If a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would personally listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do. A. If a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would personally listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do. B. Interestingly, if a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do. C. If a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do personally. D. I would wisely, if a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would personally listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do. E. Personally, if a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do.

Step by step solution

01

- Identify the Original Sentence Structure

Read the original sentence carefully: 'If a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would personally listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do.'

02

- Analyze the Options

Each option presents a variation of the original sentence. Find the differences in terms of content and effective communication.

03

- Check for Clarity and Correctness

Ensure that the chosen sentence conveys the intended meaning as clearly and concisely as possible without unnecessary repetition or awkward phrasing.

04

- Evaluate Option A

Option A is identical to the original sentence. It is clear and concise. 'If a customer was unhappy with the service they had received I would personally listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do.'

05

- Evaluate Option B

Option B introduces 'Interestingly,' which is not necessary and adds no value to the clear communication of the action plan.

06

- Evaluate Option C

Option C changes the position of 'personally' to the end of the sentence, which makes the sentence structure awkward.

07

- Evaluate Option D

It is excessively wordy and disrupts the flow of the sentence by adding 'I would wisely.'

08

- Evaluate Option E

Option E changes the position of 'personally' to the front. It remains clear and appropriate, making it a valid alternative.

09

- Conclusion

Option A and Option E are both clear, concise, and grammatically correct. Choose one of them based on preference regarding the position of 'personally.'

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

sentence structure

Sentence structure is vital in ensuring that ideas are clearly communicated and easily understood. In the original sentence, the structure includes a conditional clause ('If a customer was unhappy with the service they had received') followed by the main clause ('I would personally listen to their complaint, tell them what I was going to do about it and let them know when I had done what I said I would do'). Such a structure makes it clear under what condition the actions listed in the main clause will take place. It's important to maintain a logical flow within the sentence, avoiding misplaced words that can disrupt understanding.

When analyzing sentence structure, ask yourself whether each part of the sentence logically follows from the preceding part. Consider aspects like:

• The placement of conditional clauses
• Whether each verb has a clear subject
• Avoiding run-on sentences

Maintaining a logical sentence structure ensures the reader can easily follow the writer's intent.

clarity and conciseness

Clarity and conciseness are key to effective communication. Clarity ensures that the reader understands exactly what you mean, while conciseness ensures you are not using more words than necessary. In this GMAT sentence correction task, clarity is achieved by keeping the main ideas close together without inserting unnecessary words. For instance, adding words such as 'Interestingly' in Option B does not contribute to the meaning and could potentially confuse the reader.

To achieve clarity and conciseness, consider the following:

• Remove redundant phrases
• Avoid filler words that don't add meaning
• Use precise language

Always ask whether each word contributes to making your meaning clearer or more succinct. If it doesn’t, it may be better to leave it out. Options A and E are good examples of being clear and concise.

grammar and syntax

Grammar and syntax are the rules that govern how we structure sentences. Proper grammar ensures the sentence is correct, while syntax involves the arrangement of words to form meaningful sentences. In the given exercise, ensuring correct grammar involves using the proper tenses and ensuring subject-verb agreement. For example, the sentence correctly uses past tense 'was' and 'had received' to match the conditional 'if' clause.

Some key points to spot correct grammar and syntax:

• Check for proper tense usage
• Ensure subject-verb agreement
• Avoid misplaced modifiers

Syntax-related errors often arise from improper word order or excessive use of modifiers as seen in options C and D, which make the sentences awkward or unclear. Adhering to proper grammar and syntax rules helps in writing sentences that are both elegant and comprehensible.

evaluating options

Evaluating options involves comparing the given sentence choices to select the best one. This process includes checking for clarity, conciseness, grammar, and sentence structure, as mentioned before. In the exercise, we evaluated each option sequentially:

• Option A: Identical to the original, straightforward and correct.
• Option B: Unnecessary addition of 'Interestingly,' which does not add value.
• Option C: Awkward placement of 'personally' makes the sentence less clear.
• Option D: Excessively wordy and disrupts the sentence flow.
• Option E: ‘Personally’ at the beginning does not impact the clarity or conciseness negatively.

While Option A and E both maintain clarity and correctness, the deciding factor could simply be the writer's preference on the position of 'personally.' Evaluating options in GMAT sentence correction involves understanding subtle differences and applying rules of grammar, syntax, clarity, and conciseness to choose the most effective sentence.