SAT Writing : Improving Sentences
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe 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.
Athlete's popularity in high school is a profound feature of the American educational system.
Athletes' popularity
Athlete's popularities
Athletes' popularities
Athlete's popularity
Athletes popularity
Athletes' popularity
The form "Athlete's" is incorrect in the sentence because the construction, with a lack of articles preceeding it, indicates a plural form. "Athlete's" is the singular possesive form, but the sentence requires the plural possessive "Athletes'" and the singular "popularity."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Apostrophe 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.
Hardly any of the senators had even heard of the issue before the committee held it's meeting.
before that committee held it's meeting.
before the committee held it's meeting.
before the committee held its meeting.
before the committee holds it's meeting.
before a committee held it's meeting.
before the committee held its meeting.
The use of "it's" is only correct when "it's" is being used as the contraction of "it is." "Its" is the word to use when you need the possessive form of "it," as in this sentence. Thus, the correct answer choice is "before the committee held its meeting."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe 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 unrealistic assumptions caused the teams fans to expect more than the team could actually achieve.
caused the teams fans
caused the team's fans
causing the teams fans
caused the teams fans'
causing the teams fans'
caused the team's fans
The only issue with the sentence as it is written is that the word "teams" should be a possesive, when it is written as a simple plural. The word needs to be changed to "team's," making "caused the team's fans" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe 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.
Under the terms of the contract, the company had to pay the fired employee six months salary.
six month's salary.
six month of salary.
six months salary.
six months salaries.
six months' salary.
six months' salary.
The construction of "six months salary" is incorrect, as it refers to the salary of six months, and therefore needs a possesive form. The only answer that contains the correct (plural) possessive form is "six months' salary."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe 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 last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants, is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her students fail.
The last thing that a teacher wants is to see one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants to see is one of her student's fail.
The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her students fail.
In the sentence, "student's" is written as a possesive, when it actually is functioning as a simple plural noun. The only change that needs to be made in the sentence is to remove the apostrophe from "student's," making the correct answer "The last thing a teacher wants is to see one of her students fail."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe 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 girl was thoroughly embarrassed by her parents actions and comments in front of her friends.
by her parents, actions and comments
by her parents of actions and comments
by her parents actions and comments
by her parents actions, and comments
by her parents' actions and comments
by her parents' actions and comments
The word "parents" in the sentence is used as a possesive, as the "actions and comments" belong to the parents. The word is written, however, as a simple plural. The answer choice that fixes this problem is "by her parents' actions and comments."
Example Question #61 : Apostrophe 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 fighter's had to be held back, as they kept attempting to hit each other before the boxing match had officially begun.
The fighter's had to being held back
The fighter's having to be held back
The fighter's had to have been held back
The fighter's had to be held back
The fighters had to be held back
The fighters had to be held back
The construction of "fighter's" is incorrect, as it is written as a possesive form, but should only be a simple plural. The only correction that needs to be made is that "fighter's" needs to be changed to "fighters." Therefore, the correct answer choice is "The fighters had to be held back."
Example Question #641 : Correcting Grammatical 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.
Most of the students were confused by the schools new regulations about appropriate clothing.
by, the schools new, regulations
by the school's new regulations
by the school is new regulations
by the schools new regulations
by the schools new regulation's
by the school's new regulations
The regulations beiing discussed in the sentence belong to the school, and the sentence should reflect this by making "schools" into the possessive form. Nothing else in the sentence should be changed, making "by the school's new regulations" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #11 : Correcting Apostrophe 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.
Bills' pencil broke, so he was unable to finish the exam.
Bills pencil
Bill' pencils
Bill's pencil
Bills' pencil
Bills pencils
Bill's pencil
With possession, for most singular nouns (as is the case with the proper noun, "Bill"), the correct construction is to follow the noun with an apostrophe, and then "s." Therefore, the best construction of the underlined portion is "Bill's pencil." An apostrophe after an "s," as in the case of, for instance, "the soldiers' guns," is used to signal possession by a plural noun.
Example Question #12 : Correcting Apostrophe 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 government appears to have lost sight of it's purpose.
lose sight of its purpose.
lost sight of its' purpose.
lost sight of its purpose.
lost sight of his or her purpose.
lost sight of it is purpose.
lost sight of its purpose.
When intending to convey possession, and using the pronoun "it," the proper construction is "its" without an apostrophe; therefore, the best version of the underlined section above is "lost sight of its purpose." "It's" is a contraction of "it is." This is among the most common errors in English writing.
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