All SAT Writing Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #511 : Sat Writing
1 Whether or not you are superstitious. 2 Fortunetelling has played a major role in many cultures.3 Also known as divination. 4 Western fortunetelling arose from the Romani people and such as reading tea leaves’, gazing into crystal balls, tarot reading, palmistry, and observing the flights, innards, or eating patterns of birds. 5 In William Shakespeare’s famous play “Julius Caesar,” for example, a soothsayer warns the soon to be assassinated Caesar to beware the Ides of March. 6 Western fortunetelling has also been influenced by Eastern divination methods such as the I Ching and to read coffee beans. 7 Unfortunately several major religions prescribe fortunetelling with very degrees of severity. 8 Despite, fortunetelling still thrives in contemporary culture, psychics and Magic-8 balls are just two of many fun ways to attempt to see into the future.
Which of the following topics would best augment the passage if added in a sentence?
A discussion of black cats and other superstitions
Lists of religions that do and do not prohibit fortunetelling
A quotation of a religious prohibition against fortunetelling
Lists of further fortunetelling methods and the cultures from which they derive
A discussion of horseshoes and other lucky charms
Lists of further fortunetelling methods and the cultures from which they derive
Fortunetelling methods and their cultures is the main focus of the passage, so adding further information about this topic would be the best choice.
Example Question #91 : Inserting Content
1 While maybe he wasn’t as well known as Bluebeard or Captain Kidd, Bill Johnston was still known as a feared pirate and river smuggler in his day.2 That day being the War of 1812. 3 You see, he came from a British Loyalist family and settled in Upper Canada before beginning a career as a Lake Ontario schooner captain, he carried legal cargo as well as smuggled tea and rum into Canada. 4 When the War of 1812 began he spied on the British for several years. 5 In 1838, his most famous escapade occurred: in the capture and burning of the enemy ship Sir Robert Peel. 6 Because Johnston was arrested many times during his life (including for this crime against the Sir Robert Peel), he always either escaped jail or was not convicted because of juries sympathetic view of his activities. 7 Many people do not know that another name for pirate is “corsair.” 8 Nevertheless, Johnston played many roles in his lifetime – everything from fugitive and corsair, criminal and hero.
In Sentence 4, where should a comma be inserted?
After “1812”
After “British”
After “began”
After “spied”
No comma should be inserted
After “began”
“When the War of 1812 began” is a dependent clause that must be set off from the rest of the sentence, an independent clause, by commas.
Example Question #511 : Sat Writing
1 Whether or not you are superstitious. 2 Fortunetelling has played a major role in many cultures.3 Also known as divination. 4 Western fortunetelling arose from the Romani people and such as reading tea leaves’, gazing into crystal balls, tarot reading, palmistry, and observing the flights, innards, or eating patterns of birds. 5 In William Shakespeare’s famous play “Julius Caesar,” for example, a soothsayer warns the soon to be assassinated Caesar to beware the Ides of March. 6 Western fortunetelling has also been influenced by Eastern divination methods such as the I Ching and to read coffee beans. 7 Unfortunately several major religions prescribe fortunetelling with very degrees of severity. 8 Despite, fortunetelling still thrives in contemporary culture, psychics and Magic-8 balls are just two of many fun ways to attempt to see into the future.
Which kind of punctuation should be added to Sentence 5?
Semicolons
Commas
Hyphens
No punctuation should be added
Colons
Hyphens
Because “soon to be assassinated” is a compound adjective appearing in front of a noun, hyphens are required to link the individual words together and provide clarity.
Example Question #302 : Improving Paragraphs
1 Many people have an imminent dislike of crows, few know much at all about the bird. 2 “Crow” actually refers to a genus not a species that includes jackdaws, ravens, rooks and other birds. 3 Their dark color, striated cries, and appearance in horror movies all make it seem very omnivorous. 4 The truth about this genus is that the birds in it are incredibly intelligent – often nearly so as some apes. 5 Appearing on all continents except South America and Antarctica. 6 These perspicacious birds were once thought to predict the future, including weather and war plans. 7 Today, they are used for scientific research, hunting, or even being kept as pets.
Where should the following sentence be inserted? “(Magpies, once categorized as crows, now belong to a different genus.)”
After Sentence 2
After Sentence 3
After Sentence 5
After Sentence 1
After Sentence 4
After Sentence 2
Since this sentence discusses the taxonomic categorization of crow species, it belongs immediately after the correlative discussion of crow species in Sentence 2.
Example Question #303 : Improving Paragraphs
1 One of America’s most inflammatory early disasters, the Johnstown Flood. 2 It was occurring in 1889 after the collapse of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. 3 Heavy rainfall invigorated a reservoir upriver, causing the dam to burst and more than 20 million tons of water pouring down the Conemaugh River. 4 The Johnstown Flood has been immortalized in poems, novels, songs, and films. 5 The committal flood killed more than 2,000 people and it required the attention of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton, and various lawsuits. 6 Compounding the disaster was the Stone Bridge, causing a fire that killed at least 80 people when burning debris caught fire. 7 Later people would fault the rich business tycoons who had weakened the reservoir for their own leisure, building cottages and a spillway along the dam to create the swarthy South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club.8 Nearly $4 million would be donated to relief funds, for Pennsylvanians the true horror never preceded.
In Sentence 7, where should a comma be added?
after “Later”
after “cottages”
after “tycoons”
after “dam”
no comma should be added
after “Later”
Introductory words such as “Later” require commas to separate them from the main part of the sentence.
Example Question #311 : Improving Paragraphs
1 Old fashioned candy also known as penny candy or pick ‘n’ mix was once sold in bulk at soda fountains and five-and-dime stores across the United States and England. 2 Penny candy includes many varieties of convections. 3 These varieties, such as lollipops, string licorice, ribbon candy, jelly beans, chocolate coins, taffy, wax lips, sour balls, and candy cigarettes and necklaces. 4 Many people think fondly on their childhood candy stores with wistfulness.
Which sentence needs a hyphen added to it?
Sentence 1
Sentence 3
Sentence 5
Sentence 2
Sentence 4
Sentence 1
In Sentence 1, “Old fashioned” is a compound adjective that must be hyphenated, since it appears immediately before a noun.
Example Question #312 : Improving Paragraphs
1 Many cultures have a tradition of mythical creatures.2 Some malicious, others benefactors, with a variety of powers and special attributes. 3 The ancient Greeks had centaurs and harpies, the Assyrians had mermaids, and the German elves. 4 These creatures remain prevaricate today, to appear in fantasy novels, movies, and even university courses.
What transitional word or phrase should begin Sentence 3?
Therefore,
In this way,
For instance,
Moreover,
Nevertheless,
For instance,
Sentence 3 is introducing an example of the mythical creatures introduced in Sentences 1 and 2, so “For instance” is the best transitional phrase.
Example Question #313 : Improving Paragraphs
1 One of the most famous modern dancers of all times, the choreography of Martha Graham had a profound influence of the ballet world. 2 Based on “contraction and release,” the Graham technique, creating theatrical dramatic tension and deeply impassioned routines for audiences to see. 3 Graham used her inconsiderate flexibility to develop many innovative moves originating from the abdomen, back, and pelvis.4 Graham’s work rejected not only the tenants of classical ballet but instead the reactionary rebellions of early modern dance. 5 Like the work of dancer choreographers Helen Tamiris and Agnes de Mille. 6 After age forced her to retire from the stage; Graham sank into a deep depression and had difficulty watching other ballerinas dance her choreography. 7 Today, the Graham technique is taught almost universally between various dance academies, clinics, and universities. 8 Without it the world of modern day dance would indubitably not be the same.
Which sentence needs a hyphen added to it?
Sentence 3
Sentence 2
Sentence 5
Sentence 4
Sentence 1
Sentence 5
To link two nouns into a single compound noun, a hyphen is needed. In Sentence 5, we need to link “dancer” and “choreographers” as such: “dancer-choreographers.”
Example Question #314 : Improving Paragraphs
1 One of the most famous modern dancers of all times, the choreography of Martha Graham had a profound influence of the ballet world. 2 Based on “contraction and release,” the Graham technique, creating theatrical dramatic tension and deeply impassioned routines for audiences to see. 3 Graham used her inconsiderate flexibility to develop many innovative moves originating from the abdomen, back, and pelvis.4 Graham’s work rejected not only the tenants of classical ballet but instead the reactionary rebellions of early modern dance. 5 Like the work of dancer choreographers Helen Tamiris and Agnes de Mille. 6 After age forced her to retire from the stage; Graham sank into a deep depression and had difficulty watching other ballerinas dance her choreography. 7 Today, the Graham technique is taught almost universally between various dance academies, clinics, and universities. 8 Without it the world of modern day dance would indubitably not be the same.
Which sentence needs a semicolon added to or deleted from it?
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 5
Sentence 4
Sentence 6
Sentence 6
In Sentence 6, a semicolon incorrectly separates a dependent clause from an independent clause. Semicolons should generally only be used to separate two independent clauses.
Example Question #315 : Improving Paragraphs
1 One of the most famous modern dancers of all times, the choreography of Martha Graham had a profound influence of the ballet world. 2 Based on “contraction and release,” the Graham technique, creating theatrical dramatic tension and deeply impassioned routines for audiences to see. 3 Graham used her inconsiderate flexibility to develop many innovative moves originating from the abdomen, back, and pelvis.4 Graham’s work rejected not only the tenants of classical ballet but instead the reactionary rebellions of early modern dance. 5 Like the work of dancer choreographers Helen Tamiris and Agnes de Mille. 6 After age forced her to retire from the stage; Graham sank into a deep depression and had difficulty watching other ballerinas dance her choreography. 7 Today, the Graham technique is taught almost universally between various dance academies, clinics, and universities. 8 Without it the world of modern day dance would indubitably not be the same.
Which sentence needs a hyphen added to it?
Sentence 6
Sentence 8
None of these sentences needs a hyphen
Sentence 7
Sentence 8
In Sentence 8, the compound adjective “modern day” is preceding a noun, so it must be hyphenated.