SAT Writing : Identifying Colon Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Identifying Colon Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
There are only three things that my wife hates more than snakes, birds, bears, and her mother. No error
No error
bears, and her mother.
There are only
my wife
snakes,
snakes,
Colons serve primarily two purposes. The first is to precede a list of items a sentence, and the second is to join two clauses of a sentence, where the second clause explains, expands on, or clarifies the first clause. Colons cannot be used to introduce a list when the last word of the first clause is a verb, rather a comma is required. In the sentence above, however, the last word of the first clause is a noun, so a colon is the best way to introduce the list.
The corrected sentence reads: "There are only three things that my wife hates more than snakes, birds, bears, and her mother."
Example Question #124 : Identifying 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.
Smoking is a really bad habit: you must stop doing it soon. No error
No error
habit:
must stop
Smoking is
that soon.
No error
Colons serve two primary purposes. The first is to precede a list of three or more things in a sentence, and the second is to join two clauses, where the first clause is an independent, and the second clause is a dependent clause that explains the main clause. If being used to connect two clauses, the first clause must always be a independent clause.
The sentence above is correct as written.
Example Question #125 : Identifying 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.
I need: flour, sugar, butter, and rum to make my Grandmother's cake. No error
flour, sugar, butter, and rum
make
No error
I need:
Grandmother's cake.
I need:
Colons serve two main purposes. The first is to precede a list of three or more things in a sentence, and the second is to join two clauses of a sentence. For the first purpose, however, you should avoid using a colon after a verb or a preposition. The best way to correct the sentence above is to delete the colon.
Example Question #126 : Identifying 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.
I need: the following three things from the camp goods store: a backpack, a tent, and a flashlight. No error
No error
I need:
and a flashlight.
following three things from the camp goods
store:
I need:
Colons serve primarily two purposes. The first is to precede a list of three or more things in a sentence, and the second is to join two clauses of a sentence. For the first purpose, however, you should avoid using a colon after a verb or a preposition. The best way to correct the sentence above is to delete the first colon; the second one is correct and necessary, but the first is both redundant, and directly follows a verb.
Example Question #127 : Identifying 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.
I am incredibly angry with you: you didn't follow a single one of my instructions. No error
single one
instructions.
you:
No error
I am incredibly angry
No error
Colons serve two main purposes. The first is to precede a list of three or more things in a sentence, and the second is to join two clauses of a sentence. For the second purpose, however, you may only use a colon where a period might otherwise be used. Because the first clause in the sentence above could easily stand on its own, and could terminate in a period, the use of the colon above is correct and proper. The sentence contains no error and is correct as it is written.
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