SAT Writing : Improving and Correcting Sentences
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Example Questions
Example Question #482 : Improving Paragraphs
1 The tornado, a dreaded meteorological phenomena and a verifiable force of nature. 2 But what is it really? 3 Also known as a twister or a cyclone, tornadoes are rapidly rotating funnels of air linked between a cloud and either the surface of the earth or water. 4 They are caused by the creation of strong thunderstorms by rotating columns of air, resultantly increased rainfall causes increased downward air movement. 5 Rather than the Richter scale measures the strength of hurricanes the Fujita scale measures the strength of a tornado. 6 This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister. 7 And the 2014 “Into the Storm” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.” 8 The Fujita scale, also called the F-scale, was named after an employee at the University of Chicago and originally had 13 different levels.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 5 be rewritten?
measures the strength and the tornado.
measuring the tornado’s strength.
measures the strength of a tornado. (no change)
measures the strength within the tornado.
measures the strength of tornados
measures the strength of tornados
As always, our comparison should employ parallel objects. Since “hurricanes” is plural, “tornado” should be, too.
Example Question #61 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 The famous artist Man Ray is not nearly as well known as Picasso or Dalí, however, he contributed significantly to 20th century art. 2 Man Ray was particularly influential in Surrealism and Dadaism. 3 He worked in a variety of media including painting and photography, and he renamed a certain type of shadow-image photography “rayographs” after himself. 4 Born in Pennsylvania Ray lived in both New York City and Paris. 5 He also worked with fabric and collage.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 1 be rewritten?
he contributed – significantly – to 20th century art.
he contributed significantly to 20th-century art.
he contributed, significantly, to 20th- century art.
he contributed, significantly, to 20th century art.
he contributed significantly to 20th century art. (no change)
he contributed significantly to 20th-century art.
Always hyphenate compound adjectives that precede nouns. No commas or hyphens are called for in this clause.
Example Question #42 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment
1 If you’re wearing clothes right now you’re likely wearing something a sewing machine has produced. 2 But what you may not know is the history of the sewing machine that made your clothes. 3 The device was invented in England during the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th-century. 4 Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process. 5 Early machines were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes. 6 Gradually, other machines emerged that were superior in Europe and America. 7 Famous brands today; include those by 19th century inventor Isaac Singer. 8 As the 1800s progressed sewing machines became purchases for not just clothing manufacturers but individuals.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 8 be rewritten?
for not just clothing manufacturers but for individuals.
for not just clothing manufacturers but also individuals.
for not just clothing manufacturers but individuals. (no change)
for not just clothing manufacturers, but also individuals.
not just for clothing manufacturers but individuals.
for not just clothing manufacturers but also individuals.
The correct construction is always “not only __________ but also __________.” There are no correct variations to this grammatical pattern.
Example Question #43 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment
1 The tornado, a dreaded meteorological phenomena and a verifiable force of nature. 2 But what is it really? 3 Also known as a twister or a cyclone, tornadoes are rapidly rotating funnels of air linked between a cloud and either the surface of the earth or water. 4 They are caused by the creation of strong thunderstorms by rotating columns of air, resultantly increased rainfall causes increased downward air movement. 5 Rather than the Richter scale measures the strength of hurricanes the Fujita scale measures the strength of a tornado. 6 This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister. 7 And the 2014 “Into the Storm” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.” 8 The Fujita scale, also called the F-scale, was named after an employee at the University of Chicago and originally had 13 different levels. 9 The thirteenth level of the scale is used to describe only the most awe inspiring of tornadoes.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 6 be rewritten?
in such classic films, as the 1996 Twister movie.
in such classic films as the movie in 1996, Twister
in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister (no change)
in such classic films as the 1996 movie Twister
in such classic films as: the 1996, movie, Twister
in such classic films as the 1996 movie Twister
Here, we can apply a comma test for two adjectives preceding a noun: If the word “and” could be substitute in for the comma, then the comma is correct. In this case, we can’t say “the 1996 and movie Twister,” so the correct choice is to remove the commas.
Example Question #182 : Improving And Correcting Sentences
1 The tornado, a dreaded meteorological phenomena and a verifiable force of nature. 2 But what is it really? 3 Also known as a twister or a cyclone, tornadoes are rapidly rotating funnels of air linked between a cloud and either the surface of the earth or water. 4 They are caused by the creation of strong thunderstorms by rotating columns of air, resultantly increased rainfall causes increased downward air movement. 5 Rather than the Richter scale measures the strength of hurricanes the Fujita scale measures the strength of a tornado. 6 This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister. 7 And the 2014 “Into the Storm” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.” 8 The Fujita scale, also called the F-scale, was named after an employee at the University of Chicago and originally had 13 different levels. 9 The thirteenth level of the scale is used to describe only the most awe inspiring of tornadoes.
Which sentence contains a quotation mark error?
Sentence 7
Sentence 5
None of the sentences contains a quotation mark error
Sentence 1
Sentence 3
Sentence 7
In Sentence 7, the names of films are improperly in quotation marks. Like all full-length works, these should be italicized; quotation marks are reserved for short works such as single songs, short stories, or poems.
Example Question #62 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 The famous artist Man Ray is not nearly as well known as Picasso or Dalí, however, he contributed significantly to 20th century art. 2 Man Ray was particularly influential in Surrealism and Dadaism. 3 He worked in a variety of media including painting and photography, and he renamed a certain type of shadow-image photography “rayographs” after himself. 4 Born in Pennsylvania Ray lived in both New York City and Paris. 5 He also worked with fabric and collage.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 1 be rewritten?
as well known as Picasso or Dalí; however,
as well known as Picasso, and Dalí, however,
as well known as Picasso or Dalí, however, ( no change)
as well known as Picasso, or Dalí, however,
as well known as Picasso, and Dalí – however,
as well known as Picasso or Dalí; however,
Without a semicolon after “Dalí, we have a comma splice. Both clauses are independent, and "however" does not function as a coordinating conjunction, rather "however" is a conjunctive adverb.
Example Question #63 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 Think about medieval Christianity. 2 What do you see? 3 Likely you’re imagining monks, gloomy Gothic cathedrals with flying buttresses, or witches burned at the stake. 4 But what you may not be cognitive of is: the concept of the anchorite. 5 This is the moniker for a religious recluse who elects to be walled up in a small room inside a church. 6 The anchorite was not left to die, however, they were fed through small windows and used the imprisonment to participate more fully in the spiritual life of the community. 7 It is a spiritual calling that is now very rare; few if any anchorites still exist in the world today.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 4 be rewritten?
is, the concept of the anchorite.
is: the concept of the anchorite. (no change)
is the concept of: the anchorite.
is the concept of the anchorite.
is the concept, of the anchorite.
is the concept of the anchorite.
No punctuation is needed in this phrase. (Colons typically separate independent clauses from lists, and commas typically separate clauses or items in a list.)
Example Question #64 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 Think about medieval Christianity. 2 What do you see? 3 Likely you’re imagining monks, gloomy Gothic cathedrals with flying buttresses, or witches burned at the stake. 4 But what you may not be cognitive of is: the concept of the anchorite. 5 This is the moniker for a religious recluse who elects to be walled up in a small room inside a church. 6 The anchorite was not left to die, however, they were fed through small windows and used the imprisonment to participate more fully in the spiritual life of the community. 7 It is a spiritual calling that is now very rare; few if any anchorites still exist in the world today.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 3 be rewritten?
Likely you’re imagining: monks,
Likely you’re imagining monks, (no change)
Likely, you’re imagining monks;
Likely – you’re imagining – monks,
Likely: you’re imagining monks,
Likely you’re imagining monks, (no change)
The original phrase is correct. No colon is used unless the part of the sentence preceding the colon is an independent clause.
Example Question #65 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 That’s why codes of discipline have arisen for raising factual or difficult children. 2 Some experts avow for strict authoritative castigation at all times while others argue for gentle or praise centric approaches. 3 Many parents find themselves confounded with the problem of unruly children. 4 Most adults however can agree that consistency and consequences are two key components of disciplining any child from the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered. 5 Being too permissive or too authoritarian can ultimately result with many instances of bad behavior.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 2 be rewritten?
Some experts, avow for strict, authoritative castigation
Some experts avow for strict, authoritative, castigation
Some experts avow, for strict authoritative castigation
Some experts avow for strict, authoritative castigation
Some experts avow for strict authoritative castigation (no change)
Some experts avow for strict, authoritative castigation
Usually, two separate adjectives preceding a single noun should be separated from each other with commas, but there should be no comma separating the final adjective from the noun.
Example Question #66 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 That’s why codes of discipline have arisen for raising factual or difficult children. 2 Some experts avow for strict authoritative castigation at all times while others argue for gentle or praise centric approaches. 3 Many parents find themselves confounded with the problem of unruly children. 4 Most adults however can agree that consistency and consequences are two key components of disciplining any child from the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered. 5 Being too permissive or too authoritarian can ultimately result with many instances of bad behavior.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 2 be rewritten?
at all times, while others argue for
at all times; while, others argue for
at all times; while others argue for
at all times while others argue for (no change)
at all times, while others argue, for
at all times, while others argue for
Here we have an independent clause followed by a dependent clause. As always, separate these two kinds of clauses from each other with a comma.
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