All SAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Anna, questioning her decision, looked to her brother, however he wouldn't meet her eye. No error
No error
Anna, questioning
decision, looked
brother, however
wouldn't meet
brother, however
The clause, "however, he wouldn't meet her eye," is an independent clause and must be separated by a semicolon or a coordinating conjunction.
Example Question #2 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
I stayed up late last night baking chocolate chip cookies, this morning when I woke up the house smelled so good that it made me hungry. No error
cookies,
baking
stayed up late
No error
smelled so good
cookies,
This is a run-on sentence. The two independent clauses need to be split into two separate sentences, or separated by a semicolon.
Example Question #2 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Car, bicycle, and bus are the only means of transportation in this city, there is no metro system available yet. No error
bus are
only
city, there
No error
available yet
city, there
A comma should only be used to separate an independent clause from a dependent clause: here it is separating two independent clauses, so a period or semi-colon is more appropritate.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The kids at the pumpkin patch screeched and spun around in circles all day, they bothered their teacher tremendously. No error
No error
day, they
tremendously
in circles
screeched
day, they
This is an example of a comma splice. The two independent clauses should be separated by a period, a semi-colon, or a comma and a conjunction, not by just a comma, which is used to separate independent and dependent clauses.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
How many times do I have to tell you, you have to tie the garbage bags securely or we will have animals in our trash. No error
we will have
How many times
securely
No error
you, you
you, you
The first clause of this sentence, "How many times do I have to tell you," is actually a rhetorical question. It is an independent clause and therefore must be separated with stronger punctuation than just a comma. In this case, it would be appropriate to set it off as its own sentence, ending in a question mark, but regardless, the comma splice in "you, you" is what makes this sentence ungrammatical.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a truly useful substance, it can be used for cooking, baking, and cleaning. No error.
truly useful
soda, also known
substance, it
is
No error.
substance, it
A comma cannot be used by itself to join two independent clauses, so "substance, it" contains this sentence's error. The first independent clause in this sentence is "Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a truly useful substance." The second independent clause is "It can be used for cooking, baking, and cleaning." Two independent clauses can be joined into a compound sentence in one of two ways: by using a comma followed by a conjunction or by using a semicolon.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Thomas had always struggled with trigonometry, he thought that circles should remain circles and let triangles and squiggles be their own shapes. No error
should remain
their
trigonometry, he
No error
had always struggled
trigonometry, he
This sentence is an example of a run-on or comma splice. It has two independent clauses separated only by a comma. One way to fix this is to change the comma to a semicolon; if this were to be done, the corrected sentence would read, "Thomas had always struggled with trigonometry; he thought that circles should remain circles and let triangles and squiggles be their own shapes."
Example Question #2 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Cal, with his good looks and smug tone, came off as arrogant to Sarah, she refused to speak with him for longer than necessary. No error
No error
than necessary
tone, came
Cal, with
Sarah, she
Sarah, she
The clause, "she refused to speak with him for longer than necessary" is an independent clause and therefore must be separated from the sentence's initial independent clause ("Cal, with his good looks and smug tone, came off as arrogant to Sarah") with a semicolon, a comma followed by a conjunction, or a period, not just a comma.
Example Question #4 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
I don't remember many Saturday morning cartoons, but May and John can name pretty much all of them, they were such huge fans of those shows. No error
such huge fans
them, they
many
cartoons,
No error
them, they
The clause following "them" ("they were such huge fans of those shows") is an independent clause. It therefore needs to be joined to the first part of the sentence, the compound independent clause "I don't remember many Saturday morning cartoons, but May and John can name pretty much all of them") using a semicolon, a comma followed by a conjunction, or a period, not just a comma. (Note the correct use of a comma followed by the conjunction "but" in the sentence's initial compound independent clause.)
Example Question #11 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Comma Splices
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Asking the kids for help filling the water balloons proved to be a bad idea, they couldn't resist the urge to throw them at each other and the floor was quickly covered in water. No error
proved
for help
No error
idea, they
other and
idea, they
This sentence contains a comma splice. Two independent clauses, like the two in the example, cannot be separated by just a comma. Instead, they should be linked using a period, a semicolon, or a comma with a conjunction.