SAT Writing : Improving Sentences
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Example Questions
Example Question #13 : 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.
Toms shoes were utterly soaked by the rain.
Tom's' shoes
Toms shoes
Tom's shoes'
Tom's shoes
Toms' shoes
Tom's shoes
When indicating possession in sentences where the subject of the sentence is a third person, singular noun, you must follow that noun with an apostrophe and then an "s." The best construction of the underlined portion above is, "Tom's shoes."
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Amandas watch broke when it fell off of the conveyor belt.
Amanda her watch
Amandas' watch
Amandas watch
Amanda's watch
Amanda s watch
Amanda's watch
When indicating possession in a sentence where the subject of the sentence is a third person, singular noun, you must follow that noun with an apostrophe and then an "s." The best construction of the underlined portion above is, "Amanda's watch." "Amandas" would be the plural noun for a group of women all named Amanda. An apostrophe following an "s" is used to denote possession for plural nouns ending in an "s."
Example Question #142 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Other Punctuation
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.
Jesus disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
Jesus and disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
Jesus his disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
Jesus's disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
Jesuss, disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
Jesus disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
Jesus's disciples did their best to spread his teachings.
To indicate possession, plural nouns ending with "s" must have an apostrophe after the "s." Singular nouns ending in "s," however, must have an additional "s" after the apostrophe, in order to indicate possession. Of the options available, the best construction of the underlined portion above is, "Jesus's disciples did their best to spread his teachings."
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
James's hands were hurt by the high flame of the stove.
Jamess hands
James's hands
James his hands
James's hands'
James' hands
James's hands
To indicate possession, plural nouns ending with "s" must have an apostrophe after the "s." Singular nouns ending in "s," however, must have an additional "s" after the apostrophe, in order to indicate possession. Of the options available, the example sentence is actually the only one that is correct in its use of apostrophe.
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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 dog chewed on it's bone.
its's
it's
its
its'
its
"It's" is a conjunction that stands in for the phrase "it is." To convey possession when using the pronoun "it" simply add an s, without an apostrophe: "its."
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Chet, your my best friend.
your's
your'
you're
your
you're
"You're" is a conjunction that stands in for the phrase "you are." "Your" is used to denote possesion for the pronoun "you." In this case, Chet IS the speaker's best friend, so the correct version reads: "Chet, you're my best friend."
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Is that Rorys watch you're wearing?
Rory's watch you're
Rory' watch you're
Rorys watch you're
Rory's watch your
Rory's watch you're
For a singular noun (including proper nouns) the correct way to indicate possession is to put an apostrophe and an "s" onto the name. "You're" is a contraction of the phrase "you are."
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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.
Baseball player's are known for their quick reaction times.
player
players's
players'
players
player's
players
The example sentence is simply talking about baseball players in general, while the sentence is discussing some attributes possessed by those players, there is no grammatical need to indicate possession in this sentence, so no apostrophe is needed.
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation 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 chair could not stand upright, it was missing one of it's legs.
its'
its
it
its's
it's
its
"It's" is a contraction meaning "it is." "Its" is the possessive form of the pronoun "it." "Its" is correct in the underlined portion of the sentence above.
Example Question #141 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Other Punctuation
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.
Pauls's day went from bad to worse after he got his test results.
Pau'ls
Paul's
Pauls's
Paulses
Pauls
Paul's
When one wants to indicate possession when using a singular noun, one merely needs to add an apostrophe and then an s to the end of the noun. The best way to correct the underlined portion of the sentence above is, "Paul's." Even if the name had been "Pauls" the example sentence would be incorrect. Proper nouns ending in "s" should simply have an apostrophe after the "s."
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