SAT Writing and Language Test Strategies and Rules

Conventions of usage questions

"Usage" is a term used to describe a range of language practices that are widely accepted and understood by people speaking and writing the same language within a particular culture or community. Particular "rules" for speaking and writing solidify over time (often over many generations) and become the standard by which formal speech and writing are judged. The SAT focuses on a small subset of rules about which there is little to no disagreement in academic circles.

Linking Clauses Questions

A clause is a series of words that contains a subject (usually) and a conjugated verb (always). There are two main types of clauses: An independent clause can stand on its own as a complete sentence. A dependent clause must be linked to an independent clause. Example: Dolores went to the grocery store, where she bought eggs and milk. Clauses are commonly linked in the following ways: 1. Independent clause + comma + coordinating conjunction + independent clause Example: Dolores went to the grocery store, and she bought eggs and milk. Remember, only the FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) can serve as coordinating conjunctions. 2. Dependent clause + comma + independent clause Example: Since she needed eggs and milk, Dolores went to the grocery store. 3. Independent clause + subordinating conjunction + independent clause Example: Dolores went to the grocery store because she needed eggs and milk. 4. Independent clause + semicolon + independent clause Example: Dolores went to the grocery store; she bought eggs and milk. 5. Independent clause + comma + relative pronoun + independent clause Example: Dolores went to the grocery store, where she bought eggs and milk. Explanation: Here we have an independent clause ("she . . . milk") appropriately linked to another independent clause ("Dolores . . . store") by a comma and the relative pronoun "where". On your official SAT, you're likely to see 2-3 questions that underline the point where two clauses meet. You may even be asked to link clauses from separate sentences, for instance: Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion? Your job will be to link the clauses logically and grammatically by using an appropriate combination of punctuation and conjunctions.

Colon(:)

A colon ( : ) is sometimes used after a statement that introduces a list, a self-contained quotation, an explanation or an example. Examples: RIGHT: The English language abounds with irregular verbs: drink, drank, drunk; break, broke, broken; swim, swam, swum; shrink, shrank, shrunken; fall, fell, fallen; blow, blew, blown. RIGHT: The conscious brain controls only some of the body's functions: while we can exert some control over our breathing rate, we have less control over our heart rate, and, except via lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, we cannot consciously influence the processes of our digestive or immune systems at all. RIGHT: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address began with the following preamble: "Four score and seven years ago." However, a colon shouldn't be used when the quotation is embedded in the sentence: WRONG: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address begins with: "Four score and seven years ago." TOP TIP: What comes before the colon must be (or contain) an independent clause: it must represent a complete thought and be able to function as a well-formed, standalone sentence. WRONG: Snape advised them to: stay up all night, practice spells, and eat bonbons. ("Snape advised them to" is not a full sentence) RIGHT: Snape advised them to stay up all night, practice spells, and eat bonbons. RIGHT: Snape gave them the best advice he could muster: stay up all night, practice spells, and eat bonbons.

Conventional Expressions Questions

Conventional expressions are common phrases that must always be used in the same way or paired with the same words. Conventional expressions don't follow any one rule, but instead require familiarity with the patterns of Standard American English. Incorrect: Neither my brother or I made the soccer team. Correct: Neither my brother nor I made the soccer team. Explanation: "Neither __ nor __" is a conventional expression, so it's incorrect to pair "neither" with "or". On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and avoid convention errors in the underlined portions of sentences. The SAT focuses on two types of conventions: Prepositions: Prepositions are words that express a relationship in time or space to the noun they are followed by. Common prepositions include of, for, with, about, from, to, at, in, on, before, between, above, around, and many more. Often, a given word must be paired with a specific preposition or an error is created. Sometimes, words can pair with multiple prepositions, but in doing so create varied meanings (e.g., "stand on" vs. "stand in" vs. "stand for"). Be sure to pick the preposition that matches the context! English expressions can include: 1. not only __ but also __ 2. both __ and __ 3. from __ to __ 4. as __ as __ 5. between __ and __ 6. n)either __ (n)or __ Altering any of these conventional expressions will create an error.

Within-sentence punctuation(conventions of punctuation question)

Correctly use, as well as recognize and correct misuses of colons, semicolons, and dashes. Example: I can't wait for this weekend, my friends and I are going river rafting. In the example sentence, two independent clauses are being joined by only a comma. This is called a comma splice. To fix it, replace the comma with more heavy-duty punctuation like a semicolon or a period. Corrected version: I can't wait for this weekend; my friends and I are going river rafting.

Development Questions(Expression of Ideas Questions)

Development questions on the Writing and Language Test get to the heart of what the writer is trying to express. When you answer a Development question, you'll be looking for ways to enhance the writer's message by clarifying the main points, adding or changing supporting details, sharpening the focus, and — in some passages — using data from informational graphics such as tables, graphs, and charts to make the passage more accurate, more precise, and generally more effective. There are four different kinds of Development questions: Proposition: Add, revise, or leave unchanged thesis statements, topic sentences, or claims - in other words, the "main ideas" of a passage or paragraph. Example: "Which choice best introduces the main topic of the paragraph?" Strategy: Read the paragraph in question, say in your own words what the point is, and select the choice that best introduces that point. Process of elimination can help with these. Support: Add, revise, or leave unchanged evidence that supports a passage's points or claims Example: "Which choice most effectively sets up the information that follows?" Strategy: Look at the information the question is referring to. Review the sentences before and after, and even the topic sentence of the paragraph. Select the choice that most clearly introduces the following sentence, and supports the point of the paragraph. Focus: Add, revise, leave unchanged, or delete material on the basis of relevance to the purpose (e.g., deleting an irrelevant sentence) These questions ask you to consider a new sentence that the writer wants to add or delete at a particular point in the passage. Example 1: "The writer is considering adding the following sentence . . . should the writer make this addition here?" Example 2: "The writer is considering deleting the following sentence . . . should the writer make this deletion here?" Strategy: Your job is to decide whether the sentence should be kept or deleted, and why. Step 1: Say in your own words the function of the sentence being considered. What is the point of the sentence? What does it do? Step 2: Take a look at the topic sentence of the paragraph, and remind yourself of the point of the paragraph. Step 3 Review the sentences on either side of the sentence under consideration. The sentence might add relevant information to the passage, or it might blur the focus by being slightly off-topic, irrelevant or redundant. Does it fit? Then keep it! Is it off topic? Delete it! But make sure you keep it or delete it for the right reason! Quantitative information: Use data from informational graphics (e.g.: tables, graphs, charts) to enhance the accuracy, precision, and overall effectiveness of a passage. Example: "Which choice most effectively represents the information provided in the table?" Strategy: One way to do it: Look at the choices one by one, and compare them against the graphic to see if they are accurate. Only one will be a statement that is supported by the graphic.

Possessive determiners(conventions of usage question)

Distinguish between and among possessive determiners ("its," "your," "their"), contractions ("it's," "you're," "they're"), and adverbs ("there") Example: Al's Cake Shop is known for it's old-fashioned glazed donuts. This is a common mix-up: in the example sentence, the writer has mistaken the contraction it's ("it is") for the possessive determiner "its." The shop is known for its donuts, not known for it is donuts. Corrected version: Al's Cake Shop is known for its old-fashioned glazed donuts.

Frequently confused words(conventions usage question)

Distinguish between and among words that are commonly mistaken for one another (e.g., "affect"and "effect") Example 1: Maria was in shock as she climbed the stage to except her award for Best Actress In the example sentence, the writer has confused the words "except" and "accept," which sound similar but have two different meanings. Corrected version: Maria was in shock as she climbed the stage to accept her award for Best Actress.

Agreement(conventions usage question)

Ensure grammatical agreement between subject and verb, between pronoun and antecedent, and between nouns Example: Rita and her friend Jorge has decided to join the swim team. Reread the example sentence and ask yourself what the subject of this sentence is. The subject of the sentence is two people: Rita and Jorge. Both of them are joining the swim team, so the verb being used in this sentence needs to be a plural to agree with the number of people being discussed (have, not has. ) Corrected version: _Rita and her friend Jorge have decided to join the swim team._

Cross out extra words to simplify complex sentences

If you're having trouble figuring out a grammar question, it can help to simplify the structure of complex sentences by crossing out extra words that describe - or "modify" - the subject or the verb. This can help a lot on subject-verb and pronoun agreement questions like the one below:

Logical Comparison Questions

Logical comparison refers to the idea that comparisons must be made between two things of the same type. Example: Incorrect: I prefer the novels of Charles Dickens to Thomas Hardy. Correct: I prefer the novels of Charles Dickens to the novels of Thomas Hardy. I prefer the novels of Charles Dickens to those of Thomas Hardy. Explanation: We can't logically compare novels to an author. Instead, we must compare novels to other novels. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and correct illogical comparisons in the underlined portions of sentences. You'll need to address these errors by 1. Adding or eliminating a demonstrative pronoun Example: Incorrect: The wings of a bat, due to the fingers that stretch through them, are more flexible than a bird. Correct: The wings of a bat, due to the fingers that stretch through them, are more flexible than those of a bird. Explanation: We can't logically compare wings to a bird. Instead, we could compare bat wings to bird wings by using a demonstrative pronoun (such as "those" or "that"). 2. Creating parallel structures Incorrect: It's rarely better to run from your problems than confronting them. Correct: It's rarely better to run from your problems than to confront them. Explanation: We can't compare "to run" with "confronting". These phrases should have parallel structures.

Circle or underline important elements of questions

Many of the more challenging "Expression of Ideas" questions on the Writing and Language Test tell you very specifically what the correct choice has to do. It can help a lot to zero in on that part of the question, and just do what the question wants. TOP TIP: A wrong word can disqualify a choice! Always remember that a single word can make a choice wrong. If you find yourself making excuses for a choice, eg: "Well, this could totally work if only..." or "I could see how this might work...", the choice is probably wrong. If a shoe doesn't quite fit, try a different pair of shoes. The College Board calls the ELA portion of the SAT "Evidence-Based Reading and Writing" for a reason: the answer to every question will have evidence to support it. NOTE: Remember that there are many questions on the Writing and Language Test that don't have questions at all - these are called "stemless" questions and your job is to select the best version of a brief underlined portion of the passage itself. These are always grammar questions that will contribute to your "Standard English Conventions" subscore.

Modifier Placement Questions

Modifiers are words or phrases that describe something. Modifier placement refers to the fact that modifiers must appear directly next to the nouns they logically describe. Example: Incorrect: Running for safety, the dragon chased the fleeing townspeople. Correct: Running for safety, the townspeople fled from the chasing dragon. Explanation: "Running for safety" logically describes the "townspeople", not the dragon. Therefore, the two must appear next to one another. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and correct modifier placement errors in the underlined portions of sentences.

Nonessential elements questions

Nonessential elements are descriptive words, phrases, or clauses that aren't necessary for the sentence to make sense. In other words, if nonessential elements are removed from a sentence, that sentence will still be grammatically correct. Example: NASCAR drivers, who endure in-car temperatures of over 130 degrees Fahrenheit, lose between five and ten pounds of water weight during each race. "Who . . . Fahrenheit" is a clause that describes "drivers", but it's not essential to the sentence On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to appropriately punctuate a nonessential element. Nonessential elements must be separated from the rest of the sentence. This separation can be accomplished with commas, parentheses, or dashes. At the beginning or end of a sentence, punctuation is only needed on one side of a nonessential element Example: More commonly referred to as the northern lights, the aurora borealis is much better known than its southern equivalent, the aurora australis. In the middle of a sentence, punctuation is needed on both sides of a nonessential element The aurora borealis—more commonly referred to as the northern lights—is much better known than its southern equivalent, the aurora australis. The most common mistake made with nonessential elements is mixing different punctuation marks. Punctuation on either side of a nonessential element must match.

Noun Agreement Questions

Noun agreement refers to the requirement that a noun agree in number with the meaning of the sentence. Example: Incorrect: From 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall served as barriers between East Germany and West Germany. Correct: From 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall served as a barrier between East Germany and West Germany. Explanation: Because "the Berlin Wall" is singular, "barrier" must also be singular. One wall can't serve as multiple barriers. On your official SAT, you're only likely to see 1 question that requires you to identify and avoid a noun agreement error in the underlined portion of a sentence. You'll need to identify when: 1. A singular noun is improperly used in place of a plural noun 2. A plural noun is improperly used in place of a singular noun

Standard English Conventions Questions

On the SAT Writing and Language test, you will be asked to fix parts of a passage where a writer has not used a standard convention. There are three main elements of Standard English Convention that the SAT is primarily concerned with: Sentence Structure, Conventions of Usage, and Conventions of Punctuation.

Semicolon rules

On the SAT, the most common use of the semicolon ( ; ) is to connect two closely-related independent clauses. The rarer use of the semicolon on the SAT is to separate items in a series. This only happens if the list is complex and the items in it have their own punctuation (such as commas). What is an independent clause? An independent clause is a string of words that expresses a complete thought and could stand alone as a well-formed sentence. It must have a subject and a verb. Examples: Teddy loves stuffed bears. His collection includes fifty-four specimens. Using semicolons to separate independent clauses In the above examples, a semicolon may be placed between the two related independent clauses in each pair: Teddy loves stuffed bears; his collection includes fifty-four specimens. Alex cooks his brownies with lard; they taste great! The "Before and After Test" for semicolons On the SAT, a semicolon may be used to join two closely-related independent clauses. If both the first and the second parts of a sentence could stand alone as their own sentences—and the second part adds to the first part—then a semicolon can be acceptable. 1. Check the part before the semicolon - could it be a solo sentence? 2. Check the part after the semicolon - could it be a solo sentence? 3. If the answers to 1 and 2 are YES, and the two parts are closely related, then the semicolon is good to go. Top tip: A semicolon can't be used to join an independent and a dependent clause. (A dependent clause is one that contains a subject and a verb but that doesn't express a complete thought and couldn't stand alone as a well-formed sentence (e.g., because Teddy loves stuffed bears).

Sentence Structure

On these questions, the task is to recognize and correct problems in how sentences are formed.

Frequently confused words questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1 question that mixes up words that either look and sound similar (e.g., "than" and "then") or have similar but distinct meanings (e.g., "fewer" and "less"). Your job will be to pick the most appropriate word in context.

Transition sentences questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions in which a full sentence (or most of one) is underlined, and you're asked something like this: Which choice provides the most effective transition from the previous paragraph? Or this: Which choice provides the most effective transition between ideas in the paragraph? These questions will require you to evaluate the relevance of the information contained in the choices. You'll need to select the choice that, by providing useful information, bridges a gap between two ideas.

Confusion with "its" and "their" questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions in which the possessive pronouns "its" and "their" are confused with their homophones (words that sound the same but mean different things). Note: You will be offered variations of both "they" and "it" in each question of this type, so you'll also need to pay attention to pronoun agreement. Is the noun being referred to singular? Use a version of "it". Is the noun being referred to plural? Use a version of "they".

Formal vs. casual language questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions in which you're asked to choose the word or phrase that "best maintains the style and tone of the passage". Your concern won't be the definitions of the words or phrases, because they'll all mean the same thing. Instead, your job will be to select the choice that matches the language in the rest of the passage. Is the passage informational? Does it describe a scientific experiment or use technical terms? Then we may want to choose plain, straightforward language that avoids any slang. Is the passage friendly and conversational? Does it include exclamation marks, figures of speech, or other elements that don't belong in a research paper? Then we may want to avoid overly elevated or technical language.

Sequencing Sentences Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that look like this: To make the paragraph most logical, sentence 5 should be placed Your job will be to evaluate the flow of ideas in the paragraph and determine which placement results in the best sentence sequence. When sequencing the sentences in a paragraph, focus on the following questions: 1. Does the paragraph progress chronologically? 2. Are any ideas explained before they're introduced? 3. Do any sentences need to be next to one another?

Strong Support Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that look like this: Which choice provides the best supporting example for the main idea of the paragraph? Or like this: The writer wants to include a quotation that supports the topic of the passage. Which choice best accomplishes this goal? None of the choices will contain grammar errors or false information, so you won't be able to eliminate choices by spotting common errors. Instead, your job will be to pick the choice that provides the strongest and most direct evidence.

Interpreting graphs and data questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that refer to a graph or diagram. You might be asked to interpret the data in a bar graph, a scatterplot, a table, or another type of infographic. Your job will be to select the choice that accurately reflects the information in the graph. In other words, three choices will read the graph incorrectly.

Lists and punctuation questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to appropriately punctuate a list of items. Punctuation is required to separate items in a list of three or more. No punctuation is needed for a list of two. What are the rules? 1. Use commas for simple lists Example: The three stages of a conventional triathlon are swimming, cycling, and running. 2. Use semicolons when list items already contain commas Example: According to the World Economic Forum, the worlds three most populous cities in 2016 were Tokyo, Japan; Delhi, India; and Shanghai, China. 3. Punctuation comes before the "and"/"or" Example: Leaders of the Impressionist art movement included Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, and Camille Pissarro.

Making Nouns Possessive Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to use (or not use) apostrophes to make nouns plural, possessive, or both plural and possessive. You'll need to remember the rules for 1. plural nouns: Plural nouns do not require an apostrophe. Example: Example: The plants in the greenhouse are thriving. 2. singular possessive nouns: Singular possessive nouns require an apostrophe followed by an "s". Example: The company's most popular products include shampoo and moisturizer. Note: This rule applies even if the singular noun already ends in "s" (e.g., the rhinoceros's horn). 3. plural possessive nouns: Plural possessive nouns that end in "s" require an apostrophe after the "s". Example: On many superhero teams, the heroes' costumes are each a different color. Note: If a plural noun doesn't end in "s", then an "s" should be added after the apostrophe (e.g., the men's swim team).

Introductions and conclusions questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 2-3 questions in which a full sentence (or most of one) is underlined, and you're asked something like this: Which choice best introduces the paragraph? Or this: The writer wants a conclusion that states the main claim of the passage. Which choice best accomplishes this goal? While they appear in different places in a passage, introductions and conclusions both involve summarizing main ideas. These questions will require you to evaluate the relevance of the information contained in the choices. You'll need to select the choice that, by providing useful information, best emphasizes the main idea of the passage or paragraph

Setting up Ideas Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 2-3 questions that look like this: Which choice most effectively sets up the list of examples in the next sentence? Or like this: Which choice best establishes the argument that follows? Your job will be to pick the choice that best prepares the reader to receive and understand the information that comes next.

Relevant Information Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 2-4 questions that look like this: At this point, the writer is considering adding the following sentence. This is a sample sentence. Should the writer make this addition here? Your job will be to 1. Decide if the addition should be made. ("Yes/No") 2. Determine why the addition should(n't) be made. ("because. . .")

Transition words and phrases

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 3-5 questions that require you to identify and avoid transition word errors in the underlined portions of sentences. Transition words and phrases (like "however", "therefore", and "for example") are used to demonstrate the relationship between sentences. For example, if a sentence begins with "however", it needs to contrast with the sentence that came before. If it doesn't, we should choose another transition.

Colon Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 5-6 questions that require you to identify and correct errors in the use of punctuation. Some tested punctuation rules involve the use of colons. What are the rules? Colons ( : ) are used to introduce: 1. Explanations and extra information Incorrect: Many upstart tech companies fail for the same reason the lack of a market need for their products. Correct: Many upstart tech companies fail for the same reason: the lack of a market need for their products. 2. Lists Incorrect: The advent of cellular biology has led to the classification of organisms into three distinct domains bacteria, archaea, and eukaryota. Correct: The advent of cellular biology has led to the classification of organisms into three distinct domains: bacteria, archaea, and eukaryota. Explanation: A colon is needed to separate the independent clause ("The advent . . . domains") from the list that follows. Using a comma creates an error because it makes "domains" seem like a part of the list.

Commas Questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 5-6 questions that require you to identify and correct errors in the use of punctuation. The most frequently tested punctuation rules involve the use of commas. What are the rules? Commas ( , ) should only be used to... 1. Separate list items Example: Crafting a chessboard requires a table saw, a sander, and lots of glue. 2. Separate nonessential elements from the sentence Example: Incorrect: The Bay of Fundy a body of water between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick experiences the world's highest tidal range. Correct: The Bay of Fundy, a body of water between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, experiences the world's highest tidal range. A body of water between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the Bay of Fundy experiences the world's highest tidal range. 3. Link dependent clauses to independent clauses. Incorrect: While they were once endangered by commercial whaling humpback whale populations have recently grown at a rapid rate. Correct: While they were once endangered by commercial whaling, humpback whale populations have recently grown at a rapid rate. Explanation: A comma is required to link the dependent clause ("while... whaling") and the independent clause ("humpback... rate"). 4. Link independent clauses with help from a coordinating (FANBOYS) conjunction. Incorrect: Almonds are the world's most consumed tree nut, walnuts are a close second. Correct: Almonds are the world's most consumed tree nut, but walnuts are a close second. Explanation: Linking two independent clauses requires both a comma and a coordinating conjunction. If two independent clauses are linked by only a comma, a comma splice error is created.

Semicolons questions

On your official SAT, you're likely to see 5-6 questions that require you to identify and correct errors in the use of punctuation. Some tested punctuation rules involve the use of semicolons. What are the rules? Semicolons ( ; ) should only be used to... Link independent clauses (without a conjunction) Incorrect: The Green Zebra tomato ripens without turning red, it's difficult to know when one is ready to eat. Correct: The Green Zebra tomato ripens without turning red; it's difficult to know when one is ready to eat. Separate list items that already contain commas Separate list items that already contain commas Correct: While the United Nations is headquartered in New York City, it also has central offices in Nairobi, Kenya; Geneva, Switzerland; and Vienna, Austria.

Dash(-)

One dash ( - ) = Colon ( : ) Just like the rule for colons, what comes before the single dash ( - ) must be an independent clause: it must be able to read as a complete sentence all on its own. (See what we did there? We could have used a long dash instead of that colon) NOTE: The dash ( - ) is not to be confused with the hyphen ( - ), which has its own rules that are not tested on the SAT. Examples: You were right—he did eat the whole thing. Learning to ride a unicycle is easy—if you don't mind a few bumps and bruises.

Parallel Structure Questions

Parallel structure is the idea that when two or more words, phrases, or clauses are linked, they should share the same structure. Example: Incorrect: Penny likes running, biking, and to swim. Correct: Penny likes running, biking, and swimming. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and avoid parallel structure errors in the underlined portions of sentences. Parallel structure errors will show up in lists of two or more. Parallel lists: Lists can include many parts of speech, including verbs, adjectives, nouns, and prepositional phrases. List items must have the same grammatical structure and function.

pronoun-antecedent agreement questions

Pronouns are words that can stand in for specific nouns (e.g., he, she, it). An antecedent is a particular noun that a pronoun refers to. Pronoun-antecedent agreement is the idea that pronouns should be similar in number to the nouns they represent. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and correct pronoun-antecedent agreement errors in the underlined portions of sentences Example: Incorrect: The vinyl record, which was largely replaced by the CD during the 1980s and 90s, has since seen a revival in their popularity. Correct: The vinyl record, which was largely replaced by the CD during the 1980s and 90s, has since seen a revival in its popularity.

Expression of Ideas Questions

Questions that fall within the "Expression of Ideas" category focus on three broad elements: Development questions ask you to refine the content of a passage to achieve the writer's purpose Organization questions require you to improve the structure of a passage to enhance logic and cohesion Effective Language Use questions ask you to revise text to improve written expression and to achieve the writer's purpose

Pronoun clarity(conventions of usage question)

Recognize and correct ambiguous or vague pronouns (pronouns with more than one possible antecedent or no clear antecedent at all) Example: Molly and Saira had tea and sandwiches at her house yesterday afternoon. Reread the example sentence: "Molly and Saira had tea and sandwiches at her house yesterday afternoon". Whose house? The pronoun "her" could refer to either Molly or Saira. In the corrected version, the writer specifies "Saira's house" to give the readers clarity. Corrected version: Molly and Saira had tea and sandwiches at Saira's house yesterday afternoon.

Conventional expression(conventions usage question)

Recognize and correct cases in which word choice doesn't conform to the practices of standard written English. These questions can be especially tough for those who are learning English as non-native speakers. There isn't necessarily a good reason why an expression might use one preposition instead of another, but the more fluent you become, the more you will recognize how to fix these problems! Example: Trevor realized, after Suki failed on responding after six weeks for daily text messages, that she would never fall on love at him. Trevor realized, after Suki failed to respond after six weeks of daily text messages, that she would never fall in love with him.

sentence boundaries (sentence structure question)

Recognize and correct grammatically incomplete sentences. Example: Unable to keep her eyes open. Sarah fell asleep in the passenger seat. Corrected version: Unable to keep her eyes open, Sarah fell asleep in the passenger seat.

Possessive nouns and pronouns(conventions of punctuation question)

Recognize and correct inappropriate uses of possessive nouns and pronouns and decide between plural and possessive forms. Example: My dogs' favorite treat is his milk bone. Reread the example sentence. How many dogs are there? Based on the singular pronoun "his" in the second part of the sentence, the answer is one dog. But by placing the apostrophe after the word "dogs," the writer has created a possessive plural, indicating more than one dog. To fix this, move the apostrophe after "dog" and before the possessive "s," creating a possessive singular that matches the number of dogs in the sentence. Corrected version: My dog's favorite treat is his milk bone.

subordination and coordination(sentence structure question)

Recognize and correct problems in how major parts of sentences are related. Example: Although he loves ice cream, Bert tried every flavor at the new dessert shop downtown. In this case, the subordinating conjunction "although" doesn't make sense because it presents a possible contrast. Its meaning is that, in spite of some information (for example, Bert's love of ice cream), something unexpected happened. We could fix this sentence in a couple of different ways, depending on the meaning we're trying to achieve. Solution 1: Although he loves ice cream, Bert decided not to visit the new dessert shop. In this case, the subordinating conjunction "although" correctly prefaces an unexpected result: Bert decided not to go to the dessert store despite his love for ice cream. Or: Solution 2: Because he loves ice cream, Bert tried every flavor at the new dessert shop. In this case, the coordinating conjunction "because" links the idea that Bert loves ice cream, so he tried every flavor. Oh and by the way, there is no rule against starting a sentence with the word "because"!

modifier placement(sentence structure question)

Recognize and correct problems with modifier placement, including dangling and misplaced modifiers. Example: Speechless, it was hard for Margo to believe that her friends had forgotten their beach towels on their beach trip. The adjective "speechless" is modifying "Margo" because it's describing how she feels. If "speechless" is starting the sentence, "Margo" needs to follow immediately after so it's clear what the adjective is modifying. Corrected version: Speechless, Margo couldn't believe that her friends had forgotten their beach towels on their beach trip.

Unnecessary punctuation(conventions of punctuation question)

Recognize and eliminate unneeded punctuation Example: Emily can't decide if she wants a pet unicorn, or a pet griffin. No comma is necessary after "unicorn." The writer is making a comparison between two things and no punctuation is needed between them. Corrected version: Emily can't decide if she wants a pet unicorn or a pet griffin.

Logical comparison(conventions usage question)

Recognizing and correcting cases in which unlike terms are compared Example: The cost of living in the city differs from the suburbs. Reread the example sentence. What is being compared? Instead of comparing the cost of living in the city and in the suburb — two similar concepts — the sentence actually compares a concept (cost of living) with a location (suburb). The corrected version fixes this by adding "that in," a reference to cost of living in the second half of the sentence. Corrected version: The cost of living in the city differs from that in the suburbs.

Sentence Fragments Questions

Sentence fragments are errors created when a sentence doesn't include an independent clause (a clause that contains a subject and main verb and makes sense on its own). On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and correct sentence fragment errors. Sentence fragments on the SAT are usually caused by 1. Subordinating conjunctions ("although", "because", etc.) 2. Unnecessary relative pronouns ("who", "which", etc.) 3. No subject and/or no main verb

Subject-verb agreement questions

Subject-verb agreement requires that a subject and verb agree in number. Incorrect: Apples is different from oranges. Correct: Apples are different from oranges. Explanation: "Is" is the singular present tense of the verb "to be". "Are" is the plural present tense of the verb "to be". Since "Apples " is a plural subject, it needs to be paired with the plural form of the verb. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-3 questions that require you to identify and correct subject-verb agreement errors in the underlined portions of sentences. You'll need to identify when 1. A plural noun is improperly paired with a singular verb 2. A singular noun is improperly paired with a plural verb

Conventions of punctuation

The SAT Writing and Language Test includes questions that require you to recognize and correct the misuse of various forms of punctuation, including end punctuation (periods, question marks, and exclamation points), commas, semicolons, colons, and dashes. In some cases, you'll be asked to add punctuation to clarify and enhance meaning.

Organization Questions(Expression of Ideas Questions)

These questions focus on revision of text to improve the logic and cohesion of text at the sentence, paragraph, and whole-text levels. Logical Sequence: Questions will ask you to revise text as needed to ensure that information and ideas are presented in the most logical order. Introductions, Conclusions, and Transitions: Questions will ask you to revise text as needed to improve the beginning or ending of a text or paragraph to ensure that transition words, phrases, or sentences are used effectively to connect information and ideas.

Effective Language Use Questions(Expression of Ideas Questions)

These questions will ask you to identify stated central themes or determine themes that are implied in the text. Precision: Questions will ask you to revise text as needed to improve the exactness or content appropriateness of word choice. Concision: Questions will ask you to revise text as needed to eliminate wordiness and redundancy). Style and Tone: Questions will ask you to revise text as necessary to ensure consistency of style and tone within a text or to improve the match of style and tone to purpose. Syntax: Questions will ask you to use various sentence structures to accomplish needed rhetorical purposes.

Circle and underline important elements of passages

To do your best, you'll need to read passages on the Writing and Language Test just as actively as you read the passages on the Reading Test. That means underlining and circling the most important elements so you can stay engaged with the point the author is making. TOP TIP: Understand what the passage is saying! Contrary to what some people think, the SAT Writing and Language Test is not just about grammar. Grammar-related questions (also called "Standard English Conventions") make up just one part of your score on the Writing and Language test. The other questions (the ones that fall into the "Expression of Ideas" category) require you to understand the point of the passage and the function of each paragraph within it, along with the function of each sentence in each paragraph. Underlining, circling and annotating can help.

Relevant Information Tips and Strategies

Top tip: 50/50 split Start by considering only the first part of the choices (i.e., whether the answer is yes or no). Your instincts will serve you well here. Would you add this sentence if you were the writer? Is the information in the new sentence directly related to the topic of the paragraph? Does it strengthen the sentences around it? If we can choose "Yes" or "No" before considering the follow-up explanations (which can be complex), we can narrow down our choices and save ourselves some effort. Top tip: Focus on immediate context The proposed addition will always seem somewhat on topic. It may introduce background information or a viewpoint that's in contrast with the main focus of the passage. But we're not just adding the sentence to the passage—we're adding it at a specific location within the passage. Read the sentences around that specific location. Does the new information belong here? Or is it only loosely related to this part of the passage? Does it interrupt another discussion or flow of ideas? Considering these questions will help us decide if the addition should be made. Top tip: Identify purpose Some students find it helpful to put the purpose of the new sentence in their own words by asking the What: "What is this sentence doing?" If we understand the purpose of the new sentence, we can better determine if the sentence is useful here. In other words, does the passage need a sentence to serve that purpose? Does another sentence already serve that purpose?

Strong Support Tips and Ideas

Top tip: Answer the question that's being asked! The choices provided will all sound good. They'll be free of errors and include information that is at least somewhat related to the topic of the passage. So we can't just select the first choice we see that avoids errors! Luckily, the question itself tells us what we're looking for: information that supports a particular idea. If we can identify the idea we're supporting, we'll be much more likely to select the correct answer. That's why the following tips are so effective! Top tip: Restate the claim Support questions are rarely phrased exactly the same. They may ask for support for the main point in the passage or paragraph, the "previous claim", or another idea altogether. But we can't find evidence if we don't know what the evidence should be for! Always start by restating, in your own words, the point that you're trying to support. The question will provide this information! Top tip: Match ideas Strong support is direct. It will contain similar ideas, cover similar topics, and relate clearly to the point it provides evidence for. Get rid of choices that don't match the ideas they're meant to support.

Parallel Structure Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Avoid unnecessary repetition Parallel structure errors often occur when a word or phrase that helps set up a list is repeated within the list. Incorrect: The trapezist soared through the air with speed, grace, and with precision. Correct: The trapezist soared through the air with speed, grace, and precision. Explanation: Because "with" precedes the entire list, it applies to all the list items. We shouldn't repeat it within the list. Top tip: Focus on what you can change Parallel structures often show up in questions that ask you to revise the underlined portion of a sentence. Some list items will be underlined, while others may not be. To find the most parallel choice, match what you can change to what you can't.

Lists and punctuation question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Be consistent! In a list, the items should all be separated by the same type of punctuation. We should never use commas between some items and semicolons between others in the same list. Top tip: No colons or dashes Commas and semicolons are the only punctuation marks we can use to separate list items. Avoid choices that use colons or dashes within a list. Incorrect: Accountants may be hired to prepare tax documents, audit financial records: or offer advice on retirement planning. Correct: Accountants may be hired to prepare tax documents, audit financial records, or advise clients on retirement planning.

Nonessential elements question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Be consistent! SAT questions will often include just one side of a nonessential element in the underlined portion of the sentence. Be sure to check the other side of the element for consistency: the same punctuation mark should be used on both sides! Top tip: Don't worry about the difference between commas, parentheses, and dashes While commas, parentheses, and dashes are sometimes better in particular contexts, the SAT won't test you on these minor differences. In other words, you'll never be asked to choose between two types of punctuation marks if the choices don't create other grammar errors. So don't sweat it! Top tip: Don't pair semicolons or colons! Commas, parentheses, and dashes are the only options when separating a nonessential element from the rest of the sentence. We should never use two semicolons or colons around a nonessential element.

Semicolons Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Check before and after Errors are frequently created when semicolons link clauses that aren't independent clauses. Any time you see a semicolon used to link two clauses, be sure to check both. If one of the clauses can't stand on its own as a complete sentence, then you've likely spotted a punctuation error. Top tip: Look out for comma splice errors A comma splice error occurs when a comma links two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. We can often fix these errors with a semicolon. Incorrect: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played professional basketball for twenty seasons, he retired as the NBA's all-time leader in points scored. Correct: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played professional basketball for twenty seasons; he retired as the NBA's all-time leader in points scored.

Making Nouns Possessive Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Check both nouns SAT questions that ask us about possessive nouns usually include two nouns in the underline. The choices will include variations where one, both, or neither of the two are made plural or possessive. Be sure that the answer you choose uses (or doesn't use) apostrophes correctly in both nouns. Example: Incorrect: The striated patterns' of a canyons walls are the result of erosion and frost weathering having exposed layers of multicolored sedimentary rock. Correct: The striated patterns of a canyon's walls are the result of erosion and frost weathering having exposed layers of multicolored sedimentary rock. Explanation: This is the best choice. "Patterns" must be plural to match the plural verb "are", but nothing belongs to the patterns, so no apostrophe is needed. "Canyon" must be singular because of the singular article "a", and is appropriately made possessive to indicate that the "walls" belong to the canyon.

Logical Comparison Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Check pronoun-antecedent agreement When adding a demonstrative pronoun, make sure it agrees in number with the noun it refers to (usually the noun in the first part of the comparison). Incorrect: The growl of a lion is more fearsome than those of a house cat. Correct: The growl of a lion is more fearsome than that of a house cat. Explanation: Because "those" (plural) is referring back to the singular noun "growl", we should instead use the singular pronoun "that". Top tip: Focus on what you can change Illogical comparisons often show up in questions that ask you to revise the underlined portion of a sentence. We can only change what's underlined, so match what you can change to what you can't. Incorrect: Having one's breakfast in bed is messier than to eat it at the table. Correct: Having one's breakfast in bed is messier than eating it at the table. Explanation: If we are asked to revise a sentence, we may only have the option to change one side of the comparison. Change it to match the other side. Top tip: Trust yourself! Still unsure? Keep the above tips in mind and pick the choice that sounds best to you. Your instincts will serve you well. If something feels unusual or awkward, you may have spotted an error in logical comparison!

Colon Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Check the clause before the colon Colons can only appear at the end of an independent clause. Make sure to avoid any choice in which a colon follows a clause that can't stand on its own as a sentence. An easy way to check this is to replace the colon with a period. Would the first clause still make sense? Top tip: Don't introduce ideas twice Lists are often introduced by verbs or prepositions, but we shouldn't use these in addition to a colon. Avoid choices that introduce ideas in two ways. Incorrect: Wide-spread vaccination can functionally eliminate the dangers of many diseases: such as polio, measles, and tetanus.** Correct: Wide-spread vaccination can functionally eliminate the dangers of many diseases, such as polio, measles, and tetanus. Explanation: "Such as" already introduces the information that follows, so we shouldn't include a colon as well. Top tip: Colons vs. semicolons The explanations colons introduce can sometimes include independent clauses. This means we could have situations in which either a semicolon or a colon could be correctly used to link two independent clauses. But don't worry! The SAT won't include a question with multiple correct answers, so there will be other errors that help differentiate between colon and semicolon choices. Remember: A colon only needs an independent clause before it. A semicolon needs an independent clause both before and after it.

Verb tense and mood Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Conjugate in context To determine if an action happens in the past, present, or future, we'll need to rely upon context clues in the sentence. Common clues include dates, times, and other conjugated verbs. Example: The poet John Milton, who famously wrote the epic poem Paradise Lost, was born in 1609. Top tip: Match nearby verbs If you're not sure how to conjugate a verb, match the tense of other verbs in the same sentence or paragraph. Verb tense usually stays consistent unless some shift in time occurs within the passage. Example: After he lost one election for president, Thomas Jefferson ran again, defeating the incumbent John Adams. Top tip: Place general facts in the simple present The simple present tense is often used to describe things that are true in general. If a statement is true regardless of timeframe, use the simple present tense. Example: Black bears commonly grow to an adult weight of 200 pounds.

Precise Word Choice Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Context and connotation Focus on the following: Context 1. What is the text about? 2. Is the author expressing a negative or positive opinion? Connotation 1. If you can't define a word in a choice, can you identify any words or ideas associated with it? 2. Are they "extreme" words? Or are they more "mild" or "middle of the road"? 3. Are they positive, negative, or neutral? If we can identify context and connotations, we don't need to know exact definitions. We can simply match up similar ideas by, for instance, choosing a strongly negative word in a strongly negative context. Top tip: Avoid unknowns On Test Day, it's likely that you'll see a question or two about words that you don't know. Many test-takers make the mistake of selecting words that they don't know in the choices instead of ones they know better and "feel right". These students think the words they know better must be "traps", because they might "seem too easy". This strategy can often backfire. To raise your chances of getting questions like this correct, try this instead: Eliminate what you can from the words you do know Select an option from what remains. Note: The only time you should select a word you don't know is if you can confidently eliminate all of the other choices.

Commas Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Don't split subjects and verbs Unless two commas are being used to "fence off" a nonessential element, no punctuation should come between a subject and verb. Incorrect: Mountain goats, are very nimble. Correct: Mountain goats are very nimble. Mountain goats, which are only distantly related to domestic goats, are very nimble. Explanation: A comma shouldn't separate the subject "goats" from its verb "are". The only exception is if two commas are being used to set off a nonessential descriptive phrase. Top tip: No commas before prepositions Unless a series of prepositions form a list, commas shouldn't be placed in front of prepositional phrases. Incorrect: The chicken crossed, to the other side of the road. Correct: The chicken crossed to the other side of the road. Top tip: Lists of two don't need commas A list of only two items doesn't require punctuation. Commas are only needed when a list contains three or more items. Incorrect: Learning archery requires skill, and practice. Correct: Learning archery requires skill and practice. Top tip: Look for comma splice errors A comma splice error occurs when a comma links two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. Incorrect: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played professional basketball for twenty seasons, he retired as the NBA's all-time leader in points scored. Correct: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played professional basketball for twenty seasons, and he retired as the NBA's all-time leader in points scored.

Sequencing Sentences Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Don't start by testing the choices First, here's something we don't recommend: don't start plugging the sentence into the locations suggested by each choice. This can quickly get confusing, and it can take a lot of time. Top tip: Make a prediction Instead, sum up the selected sentence in your own words. What is the sentence doing? While keeping that idea in mind, re-read the paragraph closely. Where would the information make the most sense? If you were the writer, where would you place it? If your prediction matches any of the choices, select the answer and move on! Top tip: Focus on transition phrases Transition words and phrases are our clearest window into how a sentence should interact with those around it. For example, if a sentence begins with "however", then it needs to contrast with the sentence that came before. If we notice any transitions that seem unusual or illogical, then we've likely spotted a sequencing error. Top tip: Identify unclear pronouns Sequencing errors frequently result in unclear pronouns when those pronouns refer to antecedents in other sentences. For example, if a sentence begins with "This means that . . .", then the pronoun "this" needs to logically refer to an associated idea in the previous sentence. The same goes for personal pronouns like "he" and "they". If we can set up a sequence in which it's clear what each pronoun refers to, then we've likely found the most logical flow of ideas!

Interpreting graphs and data question strategies

Top tip: Explore the graph! As soon as a question refers to a graph, go take a look! Read the title of the graph and the label on each axis, taking note of what's being measured and what units are being used. What story does the graph tell? Are any trends obvious from a quick glance? When we know what types of measurements and units to expect in the choices, we're less likely to be misled. Top tip: Focus on numbers and quantities None of the choices for these questions will contain errors in grammar or rhetoric, so they'll all "sound good" Instead, choices will be correct or incorrect based purely on the quantitative analysis they present. We should be focused exclusively on whether the numbers, quantities, and trends presented in the choice match the graph.

pronoun-antecedent agreement question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Find the antecedent To recognize pronoun agreement errors, we must be able to identify the antecedent of the pronoun in question—the noun that the pronoun logically refers to. Read carefully! Antecedents can be hard to find when multiple singular and plural nouns are present Top tip: Double-check relative pronouns Errors involving relative pronouns (e.g., "who", "which") are easy to overlook. Remember: "who" and "whom" apply to people, while "which" and "that" apply to things. Incorrect: The results of the test, who measures cholesterol levels, indicate that Gerald is healthy. Correct: The results of the test, which measures cholesterol levels, indicate that Gerald is healthy. Explanation: A "test" is a thing, not a person, so "which" is the appropriate relative pronoun to use in context.

Pronoun Clarity Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Find the antecedent To recognize pronoun clarity errors, we must be able to identify the antecedent of the pronouns in question. Ask yourself: what noun is this pronoun logically replacing? If you find multiple possible antecedents, or if you find no possible antecedents, then you've found a pronoun clarity error. Top tip: Get specific Pronoun clarity errors often show up in questions that ask you to revise the underlined portion of a sentence. The easiest way to fix an error like this is usually to replace the unclear pronoun with the specific noun it was meant to represent.

Subject-verb agreement question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Get rid of extra words The noun closest to the verb is not necessarily the subject! Subject-verb agreement errors can be hard to see when subjects and verbs don't appear directly next to one another. Try to simplify the sentence by eliminating any extra words or phrases that come between the subject and verb. This will make subject-verb agreement errors more obvious. Top tip: Flip inverted sentences Sometimes, a subject comes after the verb. When this happens, subject-verb agreement errors can be hard to spot. If you notice an inverted sentence, try flipping the sentence so that the subject comes right before the verb. Example: Incorrect: Separating the roads were a concrete median. Correct: Separating the roads was a concrete median. Explanation: While "roads" comes right before the helping verbs "was/were", the "roads" aren't doing the "separating". The subject of the verb is actually the singular noun "median", which comes later. Flip the subject and verb: A concrete median was separating the roads. Top tip: Collective nouns are singular It's easy to miss subject-verb agreement errors when collective nouns are paired with a plural verb. But remember: Collective nouns (e.g., "family", "group", "bunch") are singular. Example: Correct: Called an embouchure, the shape of a skilled trumpet player's lips allows for playing a wide range of notes with clear tone and without muscle strain. Explantation: This is the best choice. The singular verb "allows" agrees with its singular subject "shape". Notice that "of a skilled trumpet player's lips" describes "the shape", so "lips" isn't the subject here. When we strip away the descriptive phrase, we're left with "the shape allows".

Transition words and phrases Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Identify purpose What purpose does the transition need to serve? 1. Are you introducing an example? Then you might choose "for instance". 2. Are you revealing a counter-point? Then you might choose "however". If we can identify the nature of the relationship between the sentences, we'll have a better chance of selecting an appropriate transition. Top Tip: Be flexible While there is a seemingly endless variety of transition words and phrases, most serve one of only a few purposes. If you think the sentence needs a contrast word, but "however" isn't an option, look for a transition with a similar function (e.g., "On the other hand"). Top Tip: Eliminate copycats If two choices seem to function in an identical, interchangeable way, you can safely cross them both out. They can't both be right, so they must both be wrong!

Concision question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Identify repetition Do you notice information being repeated? Whether a particular word is repeated, or whether a more general idea is expressed twice, repetition often creates a concision error. Top tip: Shorter is usually better If you recognize that you're dealing with a concision question, the chances are pretty good that the shortest choice is the right choice. It's possible that the shorter choice clips out a couple more unnecessary words than the others, even if they'd all make logical sense. Remember: if we can say something in fewer words, we should!

Linking Clauses Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Look out for comma splice errors A comma splice error is created when two independent clauses are linked by only a comma. This is the most common error we'll see when linking clauses on the SAT. Remember: if both clauses can stand on their own as sentences, a comma isn't enough. If you see a comma splice error, you can fix it by adding a conjunction or changing the comma to a semicolon or a period. Top tip: Pick logical conjunctions While all conjunctions can link clauses, only some conjunctions will make sense in the context of the passage. Make sure you consider the meaning of clauses when selecting the most logical way to link them. Incorrect: Doughnuts made with yeast are light and fluffy, so those made with baking powder are denser and more cake-like. Correct: Doughnuts made with yeast are light and fluffy, while those made with baking powder are denser and more cake-like. Explanation: The coordinating conjunction "so" implies a cause/effect relationship, which wouldn't make sense here. So while the clauses are linked grammatically, they're not linked logically. We should replace "so" with a more fitting conjunction, like the subordinating conjunction "while" or the coordinating conjunction "but". Top tip: Avoid double-linking clauses We only need to link clauses once, so we should avoid using multiple conjunctions or using a conjunction alongside a semicolon. If we link clauses more than once, we'll create redundancy errors. Incorrect: While the violin and mandolin are tuned in the same way, but only the mandolin has frets on its fingerboard. Correct: While the violin and mandolin are tuned in the same way, only the mandolin has frets on its fingerboard. Top tip: Test semicolons using the "Before and After Test" Before you select any answer that employs a semicolon, make sure there's an independent clause on both sides of the semicolon. If the clauses before and after the semicolon can't both stand on their own as sentences, a semicolon can't be used!

Modifier Placement Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Look out for possessive nouns Modifier placement errors often result when the noun that should be modified is made possessive. Example: Incorrect: Spinning furiously, the dancer's poise impressed us all. Correct: Spinning furiously, the dancer impressed us all with his poise. Explanation: "Spinning furiously" logically describes the dancer, but if "dancer" is made possessive, the description is illogically applied to "poise" instead. Top tip: Focus on what you can change Modifier placement errors often show up when you're asked to revise the underlined portion of a sentence. We can only change what's underlined: 1. If the modifier isn't underlined, then move the noun. 2. If the noun isn't underlined, then move the modifier.

Setting up Ideas Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Match purpose What's the purpose of the information you're setting up? Is it supporting evidence? The best "set-up" might need to restate the point being supported. Is it a counter-example? The best "set-up" should refer back to the previous idea and introduce the new idea. Is it the answer to an important question? The best "set-up" might need to ask that question. Identifying the purpose the information serves will help you figure out how best to introduce it. Top tip: Match ideas What is the information that you're setting up about? Is what follows a list of examples? Then your "set-up" might need to tell us what the list provides examples of. Is the idea that follows attached to a specific person in the passage? Then your "set-up" might need to introduce that person. Is what follows a comparison? Then your "set-up" might need to provide the first idea being compared (or contrasted). This strategy works no matter what idea you're setting up. Just get rid of any choice that's not directly related to the information that follows.

Formal vs casual language question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Odd one out In these questions, we really only have two choices: formal or casual. And since there can only be one correct answer, three of the choices will belong in the same category. That means whichever choice is unlike the others will be the answer. For instance: if we have three choices that use casual slang expressions, then we can assume the fourth choice will use formal language and be the answer. Top tip: Unknowns = formal Casual language tends to use simple, familiar words and phrases that you would see everyday. So if you encounter an unfamiliar word in a question like this, it's most likely formal, elevated vocabulary. And since we're simply choosing between formal and casual language (and not between word with different definitions), this should be enough information to effectively answer the question. Top tip: Avoid wordiness Regardless of whether a passage uses formal or casual language, it's still important to be efficient with our word choice. So, if you're stuck between two choices that seem like they fit the passage, pick the shorter one!

Sentence Fragments Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Read around nonessential phrases Just because a clause looks long and complicated doesn't mean it contains all the necessary elements to stand on its own as a sentence. If we can eliminate comma-bound phrases within the clause, we can see its structure more easily. Example: Incorrect: Bill Peet, an animator at Walt Disney Studios from 1937-1964, who is largely credited with shaping Disney's visual style during that period. If we eliminate the nonessential phrase ("an animator . . . 1964"), we can see the error a bit clearer: Bill Peet who is largely credited with shaping Disney's visual style during that period. Correct: Bill Peet, an animator at Walt Disney Studios from 1937-1964, is largely credited with shaping Disney's visual style during that period. Top tip: -ING verbs need help! Verbs that end in -ING (like "reading") aren't functional verbs. Instead, they're participles—verb forms that need helping verbs (like "is" or "has been"). If you see a subject lead directly into an -ING verb without any help, you may have found a sentence fragment error. Example: Incorrect: Each student accepting his or her diploma and crossing the stage to shake hands with the dean. Correct: Each student accepted his or her diploma and crossed the stage to shake hands with the dean. Each student is accepting his or her diploma and crossing the stage to shake hands with the dean. Explanation: On their own, "accepting" and "crossing" aren't functional verbs, so the sentence can't stand on its own. To fix this sentence fragment, we could replace the -ING verbs with functional verbs that match the tense of other nearby verbs in the passage, or, as in the second correct version, we can add the helping verb "is".

Confusion with "its" and "their" questions Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Read out contractions Homophones are only dangerous if they sound the same. Any time you see an apostrophe, read out "it is" instead of "it's". Do the same with "they are" for "they're". Top tip: Identify the antecedent Determining whether a possessive pronoun or a contraction is more appropriate is only half the battle! We also need to make sure that the pronoun we choose agrees in number with its antecedent (the noun it refers to). When you see a question that tests you on its/it's, take an extra moment to identify the antecedent and be sure that we shouldn't change that it to a they. Incorrect: While their connection to major league sports is only a few decades old, the bobblehead doll has origins that stretch back centuries. Correct: While its connection to major league sports is only a few decades old, the bobblehead doll has origins that stretch back centuries. Explanation: "Their" is a possessive pronoun, which is what the context here requires. However, the plural "their" doesn't agree with the singular noun it refers to: "the bobblehead doll". We should instead use the singular "its".

Transition sentences Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Restate ideas What information comes before the transition sentence? What comes after? If we can summarize these ideas in our own words, we may notice a gap between them. With the wrong transition, the idea that follows may feel confusing or unexplained. The best choice will fill that gap! Top tip: Identify purpose What's the purpose of the information you're transitioning to? Is it supporting evidence? The best transition might need to restate the point being supported. Is it a counter-example? The best transition might need to refer back to the previous idea and emphasize the contrast with the following idea. Is it the answer to an important question? The best transition might need to restate the question or reveal how the answer was found. Identifying the purpose the surrounding information serves in the passage will help us recognize what purpose the transition sentence must serve. Top tip: Answer the question that's being asked! Context clues in the phrases before and after the transition will show you what the correct choice needs to do. Many students get distracted by choices in transition questions that sound interesting and relevant, but that don't complete the task. Don't be fooled—every choice is going to be grammatically correct! Your job is to choose the best transition. Your best defense against tempting wrong choices that "sound good" is to have a sense of what you're looking for before you start looking.

Introductions and conclusions tips and strategies

Top tip: Restate ideas What is the main idea that we're introducing or concluding? If we can summarize this idea in our own words, we may notice a gap between this idea and the ideas around it. A good introduction or conclusion will clearly link the ideas in the paragraph with the other ideas in the passage. Top tip: Identify purpose What's the purpose of the information we're introducing or concluding? Does it describe a study or experiment? The best introduction might describe the motivation for the study or introduce particular researchers. The best conclusion might explain the implications of the study results or identify opportunities for further research. Does it defend against an opposing viewpoint? The best introduction might anticipate the objections of a certain group of people. The best conclusion might redirect us back to the main claims of the passage. Identifying the purpose the information serves in the passage will help us recognize how best to introduce or conclude that information. Top tip: Answer the question that's being asked Don't fall for tempting choices that sound good, but that don't answer the question! Remember: Every choice is going to be grammatically correct! Many students get distracted by choices in introduction and conclusion questions that sound interesting and relevant, but that don't effectively introduce or conclude the passage or paragraph. Your best defense against tempting wrong choices that "sound good" is to have a prediction ready. Restating ideas and identifying purpose will do that for you (see above)!

Frequently confused words question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Use process of elimination to boost your chances These questions usually involve choosing between two easily confused words, but there are four different choices for each question. That means that two of the choices must contain errors unrelated to word confusion. This means that, even if we forget the distinction between two similar words, we can narrow down our choices and improve our chances of selecting the answer. Top tip: Don't sweat it! There are a lot of word pairs that could be tested in these questions, but don't worry about memorizing all of their definitions. There will likely only be one question on the whole test that covers frequently confused words, and it will only test one of the word pairs. In other words, your time would be better spent working on more commonly tested skills!

Noun Agreement Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Use the same number for descriptions Verbs are often used to describe their subjects. In these instances, the description must agree with the subject in number. Other times, descriptive asides will appear next to nouns. Those descriptions must also agree in number with the nouns they modify. Incorrect: Necco wafers, a chalky disc of flavored sugar, predate any other candies still produced in the United States. Correct: Necco wafers, chalky discs of flavored sugar, predate any other candies still produced in the United States. Explanation: The plural "wafers" must be matched by the plural "discs". Top tip: Look for compound noun phrases When two singular nouns come together, they create a plural noun phrase that only agrees with plural nouns. Example: Incorrect: Jerry and Alice both plan to become a doctor. Correct: Jerry and Alice both plan to become doctors. Explanation: "Doctors" must be plural, because it refers to both Jerry and Alice.

Conventional Expressions Question Tips and Strategies

Top tip: Use your instincts Unfortunately, there is no rule or formula that can be applied to conventional expressions. However, because conventions are based on how words and phrases are commonly used, your instincts will serve you well. Does something feel unusual or awkward? If so, it's possible you've identified an error in convention!

parallel structure(sentence structure question)

Treat grammatically similar structures in the same way. Example: In her spare time, Renata spoke to the iguanas, ran with the wild boars, and was climbing coconut trees. This sentence does not have parallel structure because the final element of the sentence (and was climbing coconut trees) is not presented in the same verb tense or structure as the first two elements in the list. Corrected version: In her spare time, Renata spoke to the iguanas, ran with the wild boars, and climbed coconut trees.

Two dashes ( - - )

Two dashes ( - - ) = open/close parentheses ( ) Like a pair of commas or parentheses, a pair of dashes can be used to set off a phrase, clause, or series of phrases and clauses. In order for two dashes to be correct, the sentence that surrounds the clause that is being set off—be it a descriptive flourish or a prepositional aside—must be grammatically complete. TOP TIP: When in doubt, take it out! Think of the two dashes, two commas or two parentheses as chopping tools that can slice out nonessential elements. Remove the element in question, and read the sentence again—if the sentence reads through without the element, then the double punctuation was OK! Examples: Sitting at dinner that night, Finn— usually a talkative chap—refused to answer a single question about his day. Learning to ride a unicycle- a time-consuming endeavor -is easy if you don't mind a few bumps and bruises. TOP TIP: Pair them up Look out for pairs of mismatched punctuation, whether they be comma-dash, parenthesis-comma, or some other combination of comma, dash, and parenthesis. The punctuation should match. WRONG: Learning to ride a unicycle, a time-consuming endeavor—is easy if you don't mind a few bumps and bruises. WRONG: Learning to ride a unicycle—a time-consuming endeavor, is easy if you don't mind a few bumps and bruises. TOP TIP: Less is often more! If the SAT gives you a choice between commas on both sides of a clause and commas on neither side of a clause, the chances are very good that the NO COMMA choice is correct. TOP COMMA TIP: Exaggerate the pause If you're wondering if a comma is correct, read the sentence through and emphasize the pause the comma creates - if it sounds really weird to your ear, it's probably wrong.

Items in a series(conventions of punctuation question)

Use commas and sometimes semicolons to separate lists of items. Example 1: Tina got a car wash; went to the pharmacy, and bought a sled. In this simple list of items, only commas are needed to separate sentence elements, not semicolons. Corrected version: Tina got a car wash, went to the pharmacy, and bought a sled. Example 2: Juan has been to Paris, France, Venice, Italy, and Kyoto, Japan. This sentence is what's known as a complex list. Items within the sentence are being separated by commas (e.g. the comma between "Paris" and "France" separates the city of Paris from the country in which it's located: France). That means we need a bigger distinction between these city/country pairs so that they don't run together in the sentence. This is where semicolons come in to help! Corrected version: Juan has been to Paris, France; Venice, Italy; and Kyoto, Japan.

Nonrestrictive and parenthetical elements(conventions of punctuation question)

Use punctuation to set off nonessential sentence elements and recognize and correct cases in which punctuation is wrongly used to set off essential sentence elements Example 1: Ari's Candy Corn Emporium, located off Highway 12 is a popular tourist attraction. "Located off Highway 12" is a parenthetical element that needs to be set off with punctuation on either side of it to distinguish it from the rest of the sentence. Corrected version: Ari's Candy Corn Emporium, located off Highway 12, is a popular tourist attraction. Example 2: The Boston Symphony a world-renowned orchestra—played Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. "a world-renowned orchestra" is a parenthetical element that needs to be set off with punctuation on either side of it to distinguish it from the rest of the sentence. Corrected version: The Boston Symphony—a world-renowned orchestra—played Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

End-of-sentence punctuation(conventions of punctuation question)

Use the correct form of ending punctuation (period, question mark, or exclamation point) when the context makes the writer's intent clear. Example: Andrés wondered if he should save his money for a rainy day or go to an amusement park instead? Ask yourself: is the sentence a question or a statement? While Andrés is wondering about something, which might suggest a question, the sentence itself is a statement. Consider another example: "I asked my mom if I could have some milk." The sentence refers to a question, but it's also a statement of fact: I asked my mom about something. Corrected version: Andrés wondered if he should save his money for a rainy day or go to an amusement park instead.

Verb tense and mood Questions

Verb tense: Verbs describe an action. Verb tense, or how a verb is conjugated, tells us when that action occurs. Present tense: I run to the lake each day. Past tense: I ran to the lake yesterday. In English, there are three main tenses (past, present, and future), each of which can be split into four aspects. Verb mood: Verb mood, another element of verb formation, tells us even more about the action being completed. For instance, the indicative mood tells us about a factual action, while the conditional mood tells us about a possible action. Defining mood from a grammar science perspective can be tricky, and the number and variety of moods in English is a matter of debate. But moods are harder to think about abstractly than they are to use. You almost certainly use a variety of moods in your everyday conversations! On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that requires you to correct an error in verb tense or mood. You'll need to be comfortable conjugating all aspects of past, present, and future tense verbs, which you'll match to the time frame suggested by the logic of the sentence. Luckily for us, the SAT doesn't dive deeply into mood. A basic familiarity with English conventions should allow us to avoid making mood errors on test day.

Comma Splice

WARNING: When you try to connect two independent clauses using just a comma, you create an error known as a comma splice. WRONG: Teddy loves stuffed bears, his collection includes fifty-four specimens. WRONG: Alex cooks his brownies with lard, they taste great! How to fix a COMMA SPLICE ERROR Option 1: Change the comma into a period ( . ) Two independent clauses can always stand alone as separate sentences (even if this isn't always the best choice rhetorically). Remember to adjust capitalization as needed! Option 1: Change the comma into a period ( . ) Two independent clauses can always stand alone as separate sentences (even if this isn't always the best choice rhetorically). Remember to adjust capitalization as needed! Option 2: Add a conjunction. A coordinating or subordinating conjunction can often be used to correct a comma splice: When a conjunction is present - such as, and, or, because, while or but - one of the two clauses is converted to a "dependent" or "subordinate" clause. (Don't worry, you don't need to know these terms on the SAT, but you do need to know your options for correcting a comma splice). RIGHT: Teddy loves stuffed bears, and his collection includes fifty-four specimens. Option 3: Use a semicolon in place of the comma. If the independent clauses are closely related, they can sometimes be joined with a semicolon. RIGHT: Teddy loves stuffed bears; his collection includes fifty-four specimens.

Apostrophes

We use an apostrophe ( ' ) to indicate possession (e.g. Spot's spots), or to substitute for one or more letters in a contraction (e.g. don't, they're). What is a contraction? Contractions are words that are created by combining two other words - we add an apostrophe to stand in for the letters we take out. Examples: 1. they're (they are) 2. don't (do not) 3. didn't (did not) Note: When writing an expository essay for school, avoid using contractions. They create an informal style that is inappropriate for an academic setting. Possessive Pronouns The Rule: Possessive pronouns never use apostrophes! Wrong: your's, her's, our's, their's Right: yours, hers, ours, theirs, its The Trouble with Its Its is a possessive pronoun - think of it just as you think of yours, ours, hers and theirs - none of these have apostrophes - ever! It's is a contraction for "it is" Singular Possessive The Rule: to make a singular noun possessive, add an apostrophe and an s ( 's ) Examples: sister's smartphone cat's collar Plural Possessive The Rule: to make most plural nouns possessive, just add an apostrophe ( ' ) Examples: my friends' playlists (for more than one friend) the dogs' barking (for more than one dog) Plural Possessive: The Tricky Ones The Rule: When the plural noun you want to make possessive doesn't already end with an s, then just add an apostrophe and an s ( 's ) Examples: children's toys women's clothing

Precise Word Choice Questions

What is "precise" word choice? When discussing word choice, precision refers to picking just the right word in just the right moment. Words can have different meanings depending on how and when they're used. This means that, even when two words mean similar things, one might be a better choice in a given situation. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1-2 questions that require you to identify and avoid word choice errors in the underlined portions of sentences. You'll be offered four words that have similar or related meanings, and you'll be asked to select the word that best fits the sentence.

Concision questions

What is concision? Concision means getting rid of redundancy. Redundancy refers to unnecessary repetition and wordiness. In other words, concision means that if two words mean the same thing, we shouldn't use both of them. On your official SAT, you're likely to see 3-5 questions that require you to identify and avoid redundancy in the underlined portions of sentences.

Pronoun Clarity Questions

What is pronoun clarity? Pronoun clarity is the idea that a pronoun must clearly refer to a logical antecedent. An antecedent is the noun that a pronoun replaces. Example: Incorrect: One difference between apples and oranges is that they have a peel. Correct: One difference between apples and oranges is that oranges have a peel. Explanation: "They" is an unclear pronoun because it could refer to either "apples" or "oranges". On your official SAT, you're likely to see 1 question that requires you to identify and avoid a pronoun clarity error in the underlined portion of a sentence. You'll need to identify when a pronoun has multiple possible antecedents. If multiple nouns in the sentence agree with a pronoun in number, it may not be clear which noun the pronoun refers to. If no nouns in a sentence could logically replace the pronoun, then the pronoun may be unclear.

Use Process of Elimination!

When you physically cross out a choice you have ruled out, it makes the rest of your task easier on your brain. Bad choices stop being distractions if you don't look at them again.

Approaching Paragraph Sequence Questions

When you see a question that looks like this: "To make the passage most logical, paragraph X should be placed..." Try this: 1. Your own words—Work through the passage paragraph by paragraph and use your own words to describe what each paragraph is DOING—what role does "paragraph X" serve in the entire passage? Why is it there? What is its point? TOP TIP: For this purpose, the first and last sentences of paragraphs are usually more helpful than the sentences in the middle. 2. Trust yourself!—Next, circle "paragraph X" and ask yourself if it feels like it's in the right place. 3. Test the choices—If it doesn't feel right where it is, try out the locations suggested by the choices, one by one, and choose the position that makes the most sense to you. TOP TIP: Use transition clues to help. The first and last sentences of each paragraph are the ones you should focus on. Most of the passages on the SAT Writing and Language Test flow fairly smoothly from one paragraph to the next. The last sentence of a paragraph may introduce the main idea of the next paragraph, or the first sentence of a paragraph may refer back to an idea from the preceding paragraph. If a transition seems a little random or "jumpy," then you may have found the clue you need to get the question right. TOP TIP: Tell the story of the passage. Most of the passages follow a classic progression of introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. The paragraphs usually move along in a logical or chronological sequence. If one paragraph is talking about a famous person's early childhood, the next paragraph might discuss accomplishments in adolescence or early adulthood, followed by paragraphs discussing events that occurred in the subject's later life. Look out for paragraphs at the end that seem like they belong in the middle, or paragraphs in the middle that sound like conclusions. Body paragraphs that feel like false endings probably actually do belong at the end!

Approaching Sentence Sequence Questions

When you see a question that looks like this: "To make this paragraph most logical, <sentence X> should be placed..." Try this: 1. Your own words—Work through the paragraph sentence by sentence and say in your own words what each sentence is DOING—what is sentence X telling you? Why is it there? 2. Trust yourself—Next, underline sentence X and ask yourself if it feels like it's in the right place. What is its function? Is it doing the right thing at the right time? 3. Test the choices—Try out the locations suggested by the choices one by one and choose the position that makes the most sense to you. TOP TIP: Use pronouns to help. On this type of question you may notice that there are some very helpful pronouns nearby. Words like those, these, they, it, and even the can give you a clue as to the correct sequence of sentences in the paragraph. If the sentence says "these steps," for example, you know that the sentence needs to come after a sentence that mentions steps of some sort. If the sentence says "the experiment," then the chances are good that an experiment was mentioned in a prior sentence. TOP TIP: Look for sequencing clues. Sometimes you'll notice that the sentences in the paragraph are following a chronological—or just plain logical—progression. Chronology clues: first/then, next/finally, or before/after. Logic clues: since, because, however, therefore, although, yet, nevertheless, etc... These are important, helpful words—underline or circle them and let them show you the way to sequencing the paragraph properly.

Approaching sentence addition questions

When you see this: "At this point, the writer is considering adding the following sentence: <<sentence being considered>> should the writer make this addition here?" Try this: 1. Read the paragraph actively. Focus on the topic sentence and state in your own words what the point of paragraph is. 2. Say in your own words what the proposed addition would do: 3. Ask yourself a few questions: What kind of information would it add? Is that information relevant? Or would it blur the focus of the paragraph? More variations on the questions to ask about a proposed addition/deletion: Does it introduce unnecessary information? Does it provide additional evidence or examples to support the claim being made in the topic sentence? Is it repetitive? Does it reinforce or contradict the point of the passage or the paragraph? TOP TIP: Keep it simple - If you have to choose between a choice that will make the paragraph repetitive and long-winded and a choice that will keep the point of paragraph clean and focused, keep it clean!

Approaching sentence deletion questions

When you see this: "The writer is considering deleting the underlined sentence. Should the writer do this?" Try this: 1. Review the title of the passage and say back to yourself what the point of the passage is 2. What is the purpose of the paragraph and what is the purpose of each sentence? 3. Say in your own words what the information being considered for deletion is doing. 4. Ask yourself a few questions: Is that information relevant? Or does it blur the focus of the paragraph?

Inappropriate shifts in verb tense, mood, and voice(sentence structure question)

inappropriate shifts from past to present tense, indicative to conditional mood, or active to passive voice Example: Until yesterday, Ana has never been to the zoo. This sentence shifts to the present tense when it should be in past perfect. "Yesterday" indicates past tense, and the past perfect would indicate a time in the past before "yesterday." Corrected version: Until yesterday, Ana had never been to the zoo.

Inappropriate shifts in pronoun person and number(sentence structure question)

recognize and correct an inappropriate shift from a second person to a third person pronoun (such as from "you" to "one") or from a singular to a plural pronoun Example: I bought a crate of oranges and delivered them to my grandmother's house. In this case, the pronoun needs to agree with the singular noun "crate" ("crate of oranges"). Corrected version: I bought a crate of oranges and delivered it to my grandmother's house.