Strategy for Correctly Answering 700+ SC Questions

[TooLong150]

In my attempt to increase my verbal score from a low V31 to a moderate V40, I have decided to focus on acing the SC section given that that section is the easiest to improve. I tend to have around a 75% accuracy on 500-level and 600-level problems. However, my accuracy on 700-level problems is about 40%. On these difficult problems, I can't really find a split in the answer choices and the correct answer choice tends to be based on some obscure grammar rule that is not repeated in other problems or some subtle meaning difference.

I know that Ron has said time and time again that the difficulty of the problems is not that important, but I strongly disagree, because I have seen that 700-level problems are extremely different from 500-level problems. I have seen that SC errors in 500-level are glaringly obvious, but those on 700-level can pass under the radar of the even the best test-takers.

What is the most effective way to prepare and ace the most difficult SC problems? Please note that I do let the meaning of the sentence guide my thought process.

[StaceyKoprince]

Harder SC problems tend to be harder because of the way that the problem is constructed - the underlines tend to be longer, the answer choices tend to change much more in structure, the problem tends to have more meaning issues, and so on.

First, make sure that you're using this process:
http://tinyurl.com/scprocess

Second, the article below talks about these kinds of issues and offers discussions of 5 or 6 harder SC problems:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... orrection/

Use that to help you learn how to tackle these harder problems. Then go seek out harder OG problems (they tend to be the higher-numbered problems) and try to apply these lessons. Start with ones you've actually done before and try to "pick apart" the sentences and explain what's going on well enough that another student would understand. Then test your skills on some problems that are new for you.

You do, of course, need to know some of the harder and sometimes more obscure rules. Are you already using our SC guide?