Rhetorical Construction is one of the eight grammar and usage categories into which problems in the Sentence Correction questions on GMAT are classified.

What is Rhetorcial Construction? 

Sometimes, sentences may be grammatically and idiomatically correct, and may also conform to good standards of parallelism and logical predication. Yet, they may be unclear or annoying, or may appear ineptly written.

This can lead to Rhetorical Construction problems on the sentence. 

There are 4 ways in which Rhetorical Construction problems may arise on a sentence.

1. Economy of wording

Look at the following two sentences.

(A) Strawberries are almost always picked by hand.

(B) With regard to the ways in which people pick strawberries, people always pick such fruits - fruits of the strawberry variety – by means of the hand.

As a rule, we have to remember that correct options on GMAT do not use the following:

(i) Superfluous words

(ii) Unneeded punctuation

(iii) Pointless redundancies

(iv) Convoluted structures

Therefore, if presented with a choice between (A) and (B), we must choose (A)

2. Precision and adequacy of detail

Look at the following two sentences.

(A) In medical diagnosis, influenza can be understood as an acute respiratory infection caused by any of the influenza viruses.

(B) In medical diagnosis, influenza can be understood as when a virus affects you.

At the outset, apologies for reminding you of viruses in these trying times. But since we are on the topic, do remember that, generally, scientific and legal contexts require far more precision - i.e. inclusion of details and qualifying phrases - than do casual ones

In such situations, GMAT does not like sentences that use wording that is too vague, sparse, indeterminate, Incomplete because the sentence can fail to effectively communicate the intended message

In the examples given, option (A) mentions the type of virus (any of the influenza viruses) and also specifies how it affects us (an acute respiratory infection). On the other hand, option (B) simply states "as when a virus affects you". It leaves out the necessary details.

Therefore, if presented with a choice between (A) and (B) on GMAT, we must choose (A)

3. Active and Passive Voice

Look at the following two sentences.

(A) We had lunch in the hotel and then spent the afternoon looking at paintings in the museum.

(B) Lunch was had in the hotel by us before the afternoon was spent in the museum where there were paintings being looked at.

'We had lunch' uses the Active Voice, because 'we' is the subject of the verb. If we bring the object of the verb i.e. 'lunch' into the subject position, and say: 'Lunch was had by us' we are using the Passive Voice

In the examples given, option (A), which uses the Active Voice, is more straightforward and economical than option (B), which uses the Passive Voice. Passive Voice constructions are often objectionably vague, awkward, or indirect. Therefore, if presented with a choice between(A) and (B) on GMAT, we must choose (A).

Is the Active Voice always preferred over the Passive Voice?

Look at the following two sentences.

(A) Relevant people leave the fruits to dry for two weeks and then someone collects them for shipment.

(B) The fruits are left to dry for two weeks and then collected for shipment.

'People leave the fruits to dry' uses the Active Voice, because 'people' is the subject of the verb. If we bring the object of the verb i.e. 'fruits' into the subject position, and say: 'The fruits are left to dry (by people)' we are using the Passive Voice. In this case however, the subject of the sentence i.e. people, is irrelevant

Where the cause of an effect is unknown or irrelevant, the Passive Voice is preferred over the Active Voice. Option (B) which uses the Passive Voice is more straightforward and economical than option (A), which uses the Active Voice

Therefore, if presented with a choice between (A) and (B) on GMAT, we must choose (B)

4. Other types of awkwardness and inelegance

Look at the following two sentences.

(A) Elon hopes that humans will be able to explore some of the planets in other solar systems.

(B) Elon’s hope is for other solar systems' planets' possible human exploration.

Sometimes, problems of Rhetorical Construction may take different forms, some of which do not fall neatly into the first three categories we have seen so far. Even though a sentence may be grammatically and idiomatically correct, it may seem unclear or annoying, or may appear ineptly written.

Option (B) fits into this category. 'Elon hopes that'  is more straightforward than 'Elon's hope is for'.  Also, 'explore some of the planets in other solar systems' is more straightforward than 'other solar systems' planets' possible human exploration'.

Therefore, if presented with a choice between(A) and (B) on GMAT, we must choose (A)

Things to remember

While examining sentences on GMAT for problems of Rhetorical Construction, we need to remember the following:

(i) Do not be tempted to guess the shorter answer choices as a safer bet. While wordiness tends to be a feature of inelegant writing, shorter options on GMAT might leave out specific details that are essential to the meaning of the sentence or might even contain grammatical or idiomatic errors.

(ii) GMAT question creators are extremely unlikely to create predictable patterns that candidates could exploited in guessing. There is no substitute for careful analysis and understanding of the content of each option choice

(iii) Sentence correction questions do not require knowledge of highly technical or specialized vocabulary or syntax. You will also not be expected to decide based on whether the writer uses jargon or buzzwords. For instance, you will not be asked to choose between 'paradigm shift' and 'metamorphosis' in a sentence such as: ' ... there has been something of a paradigm shift in gender relations'.