SAT Writing : SAT Writing

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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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

Possible Answers:

As an avid chef, 

how to spice

skilled at

No error

baking a variety

Correct answer:

how to spice

Explanation:

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

Possible Answers:

easy; it

being patient

No error

precision, and

Constructing

Correct answer:

being patient

Explanation:

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

Possible Answers:

No error

the door was locked

taken out

that

Before Alice left

Correct answer:

the door was locked

Explanation:

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

Possible Answers:

more difficult

No error

mastering

learn

is

Correct answer:

mastering

Explanation:

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

Possible Answers:

course, Marvin

In

customer

No error

and setting up

Correct answer:

and setting up

Explanation:

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 itNo error

Possible Answers:

solving it

more difficult

Although

found

No error

Correct answer:

solving it

Explanation:

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 hikesNo error

Possible Answers:

insisted that

favorite

and hikes

included

No error

Correct answer:

and hikes

Explanation:

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 dishesNo error

Possible Answers:

or

had never mopped

wash dishes

Until

No error

Correct answer:

wash dishes

Explanation:

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 busNo error

Possible Answers:

No error

It's

long

but

than bus

Correct answer:

than bus

Explanation:

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 soNo error

Possible Answers:

empathize with

they

not being so

and suddenly

No error

Correct answer:

not being so

Explanation:

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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