PSAT Writing : PSAT Writing Skills

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Identifying Noun Noun Agreement 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 professor decided that all of his students should become a fan of his favorite violinist, so he lent them CDs so that they could listen to the music. No error

Possible Answers:

all of

so he

a fan

No error

they

Correct answer:

a fan

Explanation:

"Students" is plural, so the plural word "fans" should be used in the sentence. However, the word used in the sentence as it is written is the singular “fan,” which is incorrect. 

Example Question #2 : Identifying Noun Noun Agreement Errors

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

Jordan and Marvin’s mother has decided that they will become a lawyer when they grow up, but they seem more artistically inclinedNo error

Possible Answers:

a lawyer

artistically inclined

No error

up, but

they

Correct answer:

a lawyer

Explanation:

This sentence's error is a discrepancy in number. Two children are mentioned, "Jordan and Marvin," so logically, they would grow up to become two different lawyers. The sentence uses the singular noun "a lawyer" where it should use the plural noun "lawyers," so "lawyer" is the correct answer.

The corrected sentence reads, "Jordan and Marvin’s mother has decided that they will become lawyers when they grow up, but they seem more artistically inclined."

Example Question #11 : Identifying Noun Noun Agreement Errors

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

As part of their development, caterpillars form a cocoon and eventually emerge as moths or butterflies. No error

Possible Answers:

a cocoon

No error

emerge

their

eventually

Correct answer:

a cocoon

Explanation:

This sentence's error is a problem with agreement of plurals. Multiple "caterpillars" should form multiple cocoons, but the sentence uses the singular noun "a cocoon," which doesn't make sense. "A cocoon" is thus the correct answer, and the corrected sentence reads, "As part of their development, caterpillars form cocoons and eventually emerge as moths or butterflies."

Example Question #131 : Identifying Agreement Errors

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

Dedication, hard work, and attention to detail are all an important factor in determining success. No error

Possible Answers:

an important factor

are

determining

and attention to detail

No error

Correct answer:

an important factor

Explanation:

As with pronouns, when a noun or group of nouns is replaced in a sentence by another noun, they must agree in number. The multiple subjects "Dedication," "work," and "attention" call for a plural word.  A simple correction would be "important factors"

Example Question #111 : Identifying Agreement Errors

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

Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera were both well-known and talented Mexican painterNo error

Possible Answers:

painter

No error

were both

and her

talented

Correct answer:

painter

Explanation:

In this sentence, there are two individuals, both painters, so the object should reflect that number. The corrected sentence reads, "Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera were both well-known and talented Mexican painters."

Example Question #132 : Identifying Agreement Errors

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

Recognizing that the inhabitants of Earth suffered from many wars, disasters, and diseases, the aliens hoped to be welcomed as a saviorNo error

Possible Answers:

wars, disasters, and diseases

as a savior

Recognizing

No error

suffer from

Correct answer:

as a savior

Explanation:

This sentence lacks agreement between nouns. Since there are many aliens, “savior” should be plural. The corrected sentence reads, "Recognizing that the inhabitants of Earth suffered from many wars, disasters, and diseases, the aliens hoped to be welcomed as saviors."

Example Question #15 : Identifying Noun Noun Agreement Errors

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

At the end of the day, Jeremy and Joe said goodbye to each other, got into their car, and drove their separate ways. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

said goodbye

their car

At the end of the day

separate

Correct answer:

their car

Explanation:

It is clear from the content of this sentence that Jeremy and Joe each have their own car, but the sentence has “car” as singular. This should be plural to avoid confusion. The corrected sentence reads, "At the end of the day, Jeremy and Joe said goodbye to each other, got into their cars, and drove their separate ways."

Example Question #16 : Identifying Noun Noun Agreement Errors

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

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are essential skill to learn in elementary school. No error

Possible Answers:

and

No error

are

in elementary school

skill

Correct answer:

skill

Explanation:

There is a discrepancy in the agreement of nouns in this sentence. "Reading, writing and arithmetic" require the plural form of "skill," "skills." Multiple subjects require a plural predicate to match their form. "Reading, writing, and arithmetic" are not being discussed as a unified group (which is an exception requiring a singular predicate), so the agreement must be plural, because several subjects are being discussed.

Example Question #1 : Identifying Other 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.

My library normally only allows patrons to check out three books at a time, and when I explained that I needed to check out more than that because I was working on a term paper, they allowed me to do soNo error

Possible Answers:

they allowed me to do so

My library normally only allows

when I explained that I needed to check out more than that

time, and

No error

Correct answer:

time, and

Explanation:

This sentence's error is one that has to do with the logic of conjunctions. The conjunction "and" is used to join two sentences that do not contradict each other. This is not the case with these two sentences: based on the first sentence, you would think that the speaker would only be allowed to check out three books, but this is not the case. So, "and" is not the correct conjunction to use; changing "and" to "but" would correct the sentence's error.

Example Question #1 : 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.

I would bake more cookies, and every time I do, my oven burns themNo error

Possible Answers:

would

every time I do, my oven

No error

them

and

Correct answer:

and

Explanation:

This sentence begins with "I would bake more cookies" but then the speaker gives a reason why he or she does not bake more cookies, "every time [he or she] tries to bake cookies, [his or her] oven burns them." So, "and" is not the correct conjunction to use in this sentence. A conjunction like "but" is needed to contrast the two parts of the sentence and convey why the speaker does not bake more cookies even though he or she "would."

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