Doubts in (2024 Edition with ETS Material) TC and SE Strategy - Session 2

GRE Verbal Problem Solving
1

Hello!

I recently watched the (2024 Edition with ETS Material) TC and SE Strategy - Session 2. There, I stumbled upon two questions (Q1. and Q4.) that were part of the homework for session 1.

In question 1, “The senator’s reputation, though ____ by false allegations of misconduct, emerged from the ordeal ____.”

I rephrased the sentence like this: The senator’s reputation, ____ by false allegations of misconduct, though emerged from the ordeal_____

I just changed the position of ‘though’, and now the sentence structure looks clearer. Is this correct, or does it change the meaning of the sentence?

In question 4, “Poe’s ________ reviews of contemporary fiction, which often find great merit in otherwise ________ literary gems, must make us respect his critical judgment in addition to his well-known literary talent.”

Here, ‘make’ is a supporting word, as it connects 1st idea ‘Poe’s __ reviews of contemporary fiction’ to the 3rd idea ‘us respect…literary talent’.

Are we using the comma rules that Greg has discussed in one of the videos in the grammar section?

Comma rule: If the information is essential, you don’t need commas. If the information is not essential, you need a comma, or are we eliminating the part so the sentence structure is clearer?

2

Your rephrased sentence is grammatically correct and does make the structure look clearer.

However, moving “though” changes the nuance slightly.

In the original version, “though” contrasts the first clause (reputation being tarnished) with the second (emerging unscathed).

By placing “though” later, the emphasis shifts and the sentence takes on a different meaning.

The original version aligns more naturally with the intended contrast.

For Q4:

You’re spot on that “make” connects the first idea to the third, keeping the sentence coherent. Regarding commas, the rule does apply here. The phrase “which often find great merit in otherwise ________ literary gems” is non-essential—it adds detail about the reviews but doesn’t change the core meaning of the sentence. That’s why it’s set off with commas.

So to make the sentence structure clearer, you can read the sentence without that part

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