SAT Digital Reading and Writing Test quick start guide: Difference between revisions

* '''verb'''  

* for the SAT, identify if a verb is '''''finite''''' or '''''non-finite'''''

* has a subject

*** S-V of relative clause = I + like

* does not have a subject

*** note that participle phrases are attached to an independent clause by a comma and not a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

Reminder about abbreviations =  

* O = object (noun)

* '''periods''' separate sentences

* periods do '''ONE''' thing =  

# separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences

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<u>periods</u>:

* periods separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences

** 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

==== semicolons ; ====

* combine independent clauses for comparison, contrast or some relation between them

***** ''"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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<u>semicolons</u>:  

# combine two ICs

*** 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

* create pauses

* commas do '''FIVE''' things:

<u>commas</u>:

# combine IC, DC, or DC, IC

*** "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

* 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:

***** (a comma separating the IC and DC is okay)

** have multiple colons in a sentence

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<u>colons</u>:

# extend or provide examples following an IC

** 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

* separate ideas within a sentence, either parenthetically or like a colon

* dashes do '''TWO''' things:

# act like a colon  

# act like parentheses (...) = -...-

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<u>dashes</u>:

# act like a colon  

** 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''' do two things:

** create contractions ("it's" from "it is" or "can't" from "can not")

** ex., "winning's good" for "winning is good" is informal

* '''conjunctions''' combine words, phrases, and clauses

** '''coordinating conjunction''' (CJ)

** see "Relative clause" below for more on essential and non-essential sentence elements

* '''prepositions'''  

** include ''about, by, from, near, of, on'' , etc.

***** "about" = a preposition, so "sailing" is not the subject and the verb is therefore matched to the plural "books"

* a "restrictive" element is a sentence part that is not separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma or other punctuation