SAT Writing : SAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #341 : Sat Writing
1 It may be hard to believe. 2 But light was once a rare and inviolate commodity. 3 Our ancestors invented willful ways to harness natural light; burning lumps of tallow or animal fat, capturing fireflies in glass jars, and even threading wicks down the throats of a bird called the storm petrel.4 Most of these methods were messy, inconvenient, and costly. 5 So it was fortunate when kerosene became popular. 6 Whale oil was another way to get light, but whaling was a dangerous and deadly occupation. 7 The innovation of the electric light bulb represented another huge leap in convenience and cost-effectiveness. 8 While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem. 9 Light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
How should Sentences 8 and 9 be combined?
While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem; light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem, light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem: light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem. Light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness. (no change)
While light is not scarce today; in fact, we often have the opposite problem: light pollution, or excessive artificial light, which can keep city denizens from ever seeing the stars or appreciating true darkness.
Although it’s a bit clunky, the best option is to add a colon after “problem.” Although Sentence 9 is not a list, colons can occasionally be used after independent clauses to introduce specific topics that are not in lists, usually when the second independent clause clarifies, defines, or explains the first independent clause.
Example Question #21 : Separating, Combining, Or Moving Sentences
1 “Waltzing Matilda” is the title of an Australian song. 2 This song is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem. 3 Although unscrupulous to a foreigner, the song’s seemingly nonsensical lyrics are actually slang that describes a migrant worker’s travels. 4 The song even has it’s own museum in Queensland. 5 Can you believe that? 6 It was written in 1895 by the Australian author Banjo Paterson and has more recordings than any other Australian song, including the national anthem; “Advance Australia Fair.”
How should Sentences 1 and 2 be combined?
“Waltzing Matilda” is the title of an Australian song, which is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem.
“Waltzing Matilda” is the title of an Australian song, and this song is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem.
They should not be combined.
“Waltzing Matilda” is the title of an Australian song; this song is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem.
“Waltzing Matilda,” the title of an Australian song, is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem.
“Waltzing Matilda,” the title of an Australian song, is often called Australia’s unofficial national anthem.
Sentences 1 and 2 are redundant as they are, so they must be condensed.
Example Question #132 : Improving Paragraphs
1 Today, different methods are adopted to strive off these threats to biological diversity. 2 By now, the occurrence of invasive species is a common place problem. 3 It occurs when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment. 4 Invasive species cause problems, such as kudzu, Asian carp, and zebra mussels. 5 Habitats can be destroyed and human economies can be damaged by the invidious effects of species that are inoculated or even charming pets in other ecosystems. 6 For example, rabbits in Australia. 7 They were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops. 8 Pheromone traps can lure in insect pests and genetic modification can cause invasive carp to produce only male offspring, limiting their reproduction. 9 Given our widespread global commerce and travel, however, it may be impossible to foresight all damage done by species that end up somewhere they don’t belong.
How should Sentences 2 and 3 be combined?
By now, the occurrence of invasive species – a common place problem – occurs when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment.
By now the occurrence of invasive species is a common place problem; happening when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment.
By now, the occurrence of invasive species is a common place problem. It occurs when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment. (no change)
By now, the occurrence of invasive species, which occurs when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment, is a common place problem.
By now, invasive species (non native plants or animals introduced to a new environment) are a common place problem.
By now, invasive species (non native plants or animals introduced to a new environment) are a common place problem.
To avoid redundancy, we want to avoid using both “occurrence” and “occurs.” To make the sentences as concise as possible without grammatical errors, a fair amount of rewriting is called for.
Example Question #344 : Sat Writing
1 As anyone who has tried it can tell you, Filipino food is an exciting intriguing blend of flavors. 2 Due to interaction with various nations and cultures, it’s cuisine is marked by influences from Austronesia, Spain, China, Malaysia, and the United States. 3 Some typical dishes including pancit, longganisa, lumpia, kare-kare, pinakbet, sinigang, and adobo. 4 For example, one could find everything from Spanish paella and Chinese spring rolls (locally called lumpia) if you walked into a Filipino restaurant.
5 Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food. 6 These street foods include many fried foods, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.7 Taho, a warm street food, is composed of bean curd, a caramel syrup or arnibal, and tapioca pearls.8 Don’t forget dessert! 9 With such a variety of flavors, textures, and cooking styles, there’s certainly to be something for every gourmand.
How should Sentences 5 and 6 be combined?
Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food, these street foods including many fried foods, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.
Another important compound of Filipino cuisine, including many fried foods, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls, is street food.
Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food, including many fried items such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.
Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food. These street foods include many fried foods, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls. (no change)
Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food including many fried items, such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.
Another important compound of Filipino cuisine is street food, including many fried items such as bananas, plantains, dumplings, squid balls, battered quail eggs, and fruit or vegetable spring rolls.
To avoid redundancy, we want to avoid saying “street food” twice in a row. Substituting “item” for “food” and combining the two sentences is the most concise and grammatically correct approach.
Example Question #3 : Pronoun Usage
1 Today, different methods are adopted to strive off these threats to biological diversity. 2 By now, the occurrence of invasive species is a common place problem. 3 It occurs when a non native species of plant or animal is introduced into a new environment. 4 Invasive species cause problems, such as kudzu, Asian carp, and zebra mussels. 5 Habitats can be destroyed and human economies can be damaged by the invidious effects of species that are inoculated or even charming pets in other ecosystems. 6 For example, rabbits in Australia. 7 They were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops. 8 Pheromone traps can lure in insect pests and genetic modification can cause invasive carp to produce only male offspring, limiting their reproduction. 9 Given our widespread global commerce and travel, however, it may be impossible to foresight all damage done by species that end up somewhere they don’t belong.
How should Sentences 6 and 7 be combined?
For example, rabbits in Australia were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops.
For example, rabbits in Australia, they were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops.
For example: rabbits in Australia, were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops.
For example, rabbits in Australia. They were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops. (no change)
For example, rabbits in Australia; they were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops.
For example, rabbits in Australia were introduced in the 1780s by British penal colony ships and became widespread after an 1859 outbreak, destroying millions of dollars worth of crops.
Sentence 6 is a fragment, so it must be combined with Sentence 7. By simply deleting the period and the pronoun, we can create a standard subject-verb-object sentence.
Example Question #22 : Combining Sentences
1 While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods. 2 Most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals. 3 For example, did you even know that GM was the abbreviation for genetically modified? 4 Genetic modification is defined as the artificial manipulation of a specie’s DNA usually for the purpose of improving crop yield, resistance to disease, or nutritive value. 5 And did you know it has been going on for millennia, because ancient farmers were selectively breeding foods to provide better flavor, produce smaller seeds, or withstand drought and flooding?
6 Today, however, having more sophisticated tools allow scientists to transfer genes from one organism with another, this purposely provokes better pest resistance and other desirable characteristics. 7 Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment. 8 Additionally, some are also arguing that consuming GM foods is unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
How should Sentences 1 and 2 be combined?
While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods; most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals.
While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods, most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals.
Many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods: Most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals.
While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods. Most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals. (no change)
While many people are feeling strongly about the genetic modification of foods, most of them not understanding the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals.
While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods, most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals.
Sentence 1 is a dependent clause, which makes it a sentence fragment. We can address this problem by simply tacking it onto the beginning of Sentence 2, an independent clause, and using a comma to separate the two.
Example Question #23 : Combining Sentences
1 While many people feel strongly about the genetic modification of foods. 2 Most do not understand the full nature of genetically modified (GM) plants and animals. 3 For example, did you even know that GM was the abbreviation for genetically modified? 4 Genetic modification is defined as the artificial manipulation of a specie’s DNA usually for the purpose of improving crop yield, resistance to disease, or nutritive value. 5 And did you know it has been going on for millennia, because ancient farmers were selectively breeding foods to provide better flavor, produce smaller seeds, or withstand drought and flooding?
6 Today, however, having more sophisticated tools allow scientists to transfer genes from one organism with another, this purposely provokes better pest resistance and other desirable characteristics. 7 Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment. 8 Additionally, some are also arguing that consuming GM foods is unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
How should Sentences 7 and 8 be combined?
Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment. Additionally, some are also arguing that consuming GM foods is unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary (no change)
Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment, additionally arguing that consuming GM foods is unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment; additionally some are also arguing that consuming GM foods is unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment as well as unsafe for human consumption, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
Opponents of genetic modification argue additionally that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment as well as unsafe for humans, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
Opponents of genetic modification argue that the DNA modifications are unstable, undesirable, and unhealthy for the environment as well as unsafe for human consumption, despite much scientific evidence to the contrary.
While each sentence is grammatically correct on its own, the two sentences do contain redundancies. They can be combined and shortened to address these redundancies.
Example Question #24 : Combining Sentences
1 The legend of Billy the Kid, one of the most famous outlaws of the Wild West. 2 Allied Henry McCarty and William H. Bonney, Billy the Kid was a gunfighter who was rumored to have killed nearly two dozen men in 19th century America. 3 Friendly and charming, his status was relatively unknown until a price was put on his head in 1881 by the governor of New Mexico, than a territory. 4 He lived in New York City, Indiana, Kansas, and Arizona at various points within his life. 5 Billy the Kid’s various crimes include: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail. 6 Many of these various crimes were committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs. 7 He was finally, captured and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in New Mexico in 1881.
How should Sentences 5 and 6 be combined?
Billy the Kid’s various crimes, many of which were committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs, including: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail.
Billy the Kid’s various crimes include: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail. 6 Many of these various crimes were committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs. (no combination)
Billy the Kid’s various crimes include: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail; many of these various crimes, were committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs.
Billy the Kid’s many various crimes including those committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail.
Billy the Kid’s various crimes, many of which were committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs, include: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail.
Billy the Kid’s various crimes, many of which were committed as part of his membership in Old West gangs, include: murder, horse thievery, stealing firearms, and escaping from jail.
While grammatically correct on their own, Sentences 5 and 6 contain redundancies and can be combined for greater concision.
Example Question #25 : Combining Sentences
1 If you’re wearing clothes right now you’re likely wearing something a sewing machine has produced. 2 But what you may not know is the history of the sewing machine that made your clothes. 3 The device was invented in England during the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th-century. 4 Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process. 5 Early machines were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes. 6 Gradually, other machines emerged that were superior in Europe and America. 7 Famous brands today; include those by 19th century inventor Isaac Singer. 8 As the 1800s progressed sewing machines became purchases for not just clothing manufacturers but individuals.
How should Sentences 4 and 5 be combined?
Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process; with early machines often being used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes.
Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process. Early machines were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes. (no change)
Early machines, greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process, were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes.
Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process, early machines were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes.
Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process; and early machines were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes.
Greatly increasing efficiency by mechanizing the process, early machines were often used for stitching leather and canvas for various purposes including, horse tack, sails, and shoes.
Since Sentence 4 is a dependent clause and Sentence 5 is an independent clause, the two can be combined simply by removing the period and replacing it with a comma.
Example Question #26 : Combining Sentences
1 The tornado, a dreaded meteorological phenomena and a verifiable force of nature. 2 But what is it really? 3 Also known as a twister or a cyclone, tornadoes are rapidly rotating funnels of air linked between a cloud and either the surface of the earth or water. 4 They are caused by the creation of strong thunderstorms by rotating columns of air, resultantly increased rainfall causes increased downward air movement. 5 Rather than the Richter scale measures the strength of hurricanes the Fujita scale measures the strength of a tornado. 6 This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister. 7 And the 2014 “Into the Storm” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.” 8 The Fujita scale, also called the F-scale, was named after an employee at the University of Chicago and originally had 13 different levels. 9 The thirteenth level of the scale is used to describe only the most awe inspiring of tornadoes.
How should Sentences 6 and 7 be combined?
This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister as well as the 2014 “Into the Storm” and also even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.”
This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister; and the 2014 “Into the Storm”; and, even, the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.”
This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister. And the 2014 “Into the Storm” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.” (no change)
This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister, the 2014 movie “Into the Storm,” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.”
This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister, the 2014 “Into the Storm,” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.”
This natural disasters’ destructive mite is commemorated in such classic films as the 1996, movie, Twister, the 2014 movie “Into the Storm,” and even the 2013 sparse “Sharknado.”
The most efficient way to combine the sentences is to make the three movies into a parallel list.
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