SAT Writing : Identifying Sentence Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing
All SAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #81 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Other Punctuation
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Early last night, my family and I visited the Jones's at their brand-new home. No error
Jones's
my family and I
No error
Early
Staunton, Virginia
Jones's
"Early" correctly modifies "last night." "My family and I" is the subject of the sentence and therefore illustrates the correct usage of "I" as opposed to "me." "Brand-new" is appropriately connected by a hyphen, as the two words are functioning together as an adjective modifying "home." The sentence's error is found in the word "Jones's," which has an unnecessary apostrophe. "Jones" is not a possessive noun in this case, so there should be no apostrophe; the sentence could be corrected by changing "Jones's" to "Joneses."
Example Question #81 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Other Punctuation
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Four different travel groups's bags were taken from the airport on the same day. No error
same day
No error
Four
groups's
airport
groups's
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession. If the noun ends in "s" then the apostrophe should follow the "s." If the noun does not end in "s" then add an "s" after the apostrophe. The sentence above makes the error of adding an additional "s" after the apostrophe for a noun that ends in "s."
Example Question #11 : 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.
A single piece of evidence swayed the final jurors' opinion. No error
single
opinion.
evidence
No error
jurors'
jurors'
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession. If the noun ends in "s" then the apostrophe should follow the "s." If the noun does not end in "s" then add an "s" after the apostrophe. The sentence above should have the "jurors'" changed to "juror's." While "jurors" is often a plural noun (there are twelve members of a standard U.S jury), in this case "the final juror" is one person, and thus a singular noun.
Example Question #631 : Sat Writing
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
"Im sorry," said the Professor. "I cannot raise your grade at this time." No error
Im
No error
professor
"I cannot
time."
Im
The words "I am" may be contracted into "I'm." The contraction as written above is missing an apostrophe, which should be corrected.
Example Question #11 : 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.
I can't believe that someone would steal everyones' stuff. No error
someone
everyones'
No error
stuff.
can't
everyones'
In spite of the fact that it describes more than one person, "everyone" is a singular noun. To correctly indicate possession when using "everyone" simply add an apostrophe and an "s" to the end of the word. The sentence above incorrectly places an "s" before the apostrophe at the end of "everyone."
Example Question #12 : 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 couple started to look for a new chair for their apartment; their old one lost one of it's legs. No error
the couple
apartment;
it's
their
No error
it's
The error is "it's" because "it's" is short for "it is" and "their old [chair] lost one of it is legs" doesn't make sense. The correction is to use "its" rather than "it's" because "its" indicates possession and the chair possesses its legs. A corrected sentence would look like this: The couple started to look for a new chair for their apartment; their old one lost one of its legs.
Example Question #13 : 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.
After the scandal, the whole communitys' sense of trust was shattered. No error
was shattered.
No error
communitys'
trust
After the scandal,
communitys'
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession, if the noun ends in "s," then the apostrophe should follow the "s." If the noun does not end in "s," then add an "s" after the apostrophe. "Community" is a singular noun that does not end in "s," therefore to indicate possession with the word "community," you must write "community's."
Example Question #14 : 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 strange beast had hurt its paw; it was roaring loudly. No error
No error
its
paw;
roaring loudly.
The strange beast
No error
When one wishes to convey possession with the pronoun "it," "its" is the correct construction. The sentence above contains no error and is correct as written.
Example Question #21 : 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.
In all three vital trials, the juries' verdicts were still being debated. No error
debated
vital trials,
In
No error
juries'
No error
Use an apostrophe to indicate possession. If the noun ends in "s," then the apostrophe should follow the "s." If the noun does not end in "s," then add an "s" after the apostrophe. Therefore, to indicate possession with "juries," you merely need to add an apostrophe after the "s." The sentence above is correct as written.
Example Question #22 : Identifying Apostrophe Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no errors at all.
Hunters in the boreal region have complained about the statewide hunting sanctions, since the local deers’ prevalence has led to the destruction of many valuable crops. No error
the local deers’
No error
boreal region
sanctions
has led to
the local deers’
The plural of deer is “deer,” not “deers,” so the correct possessive form would be “deer’s.” Everything else in the sentence is grammatically correct.
All SAT Writing Resources
