SAT Writing : Identifying Word Usage Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #131 : Identifying Word Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed in order to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The noise from the fighter jets that flew directly above John and I was deafening. No error
that flew
was
John and I
above
No error
John and I
"John and I" is incorrect because this first person pronoun needs to be in objective case, "me." It is the object of the preposition "above" and is not the subject of the sentence; therefore, the objective case "John and me" is correct over subjective case "I."
Example Question #120 : Identifying Pronoun 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 was a new person whom I had never seen before standing between my sister and I in the line. No error
and I
whom
No error
There was
standing
and I
This sentence uses the wrong case of pronoun. As an object, the first person pronoun should always be “me.” The corrected sentence reads, "There was a new person who I had never seen before standing between my sister and me in the line."
Example Question #21 : Identifying Pronoun Errors: Case
The grizzly bear, a species well-known for their aggressive behavior, has a bite so strong it could crush a bowling ball.
their
well-known for
No error
so strong
has
their
In this sentence, the pronoun “their” does not agree in number with its antecedent “the grizzly bear.” The corrected sentence reads: The grizzly bear, a species well-known for its aggressive behavior, has a bite so strong it could crush a bowling ball.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Verb Voice Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
She found herself unable to following his long and wordy directions, so she asked another person at the gas station after he left. No error.
No error
found herself
to following
after he left
so she asked
to following
The writer uses the incorrect verb form "to following" in this sentence and needs to change it to "to follow," which is the proper way to form the infinitive (a verbal noun).
Example Question #2 : Identifying Verb Voice 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 don't know how Jim was able to ran that fast, but since he'd always been running faster than most of us kids, I wasn't too surprised. No error
us kids
been running
No error
how
to ran
to ran
The writer uses the incorrect verb form "to ran" in the above sentence and would need to change it to "to run" in order to make the sentence fully grammatically correct.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Verb Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Pamela knew that Keith was capable of manage the Smith family's wedding, so she left him in charge of catering the event. No error
No error
in
of catering
of manage
family's
of manage
The sentence above uses the incorrect verb form "of manage." We would need to replace it with "of managing" in order to make the sentence correct.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Verb Voice Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Daisy and I contacted the jeweler because we had heard she would be able to finding us a great engagement ring. No error
to finding
would be
contacted
No error
had heard
to finding
The sentence contains a verb voice error in "to finding." We would need to change the verb to the grammatically correct form "to find" in order to improve the sentence.
Example Question #4 : Identifying Verb 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 letter from the scholarship committee said that he had selected to be one of the recipients of the prestigious $10,000 scholarship because of his excellent grades and volunteer work. No error
from the scholarship committee
had selected
one of the recipients of
No error
because of his excellent grades and volunteer work
had selected
We say that someone “is selected” by a committee to be the recipient of an award. This is in the passive voice. This sentence instead uses the active voice to describe the student who has been selected for the scholarship. To correct this, we need to change “had selected,” which is active, to “had been selected,” which is passive.
Example Question #5 : Identifying Verb Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
It took Donna many weeks to perfect her pirouette, but when she finally mastered it, she wouldn't stop being shown off in front of us. No error
to perfect
being shown off
wouldn't stop
It took
No error
being shown off
This sentence wants to say that when Donna learned how to do her pirouette, she kept showing off her pirouette to other people. The way the sentence is currently worded, it sounds like Donna is being shown off by another person. “Being shown off” is in the passive voice, but it should be changed to the active voice. So, “being shown off” should be changed to “showing off,” because Donna is the one doing the showing off, not being shown off by someone else.
Example Question #5 : Identifying Verb Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.
Sheela and Shreya contacted him because they had heard he selled the best cakes in town. No error
No error
heard
because
contacted
selled
selled
The word "selled" is an incorrect formulation of the verb "sell." Since the cakes are bing sold on an ongoing basis the correct way to conjugate the sentence would be to replace "selled" with "sells."
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