SAT Writing : Correcting Agreement Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #812 : Improving Sentences
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.
At the bottom of the stairs, there's tons of pairs of shoes.
there's tons of pairs of shoes.
shoes and pairs of them are there and in the tons.
pairs of shoes are.
pairs of shoes are tons.
there are tons of pairs of shoes.
there are tons of pairs of shoes.
"There" is not a subject. It pretends to be a subject. When "there" is used with a be-verb, the subject complement (or predicate nominative) determines whether or not the verb should be plural. Because the subject complement "tons" is plural, the plural form "are" is required.
Example Question #813 : Improving Sentences
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.
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods lurk a horrifying beast of mammoth proportions.
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods lurk a horrifying
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods lurks a horrifying
A horrifying something lurks in the darkeness of the woods and it is a
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods lurks an horrifying
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods lurks an horrifying
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods lurks a horrifying
While "woods" appears to be the subject, it is the object of the preposition "of." "Beast" is the actual subject, so the verb must be singular.
Example Question #53 : Correcting Subject Verb Agreement Errors
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.
Paul and Tom, who is some of the fastest runners I have ever seen, left yesterday.
Paul and Tom who is some of the fastest runners I have ever seen,
Paul and Tom, who are some of the fastest runners I have ever seen,
Paul and Tom, who is some of the fastest runners I have ever seen,
Paul and Tom, who is some of the fastest runners I have ever seen
Paul and Tom who is some of the fastest runners I have ever seen
Paul and Tom, who are some of the fastest runners I have ever seen,
In standard English, there are different forms for verbs. You must always ensure, in any sentence, that the form of the verb being used corresponds to the noun whose action is being described. In the sentence above, there is an error due to the fact that the subject is plural and the verb is singular. The best way to correct the underlined portion is: "Paul and Tom, who are some of the fastest runners I have ever seen,"
Note that the interrupting phrase "who are some of the fastest runners I have ever seen" is correctly enclosed with commas.
Example Question #814 : Improving Sentences
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.
The jury are ready to render the verdict: it's all going to be over soon.
The jury are ready to render the verdict:
The juries is ready to render the verdict:
The jury is ready to render the verdict:
The jury are ready to render the verdict,
The jury are ready to render the verdict;
The jury is ready to render the verdict:
In standard English, there are different forms for verbs. You must always ensure, in any sentence, that the form of the verb being used corresponds to the noun whose action is being described. In the sentence above, there is an error due to the fact that the subject is singular and the verb is plural. It is important to remember that some nouns describe groups of people as a unit, like a "jury," and those nouns are considered singular. The best way to correct the underlined portion is: "The jury is ready to render the verdict:"
Example Question #51 : Correcting Agreement Errors
There are two different ways to consider the so-called “Dark Ages.” On the one hand, you can think of the period directly after the fall of the Roman Empire, when civilization began to collapse throughout the Western Empire. On the other hand, you can consider the period that followed this initial collapse of society. It is a gross simplification too use the adjective dark to describe the civilization of either of these periods.
As regards the first period, it is quite a simplification to consider this period to be a single historical moment. It is not as though the civilization switched off like a lightbulb. At one moment light and then, at the next, dark. Instead, the decline of civilization occurred over a period of numerous decades and was, in fact, already occurring for many years before the so-called period of darkness. Thus, the decline of civilization was not a rapid collapse into barbarism, but instead, was a slow alteration of the cultural milieu of a partition of Europe. Indeed, the Eastern Roman Empire retained much of it’s cultural status during these years of decline!
More importantly, the period following the slow collapse of the Western Empire was much less “dark” than almost every popular telling states. Indeed, even during the period of decline, the seeds for cultural restoration was being sown. A key element of this cultural revival were the formation of monastic communities throughout the countryside of what we now know as Europe. Although these were not the only positive force during these centuries, the monasteries had played an important role in preserving and advancing the cause of culture through at least the thirteenth century and arguably until the Renaissance.
How should the underlined section be corrected?
Indeed, even during the period of decline the seeds, for cultural restoration was being sown.
Indeed, even during the period of decline the seeds for cultural restoration was being sown.
Indeed, even during the period of decline, the seeds for cultural restoration were being sown.
Indeed, even during the period of decline, the seeds, for cultural restoration were being sown.
NO CHANGE
Indeed, even during the period of decline, the seeds for cultural restoration were being sown.
The issue with the sentence as written is the fact that its main verb does not match the number of the sentence's subject. The subject is "seeds." Think of a simple sentence to check the verb: "The seeds were . . ." If you were to say, "The seeds was," you would immediately be aware of the error! The intervening expression "for cultural restoration" can distract you if you are not careful. Now, no additional commas are necessary. The "for" is a preposition, not a conjunction.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
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.
In addition to helping the environment, renewable resources—such as solar power and hydroelectricity—may also provide an economic benefit, as it may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
this being the reduction in our dependence on foreign oil.
as they depend on the reduction of foreign oil.
as it reduces our dependence on foreign oil.
as it may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
The pronoun "it" should be plural because its antecedent is the plural subject "resources." Only two choices correcty change "it" to "they," but one of them, "as they depend on the reduction of foreign oil," confuses cause and effect. The resources are not dependent on the reduction of foreign oil. The correct answer is "as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil."
Example Question #13 : Pronoun Antecedent Number Errors
Most men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Many men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find it to be an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Most of the men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find them an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find them an enjoyable diversion.
The sentence as written contains one small error. "It," a singular pronoun, is used to refer to the plural "sporting events." In order to fix this issue, the pronoun needs to be made plural, which is done in "Most men who go to sporting events find them an enjoyable diversion."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
While it can seem like a daunting task to train for a marathon, anyone who has completed the challenge knows that preparing a plan that they stick to is the key to success.
Identify the answer choice that best improves the underlined portion of the sentence.
preparing, and having that be a plan that they stick to
preparing a plan and sticking to it
preparing a plan that he sticks to
sticking to a plan
preparing a plan that they stick to
preparing a plan and sticking to it
In this sentence, the subject is "anyone," a singular pronoun. Therefore, all pronouns relating back to "anyone" should be singular. In the underlined portion of the sentence, "preparing a plan that they stick to," "they" is plural, not singular. Now that we have identified the problem, we have to figure out how to correct it.
Given that "anyone" is gender neutral, the best way to improve this sentence is avoid the use of a gendered pronoun (meaning "he" or "she") and simply avoid using a pronoun at all. The correct answer, "preparing a plan and sticking to it," accomplishes this objective and is therefore the best way to improve the sentence.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
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.
Just as they finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
Just as they finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
Just as he finished work for the day, his lost green helmet was found by the worker, who made his way home happily.
Just as they finished work for the day, the worker finds his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
Just as he finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happy.
Just as he finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
Just as he finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily.
The original sentence contains an error in noun-pronoun agreement: the plural possessive pronoun "their" is used to refer to "the worker," a singular noun. We need to use a singular possessive pronoun to refer to a singular noun, and our choices in this case are "his," "her," and "its." One doesn't use "its" to refer to people, and while "the worker" is not a gendered noun, we can tell that the worker being described in the sentence is male because of the use of the possessive pronoun "his" in the phrases "his lost green helmet" and "made his way home happily." For the sentence to be correct, we need to replace "their" with "his," so the correct answer is "Just as he finished work for the day, the worker found his lost green helmet and made his way home happily."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
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.
Although the basketball team used their star players, the match was lost.
The basketball team used its star players, although
Although the star players were used by the basketball team
The basketball team used their star players
Although the basketball team used their star players
Although the basketball team used its star players
Although the basketball team used its star players
Choose a pronoun that properly agrees with the subject. In this case, "basketball team" is singular, although it represents a group of people, and should be accompanied with "its," instead of "their."
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