SAT Writing : Correcting Word Usage Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #764 : Sentence Correction

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Previously, the candidates refuse to run any negative ads against their opponents.

Possible Answers:

refusal to run

refuse to be running

refusing to run

refused to run

refuse to run

Correct answer:

refused to run

Explanation:

The underlined portion describes what happened "Previously," which indicates the verb has to be in a tense showing what happened before. The correct answer must be in the past tense, and only "refused to run" has the correct tense among the answers.

Example Question #3 : Correcting Verb Tense Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

After Miguel left the store, he had gone to the gas station.

Possible Answers:

After Miguel were to have left the store, he had gone to the gas station.

After Miguel left the store, he will have gone to the gas station.

After Miguel left the store, he had gone to the gas station.

After Miguel left the store, he went to the gas station.

After Miguel was leaving the store, he had gone to the gas station.

Correct answer:

After Miguel left the store, he went to the gas station.

Explanation:

The original sentence uses the pluperfect verb form ("had gone to the gas station") erroneously because the event of going to the gas station happened after Miguel left the store.

Example Question #315 : Correcting Usage Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

If I would have used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.

Possible Answers:

If I had used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.

Forty dollars could have been saved had the coupon I had used.

If I would have used the coupon, forty dollars could have been saved by me.

If I would have used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.

If I will have used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.

Correct answer:

If I had used the coupon, I could have saved forty dollars.

Explanation:

One can never say “If I would have done”. One can only say “If I had done”, which is called the past perfect verb form.

Example Question #4 : Correcting Verb Tense Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Many parents mistakenly thinking babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.

Possible Answers:

Many parents mistakenly had thought babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development. 

Many parents mistake and think babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development. 

Many parents mistakenly thinking babies should be on low-fat diets; on the other hand, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development. 

Many parents mistakenly thinking babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development.

Many parents mistakenly think babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development. 

Correct answer:

Many parents mistakenly think babies should be on low-fat diets; however, fat is crucial to infants’ brain and nerve development. 

Explanation:

The word "thinking" is acting like a participle in the original sentence, making the first clause lack a verb. Changing "Many parents mistakenly thinking" to "Many parents mistakenly think" corrects the sentence's error.

Example Question #5 : Correcting Verb Tense Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

When I discovered that my mom hid chocolate bars in her top drawer, I take them all and ate them.

Possible Answers:

When I made the discovery that my mom hid chocolate bars in her top drawer, I was taking them all and ate them. 

When I discovered that my mom hid chocolate bars in her top drawer, I took and ate them all.  

When I discovered that my mom hid chocolate bars in her top drawer, I had taken them all and eaten them. 

When I was discovering that my mom hid in her top drawer chocolate bars, I took them all and ate them all. 

When I discovered that my mom hid chocolate bars in her top drawer, I take them all and ate them.

Correct answer:

When I discovered that my mom hid chocolate bars in her top drawer, I took and ate them all.  

Explanation:

The original statement uses the wrong verb tense for the verb "take"; it should be "took". The correct answer is also more concise than the original.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Verb Tense Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Until recently, scientists were believing that squids of giant size were only a myth of the creation of sailors.

Possible Answers:

Until recent times, it was believed by scientists that sailors created giants squids in their myths that they told. 

Until most recently, scientists were of the belief that giants squids, a myth, created by sailors.

Until recently, scientists believed that giant squids were only a myth created by sailors. 

Until recently, scientists were believing that squids of giant size were only a myth of the creation of sailors.

Until recently, sailors were creating a myth of giants squids, of which scientists believed. 

Correct answer:

Until recently, scientists believed that giant squids were only a myth created by sailors. 

Explanation:

The original statement erroneously uses the past progressive verb tense "were believing" instead of "believed." The correct answer is also less awkward and more concise than the original.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Verb Tense Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

The students were shocked learning of their teacher's past life as a rock musician.

Possible Answers:

were shocking learning

were shocked learning

were shocking to learn

were shocking to learn

were shocked to learn

Correct answer:

were shocked to learn

Explanation:

The use of the verb "learn" is essentially as a modifier of the students "shock." This means that "learning" must be turned into a form that will describe why the students were "shocked." "Were shocked to learn," using an infinitive form, is the best choice among the answers.

Example Question #71 : Correcting Verb Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

If she arrives empty handed, I was angry with her.

Possible Answers:

I anger

I am angry

I had been angry

I was angry

I will be angry

Correct answer:

I will be angry

Explanation:

The sentence features a conditional statement, "If she arrives empty handed," that explains the underlined portion of the sentence. This means the verb tense in the underlined portion should be in the future, as it will only occur once another action has taken place. "I will be angry," is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #72 : Correcting Verb Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

"Victoria" is a name that sounds throughout history since the nineteenth century.

Possible Answers:

sounding through history

sounding throughout history

sounds throughout history

sounds through history

has sounded throughout history

Correct answer:

has sounded throughout history

Explanation:

The use of the phrase "since the nineteenth century" indicates that the appropriate verb form of "sound" must be the past tense, as it describes things taking place previously. The correct answer choice is "has sounded throughout history," as it is the only choice in the past tense.

Example Question #71 : Correcting Verb Errors

Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.

Sam go to the grocery store before he stopped by the bakery.

Possible Answers:

gone

is going

will go

goes

went

Correct answer:

went

Explanation:

For this sentence, we need to correct the tense of the verb "go" such that it makes sense when used in the sentence with "stopped by." We know that Sam visited the grocery store "before he stopped by the bakery," so we need to pick out the past tense of "go," because we are told that Sam "stopped by" the bakery in the sentence, and "stopped by" employs the past tense. We also know that Sam visited the grocery store "before he stopped by the bakery," so the correct form of "go" must also employ the past tense. While both "went" and "gone" might look like potentially correct answers, "gone," when used as a verb, is the past participle of "go" and must be used with a helping verb like "has" or "had" to be grammatically correct. The answer choice "gone" does not include a helping verb, so we know that it can't be correct. "Went," however, is the past tense of "go," so "went" is the correct answer.

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