SAT Writing : SAT Writing

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #301 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

No matter what I do, I can’t seem to convince the board of directors that achieving the designer’s vision will be impossible, when considering economies of scale. No error

Possible Answers:

the designer’s

can’t seem

impossible

No matter what I do,

No error

Correct answer:

impossible

Explanation:

“No matter what I do” is a dependent clause, so it must be separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma; however, “when considering economies of scale” is not a dependent clause in this case, so it shouldn’t be preceded by a comma. It is instead part of the preceding independent clause, and it can’t be removed from the sentence without losing some of the main idea.

Example Question #302 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

Being a weak speller I was not able to score well when it came time to write the inspirational essay; we were given no resources to check our spelling or grammar before we handed in the assignment. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

to score well

Being a weak speller

essay;

before we handed in

Correct answer:

Being a weak speller

Explanation:

“Being a weak speller” is a modifier that describes the narrator of the sentence, and it is a dependent clause. A comma is needed after “speller.” The semicolon is used correctly to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction here.

Example Question #303 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

The panel of scientists was fascinated by the rare species of tree frog, which was capable of producing toxins to incapacitate or even kill a full-grown horse, human, or cow. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

full-grown

was

frog,

human,

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

In this sentence, “which was capable of producing toxins to incapacitate or even kill a full-grown horse, human, or cow” is a dependent clause. In other words, it is non-essential information that can be removed and still leave a complete sentence; therefore, it is correctly separated from the independent clause with a comma. The items in the list are also correctly punctuated with commas.

Example Question #301 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

Being an unlikely candidate for governor the woman nevertheless charmed voters with her candor, fervency, and sardonic sense of humor. No error

Possible Answers:

candor,

Being an unlikely candidate for governor

nevertheless

fervency,

No error

Correct answer:

Being an unlikely candidate for governor

Explanation:

Here, “Being an unlikely candidate for governor” is a dependent clause. It relies on the independent clause (the rest of the sentence) for meaning, so it should be separated from that independent clause with a comma after “governor.” The list is punctuated correctly with commas here.

Example Question #302 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

Even with a combination of whiskey, opium, and assistants early amputations were grisly, excruciating procedures that often resulted in infection and death. No error

Possible Answers:

grisly

that often resulted in

assistants

whiskey,

No error

Correct answer:

assistants

Explanation:

Here, “Even with a combination of whiskey, opium, and assistants” is a dependent clause that depends upon the rest of the sentence (“early amputations were grisly, excruciating procedures that often resulted in infection and death”) for its meaning, so it should be separated from that independent clause with a comma after “assistants.”

Example Question #303 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

Ever since Joachim quit his last job he has been free to pursue his solo jazz career, and he has actually become quite skilled at improvisation. No error

Possible Answers:

career,

No error

Ever since Joachim quit his last job

pursue

quite skilled

Correct answer:

Ever since Joachim quit his last job

Explanation:

“Ever since Joachim quit his last job” is a dependent clause, so it should be separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma. There is also a comma after “career,” as we’re separating two independent clauses with a conjunction (“and”) and therefore we need a comma before that conjunction.

Example Question #304 : Identifying Punctuation Errors

Select the underlined word or words that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences may contain no error at all.

Above all you must remember to conjugate the verbs correctly on tomorrow’s test,” the French teacher said. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

tomorrow’s

Above all

test,”

the verbs

Correct answer:

Above all

Explanation:

Here, “Above all” is an introductory phrase and a dependent clause, so it must be followed by a comma. The direct speech is correctly punctuated in the original sentence.

Example Question #305 : Identifying Punctuation 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 student body cheered loudly and celebrated wildly, when summer vacation arrived once again. No error

Possible Answers:

loudly and

student body

No error

arrived once

wildly, when

Correct answer:

wildly, when

Explanation:

The comma used between "wildly" and "when" is extraneous and creates a grammatical error in this sentence. No comma is needed to separate the subordinate clause "when summer vacation arrived once again" from the independent clause "The student body cheered loudly and celebrated wildly." Note that if the order of these clauses were reversed and the sentence began with the subordinate clause, a comma would be needed after "again": "When summer vacation arrived once again, the student body cheered loudly and celebrated wildly"; however, since the subordinate clause follows the independent clause in the sentence as it is given, no comma is needed.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas

Please select the underlined portion of the sentence with errors, or select "no error" if the sentence has no errors.

The customer did not correctly understand the promotion, she expected to get half price on both items.

Possible Answers:

promotion, she

No error

did not correctly

get half price

Correct answer:

promotion, she

Explanation:

This sentence is a run-on, and should be split into two sentences with the appropriate punctuation, or given a proper conjunction.

Example Question #2 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Commas

Please select the underlined portion of the sentence with errors, or select "no error" if the sentence has no errors.

Although we frequently camp at the State Park, the National Park is our favorite place to visit, it has the longest mountain range in the country. 

Possible Answers:

the longest

visit, it

No error

Although we

Correct answer:

visit, it

Explanation:

Commas can only be used between dependent and independent clauses. When a comma splits two independent clauses, as in this question, it becomes a "comma splice", and is gramatically incorrect. Either a period or semi-colon should be used.

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