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'''SAT Writing Section Techniques, Strategies & Approaches''' | '''SAT Writing Section Techniques, Strategies & Approaches''' | ||
{{New SAT test disclaimer}} | |||
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 | ||
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== Quick start guides for punctuation & grammar rules == | == Quick start guides for punctuation & grammar rules == | ||
* | * for quick review of grammar and punctuation basics go to [[SAT Reading and Writing quick start grammar and punctuation guide]] | ||
* for more in-depth review of concepts and rules, see below. | |||
* | |||
== BIG IDEAS == | == BIG IDEAS == | ||
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* 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 === | ||
* | * 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 | |||
=== Difficulty level === | |||
=== 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 | ||
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* '''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) | ||
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* rules for logic & chronology | * rules for logic & chronology | ||
== Common errors == | == Common errors == | ||
=== adverbs used to combine independent clauses === | === adverbs used to combine independent clauses === | ||
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* especially "however," which cannot combine independent clauses | * especially "however," which cannot combine independent clauses | ||
=== grammatical usage === | === emphasis shift === | ||
logical usage | |||
=== grammatical usage === | |||
* misplaced or dangling modifier | * misplaced or dangling modifier | ||
=== object preposition mistaken for subject === | === object preposition mistaken for subject === | ||
*''A census by park rangers in Australia in 2015 of kangaroos '''show/shows''' population declines'' | |||
* | * ''A census by park rangers in Australia in 2015 of kangaroos '''show/shows''' population declines'' | ||
* subject | ** ignore the prepositional phrase/s in order to identify the correct subject for the verb "show/shows": | ||
** | ** ''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" | |||
=== 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 == | ||
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=== appositive: nouns as parenthetical or introductory phrases === | === appositive: nouns as parenthetical or introductory phrases === | ||
* "appositive" is from Latin for "to put near" | * "appositive" is from Latin for "to put near" | ||
* = nouns that explain another noun (or pronouns) | * with the purpose of "by way of explanation", i.e. | ||
* = nouns that add to or qualify another noun | ** = nouns that explain another noun (or pronouns) | ||
** = nouns that add to or qualify another noun | |||
* appositives used parenthetically: | * appositives used parenthetically: | ||
** "Steve, my little brother, hates Minecraft." | ** "Steve, my little brother, hates Minecraft." | ||
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** “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: | ||
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**** i.e., IC <=> , + <=> IC | **** i.e., IC <=> , + <=> IC | ||
=== Semicolon === | === Semicolon === | ||
* semicolons juxtapose complete sentences | * 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 | ||
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** 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: | ||
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** 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 | ||
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*** 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 == | ||
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* 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]] |