The SAT Writing and Language test assesses your ability to edit and improve passages on a variety of topics. To excel on this section, it’s critical to have a strong grasp of English grammar and usage. Here are some of the most important grammar rules to master:
Subject-Verb Agreement: Subjects and verbs must agree in number. A singular subject is followed by a singular verb, while a plural subject is followed by a plural verb. For example: • The dog barks. (singular subject, singular verb)
• The dogs bark. (plural subject, plural verb)
Be careful with subjects that are followed by prepositional phrases. Focus on the noun immediately before the verb to determine if it is singular or plural.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns must be consistent in number and gender with the antecedents they refer to.
For example: • The student submitted her assignment. (singular, feminine pronoun)
• The students finished their homework. (plural, gender-neutral pronoun)
Pronouns like “everyone,” “anyone,” and “no one” are always singular, even if they seem to refer to multiple people.
Parallel Structure: When listing items or phrases, keep the grammatical structure consistent.
For example: • I like to read, practice and learn my vocabularies. (all verbs)
• The teacher assigned a research paper, a group project, and a presentation. (all noun phrases)
Parallel structure makes your writing clear and easy to read.
Modifier Placement: Modifiers like adjectives, adverbs, and phrases should be placed as close as possible to the word they modify. Misplaced modifiers can lead to ambiguity or illogical statements. For example:
• Incorrect: The student turned in the assignment with a red pen. (Implies that the assignment contains a red pen)
• Correct: The student with a red pen turned in the assignment.
Comma Usage: Commas are used to separate items in a list, set off introductory phrases, and join independent clauses with a conjunction. Some key comma rules:
• Commas are used to separate items in a list, except before the “and” or “or” at the end.
• Use a comma after an introductory phrase of 3 or more words.
• Always use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (such as- and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) when joining two independent clauses.
Mastering these grammar rules will provide you with a strong foundation for the SAT Writing and Language test. Remember to read passages carefully, identify potential errors, and apply your knowledge of proper grammar and usage to make corrections. With practice, you’ll be able to spot and fix common grammatical mistakes with ease.