PSAT Writing : Identifying Conjunction Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : Identifying Conjunction Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Before she traveled to Peru, she decided to start learning Quechua, that is one of the most popular local languages. No error.

Possible Answers:

that is 

No error.

Before she traveled

the most popular

decided to

Correct answer:

that is 

Explanation:

This sentence uses “that” to introduce a non-restrictive clause (added information rather than details central to the meaning of the sentence). It would be correct to use “which” instead: "Before she traveled to Peru, she decided to start learning Quechua, which is one of the most popular local languages."

Example Question #22 : Identifying Conjunction Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Although the popular image of a Viking is a large man with horns on his helmet, and there is no evidence that Vikings actually wore horns. No error.

Possible Answers:

with horns

image of a Viking

and there is

No error.

actually wore horns

Correct answer:

and there is

Explanation:

This sentence is not coordinated correctly. When the first phrase starts with “although,” the main phrase should start after the comma without using another conjunction in between the comma and the main phrase. The corrected sentence reads, "Although the popular image of a Viking is a large man with horns on his helmet, there is no evidence that Vikings actually wore horns."

Example Question #71 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Traveling during the holidays can be expensive, and it is worth it to celebrate with your family. No error.

Possible Answers:

No error.

your family

can be

and it is 

Traveling

Correct answer:

and it is 

Explanation:

The conjunction used in this sentence (“and”) does not match the logic of the sentence's content. The two parts oppose each other, so “but” is more appropriate. The corrected sentence reads, "Traveling during the holidays can be expensive, but it is worth it to celebrate with your family."

Example Question #72 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

The weather should be beautiful on Friday, but Barbara has made plans to go hikingNo error.

Possible Answers:

has made plans

should be beautiful

Friday, but

No error.

hiking

Correct answer:

Friday, but

Explanation:

The conjunction that this sentence uses does not make logical sense. The first half is the reasoning for the second half, so the conjunction “so” would be more appropriate. The corrected sentence reads, "The weather should be beautiful on Friday, so Barbara has made plans to go hiking."

Example Question #71 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Vincent van Gogh sold only a few paintings during his lifetime, but yet he is considered one of the greatest painters of all timeNo error

Possible Answers:

greatest

of all time

No error

sold

but yet

Correct answer:

but yet

Explanation:

This sentence contains a redundancy error. The conjunctions "but" and "yet" are synonyms; they mean the same thing, so only one or the other is necessary to convey the intended meaning of the sentence.

The answer choice "sold" is correct because it contains the simple past tense, which is correct for events that happened in the past and don't continue into the present.

The answer choice "greatest" is correct because it uses the superlative form (the "-est" form) of the adjective great, which is appropriate for comparisons involving more than two items.

The answer choice "of all time" is a perfectly correct use of an idiomatic expression.

Example Question #73 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Defying all expectations, the space shuttle reentered the atmosphere at 3:57, that was three whole minutes ahead of schedule. No error

Possible Answers:

Defying all expectations

whole

that was 

No error

reentered the atmosphere

Correct answer:

that was 

Explanation:

This sentence has a clunky dependent clause tacked on the end. We can make it sound better by taking out some words and making it an appositive phrase: "Defying all expectations, the space shuttle reentered the atmosphere at 3:57, three whole minutes ahead of schedule." Or, alternatively, one could also change "that was" to "which was," but one introduce a phrase that provides additional information about a subject and follows a comma with "that"; one should use "which" instead in this instance.

Example Question #74 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Although so many people were already lined up at the ticket booth when we arrived, Louise and I missed the start of the movie we had come to see. No error

Possible Answers:

had come

No error

Although

Louise and I

arrived,

Correct answer:

Although

Explanation:

This sentence contains a logical error. The long line was the cause of missing the start of the movie, so the use of a contrasting conjunction like "although" here is wrong. Replacing it with "Because" or "Since" would be a simple correction.

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