How to work through Error-Identification questions, part 2

Here are some examples of how to work through Error-Identification questions. Example #1: In 1965, Betty Friedans publication of The Feminine Mystique has marked a turning point that resulted in improved labor rights and working conditions for women. No error Strategy: The big clue in this question is the date 1965, which tells us that this is probably a tense question. So that means were going to start by checking the tenses of any underlined verbs, which in this case means choice (B), has marked. Now, any finished event or action in the past (e.g. the publication of The Feminine Mystique, which occurred once) must be referred to by a verb in the simple past: marked, not has marked. So the answer is (B). Notice that working from the clue made it unnecessary to even check any of the other answers. Example #2 The findings of an astronomy team overseen by researchers at Stanford University has confirmed many of Einsteins strangest predictions about the nature of gravity. No error Strategy: Since theres no obvious clue in this sentence, were going to start by looking for the option most likely to be incorrect. In this case its choice (B). it could either be a subject-verb agreement question (because you can say either has confirmed or have confirmed) OR a tense question. Since theres no date or time period, however, we know right away that tense probably isnt the issue. So were going to check the subject. Its findings, which is plural; has is singular, so right there you have your answer. This is a classic subject prepositional phrase verb question. Its tricky, and so it would probably show up close to the end of a section. Example #3 The snakehead fish, a rapidly reproducing predator, has so voracious an appetite that it can wipe out entire schools of fish and destroy entire ecosystems when placed outside its native habitat. No error Strategy: Again, here, theres no obvious error, so were going to check in order of whats most likely to be wrong. The first thing we notice is the word its. Thats usually a very dangerous word in this section, so were going to start with it. In this case, it refers to the snakehead fish, which is also singular, so it actually checks out. When a word that is commonly wrong turns out to be right, thats a hint the answer might be No error. But we have to check out everything else just to be sure. Were going to check choice (D) next because its a verb in the present tense and is therefore also a top error candidate. Choice (D): theres nothing to suggest that destroy is in the wrong tense; its also parallel to wipe out (it can wipe outit can destroy), which means theres no problem. Now we move to the other options. Choice (A): rapidly is adverb, so we stick in the adjective: a rapid reproducing predator. No an adverb is necessary to modify reproducing, which functions as an adjective. Choice (B): so might sound a little funny, but its half of a word pair, and here is correctly paired with that. Its fine. Which means that weve demonstrated the answer must be (E).