SAT Writing : Improving and Correcting Sentences
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Example Questions
Example Question #3043 : Sat Writing
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 4 be rewritten?
Most adults, however can agree that consistency and consequences
Most adults; however, can agree that consistency and consequences
Most adults, however, can agree that consistency and consequences
Most adults, however; can agree that consistency and consequences
Most adults however, can agree that consistency and consequences
Most adults, however, can agree that consistency and consequences
In this particular sentence, “however” is a parenthetical clause that must be set off from the rest of the sentence with commas. “However” is more commonly used to begin a clause than to interrupt it, but both cases can be grammatically acceptable with the correction punctuation.
Example Question #51 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In 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 4 be rewritten?
two key components of disciplining any child, from the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered.
two key components of disciplining any child from the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered. (no change)
two key components of disciplining any child; from the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered.
two key components of disciplining any child, from the most pugilist, to the most mild-mannered.
two key components of disciplining any child; from the most pugilist, to the most mild-mannered.
two key components of disciplining any child, from the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered.
“From the most pugilist to the most mild-mannered” is a dependent clause that modifies “child,” the final word in an independent clause, so a comma is necessary here. “From… to” constructions rarely call for commas in the middle.
Example Question #71 : 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 5 be rewritten?
can, ultimately, result with
can ultimately result in
can ultimately be resultant with
can ultimately be resultant with
can ultimately result with (no change)
can ultimately result in
The correct construction is always “result in,” never “result with.”
Example Question #72 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 Most of you probably know essays to be boring, tendentious assignments required for English class. 2 However the essay has a fascinating history.3 Did you know that the first known example of an essay came in the 16th-century? 4 Its author was Michel de Montaigne the French philosopher. 5 Today the genre includes such disparate types as the dialectic, the narrative, the critical, the historical, the descriptive, and the lyric essay. 6 The genre progressed with essays such as Robert Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s On Poesy or Art, and Virginia Woolf’s A Room of Her Own.” 7 It remains to be, see how the essay will evolve in the future.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 3 be rewritten?
of an essay came in the 16th century?
of an essay came in the 16th-century? (no change)
of an essay? Came in the 16th-century.
of an essay, came in the 16th century?
of an essay, came in the 16th-century?
of an essay came in the 16th century?
Here, the problem is hyphenation. “16th century” is serving as a noun and not an adjective, so in this case we do not need a hyphen.
Example Question #54 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment
1 Most of you probably know essays to be boring, tendentious assignments required for English class. 2 However the essay has a fascinating history.3 Did you know that the first known example of an essay came in the 16th-century? 4 Its author was Michel de Montaigne the French philosopher. 5 Today the genre includes such disparate types as the dialectic, the narrative, the critical, the historical, the descriptive, and the lyric essay. 6 The genre progressed with essays such as Robert Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s On Poesy or Art, and Virginia Woolf’s A Room of Her Own.” 7 It remains to be, see how the essay will evolve in the future.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 5 be rewritten?
Today, the genre includes such disparate types, as
Today the genre includes such disparate types as (no change)
Today, the genre includes such disparate types as
Today the genre includes such disparate types, as
Today the genre includes: such disparate types as
Today, the genre includes such disparate types as
As an introductory word, “Today” should have a comma after it. The “such (adj noun) as” construction is correct without any additional punctuation.
Example Question #73 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 Most of you probably know essays to be boring, tendentious assignments required for English class. 2 However the essay has a fascinating history.3 Did you know that the first known example of an essay came in the 16th-century? 4 Its author was Michel de Montaigne the French philosopher. 5 Today the genre includes such disparate types as the dialectic, the narrative, the critical, the historical, the descriptive, and the lyric essay. 6 The genre progressed with essays such as Robert Burton’s The Anatomy of Melancholy, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s On Poesy or Art, and Virginia Woolf’s A Room of Her Own.” 7 It remains to be, see how the essay will evolve in the future.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 7 be rewritten?
It remains to be, seem
It remains to be seen
It remains to be seem
It remains, to be seen
It remains to be, see (no change)
It remains to be seen
“It remains to be seen” is the correct phrase. There are no known variants to it.
Example Question #56 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment
1 W. Somerset Maugham was a proliferate and English author of more than two dozen books. 2 Born in 1874 and orphaned at a young age, also working as an ambulance driver in World War I and studying medicine in London. 3 Among his life he traveled in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, within other places, these experiences were also reflected in his writing. 4 His first novel, Liza of Lambeth, drew on these real-life experiences and became an instant bestseller, when it was published, in 1897. 5 One of Maugham’s most famous works, the American writer Theodore Dreiser gave a glowing review to the 1915 novel Of Human Bondage. 6 His legacy includes many plays, film adaptations, a tumultuous love life, an epigrammatic British literary award (the Somerset Maugham Award), and a steady if unexperimental oeuvre of fiction.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 4 be rewritten?
became an instant bestseller when it was published, in 1897.
became an instant bestseller when it was published in 1897.
became an instant bestseller, when it was published, in 1897.
became an instant bestseller, when it was published in 1897.
became an instant bestseller; when it was published, in 1897.
became an instant bestseller when it was published in 1897.
Since all the information in this phrase is essential to its meaning (none of it is parenthetical), it should not be broken into smaller clauses with commas.
Example Question #54 : Correcting Grammatical Errors In A Sentence Fragment
1 W. Somerset Maugham was a proliferate and English author of more than two dozen books. 2 Born in 1874 and orphaned at a young age, also working as an ambulance driver in World War I and studying medicine in London. 3 Among his life he traveled in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, within other places, these experiences were also reflected in his writing. 4 His first novel, Liza of Lambeth, drew on these real-life experiences and became an instant bestseller, when it was published, in 1897. 5 One of Maugham’s most famous works, the American writer Theodore Dreiser gave a glowing review to the 1915 novel Of Human Bondage. 6 His legacy includes many plays, film adaptations, a tumultuous love life, an epigrammatic British literary award (the Somerset Maugham Award), and a steady if unexperimental oeuvre of fiction.
How should the underlined portion of Sentence 3 be rewritten?
within other places; these experiences, being also reflected in his writing.
within other places; these experiences were also reflected in his writing.
within other places, these experiences were also reflected in his writing. (no change)
within other places these experiences were also reflected in his writing.
within other places, these experiences also being reflected in his writing.
within other places; these experiences were also reflected in his writing.
Here we have a comma splice: two independent clauses incorrectly separated by a comma. Replace this erroneous comma with a semicolon.
Example Question #74 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 Generally, a person will tell you they prefer not to have their food burned. 2 Because caramel: a delicious sticky dessert, is actually made by slowly burning sugar. 3 A copper saucepan, a candy thermometer, and sugar and water are all you need to make this lascivious treat. 4 Although some chefs prefer to use their eyes and nose rather than a thermometer. 5 Desserts that will be made from caramel, including ice cream, pies, crème brûlée, candy apples, nougats, flan, and pralines. 6 However it may take many disastrous attempts and scorched pans while the amateur caramel maker achieves the golden, buttery perfection of this tasty dessert.
In Sentence 2, what punctuation mark should replace the colon?
hyphen
comma
semicolon
no replacement should be made
parenthesis
comma
In Sentence 2, “a delicious sticky dessert” is a parenthetical phrase that must be separated from the surrounding clause with commas on each side. No other punctuation mark is correct.
Example Question #75 : Rewriting A Sentence Fragment
1 Generally, a person will tell you they prefer not to have their food burned. 2 Because caramel: a delicious sticky dessert, is actually made by slowly burning sugar. 3 A copper saucepan, a candy thermometer, and sugar and water are all you need to make this lascivious treat. 4 Although some chefs prefer to use their eyes and nose rather than a thermometer. 5 Desserts that will be made from caramel, including ice cream, pies, crème brûlée, candy apples, nougats, flan, and pralines. 6 However it may take many disastrous attempts and scorched pans while the amateur caramel maker achieves the golden, buttery perfection of this tasty dessert.
What word or phrase should be changed in Sentence 1?
will tell you
burned
prefer not
Generally
a person
a person
Because the pronouns in Sentence 1 are plural (“they” and “their”), we need a plural noun antecedent. We must change “a person” to “people.”
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