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SAT Digital Reading and Writing Test quick start guide: Difference between revisions
SAT Digital Reading and Writing Test quick start guide (view source)
Revision as of 17:28, 27 April 2024
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=== Identify sentence core Subject-Verb match === | === Identify sentence core Subject-Verb match === | ||
* every sentence has a Subject and Verb that establish the basis of the sentence's Independent Clause (s) | * every sentence has a Subject and Verb that establish the basis of the sentence's Independent Clause (s) | ||
* the subject indicates the perspective or "person" of the sentence | ** the '''subject''' indicates the perspective or "person" of the sentence | ||
* the verb | ** the '''verb''' creates a '''predicate''' which expresses the "idea" of the sentence | ||
*** i.e., what the subject "is" or "does" | |||
* by identifying the core Subject-Verb the student will identify the basic perspective and idea of the sentence | * the verb "matches" the subject in terms of tense and "person" | ||
** all other sentence parts add information to the Subject-Verb core | ** ie. ''It goes'' v ''They go'' | ||
* since it matches to a subject the verb is "'''finite'''" | |||
** "finite verbs" have a subject | |||
** "finite verbs" create clauses (i.e., sentence parts that contain a Subject-Verb | |||
* '''by identifying the core Subject-Verb the student will identify the basic perspective and idea of the sentence''' | |||
** all other sentence parts add information to the Subject-Verb/Predicate core | |||
=== Get rid of the noise" === | === Get rid of the noise" === | ||
* identify the sentence core | * identify the sentence core | ||
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== Period . == | == Period . == | ||
*'''periods''' separate sentences | *'''periods''' separate sentences | ||
'''periods do ONE thing =''' | |||
# separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences | # separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences <u>(note</u>: a sentence contains a finitve verb and makes a complete thought) | ||
=== What PERIODS do & how to eliminate using the rule: === | === What PERIODS do & how to eliminate using the rule: === | ||
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*combine independent clauses for comparison, contrast or some relation between them | *combine independent clauses for comparison, contrast or some relation between them | ||
**as opposed to periods which completely separate the ideas/ thoughts | **as opposed to periods which completely separate the ideas/ thoughts | ||
'''semicolons do TWO things:''' | |||
<span style="margin-left:15px";>1. combine ICs (independent clauses)</span> | <span style="margin-left:15px";>1. combine ICs (independent clauses)</span> | ||
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<span style="margin-left:15px";>2. act as a "'''super comma'''"</span> | <span style="margin-left:15px";>2. act as a "'''super comma'''"</span> | ||
* <span style="margin-left:15px" ;>a semicolon may also be used -- uncommonly -- as a "super comma" in order to emphasize separate elements in a list of common examples, usually following a colon | * <span style="margin-left:15px" ;>a semicolon may also be used -- uncommonly -- as a "super comma" in order to emphasize separate elements in a list of common examples, usually following a colon</span> | ||
* identify a colon working as a "super comma" by identiying other semicolons in the sentence | |||
** ex. ''Years later, the experiment had unexpected results: yielding new antibiotic drugs; uncovering prior laboratory mistakes; identifying new microorganisms.'' | |||
=== What SEMICOLONS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s: === | === What SEMICOLONS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s: === | ||
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== Comma , == | == Comma , == | ||
* commas create | * commas create a pause | ||
* commas | ** we use commas to distinguish -- but not separate -- grammatical parts or ideas | ||
** i.e., create a pause between them ("let the reader breathe") | |||
* instead of separating, as a period or a semicolon, commas combine those distinct sentence parts | |||
'''commas do FIVE things:''' | |||
<u>commas</u>: | <u>commas</u>: | ||
#combine IC, DC, or DC, IC | #combine IC, DC, or DC, IC | ||
#*or IC, Phr or Phr, IC | #*or IC, Phr or Phr, IC | ||
#** | #**''He ate fast, which upset his stomach'' = IC, DC | ||
#** | #**''After eating too fast, his stomach was upset'' = Phr, IC | ||
#***= prepositional phrase, independent clause | #***= prepositional phrase, independent clause | ||
#**''Eating too fast, he upset his stomach ='' Phr, IC | |||
#***= participle phrase* + IC | |||
#combine ICs | #combine ICs | ||
#*''but only with a coordinating conjunction'' (FANBOYS), i.e., IC, and IC | #*''but only with a coordinating conjunction'' (FANBOYS), i.e., IC, and IC | ||
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== Colon : == | == Colon : == | ||
*distinguish additional information following an IC, usually a list, explanation, or example to clarify or extend the idea presented in the IC | *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:''' | |||
#extend or provide examples in support of a prior IC | #extend or provide examples in support of a prior IC | ||
#*i.e., a colon MUST be preceded by an IC | #*i.e., a colon MUST be preceded by an IC | ||
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== Dash -- == | == Dash -- == | ||
*separate ideas within a sentence, either parenthetically or like a colon | *separate ideas within a sentence, either parenthetically or like a colon | ||
'''dashes do TWO things:''' | |||
#act like a colon | #act like a colon | ||
# act like parentheses (...) = -...- | # act like parentheses (...) = -...- | ||
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**if there is NOT another dash in the sentence, then the dash is NOT acting parenthetically (...) | **if there is NOT another dash in the sentence, then the dash is NOT acting parenthetically (...) | ||
== Apostrophe | == Parentheses ( ) == | ||
*'''apostrophes''' do | |||
* parentheses create agrammatical sentence elements | |||
** i.e., the ( ) does not change the grammar or punctuation of the sentence | |||
** a parenthesis may be inserted anywhere in a sentence | |||
* <u>note</u>: the parenthetical element usually explains or gives an example for a word or idea that it follows | |||
** ''Joey (a growing young man) is always hungry'' | |||
** ''Joey is always (I mean always!) hungry'' | |||
** ''Joey is always hungry (and voraciously hungry)'' | |||
* <u>note:</u> dashes and commas can create parenthetical elements | |||
'''parentheses do ONE thing:''' | |||
# add information between two parentheses ( ... ) | |||
'''What PARENTHESES do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:''' | |||
* if the parenthecal element does not explain the word or idea it follows, it or the word choice is likely incorrect | |||
* parentheses or parenthetical elements may interrupt essential elements | |||
** a subject and verb, or a verb and object, are never separated by punctuation | |||
*** except a parentheses or parenthetical element may come in between them | |||
*** all of these are correct: | |||
**** ''Five monkeys (dressed up like clowns) juggled bananas (''< parentheses) | |||
**** ''Five monkeys, dressed like clowns, juggled bananas'' (< parenthetical commas) | |||
**** ''Five monkeys dressed up like clowns juggled bananas (''< no punctuation) | |||
*** note that if we move the parenthetical phrase, it becomes illogical: | |||
**** ''Five monkeys juggled (dressed up like clowns) bananas'' | |||
***** here the parenthetical phrase incorrectly adds information to the verb "juggled" | |||
*** when "that" operates as a "relative pronoun," it is not separated from the clause or word it describes by punctuation, EXCEPT if that punctuation is parenthetical: | |||
**** ''It was the choice of material (poetry rather than prose) that made it difficult (<< parentheses)'' | |||
**** ''It was the choice of material, poetry rather than prose, that made it difficult (<< parenthetical commas)'' | |||
**** ''It was the choice of material -- poetry rather than prose -- that made it difficult'' (<< parenthetical dashes) | |||
== Apostrophe ' == | |||
* an apostrophe is a single hash mark that 1) creates contractions or 2) indicates possession | |||
** contractions: cannot --> can't; they are --> they're; it is --> it's | |||
** possesion: | |||
** <u>note</u>: | |||
*** only nouns can be possessive | |||
*** and only nouns can be possessed | |||
**** ex. ''dog's bone'' | |||
*** if a verb, preposition or adverb follow the possessive noun it is wrong | |||
*** an adjective may follow a possessive if that adjective is modifying the possessed noun | |||
**** ex. ''dog's juicy bone'' | |||
*** possesive personal pronouns do not use apostrophes: | |||
**** ''my/mine, your/yours, his, hers, its, our/ours, their/theirs'' | |||
'''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: | * elimination: | ||
**if punctuation or a verb follow the possessor noun, eliminate (see examples below) | **if punctuation or a verb follow the possessor noun, eliminate (see examples below) | ||