All PSAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Tom Dick and Harry have all seen the problems with the newspaper's advertising strategy.
Tom Dick and Harry, have all seen
Tom, Dick, and Harry have all seen
Tom Dick and Harry have all saw
Tom, Dick, and Harry, have all seen
Tom Dick and Harry have all seen
Tom, Dick, and Harry have all seen
The list of names that make up the subjects of the sentence all need to be appropriately punctuated. Any such list needs have all the elements set apart from each other; therefore, "Tom, Dick, and Harry have all seen" is the correct answer.
Example Question #3 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas
Politicians organizers and reformers all came together to bring the initiative to the legislature.
Politicians organizers and reformers all came together
Politicians organizers and reformers, all came together
Politicians organizers and reformers all come together
Politicians, organizers, and reformers all came together
Politicians organizers and reformers have all come together
Politicians, organizers, and reformers all came together
The list that functions as the subject of the sentence needs to have commas separating its elements, distinguishing the different parts. The only answer choice that does this is "Politicians, organizers, and reformers all came together," making it the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas
The issues to be discussed in the debate will be economics foreign policy and health care
economics; foreign policy; and health care.
economics foreign policy health care.
economics foreign policy, and health care.
economics, foreign policy, and health care.
economics foreign policy and health care.
economics, foreign policy, and health care.
A list like the one in the underlined portion of the sentence must always be appropriately separated out, especially when the elements of the list are two words, like "foreign policy." The only answer choice that clearly delineates the three component parts of the list is "economics, foreign policy, and health care."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
The athletes musicians, and actors all came together to help the charity raise money at the event.
The athletes musicians, and actors
The athletes, musicians, actors
The athlete's musician's and actor's
The athletes musicians and actors
The athletes, musicians, and actors
The athletes, musicians, and actors
Any list like the one used as the subject of the sentence needs to have its elements separated by commas to distinguish the separate parts. The only answer choice that appropriately does this is "The athletes, musicians, and actors," with every other answer choice being grammatically incorrect.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Rowing lacrosse and tennis are all sports that are growing in popularity.
Rowing lacrosse and tennis is
Rowing lacrosse and tennis are
Rowing, lacrosse, and tennis are
Rowing lacrosse, and tennis is
Rowing lacrosse, and tennis are
Rowing, lacrosse, and tennis are
A list like the one in the underlined portion of the sentence always needs to be separated by commas to clearly distinguish between the different elements in the list. The only answer choice that correctly does this is "Rowing, lacrosse, and tennis are," making it the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Dogs cats and small animals have always been popular pets for small children.
Dogs cats and small animals have always been
Dogs, cats, and small animals have always been
Dogs cats, small animals have always been
Dogs cats, and small animals have always been
Dogs, cats, and small animals, have always been
Dogs, cats, and small animals have always been
The three-part list that is the subject of this sentence does not employ appropriate demarcation between its separate parts. Lists like the one in the sentence need to be separated out by commas to show their individual parts. "Dogs, cats, and small animals have always been" is the only answer choice that appropriately deploys commas in the list.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The school offered programs in engineering computer science and architecture.
The school offered programs in engineering computer science, and architecture.
The school offered programs in: engineering computer science and architecture.
The school offered programs in engineering, computer science, and architecture.
The school offered programs, in engineering computer science and architecture.
The school offered programs in engineering computer science and architecture.
The school offered programs in engineering, computer science, and architecture.
The list of items that ends the sentence as its object is not properly separated out by commas. Any list needs to have its elements clearly delineated, and of all the answer choices, the only one that accomplishes this is "The school offered programs in engineering, computer science, and architecture."
Example Question #311 : Comma Errors
The dog the cat and the rabbit all got along quite well with each other.
Dog cat and rabbit
The dog cat and rabbit
The dog, the cat, the rabbit
The dog the cat and the rabbit
The dog, the cat, and the rabbit
The dog, the cat, and the rabbit
The underlined portion lists three different things, "the dog," "the cat," and "the rabbit." Each of these needs to be appropriately separated to clarify they are all different. "The dog, the cat, and the rabbit," is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #11 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
The field rations were evenly distributed between the sailors marines and soldiers.
sailors marines soldiers.
sailors marines, and soldiers.
sailors, marines, soldiers.
sailors, marines, and soldiers.
sailors marines and soldiers.
sailors, marines, and soldiers.
The underlined words make up a list. Such lists need to have each element separated for clarity and understanding. "Sailors, marines, and soldiers" is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #1371 : Psat Writing Skills
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Many nineteenth century texts on military strategy focused extensively on supplies troops and ammunition.
on: supplies troops and ammunition.
on supplies, troops, and ammunition.
on supplies, troops, and, ammunition.
on supplies troops, and ammunition.
on supplies troops and ammunition.
on supplies, troops, and ammunition.
The underlined phrase contains a series, or a list of grouped items. All series in a sentence must be divided by each other for linguistic and logical clarity. The best way to do this is with commas, making "on supplies, troops, and ammunition," the correct answer.
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