A B C D

03.) If England had won the Revolutionary War, the whole history of the English-speaking world
A B C

had been different.

D

04.) Genetic engineering has already made vast progress even though Crick and Watson had discovered
A B C D
DNA's "double helix" conformation only a relatively short time ago.

05.) The Olympic Games, first celebrated in Athens in 1896, were held every four years so far this
17
century,
A B C
except during the two world wars.
D

06.) Before the eighteenth century was ushered in, very few Europeans had drank coffee.
A B C D

07.) When Henry Aaron hitted his seven-hundred-and-fifteenth home run, the ball was caught by an
Atlanta
A B C D
Braves pitcher.

08.) More people seen at least one episode of "The Winds of War" than had seen any previous television
A B C D
mini-series.

09.) In some English villages in the Middle Ages, the entire population catched bubonic plague and died.
A B C D

10.) When they were first introduced, electronic calculators were less powerful and costed much more
than
A B C
they do today.
D

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Answers:
01.) were 06.) had drunk
02.) had been 07.) hit
03.) would have been 08.) saw
04.) discovered 09.) caught
05.) had been held 10.) cost

GMAT Sample - Sentence Correction questions involving this issue will look like this:

i.) After the last game of the tournament, team mates of Helena Jackson's confirmed that she
has qualities of a great leader: coolness in the face of danger, an excellent sense of strategy,
and the capacity to plan in minute detail.

(A) Jackson's confirmed that she has

(B) Jackson's confirm that she had
(C) Jackson have confirmed that she had
(D) Jackson confirmed that she had
(E) Jackson had confirmed that she has

18
ii.) In the last two decades, notwithstanding the prejudice of French connoisseurs, Chilean and
Argentinean wines were admired throughout the world.

(A) were admired

(B) are growing better admired
(C) which have gained admiration
(D) have gained admiration
(E) have since became admired

iii.) Les Femmes in Paris, an eighteenth-century play written by Michelle Jenkins, resembles
Jane O’Brien’s more recent The Adorable French Women and is strongly believed to be among
Jane’s sources of inspiration.

(A) resembles
(B) it resembles
(C) was resembling
(D) has resembled
(E) because it resembled

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Answers & Explanations

i.) The indication of a “definite” past in the SVC (After the last game of the tournament) shows the
need for simple past tense (confirmed). You should not choose B, C, or E. Observe that the verb that
follows should maintain coherence and thus remain in the simple past tense (had). Eliminate choice
A. Finally, apart from the verb tense issue in this question, notice that the apostrophe + s (genitive
our possessive structure) is incorrect in choices A and B.

ii.) The sentence about the wines is incorrect; the indication of a time in the SVC (In the last two
decades) shows the need for present perfect. C and D are correct in this sense (have gained), but D
is best because the SVC does not need the word which. Remember that time expressions such as
“in the past year; in the last week; in the past few months” require present perfect. Choice E is
unacceptable, as this verb construction does not exist (have became).

iii.) The original sentence about the eighteenth century play is correct. You should choose A, which
repeats the underlined portion of the sentence. The verb tense (resembles) is correct indicates a
fact; moreover, the rest of the original SVC offers a tip, since it is already in the present: and is
consequently believed to be... Choice B and E incorrectly repeat the S (it). Choice C and D offer
incorrect verb tense.

19

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Lesson 5
Parts of Speech – Subject – Definition

Subject is the person, thing, or idea that is “doing or being” in a sentence.

A subject can be a noun, pronoun, verb form, and even an entire SVC structure!

ALWAYS keep in mind the basic SVC structure:

S V C
subject verb complement

Noun as a subject:

S V C
Music makes me happy

Pronoun as a subject:

S V C
She makes me happy 20
Verb form (doing) as a subject:

S V C
Singing makes me happy

Verb form (doing) as a subject:

S V C
Your singing makes me happy

Verb form (to do) as a subject:

S V C
To sing is to be happy

SVC as a subject:

S V C
That you can sing makes me happy

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

NOTE: in sentences 1 and 2 below, the gerund plays the subject in SVC. Sentence 3 shows
infinitive “to dance” as S and infinitive “to have (fun)” as C in SVC.

Sentence 1

S V C
Dancing is fun

Sentence 2

S V C
Swimming strengthens my muscles

Sentence 3

S V C
To dance means to have fun

Why are we saying this? 21

These verb forms play the S and indicate the meaning or function of a sentence; the gerund is
often used for comparison and the infinitive for definition. Gerund goes with gerund and infinitive
with infinitive. Do not mix gerund and infinitive:

Studying for the GMAT is like preparing for a marathon.

To study for the GMAT is to take my first step towards the MBA.

GMAT Sample:
GMAT Sentence Correction question involving this issue will look like this:

Attending a rock band concert in a soccer stadium is to live a nightmare - thousands of

people crowding the place and fighting to see their idol and have what they call “a moment of
pleasure”.

(A) Attending a rock band concert in a soccer stadium is to live a nightmare

(B) Attending a rock band concert in a soccer stadium is living a nightmare
(C) To attend a rock band concert in a soccer stadium is living a nightmare
(D) To attend a rock band concert in a soccer stadium is to live a nightmare
(E) To attend a rock band concert in a soccer stadium is like to live a nightmare

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Answer & Explanation

If you cannot mix gerund and infinitive, then A and C are out; identify the V in B (is living) and you will
notice that the S is everything that comes before it – “Attending…” is living? Finally, E incorrectly brings
infinitive in a comparison construction (“like”). The sentence in D expresses a definition and is therefore
the correct answer.

Lesson 6
Parts of Speech – Subject – Position

Generally, but not always, the subject comes before the verb, as in all of the examples above.
There are, however, exceptions. We have seen this in Lesson 3, when we studied the position
of the verb, so this should be a review. Observe:

In a small house adjacent to our backyard lives a family with ten noisy children.

Lives is the action verb in this sentence, but it is not the house or the backyard that is doing the
living. Instead, it is the family with ten noisy children. Family, then, is the S of this sentence.
Check another example:

Around the peach trees are several buzzing bumblebees. 22

Are is the linking verb in this sentence. The word trees, however, is not the subject because
trees is within the prepositional phrase around the peach trees. The subject in this sentence,
bumblebees, comes after the verb. Check:

At stake, if you do not save enough money now, _______

(A) the future of your children is

(B) the future is of your children
(C) is the future of your children
(D) are your children’s future

GMAT Sample:
GMAT Sentence Correction question involving this issue will look like this:

The city is facing a hard time fighting the issue of violence; at risk, if authorities do not take
prompt measures, are the safety of thousands of families, mainly those with children.

(A) if authorities do not take prompt measures, are

(B) if authorities do not take prompt measures, is
(C) if authorities does not take prompt measures, is
(D) unless prompt measures are taken, is
(E) if authorities does not take prompt measures, are

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Answer and explanation:

Take a quick look at the beginning of each choice and notice that the subject (authorities) is plural.
Eliminate C and E since the verb is singular (does not take). Observe that the SVC structure is inverted
and that the S is placed at the end of the sentence. Have you found it? The subject (the safety) is singular
and therefore the verb is singular; eliminate choice A (and E). Choice D correctly uses the singular verb
(is) to match the subject (the safety), but omits the first subject (authorities). Although the SVC
construction is correct, you will never know who must do the action (take prompt measures). Eliminate
choice D simply because it changes the meaning of the original sentence.

23

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

Lesson 7

Parts of Speech – Subject – Identify the S in S+V+C

In a sentence, every V must have its S. Recognize the subject in the S+V+C when you see
one. Observe that the SUBJECTS in the sentences below are in italic; the word in bold in each
sentence is the core of the subject - the “doer”, the “who” or “what” of the action.

During his biology lab Tommy danced on the table.

The speeding hot rod crashed into a telephone pole.

Ron's bathroom looks like a pig pen.

The bathroom tiles in the dirty bathtub are fuzzy with mold.

The bright copper coin sparkled on the sidewalk.

The big, hairy, hungry, green Martian grabbed a student from the back row.
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Understand what is S and what is a prepositional phrase.

The S (subject of a verb) will never be part of a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase
begins with a preposition. Prepositional phrases taken from the sentences above:

in the dirty bathtub

on the sidewalk
into a telephone pole

Sometimes a prepositional phrase will be part of the subject, but not its “core”. Read the
examples:

A. The bathroom tiles in the dirty bathtub are fuzzy with mold.

It is neither the bathroom nor the dirty bathtub that is fuzzy with mold. The S here
is tiles, and thus, the verb must be plural (are). Reminder: in the dirty bathtub is
“just” a prepositional phrase and should not be confused with the main/core
subject.

B. Neither of these boys wants to try a piece of pineapple pizza.

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 Sentence Correction in 7 Lessons

In this sentence, the boys seem to be the ones who do not want the pizza, but because they
are part of a prepositional phrase, of these boys, they are not the subject. Neither is the core,
the “real” subject and thus requires a singular verb (wants). Take a look at another example:

C. My dog, along with her seven puppies, has chewed the stuffing out of the
sofa cushions.

Here, the puppies are part of the prepositional phrase along with her seven puppies, so the
only word that counts as the subject is dog. The verb must be singular (has chewed). Naturally,
if you replace the preposition with “and”, everything changes:

D. My dog and her seven puppies have chewed all of the stuffing out of the
sofa cushions.

Wrap up: S + V Agreement, a.k.a. Verbs and Their Owners

The general obvious rule is “if S is singular, then V is singular and if S is plural, then V is plural.
However, it is not always easy to identify a singular or plural S. Observe these sentences:

1. The salmon is frozen. Fish as food: uncountable

2. The salmon are swimming away. Fish as animals (countable)
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Whether the S is a countable or uncountable noun often dictates the S+V+C meaning:

Countable Uncountable

I have found two hairs in my coffee! hair I don't have much hair.

There are two lights in our bedroom. light Close the curtain. There's too much light!

Shhhhh! I thought I heard a noise. noise It's difficult to work when there is too much noise.

Have you got a paper to read? (newspaper) paper I want to draw. Have you got some paper?

Our house has seven rooms. room Is there enough room for an extra chair?

We had a great time at the party. time Have you got time for a coffee?

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