Question

She warned the three individuals that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would loose their possessions. A. individuals that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would loose B. individuals that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would lose C. people that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would loose D. persons that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would loose E. people that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would lose

Short answer

Option B is correct.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Context

Read the sentence carefully: 'She warned the three individuals that they needed to take more care, otherwise they would loose their possessions.' The context indicates that the three individuals are being warned to take more care to avoid losing their possessions.

Evaluate the Word Choice

The key word to focus on here is 'loose.' In the context of the sentence, it should actually be 'lose,' which means to no longer have something.

Check Each Option for Correct Word Usage

A. 'loose' is incorrect.B. 'lose' is correct.C. 'loose' is incorrect and 'people' changes the subject.D. 'loose' is incorrect and 'persons' is less commonly used.E. 'lose' is correct and 'people' changes the subject.

Select the Correct Option

The only option that correctly uses 'lose' and retains the original subject ('individuals') is B.

Key concepts

Word choice

In GMAT Sentence Correction, word choice plays a critical role in crafting accurate and meaningful sentences. This exercise revolves around the correct form of 'lose' vs. 'loose'.
'Lose' means to no longer have something, as in 'I might lose my keys.' Conversely, 'loose' denotes something that is not tight or fixed, like 'My shoelaces are loose.'
Identifying and correcting subtle differences in word meanings can drastically impact the clarity and precision of a sentence. Choosing 'lose' correctly in the sentence aligns with the meaning of potentially no longer having possessions, while 'loose' would make the sentence nonsensical.

Contextual understanding

Understanding the context of a sentence is vital in GMAT Sentence Correction. In the given exercise, you need to grasp that a warning is being issued. This understanding helps in identifying that 'lose' is the correct word.
The context clues in the sentence - 'take more care' and 'possessions' - indicate a risk of losing something valuable. Misunderstanding the context could lead to an incorrect word choice and make the sentence confusing.
Therefore, paying attention to how each part of the sentence relates to one another aids in making accurate corrections.

Error identification

Error identification is the initial and crucial step in GMAT Sentence Correction. Recognizing errors allows you to focus on the right part of the sentence. Here, identifying 'loose' as incorrect helps narrow down your options.
Additionally, noting the use of 'individuals' versus 'people' can further refine your choice. Although changing 'individuals' to 'people' isn't grammatically incorrect, it alters the subject and potentially shifts the sentence's meaning.
Being meticulous in identifying such errors ensures the final sentence is not only correct but also retains its intended meaning and precision.