All SAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #45 : Identifying Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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 an avid chef, Michelle is skilled at dicing tomatoes, baking a variety of pastries, and how to spice many different cuts of meat. No error
As an avid chef,
how to spice
skilled at
No error
baking a variety
how to spice
When phrases are enumerated in a list, it is important that the list use parallel structure—that is, it is important that all of the items in the list are presented in the same grammatical form. Here, two of the phrases use gerunds: "dicing" and "baking." We can't change those because they are not underlined, so the phrase "how to spice" should instead be changed to the gerund "spicing."
Example Question #24 : Identifying Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Constructing a complex model is not always easy; it requires dexterity, precision, and most of all being patient. No error
easy; it
being patient
No error
precision, and
Constructing
being patient
This sentence contains an error in parallel structure because it does not phrase all of the items in its list consistently. The first two items in the list are nouns ("dexterity" and "precision"), but the third item in the list is a gerund phrase ("being patient"). You could correct this error by replacing "being patient" with "patience."
Example Question #1271 : 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.
Before Alice left the house, she made sure that she had washed the dishes, taken out the trash, and the door was locked. No error
No error
the door was locked
taken out
that
Before Alice left
the door was locked
This sentence lacks parallel structure; the elements in its list should be formatted in the same way. Here, the third element in the sentence's list, "the door was locked," uses passive voice, describing what was done to the door, not what Alice did. On the other hand, the first two items in the list ("had washed the dishes" and "taken out the trash") each use active voice, describing what Alice did to the dishes and the trash. Changing "the door was locked" from passive to active voice corrects the sentence's error. The corrected sentence reads, "Before Alice left the house, she made sure that she had washed the dishes, taken out the trash, and locked the door."
Example Question #1272 : 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.
It is a more difficult task to learn to type than mastering a simple word processing program. No error
more difficult
No error
mastering
learn
is
mastering
A sentence should be consistent in its use of verb tense, comparisons, and tone. In the sentence above, "to learn," an infinitive, is being compared to "mastering," a present progressive verb. Things being compared should take on the same grammatical form; that means that "mastering" should be changed to "to master" in order for proper parallel construction to be used. The sentence should read, "It is more difficult to learn to type than it is to master a simple word processing program." "To type" is being compared to "to master"; both are in the infinitive form in this revised case.
Example Question #1275 : 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.
In his training course, Marvin learned how to address customer concerns, fill out budget requests, and setting up a company account. No error
course, Marvin
In
customer
No error
and setting up
and setting up
This sentence has a problem with parallelism. The items in its list aren't all formatted in the same way: the first two things that we're told Marvin learns to do in his training course are "address customer concerns" and "fill out budget requests," each of these phrases beginning with an infinitive verb. The third thing that Marvin learns to do is "setting up a company account"; in contrast to the previous two infinitive phrases, "setting up a company account" is unnecessarily conjugated to be in the present progressive tense. Since changing the first two items to be in the present progressive tense (as well as the rest of the sentence to make this work grammatically) isn't an option, the answer "and setting up" contains the sentence's error. You could correct the sentence by changing "and setting up" to "and set up," making the corrected sentence, "In his training course, Marvin learned how to address customer concerns, fill out budget requests, and set up a company account."
Example Question #1273 : 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.
Although it was easy for Mary to identify the problem, she found it more difficult to communicate with the technical crew and solving it. No error
solving it
more difficult
Although
found
No error
solving it
This sentence has a problem with parallelism. The verbs “communicate” and “solving” should be formatted in the same way, since they are the two things it was "more difficult" for Mary to do. Since only "solving it," and not "communicate," is underlined, "solving it" contains the sentence's error and is the correct answer. The corrected sentence reads, "Although it was easy for Mary to identify the problem, she found it more difficult to communicate with the technical crew and solve it."
Example Question #781 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Lisa insisted that her favorite activities included camping, reading, drinking tea, and hikes. No error
insisted that
favorite
and hikes
included
No error
and hikes
This sentence does not have parallel structure between the items in the list. The first three are gerund verbs, but the fourth is a noun. The corrected sentence reads: Lisa insisted that her favorite activities included camping, reading, drinking tea, and hiking.
Example Question #782 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Until he started his first food service job, Hank had never mopped a floor, scrubbed a wall, or wash dishes. No error
or
had never mopped
wash dishes
Until
No error
wash dishes
This sentence has a problem with parallel structure. All of the items in the list should be in the same verb tense, but the third item here is in a different tense. The corrected sentence reads: Until he started his first food service job, Hank had never mopped a floor, scrubbed a wall, or washed dishes.
Example Question #1274 : 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.
It’s a long drive, but I would much rather drive home than bus. No error
No error
It's
long
but
than bus
than bus
In this sentence, the format of the two items being compared does not stay parallel. “Drive” is a verb, and “bus” is a noun. The corrected sentence reads: It’s a long drive, but I would much rather drive home than take the bus.
Example Question #783 : Identifying Sentence 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 spies started to empathize with the man they were watching, and suddenly they wondered if their actions were morally excusable or not being so. No error
empathize with
they
not being so
and suddenly
No error
not being so
This sentence lacks grammatical parallelism. The phrase “not being so” is clunky, and it doesn’t match with the earlier part “were morally excusable.” The corrected sentence reads: The spies started to empathize with the man they were watching, and suddenly they wondered if their actions were morally excusable or not.
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