SAT Writing : Identifying Sentence Errors
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Example Question #151 : 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.
Napa Valley is known for having amazing food, high quality wine, and attracts a wealthy clientele. No error
is
for
having
attracts
No error
attracts
It is important for a sentence to use correct parallelism, which means that listed items should take on the same grammatical form. Here, the first two listed items are nouns ("amazing food" and "high quality wine"). Therefore, the third item should also be a noun; however, “attracts” is a verb, and therefore is incorrect. To fix the sentence, one might omit the word "attracts," leaving simply "amazing food, high quality wine, and a wealthy clientele," three nouns.
Example Question #125 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
I had expected to learn many essential survival skills at the workshop, but instead only how to open a can without a can opener.
had expected
No error
but
only how to open
essential
only how to open
This sentence has a problem with parallelism. Since the first part contains a verb, the second part must as well. The corrected sentence reads: I had expected to learn many essential survival skills at the workshop, but instead I only learned how to open a can without a can opener.
Example Question #42 : Identifying Parallel Structure Errors
The young girl struggled in school growing up, having trouble with adding, spelling, and the ability to read.
with adding, spelling and the ability to read.
with adding, spelling, and the ability to read.
with adding, spelling, and reading.
in adding, spelling, and the ability to read.
with adding spelling and the ability to read.
with adding, spelling, and reading.
The series placed in the underlined portion of the sentence suffers from the problem of not having a parallel structure. All components in such a list need to take the same format. Therefore, "with adding, spelling, and reading" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
We could swear Bessie the cow was always happy she always had a smile on her face whenever we saw her. No error
happy she
on her face
we saw
could swear
No error
happy she
The above sentence is a compound sentence, and therefore, there needs to be a semicolon between "happy" and "she" to properly denote the beginning of the second independent clause.
Example Question #131 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And 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.
The scientists grappled with the theoretical physics problem all night they emerged exhausted from the lab in the morning without an answer. No error
No error
grappled with
from the lab
night they
without
night they
The above sentence is a compound sentence, and therefore we need to include a semicolon between "night" and "they" in order to properly separate the two independent clauses.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Jessica threw the flying disc over to Daniel and he spun around in a big circle before throwing it back over Jessica's head. No error
throwing
over Jessica's head
Daniel and
in a big circle
No error
Daniel and
The above sentence is a compound sentence, and therefore needs a comma in between "Daniel" and "and" to properly separate the two independent clauses of the sentence.
Example Question #132 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And 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.
After her brother ate her sandwich, Andrea was angry. And frustrated. No error
After
angry. And
frustrated.
No error
sandwich,
angry. And
"And frustrated" is a sentence fragment because it does not contain a subject. Since "and" is not being used as a coordinating conjunction in this instance no punctuation, not even a comma, is needed between "angry and frustrated."
Example Question #133 : Identifying Phrase, Clause, And 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.
Although jaguars and leopards are similar in appearance, the jaguar is the larger animal and the leopard is the fastest. No error
are similar
No error
the larger
Although
the fastest
the fastest
When comparing only two things, in this case, the jaguar and the leopard, the suffix “-er” should be used instead of the suffix “-est.” The sentence should end “the faster,” not “the fastest.”
Example Question #1304 : 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.
Many of the students who dislike Ms. Simmons would likely learn a lot less if they were to have a more relaxed teacher. No error
they were
would
who dislike
No error
a more
No error
Every aspect of this sentence is grammatically correct and there is no error. "Who" is correctly used, rather than whom, in this instance; "would" is the correct verb in the correct case.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Other Phrase, Clause, And 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.
The old, faded rug ran the course of the entire empty room, it having been left untouched for fifty years. No error
ran
old, faded
No error
untouched for
it having been
it having been
This sentence has some unnecessary words thrown in it. “It having been” is clunky and not needed. The corrected sentence reads: The old, faded rug ran the course of the entire empty room, left untouched for fifty years.
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