SAT Writing : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #123 : 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.

There are only three things that my wife hates more than snakes, birds, bears, and her mother. No error

Possible Answers:

snakes,

my wife

There are only

No error

bears, and her mother.

Correct answer:

snakes,

Explanation:

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 #71 : Identifying Punctuation 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

Possible Answers:

must stop

No error

that soon.

habit:

Smoking is

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

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 #72 : Identifying Punctuation 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

Possible Answers:

No error

flour, sugar, butter, and rum

Grandmother's cake.

I need:

make

Correct answer:

I need:

Explanation:

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 #73 : Identifying Punctuation 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

Possible Answers:

I need:

No error

and a flashlight. 

store:

following three things from the camp goods

Correct answer:

I need:

Explanation:

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 #74 : Identifying Punctuation 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

Possible Answers:

single one

instructions.

you:

No error

I am incredibly angry

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

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. 

Example Question #2 : Identifying Apostrophe 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 boy's teacher had forgotten to correct their homework; she had spent the entire night planning the new geography lesson. No error

Possible Answers:

planning

homework; she

had forgotten

No error

The boy's

Correct answer:

The boy's

Explanation:

Be watchful of possessive plural nouns: here, the correct apostrophe will be at the end of the word: "boys'" is correct because the subject is plural.

Example Question #1 : Identifying Apostrophe Errors

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

Alyssa collected hundreds of childrens' hats, scarves, gloves, and coats for the local shelter's winter clothing drive. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

gloves and,

shelter's

childrens'

hundreds of

Correct answer:

childrens'

Explanation:

The correct possessive form for "children" is "children's," not "childrens." "Children" is a noun that changes form in plural, from "child" to "children" instead of "childs." In irregular plural nouns that do not end in "s," you need to add an apostrophe followed by an "s" to form the possessive form of the word. For plural nouns ending in "s" such as "girls," you need to add the apostrophe at the end, but not an "s." For example, the possessive of "girls" is "girls'."

Example Question #2 : Identifying Apostrophe Errors

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

More often than not, we could expect to find Larry with the Davis's family in their new swimming pool. No error.  

Possible Answers:

No error

could expect

the Davis's 

More often than not

their

Correct answer:

the Davis's 

Explanation:

The above sentence's error is "the Davis's," as "Davis" is not a possessive noun in this case and therefore does not need an apostrophe.

Example Question #1 : Identifying Apostrophe 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 girl's swim coach was always at least 30 minutes early for practice; they could always count on her to be ready as soon as they walked in. No error.  

Possible Answers:

at least 

girl's

as soon as 

practice; they

No error

Correct answer:

girl's

Explanation:

The sentence indicates that there is more than one girl on the team by using the word "they;" therefore, "the girl's" needs to be changed to "the girls'" in order to reflect the correct possessive plural form.  

Example Question #3 : Identifying Apostrophe 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 teachers made it a point every day to address the childrens' behavior appropriately; they gave rewards to the students who followed expectations and demerits to those who did not. No error

Possible Answers:

childrens' 

No error 

they

those who 

who followed expectations

Correct answer:

childrens' 

Explanation:

The correct possessive form for "children" is always "children's" and never "childrens'."

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