SAT Writing : SAT Writing
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Identifying Preposition Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
As the dictator established more policies to repress the population, many rebels decided to protest of them. No error
of
No error
decided
to repress
established
of
The error in this sentence involves prepositions. Instead of saying "protest of them," which is incorrect, it should read either "protest against them" or "protest them."
Example Question #31 : Identifying Other Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The results of the experiment indicate that children prefer the voices of adults rather than those of other children. No error
indicate
children
those of
rather than
No error
rather than
This sentence contains an idiom error. It is incorrect to say that someone "prefers X rather than Y." Instead, the correct form of the idiom is "prefer X to Y," so the sentence should read, "The results of the experiment indicate that children prefer the voices of adults to those of other children."
Example Question #32 : Identifying Other Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
To the professor's surprise, the measurements obtained by her colleagues were inconsistent to the predictions of classical Newtonian physics. No error
were
professor's
to
classical
No error
to
This sentence contains an incorrect idiomatic expression. The phrase "inconsistent to" should be "inconsistent with."
Example Question #33 : Identifying Other Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
When the earthquake hit, Martin, fearing for his life, ran to cover underneath a nearby tree, not knowing he was safer out in the open. No error
ran to cover
out in the open
No error
a nearby tree
for his life
ran to cover
The phrase "ran to cover" contains the sentence's error; it should be written as "ran for cover" instead so that it correctly follows the conventions of preposition usage.
Example Question #234 : Identifying Word Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Somehow, I managed to talk with my professor for twenty minutes and successfully evade from the topic of my seriously late literature review. No error
No error
evade from
talk with
and
seriously
evade from
This sentence does not follow the conventions of prepositions. “Evade” is not typically followed by a preposition; the “from” is unnecessary and incorrect. The corrected sentence reads, "Somehow, I managed to talk with my professor for twenty minutes and successfully evade the topic of my seriously late literature review."
Example Question #1021 : Sat Writing
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The rice dish I made was different than the one Krista made last weekend; mine used different spices and had a longer cooking time. No error
No error
different than
spices and had
the one
weekend; mine
different than
"Different from" should be used instead of "different than." "Than" implies a direct comparison, implying that A is more different than B. Since only two things are being compared, that means one can't be more different than the other (unless there is a third reference item also in the comparison), and "different from" should be used instead of "different than."
Example Question #1022 : Sat Writing
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed in order to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The research assistant came back with results inconsistent to those of previous trials, so the investigator had to verify her calculations. No error
No error
those of
had
trials, so
to
to
"To" is the incorrect preposition to use with "inconsistent." The correct pairing would be "inconsistent with." "With" should also be paired with "consistent."
Example Question #231 : Identifying Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Ron used to prefer cats for dogs, but recently changed his mind on the matter after being befriended by a charming canine. No error
used to prefer
being befriended
but recently
No error
for
for
When using the word "prefer" to describe a preference for one item versus another, the proper preposition to use along with "prefer" is "to," not "for." Therefore, the proper formation of this part of the sentence would be "prefer cats to dogs," not "prefer cats for dogs."
Example Question #1023 : Sat Writing
The several miscommunication problems that we have experienced point at the underlying translation issues that characterize the industry as a whole.
that characterize
several
No error
as a whole
point at
point at
This sentence has a problem with prepositional idioms. The corrected sentence reads: The several miscommunication problems that we have experienced point to the underlying translation issues that characterize the industry as a whole.
Example Question #232 : Identifying Usage Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
In the cities of the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle and Portland, there isn't hardly a single day that passes without rain. No error
cities
isn't
without
No error
single day
isn't
This sentence's meaning is confused because it uses two negative words: "isn't" and "hardly." Double negatives are grammatically incorrect in modern English and would technically yield a positive meaning, so we need to change out one of these negative words for a positive one. Since it isn't an option to change or omit "hardly," "isn't" contains the sentence's error and is the correct answer. One way to correct the sentence would be to change "isn't" to "is," yielding the sentence, "In the cities of the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle and Portland, there is hardly a single day that passes without rain."
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