SAT Digital Reading and Writing Test quick start guide

Quick start guides for punctuation & grammar rules

• see SAT Writing section techniques, strategies & approaches for more detailed instructions

Verbs quick start guide

• verb
  • indicates an action, existence or occurrence
    • I do, I am, I went
    • I am, I feel = verbs!
      • (these are finite, linking verbs)
  • is the basis of a predicate
    • predicate = the action and its result/s, modifier/s or object/s
• for the SAT, identify if a verb is finite or non-finite

Finite verb

• has a subject
• finite verbs form the core of a sentence or clause
• "is" and "are" are finite verbs
  • = conjugation of the verb "to be", which is a linking verb
  • IDENTIFY them in a sentence, then match them to their subject
• dependent clauses have finite verbs, so identify the subject-verb match in a dependent clause in order not to confuse it with the subject-verb match of the main or independent clause
  • ex. The thing I like most about her is her sunny attitude
    • S-V of main clause = Thing + is
    • S-V of relative clause = I + like

Non-finite verb

• does not have a subject
• non-finite verbs act as a noun (gerund), adjective (past or present participle) or infinitive ("to" form of a verb)
• for the SAT, the most important non-finite verb is the present participle adjective
  • = the -ing form of a non-finite verb acting as an adjective
    • note that non-finite verbs acting as nouns, called gerunds, are also in the -ing form of the verb
  • present participles are used to add information to an independent clause
    • ex. Driving carefully, she made it home safely in the storm
      • = "She drove carefully in the storm. She made it home safely."
      • we can combine those two sentences into a more compact sentence by using the non-finite verb "driving"
    • note that participle phrases are attached to an independent clause by a comma and not a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

Linking verb

• a finite verb (has a subject) that "links" a noun or adjective (the complement) to the subject
• ex. She is a doctor
  • "she" = subject
  • "is" = linking verb
• linking verbs do not have objects
  • instead they have "subject complements"
  • in the sentence, She is a doctor
    • "doctor" = subject complement noun
    • "doctor" is not the object of the verb "is"
    • instead, the verb "is" links the complement noun "doctor" to the subject "she"
  • in the sentence, The patient feels sick
    • "sick" = subject complement adjective
    • "sick" is an adjective so it cannot be an object (which is a noun)
    • so, the verb "feels" links the complement adjective "sick" to the subject "patient"
• for the SAT, note that
  • linking verbs have subjects
    • thus "is" and "are" are finite verbs with subjects to match to
  • linking verbs do not have objects
    • instead, they have "complements

Punctuation quick start guide

Reminder about abbreviations =

• IC = independent clause
• DC = dependent clause
• Phr = phrase
• S= subject (noun)
• V = verb
• O = object (noun)

periods .

• periods separate sentences
• periods do ONE thing =

1. separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences

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• What PERIODS do & how to eliminate using the rule:

periods:

• periods separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences
• elimination:
  • if the sentence is grammatically or logically incomplete, the period is wrong
    • i.e., SUBJECT VERB and an object or subject complement if needed to make sense
• if a period and a semicolon are both possible answers, they are both wrong
• note that "interjection" (a quick remark or interruption) or "imperative" (a command) VERBS contain an implied SUBJECT
  • so they can create a complete sentence or independent clause:
  • ex.
    • "Go to the store." = "[you] Go to the store."
    • "Stop!" = "[you} Stop!"
  • for the SAT the imperative may come in the form of a command to the reader, such as:
    • "Take this idea, for example."
      • = "[you] Take this idea, for example." << as a sentence or independent clause

semicolons ;

• combine independent clauses for comparison, contrast or some relation between them
  • as opposed to periods which completely separate the ideas/ thoughts
• semicolons do (almost) ONE thing:

1. combine ICs

• note that semicolons can -- but rarely:
  • separate a list of IC's:
    • as in "IC; IC; IC; IC."
  • a semicolon may also be used as a "super comma" in order to emphasize separate elements in a list of common examples, usually following a colon:
    • as in, "IC: this; that; the other thing."
      • ex. "On our trip, we will visit tons of places: in Africa, Egypt & Morrocco; in Europe, Greece and Italy; and in Asia, Turkey"
      • the "super comma" does not have to follow a colon, so we could write:
        • "On our trip, we will visit tons of places, including in Africa, Egypt & Morrocco; in Europe, Greece and Italy; and in Asia, Turkey"
    • the "super comma" is rarely used in practice and on the SAT test (see May QAS 2022 Writing section question no. 35 )

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• What SEMICOLONS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:

semicolons:

1. combine two ICs
   • "School is boring; I should go anyway"= IC; IC

• can also create a list of IC's (IC; IC; IC; IC.)
  • "School is boring; I already know that stuff; I should go anyway" = "IC; IC; IC
• elimination:
  • must have IC or complete sentences & thoughts on both sides of the semicolon
    • i.e., if the two clauses on either side of the semicolon would not stand on their own as grammatically complete sentences and thoughts, the semicolon is incorrect
  • if a period and a semicolon are both possible answers, they are both wrong

commas ,

• create pauses
• commas do FIVE things:

commas:

1. combine IC, DC, or DC, IC
   • or IC, Phr or Phr, IC
     • ex. "He ate fast, which upset his stomach" = IC, DC
     • ex. "After eating too fast, his stomach was upset" = Phr, IC
       • = prepositional phrase, independent clause
2. combine ICs
   • but only with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), i.e., IC, and IC
   • ex.: "IC, and IC" or "IC, but IC"
     • "They played hard, and they won big" = IC, and IC
     • "They played hard, but they lost" = IC, but IC
3. separate lists (subjects, verbs, objects)
   • ex.: S, S and S V, V O, O and O
4. act parenthetically
   • ", .... ," (like these parentheses)
     • The movie, which was about Ancient Rome, was very informative" = S, .... , V
5. introduce a direct quotation
   • ex. "The judge declared, "Guilty!"

• elimination:
  • commas can only separate a S-V or V-O if acting parenthetically (see below for examples)
  • commas can NOT combine two ICs without a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)
  • 1 or more commas can separate multiple subjects, verbs or objects from one another (called "compound" subjects, verbs, objects)
    • "Joey, Joella and Josephina jumped for joy"
      • = a single comma between the subject "Joey" and its verb "jumped" because the comma creates a list and not a grammatical separation of the subject and verb

colons :

• distinguish additional information following an IC, usually a list, explanation, or example to clarify or extend the idea presented in the IC
• colons = do ONE thing:

1. extend or provide examples in support of a prior IC
   • i.e., a colon MUST be preceded by an IC
   • i.e., colons follow a complete statement with an extended idea or example/s
     • The prosecutor presented the evidence: a fingerprint, the weapon, and a written confession"
       • = IC: list
   • just about any grammatical form can follow a colon, including
     • an IC, phrase, exclamation, multiple ICs with semicolons or coordinating conjunctions
     • a direct quotation (if that quotation is a complete sentence and if the colon is preceded by an IC
     • exceptions arenthat colons are not followed by
       • another colon
       • a dependent clause that modifies the independent clause prior to the colon

• colons DO NOT:
  • follow a dependent clause
  • interrupt a clause or requisite (essential, required) or connected elements in a sentence
    • ex., "I went to the store: because I needed some supplies"
      • the colon here interrupts the connection between "I went to the store" and the reason why, "because..."
    • or "She knew: that it was the right thing to do"
      • the colon here interrupts the requisite relative pronoun "that" and the clause it creates
    • or "They have two ideas: which are both innovative"
      • "which" creates a DC that modifies the IC prior to the colon, so it cannot be separated from that IC by a colon
        • (a comma separating the IC and DC is okay)
  • have multiple colons in a sentence

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• What COLONS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:

colons:

1. extend or provide examples following an IC

• what follows the colon can be in any grammatical form (IC, DC, phrase)
  • except a conjunction (as in : I bought shoes: and some socks (= incorrect)
  • or a required (requisite) phrase or clause ("I bought shoes: that fit" = incorrect)
  • colons are usually followed by a list or an example
  • a colon may set up a direct quotation, such as:
    • The lawyer claimed the accusation was wrong: "He's innocent!" = IC: IC
• elimination:
  • if NOT preceded by an IC, eliminate the colon
  • if another possible answer is a dash that is acting like a colon, then both cannot be correct, so eliminate

dashes --

• separate ideas within a sentence, either parenthetically or like a colon
• dashes do TWO things:

1. act like a colon
2. act like parentheses (...) = -...-

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• What DASHES do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:

dashes:

1. act like a colon
   • ex. "She left stuff behind -- a plastic ring, a cheap phone, and a pencil" = IC -- list
   • the dash is often used for emphasis (as opposed to a colon, which adds information)
2. act like parentheses (...) = -...-
   • The stuff that she left behind -- a plastic ring, a cheap phone, and a pencil -- wasn't that expensive"

• elimination:
  • if there is NOT another dash in the sentence, then the dash is NOT acting parenthetically (...)
  • if not acting like parentheses, and there is NOT an IC preceding the dash, eliminate
  • if another possible answer is a colon and the dash is not acting like a parentheses, then both cannot be correct

Apostrophes quick start guide

• apostrophes do two things:
  • create contractions ("it's" from "it is" or "can't" from "can not")
  • show possession
    • nouns possess nouns and nouns can only possess nouns (not verbs)
    • punctuation can NOT separate the possessor noun from the possessed noun
    • adjectives may separate the two nouns, as in "The cowboy's fast horse"
  • possessive apostrophes singular v plural:
    • 's for singular nouns ("that dog's toys") and s' for plural nouns ("those dogs' toys")
• elimination:
  • if punctuation or a verb follow the possessor noun, eliminate (see examples below)
• note: use of an apostrophe to create a contraction with a noun and the verb, "to be" is informal and not measured on the SAT
  • ex., "winning's good" for "winning is good" is informal

Conjunctions quick start guide

• conjunctions combine words, phrases, and clauses
  • coordinating conjunction (CJ)
    • combines ICs (FANBOYS)
      • I was hungry, so I bought a burger
• note: the word however is NOT a conjunction,
  • therefore it must be combined with another CJ or a semicolon if combining two ICs
  • subordinating conjunction (SJ)
    • = turns an IC into a DC by requiring additional ideas to complete the thought of the clause
    • ex. "I was hungry, so I bought a burger" = two IC w/ a CC
    • whereas, if we use the CS "since" = Since I was hungry, I bought a burger"
      • = DC, IC ("Since I was hungry is not a complete thought, therefore it is a DC, or subordinate clause)
• requisite or necessary clause or phrase (Phr)
  • usually, when the SC follows the IC, there is not a comma
  • the subordinating conjunction becames a relative conjunction
    • We couldn't play when it rained
  • just as SV or SVO are not separated by punctuation (because they are necessary or required of each other to make sense):
    • some clauses and phrases are requisite or necessary to complete a thought, which means they are not separated from the main clause by punctuation
    • ex. "I bought the shoes that were on sale" << "that were on sale" is necessary to the idea that "I bought" particular shoes
  • see "Relative clause" below for more on essential and non-essential sentence elements

Prepositions / Prepositional Phrases quick start guide

• prepositions
  • include about, by, from, near, of, on , etc.
• prepositions create a relationship between nouns
  • the nouns or other words that follow the preposition are called a "prepositional phrase" ("about something I once knew")
• prepositional phrases establish a relationship with a noun or as part of a subject-verb clause:
  • ex. adding information to a subject noun: "The ideas of the professor are novel."
  • ex. adding information to a subject-verb: "The professor was educated at Yale."
• for the SAT, only prepositions that come before the verb matter
• the noun in prepositional phrases are NEVER the subject of a sentence
  • elimination:
    • for subject-verb matching, the preposition/ prepositional phrase is NOT the subject
      • ex. "Books about sailing are fun" and not "Books about sailing is fun"
        • "about" = a preposition, so "sailing" is not the subject and the verb is therefore matched to the plural "books"

Restrictive elements quick start guide

• a "restrictive" element is a sentence part that is not separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma or other punctuation
• restrictive elements include:
  • subject - verb - object (or subject complement)
    • are not separated from one another by punctuation
      • S V O
        • cannot be separated from one another by punctuation, ex.:
        • SoHo, is fun to say, and to visit << incorrect
        • SoHo is fun to say and to visit << correct
      • but could be separated by a parenthetical phrase or clause:
        • SoHo, a neighborhood in New York, is fun to say and to visit
        • SoHo, which is fun to say, is fun to visit
  • adjectives and adverbs
    • are not separated from the noun or verb they modify by punctuation
      • That is one big, elephant! << incorrect
      • That is one big, elephant! << correct
    • exception: could be a list of coordinate adjectives that are separated by a comma:
      • That is one big, angry elephant!
    • or, could be separated by a parenthetical element:
      • That is one big -- and I mean big! -- elephant
  • possessive nouns
    • are not separated from the noun they possess by punctuation
      • That bird flew right by my friend's, head << incorrect
      • That bird flew right by my friend's head << correct
    • exception: could be part of a list of adjective:
      • That bird flew right by my friend's big, old head
    • note: see rules below for possessives
  • prepositional phrases
    • are not separated from the noun or verb they modify
      • The book, on that table is interesting << incorrect
      • The book on that table is very interesting << correct
  • relative clauses beginning with "that"
    • note that some "restrictive relative clauses" may also begin with the relative pronouns, which, who, whose, etc.
    • but relative clauses starting with "that" are always restrictive and thus are not separated from the word or sentence part they modify by punctuation
• EXCEPTION: parenthetical elements
  • only parenthetical elements with a pair of parentheses, commas or dashes may separate restrictive elements
  • the reason is that parenthetical elements are ungrammatical -- they exist OUTSIDE of the grammatical construction of a sentence
    • thus they can intrude upon a sentence
    • but they ALWAYS have paired punctuation, commas, dashes or parentheses, that isolate them from the rest of the sentence