SAT Writing : Correcting Grammatical Errors in a Sentence Fragment

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #152 : Improving And Correcting Sentences

1 One such example of regional cooking could be found in the American South. 2 Wherefore foods such as gumbo, barbecue, fried chicken, and watermelons can now be found all across the country, it was once specific to states south of the Mason-Dixon line. 3 And while Southern cuisine has been influenced by Native American tribes, Scottish immigrants, and Cajun settlers, one of the most significant culinary inspirations came from the South’s black population. 4 Dishes such as cornbread, succotash, collard or turnip greens, pimento cheese, crawfish, and sweet tea all hale from the South, as well. 5 For example, okra, black-eyed peas, and sorghum are all foods brought to America and cultivated by African slaves. 6 Soon, soul food (a sometimes contentious term among black chefs) began to be served in black-owned restaurants in the South. 7 Borne out of competing cultural influences and not-infrequent strife, it should be no surprise that Southern food remains a complex delicious cuisine to this day.

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 2 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

they were once specific to

it was once specific among

it had once been specific to

it was once specific within

it was once specific to (no change)

Correct answer:

they were once specific to

Explanation:

Here, there is a problem with the pronoun referent. The subject of this sentence (“foods such as barbecue, black-eyed peas, okra, sorghum, and watermelons”) is plural, so the pronoun must be as well.

Example Question #3001 : Sat Writing

1 Glass; a material most people take for granted, is an essential constitute of modern life. 2 Most glass throughout history have been made of silicon dioxide; which is found in sand. 3 Typically glass is made by melting down and refining raw materials in processes that remove bubbles, improve strength, and augur durability. 4 This process can be tailored to create the desired end product, be that stained glass windows for a church and glass fibers for thermal insulation. 5 Because glass blowing can be used to create fanciful shapes and delicate figurines, most glass today is made more quickly and cheaply in factories. 6 These factories can produce everything. 7 From windshields and sterile medical equipment.

Which sentence needs a comma added to it?

Possible Answers:

Sentence 6

Sentence 7

Sentence 4

Sentence 3

Sentence 5

Correct answer:

Sentence 3

Explanation:

The word “Typically” is functioning as an introductory clause here, so it must be separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma.

Example Question #12 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment

1 Glass; a material most people take for granted, is an essential constitute of modern life. 2 Most glass throughout history have been made of silicon dioxide; which is found in sand. 3 Typically glass is made by melting down and refining raw materials in processes that remove bubbles, improve strength, and augur durability. 4 This process can be tailored to create the desired end product, be that stained glass windows for a church and glass fibers for thermal insulation. 5 Because glass blowing can be used to create fanciful shapes and delicate figurines, most glass today is made more quickly and cheaply in factories. 6 These factories can produce everything. 7 From windshields and sterile medical equipment.

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 7 be revised?

Possible Answers:

From windshields and also sterile

Including windshields to sterile

From windshields and sterile (no change)

From windshields to sterile

Including windshields but also sterile

Correct answer:

From windshields to sterile

Explanation:

The correct construction is “from __________ to __________.”  No other word can be substituted in place of “to” in this construction.

Example Question #12 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment

1 The purpose of this agricultural practice is to produce large amounts of meat, milk, eggs, and textiles, such as wool and leather, at low costs. 2 It has many negative consequences; however, and many activists have raised concerns about sustainability, environmental risks, and ethics. 3 Factory farming, sometimes known euphonically as intensive animal farming, or industrial farming, is the practice of raising livestock at very high densities in order to decrease the costs of production. 4 On most factory farms, animals are reduced to commodities: bred unnaturally, confined in uncomfortably small cages, and dosed with high strength antibiotics to reduce concomitant infections. 5 Although, the livestock suffers considerately, drug-resistant bacteria become more common, and significant environmental hazards arise from the high quantities of animal waste. 6 Does the phrase manure lagoons sound familiar? 7 As a light of this issue, many people choose to become vegetarian or join anti-factory farming campaigns. 8 What will you do?

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 1 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

and textiles such as wool and leather, at low costs. 

and textiles, such as wool and leather, at low costs. (no change)

and textiles such as wool and leather at low costs.

and textiles; such as wool and leather; at low costs.

and textiles, such as wool and leather at low costs.

Correct answer:

and textiles such as wool and leather at low costs.

Explanation:

A comma is only ever required before the phrase “such as” if the phrase is part of a non-restrictive clause, which “such as wool and leather” is not.

Example Question #3002 : Sat Writing

1 The word wig itself comes from the English word periwig and can demote a variety of styles, materials, and colors. 2 Have you ever wondered what goes into making a wig? 3 Historically wigs have served a variety of functions and took a number of forms. 4 Wigs have been used as fashion accessories, costume components, and to disguise baldness. 5 These days, wigs are most commonly made from synthetic materials, real human hair, or hair from animals, such as goats and yaks.

should the underlined portion of Sentence 5 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

or hair from animals: such as goats and yaks.

or animals’ hair, such as goats and yaks.

or animal hair, such as goats and yaks.

or hair from animals, such as goats and yaks. (no change)

or hair from animals such as goats and yaks.

Correct answer:

or hair from animals such as goats and yaks.

Explanation:

A comma is only ever required before the phrase “such as” if the phrase is part of a non-restrictive clause, which “such as goats and yaks” is not.

Example Question #152 : Improving And Correcting Sentences

1 As anyone who has tried it can tell you, Filipino food is an exciting intriguing blend of flavors. 2 Due to interaction with various nations and cultures, it’s cuisine is marked by influences from Austronesia, Spain, China, Malaysia, and the United States. 3 Some typical dishes including pancit, longganisa, lumpia, kare-kare, pinakbet, sinigang, and adobo. 4 For example, one could find everything from Spanish paella and Chinese spring rolls (locally called lumpia) if you walked into a Filipino restaurant.

5 Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food. 6 These street foods include many fried foods, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.7 Taho, a warm street food, is composed of bean curd, a caramel syrup or arnibal, and tapioca pearls.8 Don’t forget dessert! 9 With such a variety of flavors, textures, and cooking styles, there’s certainly to be something for every gourmand.

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 4 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

everything from Spanish paella and Chinese spring rolls (no change)

anything including Spanish paella from Chinese spring rolls

everything from Spanish paella to Chinese spring rolls

everything including Spanish paella from Chinese spring rolls

anything from Spanish paella and Chinese spring rolls

Correct answer:

everything from Spanish paella to Chinese spring rolls

Explanation:

The correct construction is always “everything from __________ to __________” or “including ____________ and ___________.”

Example Question #153 : Improving And Correcting Sentences

1 While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods. 2 Most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals. 3 For example, did you even know that GM was the abbreviation for genetically modified? 4 Genetic modification is defined as the artificial manipulation of a specie’s DNA usually for the purpose of improving crop yield, resistance to disease, or nutritive value. 5 And did you know it has been going on for millennia, because ancient farmers were selectively breeding foods to provide better flavor, produce smaller seeds, or withstand drought and flooding?

6 Today, however, having more sophisticated tools allow scientists to transfer genes from one organism with another, this purposely provokes better pest resistance and other desirable characteristics. 7 Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment. 8 Additionally, some are also arguing that consuming GM foods is unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 6 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

to transfer genes from one organism to another

to transfer genes from one organism with another (no change)

transferring genes from one organism with another

transferring genes from one organism to another

to transfer genes, one organism to another

Correct answer:

to transfer genes from one organism to another

Explanation:

The correct grammatical construction is always “transfer from ___________ to ___________.”

Example Question #12 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment

1 The lost-wax casting method may sound cryptic, but its really a fairly simple and comprehendible process. 2 It is also known as investment or precision casting. 3 It involves twelve steps in that an artist makes an original wax model; creates rubber and plaster molds from the model; fills the molds with wax; coats the new wax models with a ceramic material; and fires the wax-ceramic mixture into a kiln so that the outer layer becomes a reusable mold and the inner wax melts away. 4 Despite involves technical jingo such as spruing, metal-chasing, and burnout, it is a very versant process that can be applied to everything from jewelry making and sculpture, automobile and gun manufacturing.

5 Lost-wax has been used by sculptors from ancient Greece all the way to modern day Germany. 6 Lost-wax has even been applied to dentistry, it is most frequently used to make gold crowns and inlays.7 Why not give it a try? 

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 4 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

Despite involves (no change)

Despite involving

However involving

Because it involves

Because of involving

Correct answer:

Despite involving

Explanation:

“Despite,” a contrast word, is the correct term to indicate the relationship between the clauses in Sentence 4. When “despite” is followed by a verb, that verb should always be in gerund, or “-ing,” form.

Example Question #152 : Improving And Correcting Sentences

1 E.J. Bellocq, who was he? 2 Those outside the photography coterie may not have heard of him, but his life’s work inspired innumerable films and works of literature. 3 Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans Bellocq made a living, taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies. 4 As a result, he became known for his portraits of Chinatown opium dens, and prostitutes in Storyville, one of the seediest districts of early 20th century New Orleans.

5 Bellocq’s work is categorized by its attention to detail and its rich aesthetic sensibility. 6 In his personal life, he was known for being eccentric, unfriendly, partially crippled, and possibly insane. 7 In his veritable Storyville portraits, the women are nude or clothed, looking at or away from the camera, and posed reclining or standing up, revealing great versatility on Bellocq’s part. 8 Tragically many of his negatives and prints were destroyed or damaged by an uncertain hand (mostly likely his or his Jesuit brother).

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 3 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Bellocq was making

Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Bellocq being made

Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans; Bellocq made

Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans Bellocq made (no change)

Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Bellocq made

Correct answer:

Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Bellocq made

Explanation:

Here, we have a dependent clause (“Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans”) preceding an independent clause (“Bellocq made a living taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies”), so we must use a comma to separate the two. No other rewriting is necessary.

Example Question #14 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment

1 E.J. Bellocq, who was he? 2 Those outside the photography coterie may not have heard of him, but his life’s work inspired innumerable films and works of literature. 3 Born into a rich family in the French Quarter of New Orleans Bellocq made a living, taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies. 4 As a result, he became known for his portraits of Chinatown opium dens, and prostitutes in Storyville, one of the seediest districts of early 20th century New Orleans.

5 Bellocq’s work is categorized by its attention to detail and its rich aesthetic sensibility. 6 In his personal life, he was known for being eccentric, unfriendly, partially crippled, and possibly insane. 7 In his veritable Storyville portraits, the women are nude or clothed, looking at or away from the camera, and posed reclining or standing up, revealing great versatility on Bellocq’s part. 8 Tragically many of his negatives and prints were destroyed or damaged by an uncertain hand (mostly likely his or his Jesuit brother).

How should the underlined portion of Sentence 3 be rewritten?

Possible Answers:

Bellocq made a living with the taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies.

Bellocq made a living taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies.

Bellocq made a living, regarding the taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies.

Bellocq made a living, having taken official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies.

Bellocq made a living, taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies. (no change)

Correct answer:

Bellocq made a living taking official photographs of ships, machinery, and other commercial items for local companies.

Explanation:

No comma is necessary after “living” in this independent clause; in fact, a comma impedes the flow of the sentence. Although it’s a bit clunky to have two gerunds in a row, we need both of them in order to convey the meaning of the sentence: Bellocq’s livelihood was taking official photographs. (The sentence could be further improved by inserting the word “by” between “living” and “taking.”)

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