A+ Club Lesson Planner & Study Guide

SAT Writing section techniques, strategies & approaches: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

SAT Writing section techniques, strategies & approaches (view source)

Revision as of 14:46, 5 March 2024

3,113 bytes added ,  5 March
m
no edit summary
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
mNo edit summary
 
(56 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''SAT Writing Section Techniques, Strategies & Approaches'''
'''SAT Writing Section Techniques, Strategies & Approaches'''


[[Category:SAT verbal]]
{{New SAT test disclaimer}}
[[Category:SAT exam prep]]
[[Category:Grammar]]
[[Category:SAT Writing]]
 
* see also:
** [[SAT Reading section techniques, strategies & approaches]]
** [[SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes]]
** [[Grammar]]
** [[Parts of speech]]
** [[List of word parts of speech & their grammar rules]]


See also:
* [[Transition_words_translations|Writing Section transition words translations]]
* [[SAT Reading section techniques, strategies & approaches]]
* [[SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes]]
* [[Grammar]]
* [[Parts of speech]]
* [[List of word parts of speech & their grammar rules]]


* Note on abbreviations
* Note on abbreviations
** IC = "independent clause"
** IC = "independent [[Vocabulary:Clause|clause]]"
** DC = "dependent clause"
** DC = "dependent clause"
** Phr = "phrase"
** Phr = "[[Vocabulary:Phrase|phrase]]"
** SV = "subject + verb"
** SV = "subject + verb"
** SVO = "subject + verb + object"
** SVO = "subject + verb + object"
** CC = coordinating conjunction
** CC = coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)
** SJ = subordinating conjunction
** SJ = subordinating conjunction
** CB = College Board
** CB = College Board
Line 61: Line 58:


* '''the shortest answer is usually correct (80/20% rule)'''
* '''the shortest answer is usually correct (80/20% rule)'''
** but make sure it is grammatically correct
** IF the question is about redundancy, wordiness, or emphasis shift (passive v. direct voice, excessive sentence breaks/parenthetical parts)
** often the shortest answer is the wrong answer in comparison questions
*** then the shortest answer is most likely correct
*** but make sure it is grammatically correct
** often the shortest answer is the wrong answer in '''comparison questions'''


* '''if two possible answers are synonymous, they both are wrong'''
* '''if two possible answers are synonymous, they both are wrong'''
Line 68: Line 67:
** but it helps to eliminate such things as
** but it helps to eliminate such things as
** examples
** examples
*** synonymous transition words such as "however" and "but" or "therefore" and "consequently"
*** synonymous transition words, such as "however" and "but" or "therefore" and "consequently"
*** punctuation that does the same thing such as a period and a semicolon, or a dash and a colon
*** punctuation that does the same thing, such as a period and a semicolon, or a dash and a colon
**** make sure they are doing the same thing and if so eliminate (they don't always do the same thing)
**** make sure they are doing the same thing and if so eliminate (they don't always do the same thing)


Line 95: Line 94:
** note that some possible answers w/ possessives nouns are actually indirect and direct objects
** note that some possible answers w/ possessives nouns are actually indirect and direct objects
*** i.e., "She gave her brother's presents" = she gave away the presents that belonged to her brother, as opposed to
*** i.e., "She gave her brother's presents" = she gave away the presents that belonged to her brother, as opposed to
*** "She gave her brother presents" = she gave presents to her brother
**** "She gave her brother presents" = she gave presents to her brother


* '''be comfortable w/ what constitutes an independent or dependent clause:'''
* '''be comfortable w/ what constitutes an independent or dependent clause:'''
** independent clause: a sentence part that has a subject + verb AND stands as a complete thought (i.e. could be a sentence by itself)
** independent clause: a sentence part that has a subject + verb AND stands as a complete thought (i.e. could be a sentence by itself)
** dependent clause (or subordinate clause): a sentence part that has a subject + verb BUT does make a complete thought
** dependent clause (or subordinate clause): a sentence part that has a subject + verb BUT does make a complete thought
** such as "Since it's raining..." = has subject + verb but is an incomplete thought
** ex., "Since it's raining..." = has subject + verb but is an incomplete thought
 
== Quick start guides for punctuation & some grammar rules ==
* see further below for more on all these concepts and rules in the quick start guides
=== Punctuation quick start guide ===
==== periods . ====
* '''periods''' separate sentences
* periods do '''ONE''' thing =
# separate grammatically correct and complete thoughts that are distinct sentences
click EXPAND to see what PERIODS do & how to eliminate using the rule:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<u>periods</u>:
* 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
** note that "interjection" verbs do not have an explicit SUBJECT, but can still create a complete sentence
*** ex. "Go to the store." or "Stop!"
** if a period and a semicolon are both possible answers, they are both wrong
</div>
 
==== semicolons ; ====
* combine independent clauses for comparison, contrast or some relation between them
** as opposed to periods which completely separate the ideas/ thoughts
* semicolons do '''ONE''' thing:
# combine ICs
* usually two ICs, but note that semicolons can separate a list of IC's
** as in "IC; IC; IC; IC."
click EXPAND to see what SEMICOLONS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<u>semicolons</u>:
# combine two ICs
* can also create a list of IC's (IC; 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
</div>


==== commas , ====
== Quick start guides for punctuation & grammar rules ==
* create pauses
* for quick review of grammar and punctuation basics go to [[SAT Reading and Writing quick start grammar and punctuation guide]]
* commas do '''FIVE''' things:
* for more in-depth review of concepts and rules, see below.
click EXPAND to see what COMMAS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<u>commas</u>:
# combine IC, DC, or DC, IC
#* or IC, Phr  or Phr, IC
# combine ICs
#* ''but only with a coordinating conjunction'' (FANBOYS), i.e., IC, and IC
#* ex.: "IC, and IC" or "IC, but IC"
# separate lists (subjects, verbs, objects)
#* ex.: S, S and S V, V O, O and O
# act parenthetically
#* ", .... ," (like these parentheses)
# 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
*** "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
</div>
 
==== 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:
# extend or provide examples in support of a prior IC
* i.e., colons follow a complete statement with an extended idea or example/s
* and that may include setting up a direct quotation, such as
** ''The lawyer claimed the accusation was wrong: "He's innocent!"''
click EXPAND to see what COLONS do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<u>colons</u>:
# extend or provide examples following an IC
* what follows the colon can be in any grammatical form (IC, DC, phrase)
** but it is usually a list or an example
* 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
</div>
 
====dashes -- ====  
* separate ideas within a sentence, either parenthetically or like a colon
* dashes do '''TWO''' things:
# act like a colon
# act like parentheses (...) = -...-
click EXPAND to see what DASHES do & how to eliminate using the rule/s:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<u>dashes</u>:
# act like a colon
# act like parentheses (...) = -...-
* 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
</div>
 
=== 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)
* 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
*** add 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)
** 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 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"


== BIG IDEAS ==
== BIG IDEAS ==
Line 249: Line 112:
* use the test to answer itself
* use the test to answer itself
* read punctuation "out loud" to yourself" so as not to miss it
* read punctuation "out loud" to yourself" so as not to miss it
=== Writing section is rules-based ===
* answers and eliminations follow set grammar, punctuation, and usage conventions
* therefore, identify the rules as you practice & apply them in your elimination strategies
* see [[SAT Writing section grammar rules chart]] for quick start review of Writing section Rules & eliminations


=== Passage titles ===
=== Passage titles ===
* use passage titles!
* read passage titles!
** titles express author intent
** titles express author intent
** titles are frequently a thesis statements (no other details are provided)  
** titles are frequently a thesis statements (no other details are provided)  
** titles generally answer the last question on each passage (not always)
** titles generally answer the last question on each passage (not always)
*** concluding sentences must align w/ the title


=== Writing section is rules-based ===
=== Difficulty level ===
* answers and eliminations follow set grammar, punctuation, and usage conventions
* therefore, identify the rules as you practice & apply them in your elimination strategies
* see [[SAT Writing section grammar rules chart]] for quick start review of Writing section Rules & eliminations
 
=== Difficulty level ===  
* difficulty level is based on the passage and not the questions
* difficulty level is based on the passage and not the questions
** there can be difficult questions on easy passages, but the bulk of "hard" questions will coincide with difficult passages
** there can be difficult questions on easy passages, but the bulk of "hard" questions will coincide with difficult passages
Line 296: Line 160:
=== Parallelism ===  
=== Parallelism ===  
* the SAT Writing test frequently measures "parallelism"
* the SAT Writing test frequently measures "parallelism"
** or maintaining "parallel" verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and comparatives
** or maintaining "parallel" verb tense, subject-verb agreement, prepositions, and comparatives
* '''parallel verb tense'''
==== parallel verb tense====
** if one verb is in the past, then (usually) the other verbs in the sentence must also maintain "parallel" tense, i.e. also be in the past tense
** if one verb is in the past, then (usually) the other verbs in the sentence must also maintain "parallel" tense, i.e. also be in the past tense
* ex.
* ex.
Line 312: Line 176:
* '''the correct answer B) was matches or is "parallel" to the verb "were" from "Children were entertained"'''
* '''the correct answer B) was matches or is "parallel" to the verb "were" from "Children were entertained"'''
</div>
</div>
* '''subject-verb agreement'''
==== parallel subject-verb agreement ====
* subjects and verbs match singular vs. plural forms
* subjects and verbs match singular vs. plural forms
** = a form of "parallel" structure (i.e, matching singular or plural subjects and verbs)
** = a form of "parallel" structure (i.e, matching singular or plural subjects and verbs)
Line 337: Line 201:
|}
|}
</div>
</div>
* '''parallel comparatives'''
==== parallel comparatives====
* when making a comparison, we must compare similar, or parallel, things
* when making a comparison, we must compare similar, or parallel, things
** thus the grammar of comparisons must also be parallel
** thus the grammar of comparisons must also be parallel
** the SAT Writing measures student ability to maintain parallel comparisons
** the SAT Writing measures student ability to maintain parallel comparisons
* as a rule,
** when comparing grammatical subjects (as in the subject of a clause),
*** use "than"
** when comparing objects, especially objects of a preposition,
*** use a relative pronoun such as "than that" or "of that"
* ex.:
* ex.:
** "The students who studied hard performed better on the test than those who didn't study"
** comparing subjects:
*** maintains the parallel" "students who studied hard" with "those [students] who didn't study"
*** "The first strategy was more effective than the second one"
** comparing objects: * "The strategy of the first one was more effective than that of the second one"
*other example:
**"The students who studied hard performed better on the test than those who didn't study"
***maintains the parallel" "students who studied hard" with "those [students] who didn't study"
* or
* or
** "Looking at the results, it is clear that the students who did study hard performed better on the test than did students who did not study hard."
** "Looking at the results, it is clear that the students who did study hard performed better on the test than did students who did not study hard."
Line 360: Line 233:
** note that question 19 correct answer "D) sets up correct reading of question no. 20
** note that question 19 correct answer "D) sets up correct reading of question no. 20
</div>
</div>
==== parallel prepositions ====
* if the object of a prepositional phrase modifies two nouns, it may require two separate, or parallel, prepositions:
* example:
** ''The couple wants love and respect for their marriage"
*** if we remove "and love" we see that the sentence does not make sense:
*** "The couple wants love for their marriage"
** se we can fix it to read:
*** "The couple wants love in and respect for their marriage"


=== Practice ===
=== Practice ===
Line 410: Line 292:
* click EXPAND for an example
* click EXPAND for an example
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
*** when reading a sentence, such as "John Stevens, a prominent researcher, said, "Look at me!"
*** when reading a sentence such as "John Stevens, a prominent researcher, said, "Look at me!"
*** read it as, "John Stevens, ["comma"] a prominent researcher, ["comma"] said, ["comma"] "["quotation mark"] Look at me!["exclamation point"]"["close quotation mark"]
*** read it as, "John Stevens, ["comma"] a prominent researcher, ["comma"] said, ["comma"] "["quotation mark"] Look at me!["exclamation point"]"["close quotation mark"]
*** this help you to identify important punctuation in sentences that you may otherwise miss
*** this help you to identify important punctuation in sentences that you may otherwise miss
Line 509: Line 391:
* rules for logic & chronology
* rules for logic & chronology


== Common errors ==  
== Common errors ==
=== punctuation & combining clauses & phrases ===  
=== adverbs used to combine independent clauses ===
* comma splice
 
* run-on sentence
* adverbs and other transition words are not coordinating conjunctions that combine independent clauses
=== grammatical usage ===  
* especially "however," which cannot combine independent clauses
 
=== emphasis shift ===
logical usage
 
=== grammatical usage ===
* misplaced or dangling modifier
* misplaced or dangling modifier
=== logical usage ===
 
=== emphasis shift ===
=== object preposition mistaken for subject ===
=== object preposition mistaken for subject ===  
 
=== subject-verb mistakes
*''A census by park rangers in Australia in 2015 of kangaroos '''show/shows''' population declines''
* verb tense switch in same sentence
* ''A census by park rangers in Australia in 2015 of kangaroos '''show/shows''' population declines''
* subject-verb conjugation mismatch
** ignore the prepositional phrase/s in order to identify the correct subject for the verb "show/shows":
** regards third person singular or plural mismatches
** ''A census <s>by park rangers</s> i<s>n Australia</s> i<s>n 2015</s> <s>of kangaroos</s> '''show/shows''' population declines''
** thus ''A census '''<s>show/</s>shows''' population declines'' << singular "census" matches singular verb "shows"


=== parallelism mistakes ===
=== parallelism mistakes ===
* comparison mismatch
* comparison mismatch
** comparisons must be parallel
** often introduced by "than" or "more"
** if the comparison is an action, the verb must be included in the comparison
** sometimes the comparison is implied
** examples
*** ''Students who study hard do better on tests than the tests of students who do not''
**** = incorrect because it is comparing "students who study hard" with "the tests of students"
*** correct =
**** ''Students who study hard do better on tests than students who do not''
***** note that "study hard" is implied in the comparison "than students who do not study hard"
* lists mismatch or inconsistency
* lists mismatch or inconsistency
** lists must be grammatically and logically parallel
** ex.
*** ''The dog chewed on a bone, a toy, and then slept.''
*** the dog may have slept, but it does not belong in the list of things it chewed on
*** correct =
**** ''The dog chewed on a bone and a toy and then slept.''
=== punctuation & combining clauses & phrases ===
* comma splice
* run-on sentence
=== punctuation between restrictive (necessary) sentence elements ===
* "restrictive" sentence elements are not separated from one another by punctuation
* SAT will often add a colon, comma or semicolon between restrictive sentence elements:
* ex.
** ''The doctor explained that: the problem is severe''
*** incorrect colon separating "that" (dependent clause conjunction) from "the problem"
*** here "that" is a conjunction that combines the independent clause "the doctor explained" with the dependent clause "the problem is severe"


** >> to complete
=== subject-verb mismatch & parallelism ===
* verb tense switch in same sentence
** maintain parallel or logically consistent verb tense
** ex.
*** When the scientists discovered a new species, and they believe if
* subject-verb conjugation mismatch
** always regards third person singular or plural mismatches (it v. they)


== Parts of speech & rules ==
== Parts of speech & rules ==
Line 578: Line 501:
* other adverbs include, very, much, more, many
* other adverbs include, very, much, more, many
* for the SAT Writing, note that '''however''' is an adverb and not a coordinating conjunction ("fanboys")
* for the SAT Writing, note that '''however''' is an adverb and not a coordinating conjunction ("fanboys")
* see
** "conjunctive adverb" for more on THAMOs (conjunctive adverbs) like "however"
** [[List of word parts of speech & their grammar rules#however]]


== Noun ==
== Noun ==
Line 695: Line 621:
</div>
</div>


== Pronoun ==
* "pro" = "for"
* "noun" = "word"
** therefore, pronoun = "for the word"


=== pronoun reference/ antecedent ===
* pronouns are a reference to a previously (or sometimes later) stated noun or idea
** pronoun ''antecedent'' (when the noun comes before the pronoun) to a previously stated noun:
*** "The sky is entirely blue. It's a pretty color."
** pronoun antecedent to a previously stated idea:
*** "The sky is entirely blue. It makes me happy."
** pronoun precedent (pronoun comes before the noun) to a subsequently stated noun (uncommon):
*** "It went well, but the test was still hard."
=== pronoun functions in Writing section questions ===
* in the Writing section, pronouns mark important distinctions for:
** subject-verb matching
** object matching/ identification
** dependent clauses
*** especially subordinate clauses ("..., which are ....") and relative clauses ("... that are...")
=== "any" and other pronouns with multiple parts of speech (not always a pronoun) ===
* pronouns can also be determiners, subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns that act distinctly
** "that" can be:
*** "That is the question!"  << "that" = pronoun/ subject of the sentence
*** "That point is irrelevant" << "that"= adjective / determiner (specifies "point")
*** "The point that is irrelevant is not the question" << "that" = relative pronoun/subject of the relative clause ("that is irrelevant")
** "any" can be:
*** "Any difficulty is to be ignored." << "any" = determiner / adjective
**** note that the subject is "difficulty" and not "any"
*** "Any of you guys want candy?" << "any" = pronoun / subject
**** "of you guys" = prepositional phrase, which is never the subject of a sentence
**** "any" can act as a singular or plural pronoun
***** "Any is better than none"
***** "Any of them are crazy"
click EXPAND for example of "any" as a determiner and not a subject pronoun on CB practice test 9, question 35:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<pre>Any New York City construction project using municipal funds [35] ____  required to consider whether historical artifacts will be affected during construction... </pre>
A) are <br>B) have been <br>C) is <br>D) were<br>
* the subject of the clause is "project" and not "any" or "funds"
** therefore, the subject-verb agreement is "project is" (third person singular conjugation "is")
* A) ''are'' is designed to fool the student into match "any" or "funds" as plural (conjugating as "are")
**  here, "any" is a determiner/adjective that modifies "project"
*** thus, "any", "New York City," and "construction" are all adjective modifiers
**** any = determiner(adjective) that describes "project"
**** New York City = attributive noun that describes "project"
**** construction = attributive that describes "project"
**  here, "funds" is an object of the present participle adjective "using" (verb acting like an adjective)
*** thus, "using" and "funds" are a modifying phrase to describe "project"
</div>
=== personal v. relative pronoun ===
* personal pronoun
** = ''I, me, you, he/she/it, him/her, we/us, they/them''
** personal pronouns act as a subject or object of a sentence or preposition:
*** subjective case: ''I, you, he/she/it, we, they''
*** objective case: ''me, you, him/her/it, us, them''
**** note that the noun in a preposition is an object, so it uses the objective case
***** ex.  "''the girl next to me''", "t''he desk between you and me''"
* relative pronoun
** = a pronoun that creates a conjunction between an independent and a dependent or relative clause
** include: ''that, when, where, which, who, whom, whose''
*** "who" relative pronouns have subjective, objective and possessive cases
**** subjective: ''who''
**** objective ''whom''
**** possessive: ''whose''
==== personal and relative pronouns and prepositional phrases ====
* ex., "''of which''", "''of whom''" v. "''of them''"
** the preposition "of" creates a relationship
** the personal pronoun "them" is the object of a preposition:
*** ''The players took off their jerseys, and only two '''of them''' were dirty''
*** ''Most of the jerseys used by the players were clean, but two '''of them''' were dirty''
**** "two" = the subject
**** "of them" = prepositional phrase, with "them" the object of the preposition
***** "them" refers to "jerseys"
** the relative pronouns, "that", which" or "who" create a relative clause and acts as the subject of that clause:
*** "''The players took off their jerseys, '''which''' were almost all perfectly clean''"
**** "which" = the subject of the relative clause
**** "which" refers to "jerseys"
*** "''The game was one by five players, of whom we are most proud''
**** "we" = subject of the relative clause
**** "of whom" = prepositional phrase (adverbial as it modifies "are")
**** "whom" refers to "the players"
=== possessive personal pronoun ===
* personal pronouns have a distinct form to indicate possession
* see below under "Apostrophe" for distinctions between possessive pronouns and contracts
** such as ''its'' (possessive pronoun) vs. ''it's'' (contraction of "it is")
=== pronoun forms chart ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Pronoun Forms
| '''Subjective form''' ||'''Objective form''' ||'''Possessive'''
'''adjective'''
| '''Possessive'''
'''Predicate adjective'''
|'''Reflexive form'''
|-
| I
|| me
|| mine
|| mine
|myself
|-
| you (singular)
|| you
|| your
|| yours
|| yourself
|-
|he
|him
|his
|his
|himself
|-
|she
|her
|her
|hers
|herself
|-
|it
|it
|its
|its
|itself
|-
|we
|us
|our
|ours
|ourselves
|-
|you (plural)
|you
|your
|yours
|yourselves
|-
|they
|them
|their
|theirs
|themselves
|}


== Verb ==
== Verb ==
Line 708: Line 780:
** “He went to the store, bought food, and returned home.”
** “He went to the store, bought food, and returned home.”
=== subject-verb agreement ===
=== subject-verb agreement ===
[[File:The radiation that occurs.jpg|thumb|The finite verb "is" is the verb of the main, or independent, clause.  The S-V of the clause is "radiation is". The S-V of the relative clause  is "that occurs".  The relative clause come between the S and V of the main clause. (Sentence adapted from Digital PSAT practice test 1.)]]
* for SAT Writing, maintain subject-verb agreement  
* for SAT Writing, maintain subject-verb agreement  
** i.e. singular subject = singular verb form
** i.e. singular subject = singular verb form
* identify the correct noun as subject, as test will try to confuse subject nouns from relative nouns
* identify the correct noun as subject, as test will try to confuse subject nouns from relative nouns
* note that finite verbs have a subject but non-finite verbs do not
* "is" and "are" are finite verbs
** match them to their subject in order to identify correct S-V conjugation ("it is" v. "they are")
=== transitive v. intransitive verbs ===
=== transitive v. intransitive verbs ===
* transitive verbs require an object:  
* transitive verbs require an object:  
Line 747: Line 823:
** https://www.theclassroom.com/identify-function-infinitive-sentence-2604.html
** https://www.theclassroom.com/identify-function-infinitive-sentence-2604.html
** https://www.dailywritingtips.com/grammar-review-1-particles-and-phrasal-verbs/
** https://www.dailywritingtips.com/grammar-review-1-particles-and-phrasal-verbs/
== Pronoun ==
* "pro" = "for"
* "noun" = "word"
** therefore, pronoun = "for the word"
=== pronoun references ===
* pronouns are a reference to a previously (or sometimes later) stated noun or idea
** pronoun antecedent (noun comes before the pronoun) to a previously stated noun:
*** "The sky is entirely blue. It's a pretty color."
** pronoun antecedent to a previously stated idea:
*** "The sky is entirely blue. It makes me happy."
** pronoun precedent (pronoun comes before the noun) to a subsequently stated noun (uncommon):
*** "It went well, but the test was still hard."
=== pronoun functions in Writing section questions ===
* in the Writing section, pronouns mark important distinctions for:
** subject-verb matching
** object matching/ identification
** dependent clauses
*** especially subordinate clauses ("..., which are ....") and relative clauses ("... that are...")
=== pronouns with multiple parts of speech (not always a pronoun) ===
* pronouns can also be determiners, subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns that act distinctly
** "that" can be:
*** "That is the question!"  << "that" = pronoun/ subject of the sentence
*** "That point is irrelevant" << "that"= adjective / determiner (specifies "point")
*** "The point that is irrelevant is not the question" << "that" = relative pronoun/subject of the relative clause ("that is irrelevant")
** "any" can be:
*** "Any difficulty is to be ignored." << "any" = determiner / adjective
**** note that the subject is "difficulty" and not "any"
*** "Any of you guys want candy?" << "any" = pronoun / subject
**** "of you guys" = prepositional phrase, which is never the subject of a sentence
**** "any" can act as a singular or plural pronoun
***** "Any is better than none"
***** "Any of them are crazy"
click EXPAND for example of "any" as a determiner and not subject pronoun on CB practice test 9, question 35:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<pre> Any New
York City construction project using municipal funds
[35] ____  required to consider whether historical artifacts
will be affected during construction... </pre>
A) are <br>
B) have been <br>
C) is <br>
D) were<br>
* the subject of the clause is "project" and not "any" or "funds"
** therefore, the subject-verb agreement is "project is" (third person singular conjugation "is")
* A) ''are'' is designed to fool the student into match "any" or "funds" as plural (conjugating as "are")
**  here, "any" is a determiner/adjective that modifies "project"
*** thus, "any", "New York City," and "construction" are all adjective modifiers
**** any = determiner(adjective) that describes "project"
**** New York City = attributive noun that describes "project"
**** construction = attributive that describes "project"
**  here, "funds" is an object of the present participle adjective "using" (verb acting like an adjective)
*** thus, "using" and "funds" are a modifying phrase to describe "project"
</div>


== Punctuation ==
== Punctuation ==
Line 820: Line 842:
**** i.e., IC <=> , + <=> IC
**** i.e., IC <=> , + <=> IC
=== Semicolon ===  
=== Semicolon ===  
* semicolons juxtapose complete sentences (ICs) for comparison or emphasis or their relationship
* semicolons juxtapose complete sentences as ICs for comparison or emphasis of a relation
* eliminate semicolons if there are not ICs on both sides of the semicolon
* eliminate semicolons if there are not ICs on both sides of the semicolon
* an exception is use of the semicolon as a "super comma" (see above)
** rarely used on the SAT
=== comma ===
=== comma ===
* commas create a pause
* commas create a pause
Line 882: Line 906:
* note that many other languages have the possessive pronoun
* note that many other languages have the possessive pronoun
** however, they lack the apostrophe indicator for nouns, thus instead of using the apostrophe to indicate possession ("the dog's toy") they structure the idea as "of" or "belonging to", as in, "the toy of the dog" or the toy that belongs to the dog"
** however, they lack the apostrophe indicator for nouns, thus instead of using the apostrophe to indicate possession ("the dog's toy") they structure the idea as "of" or "belonging to", as in, "the toy of the dog" or the toy that belongs to the dog"
=== apostrophes for contraction ===
=== apostrophes for contraction ===
* contractions are used for "to be" words to join the subject and the verb via the apostrophe, as in:
* contractions are used for "to be" words to join the subject and the verb via the apostrophe, as in:
Line 890: Line 915:
*** such use is informal and is mimicking the slurring of a noun with "is"  
*** such use is informal and is mimicking the slurring of a noun with "is"  
*** note that since the 's causes confusion with the possessive form of the apostrophe, in written English, the subject-verb contraction is avoided
*** note that since the 's causes confusion with the possessive form of the apostrophe, in written English, the subject-verb contraction is avoided
{{Clause (grammar)}}
** <u>the SAT will not test this use of a contraction</u>
 
== Clause ==
{{:Clause (grammar)}}


== Phrase ==
== Phrase ==
* = a sentence part that contains either a noun or a verb ''but not both''
* = two or more words that are part of a sentence but does not contain both a subject and a verb
* phrases are used to add information to a sentence or modify one of its parts
* phrases are used to add information to a sentence or modify one of its parts
** "In the afternoon..." = a prepositional phrase
** "In the afternoon..." = a prepositional phrase
Line 908: Line 936:
* SAT Writing test generally does not test for gerunds, although they will appear in the text
* SAT Writing test generally does not test for gerunds, although they will appear in the text


=== participial phrase ===
=== participle or participial phrase ===
* = verb phrases that act as an adjective
* = verb phrases that act as an adjective
* participle = a verb that functions as an adjective, usually in the past tense or -ing form
* participle = a verb that functions as an adjective, usually in the past tense or -ing form
Line 942: Line 970:
** which thereby matches to the singular, past tense A) was teeming
** which thereby matches to the singular, past tense A) was teeming
</div>
</div>
* appositive phrases at end of a sentence:
** SAT test often measures concision in sentences using appositive phrases instead of clauses:
*** ''"The teacher discussed Theodoras, a gallic Roman general and emperor"''
** note how some appositive phrases can also be written as a relative clause:
*** ''"The teacher discussed Theodoras, '''who was''' a gallic Roman general and emperor"''
* for appositive phrase on the SAT see Test 6, Writing question no. 1:
In the winter of 1968, scientists David Schindler and
Gregg Brunskill poured nitrates and phosphates into
Lake [227, this is one] of the 58 freshwater bodies that
compose Canada’s remotely located Experimental Lakes
Area.
A) NO CHANGE B) 227. Which is one C) 227. One D) 227, one
* We can eliminate
** A) because it creates two independent clauses that require a missing coordinating conjunction
*** should read: ''"... into Lake 227, '''and''' this is one of..."''
** B) because the period before the relative clause "Which" creates an incomplete sentence
** C) because the sentence created by the period, ''". One of the..."''  lacks a verb and is therefore an incomplete thought
*** the subject "One" does not have a verb
*** and the relative clause ''"that compose Canada's..."'' is an incomplete thought, as well
* only D) is grammatically correct because it creates an appositive modifying phrase following "Lake 227"
** note that this phrase could be a relative clause similar to B) but with a comma instead of a period
* see:  
* see:  
** [https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/dangling_modifiers_and_how_to_correct_them.htm dangling modifiers (owl.purdue.edu)]
** [https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/dangling_modifiers_and_how_to_correct_them.htm dangling modifiers (owl.purdue.edu)]
Line 1,136: Line 1,189:
* students can see look at these transition sentences the same way they do transition words (above), i.e.:
* students can see look at these transition sentences the same way they do transition words (above), i.e.:
** does it provide a positive or negative transition?
** does it provide a positive or negative transition?
** does it continue a thougth or idea?
** does it continue a thought or idea?
** does it contrast or change the subject?
** does it contrast or change the subject?
* topic sentence =
** connects to prior paragraph's concluding sentence
* concluding sentence =
** sets up the next paragraph
* passage concluding sentence
** = states thesis, main point, or call to action
** for the SAT Writing section, the concluding sentence '''MUST relate to / repeat the passage TITLE.'''
click expand for an example from [https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-practice-test-8.pdf CB Writing practice test 8, question 10] on a transition topic sentence:
click expand for an example from [https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-practice-test-8.pdf CB Writing practice test 8, question 10] on a transition topic sentence:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
Line 1,208: Line 1,268:
** idiomatic is different from "informal" or colloquial (local, common) language
** idiomatic is different from "informal" or colloquial (local, common) language
* By definition idiomatic words have no set rule
* By definition idiomatic words have no set rule
** idioms include colloquial (informal) expressions, prepositions, or vocabulary.
** prepositions can be "idiomatic" in that there may not be a logic or rule in the difference between some of them, but we tend to use one over the other, even it is synonymous
* HOWEVER, on the SAT Writing section, students can use elimination techniques to eliminate down to the correct idiomatic expression
* HOWEVER, on the SAT Writing section, students can use elimination techniques to eliminate down to the correct idiomatic expression
*
* see this video for demonstration of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV7QK_ex0jQ&list=PLyC6Fj2OdXlpDypu0__dsv5y6EZS5NpmH&index=1&t=4s on elimination techniques with idiomatic & vocabulary questions (by Michael Bromley)]]
* see this video for demonstration of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV7QK_ex0jQ&list=PLyC6Fj2OdXlpDypu0__dsv5y6EZS5NpmH&index=1&t=4s on elimination techniques with idiomatic & vocabulary questions (by Michael Bromley)]]
Click EXPAND for an example from CB Test 6, Writing question no. 21, on how to eliminate idiomatic possible answers using grammar rules:
Click EXPAND for an example from CB Test 6, Writing question no. 21, on how to eliminate idiomatic possible answers using grammar rules:
Line 1,247: Line 1,310:
* C) correctly uses noun "the using" (gerund) but incorrectly uses the preposition "of soil extraction" a modifier of "the using"
* C) correctly uses noun "the using" (gerund) but incorrectly uses the preposition "of soil extraction" a modifier of "the using"
* D) incorrectly uses the verb "advocating" without the auxiliary verb "was"; otherwise it incorrectly does not create a complete independent clause
* D) incorrectly uses the verb "advocating" without the auxiliary verb "was"; otherwise it incorrectly does not create a complete independent clause
=== "such as" ===
* "such as" is a phrase that acts like a:
** subordinating conjunction
*** when introducing non-restrictive (not essential) information
*** "''I get tired of board games, such as chess or checkers"''
*** = <u>preceded by a comma</u>
** conjunction
*** when introducing restrictive (essential) information
*** "''Board games such as checkers or Monopoly are boring"''
*** = <u>not separated by a comma</u>
* note: "such as" is <u>never followed by a colon</u>
</div>
</div>


Line 1,334: Line 1,411:
** then decide between "yes" or "no"
** then decide between "yes" or "no"


== Vocabulary ==
== Vocabulary questions ==


* Writing section vocabulary questions are never antonyms  
* Writing section vocabulary questions are never antonyms  
Line 1,355: Line 1,432:
*** any adverbs?  
*** any adverbs?  
** is it part of the main clause or a subordinate clause?  
** is it part of the main clause or a subordinate clause?  
== Useful vocabulary words for SAT Writing section ==
* '''mere / merely'''
** = "only" as in "barely any but some or a few"
*** can be negative, as in "''What, that's merely a two bucks!''"
**** also, "hardly"
*** or positive, as in
**** "''Merely two bucks is all it took!''"
**** or "''I got in done in mere seconds''"
** the SAT frequently measures student comprehension of this word 
*** note that "merely" is different from "a little," "a few" or "few" 
* '''nevertheless'''
** = "yes, but..."
* '''nominal'''
** = "insignificant", "barely or hardly any", "just a few"
* see also
** similar entry for the SAT Reading section : Useful vocabulary words for SAT Reading section
** [[Transition words translations]]


== Grammar and punctuation rules ==
== Grammar and punctuation rules ==
Line 1,363: Line 1,459:
* avoid repetition and unnecessary pronouns
* avoid repetition and unnecessary pronouns
* avoid [[#Emphasis shift]] errors
* avoid [[#Emphasis shift]] errors
[[Category:SAT verbal]]
[[Category:SAT exam prep]]
[[Category:Grammar]]
[[Category:SAT Writing]]
Retrieved from "https://school4schools.wiki/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/2705...4833"