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

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== Apostrophe ' ==
== Apostrophe ' ==


* an apostrophe is a single hash mark that 1) creates contractions or 2) indicates possession
* for the SAT, an apostrophe is a single hash mark that can do DO THINGS:
** contractions: cannot --> can't; they are --> they're; it is --> it's
*** note: the SAT will never measure use the contraction 's with nouns other than "it" and "they"
**** i.e., will not test use of the apostrophe such as "something's happening" for "something is happening"
** 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
**** note, hyphenated words do not use possessive form
***** i.e., "the tradition is centuries-old"  as opposed to the incorrect "century's old" or "centuries' old"
*** 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:'''
# creates contractions  (''they're'')
*create contractions ("it's" from "it is" or "can't" from "can not")
# indicates possession (''student's)''
 
[Note: apostrophes can also replace omitted numerals (2001 --> '''01'') or letters (refrigerator --> ''<nowiki/>'fridge''); these will not be on the SAT test]
 
=== '''contractions''' ===
 
* combine words that are slurred together in informal spoken or written use:  
** it is --> ''it's''
** they are --> they're
* note: the SAT will never measure use the contraction 's with nouns other than '''"it"''' and '''"they"'''
** i.e., it will not test use of the apostrophe for "is" and "are" that are attached to regular nouns
*** ex., something is happening --> ''something's happening''  << will not be on the test
*** also, the SAT will not measure use of cannot --> ''can't''
 
'''elimination:'''
 
* the SAT will try to confuse students with the contractions ''it's'' ("it is") and ''they're'' ("they are")
** with the homophonic (sounds the same, spells differently) ''its'' and ''their''
*** its = 3rd person singular possessive pronoun
**** i.e. ''The dog chewed its bone''
*** ''their'' = 3rd person plural possessive pronoun
**** i.e. ''Their yard is huge''
 
* test if the contraction is a subject-verb combination by expanding it two words
** ''its --> it is''
** ''they're --> they are''
 
=== possession ===
* the possessive form of a noun is indicated with an '''apostrophe + "s"'''
** can be singular: ''dog's bone'' = the bone that belongs to the dog
** or plural: ''students' backpacks''= the backpacks that belong to or are used by students
* rules:
** only nouns can be possessive
** a possessive noun acts like an adjective
 
* and only nouns can be possessed
** ex. ''dog's bone''
* if a verb, preposition or adverb follow the possessive noun it is wrong
** note, hyphenated words do not use possessive form
*** i.e., "the tradition is centuries-old"  as opposed to the incorrect "century's old" or "centuries' old"
* 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''
 
*
*show possession  
*show possession  
**nouns possess nouns and nouns can only possess nouns (not verbs)
**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)
* 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  
* 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