A sentence typically contains an SVO (subject-verb-object) structure. Sometimes the object is dropped; “The children played” is a full, standalone sentence. Sometimes even the subject is dropped; “Stop!” is technically a complete sentence (though unlikely to appear in any significant way on the SAT). But a sentence never lacks a verb, and particularly a finite verb (not a participle or -ing verb).
Incorrect example: The students walking down the hallway.
Correct example: The students walked down the hallway.
SAT-like example: The summer of 2024 was record-breaking, and not just because of the ______ fossil known as “Apex” became the most expensive fossil ever purchased at an auction, going for a cool $44.6 million to hedge fund billionaire Kenneth B. Griffin.
A. Olympics a Stegosaurus
B. Olympics, a Stegosaurus
C. Olympics, a Stegosaurus,
C. Olympics. A Stegosaurus
The answer is D because we need to make sure each independent clause (that is, a part of the sentence that could stand alone as a complete sentence) is recognized. We don’t use commas to separate independent clauses (see below). A period gives us the best answer.
If you see a word like “because”, “before”, or “although”, you’re probably dealing with a subordinate clause. A subordinate or dependent clause serves the main clause but is separate from it. Commas here are optional, although they tend to sit more naturally when the subordinate clause comes first in the sentence.
Incorrect example: The performance was over, we ate pizza.
Correct example #1: After the performance was over, we ate pizza.
Correct example #2: We ate pizza after the performance was over.
SAT-like example: Aung San Suu Kyi played a major role in the transition made by the country of Myanmar (also known as Burma) away from a military regime during the 2010’s. Despite being one of the key _____ labored to lead Burma toward democracy, Suu Kyi was deposed and put under house arrest in 2021.
A. figures who
B. figures,
C. figures–
D. figures, that
The answer is A because it uses the pronoun “who” to introduce a clause that could not stand on its own as a sentence. The other answers offer inappropriate lead-ins (including unnecessary punctuation) to the main verb of the subordinate clause, “labored.” In addition, choice D uses a pronoun (“that”) that is inappropriate to describe a person.
SAT grammar questions will often ask you to determine which punctuation is best to join together two parts of a sentence. A helpful way to address these questions is called the “Clause Test, “ which works as follows:
| Two Complete (Independent) Clauses | One Complete Clause, One Incomplete (Independent) |
|
Comma |
| Colon | Colon |
The key, when asked about punctuation with some sort of compound or complex sentence, is to ask, “How many complete clauses do I have?” How many of the sentence parts could stand on their own as one sentence–one or two? Then use the rules of this chart to determine the correct punctuation.
Note that the colon is versatile; it can be used with both sorts of sentences. If a colon is used with two independent clauses, the second clause will typically explain or expand upon the first.
The section above addressed punctuation in the case of two clauses. Two further helpful principles are explained below.
You can never interrupt an SVO with a single punctuation mark; it’s not only rude, but it’s also illegal! However, you may interrupt an SVO with double punctuation marks, or handlebars. If you can grab the handlebars and pull out the entire phrase or clause between them, and the sentence still makes sense grammatically, two commas are appropriate. Here is what it looks like:
Example: Hawksbill Mountain, measuring about 4,050 ft. above sea level, towers over all other hills in Shenandoah National Park.
Example: Hawksbill Mountain (measuring about 4,050 ft. above sea level) towers over all other hills in Shenandoah National Park.
Example: Hawksbill Mountain—measuring about 4,050 ft. above sea level—towers over all other hills in Shenandoah National Park.
All of these handlebars are permissible. You will note that each set of handlebars gives the sentence a slightly different feel, but the sentences communicate essentially the same message.
SAT-like example: Polish cyclist Katarzyna Niewiadoma took first place in the 2024 Tour de France Femmes (women’s Tour de France), notching her first win in the event. Amazingly, after seven days of grueling _____ champion Demi Vollering ended up only four seconds behind the winner.
A. riding defending
B. riding–defending
C. riding, defending
D. riding, defending,
The answer is C because the comma beginning the phrase before the word “after” dictates another comma coming later according to the Handlebar Rule. Had the initial punctuation been a dash (–), choice B would be correct because another dash would be required.
As a general rule, writers in the English language overuse commas. As a result, standardized tests tend to prefer minimal comma usage, asking you to recognize situations where nothing demands a pause in the flow of the sentence. One conspicuous example of this principle is the use of a title describing a person and placed before the person’s name. In the case of a title, no comma is required.
Incorrect example: German anthropologist, Dorothea Bleek . . .
Correct example: German anthropologist Dorothea Bleek . . .
SAT-like example: Two major types of plankton, zooplankton and phytoplankton, are distinguished by which other kingdoms they most resemble. An important principle to keep in mind when determining whether you are observing zooplankton or phytoplankton _____ whether the organism in question has more characteristics of an animal (zooplankton) or a plant (phytoplankton).
A. present in the water is
B. present in the water, is
C. present, in the water, is
D. present, in the water is
The answer is A because, despite the rather long sentence, nothing here requires us to pause when reading. Nothing should be set off by commas or other punctuation as a sort of “side comment.” Even the phrase “present in the water” directly modifies “zooplankton or phytoplankton” and so most naturally occurs after them without a comma.
A singular subject demands a singular verb; a plural subject, a plural verb. So far, so good. The challenge comes when the SAT puts the subject seemingly halfway across the country from the verb, with abundant material in between. Strategy: cross out the intervening material and circle the subject to make sure you’re identifying the right form of the verb.
Incorrect example: The students, all crowded around the phone of their class president, watches the viral video.
Correct example: The students, all crowded around the phone of their class president, watch the viral video.
SAT-like example: The cuisine of Pontic (or Pontian) Greeks, a people indigenous to Pontos in northeastern Turkey but who now most live in diaspora, _____ many differences from traditional Greek cuisine and, in fact, shares many similarities to the cuisine of the Armenians and of the Turks.
. have evinced
. are evinced
. evinces
. evince
The answer is C because the subject, “cuisine”, is singular. Notice how far back in the sentence we have to go to find the subject. We not only ignore the clause in between the commas but also note that “Greeks” is not the subject because it follows the preposition “of”. This is a helpful rule: the subject of the sentence will never be part of a prepositional phrase.
Pronouns exist to point to nouns; the noun to which a pronoun points is known as its antecedent. Singular antecedents require singular pronouns like she, it, and that. Plural antecedents require plural pronouns like they, them, and those.
Incorrect example: The otter is a delight to zoogoers because of their playful persona.
Correct example: The otter is a delight to zoogoers because of its playful persona.
SAT-like example: The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, passed by Parliament under reformist leader Earl Grey and largely a result of the tireless work of William Wilberforce, outlawed slavery in most of the British empire. The anti-slavery medallion of Josiah Wedgewood was one of the most persuasive against slavery in the empire; worn by women to demonstrate their support for abolition, ______ hailed by many for turning hearts against the barbaric practice.
A. they have been B. they had been C. it had been D. it has been
The answer is D because, although many copies of the medallion obviously existed in the form of jewelry, the sentence identifies the medallion as singular. “It” is a singular pronoun, while “they” is a plural pronoun. Note that subject-verb agreement is also part of this question. Finally, the answer is not C because “had been” does not make sense as the verb tense here.
Pay attention to the tense of the passage. This will help you determine how to address tense questions and select the right answer. In general, the verb tense (present, past, future, etc.) will remain consistent throughout an SAT sentence.
Incorrect example: When people in my family make a promise, they usually kept that promise.
Correct example: When people in my family make a promise, they usually keep that promise.
SAT-like example: Albert Einstein published several papers propounding the theory of special relativity. Among those who immediately recognized its significance was Max Planck, the founder of quantum theory. Because Planck previously ______ dean of Berlin University, he was able to establish a professoriate for Einstein so that the latter could join the faculty.
A. had become
B. was becoming
C. has become
D. is becoming
The answer is A because the word “previously” shows that Planck was already in the post of dean at the university before Einstein’s papers came out. Since Einstein’s publications are already located in the past, we need to go a further step backward and use the pluperfect tense (indicated by the word “had”).
A modifier is a string of words that describes a noun. Misplaced or dangling modifiers are popular in the English section. We use and misuse modifiers in everyday speech with little consequence. In written communication, however, a modifier modifies only the noun next to it. Consider the sentence below:
Incorrect Example: Growling and snapping his jaws, the man was bitten by the dog.
Correct Example: Growling and snapping his jaws, the dog bit the man.
SAT-like example: Not many rebels successfully challenged the Greeks in the centuries following Alexander the Great’s conquests, but the Maccabees were an exception. In the second century BC, they took control of the ancient Jewish homeland of Judea. Founders of the Hasmonean dynasty, _______.
A. the Jewish religion became prominent in the region as the Maccabees expanded the territory of Judea.
B. the boundaries of Judea grew as the Maccabees expanded their territory and reasserted the Jewish religion.
C. the region saw the growth of the Jewish religion and the expansion of the territory of Judea through the Maccabees’ conquest.
D. the Maccabees reasserted the prominence of the Jewish religion and expanded the boundaries of Judea through conquest.
The answer is D because everything rests on the opening phrase “Founders of the Hasmonean dynasty …” In cases like this, our task is to ask, “Who are the founders? Show me!” The next words written have to describe the founders; otherwise, we have a misplaced modifier, and therefore a wrong answer!
Possession requires an apostrophe … except when it doesn’t. Possessive nouns have the apostrophe, as in the student’s books (singular) or the players’ hopes (plural). But possessive pronouns never have an apostrophe. The classic case is “its” vs. “it’s”; if you remember that a possessive pronoun can’t have the apostrophe, you know that the former is the possessive one (“it’s” means “it is”). A similar example involves “whose” (possessive) vs. “who’s” (“who is”).
Finally, watch out for an apostrophe where it doesn’t belong; it, like the comma, can be overused.
Incorrect example: I will visit the Johnson’s to see their new house.
Correct example: I will visit the Johnsons to see their new home.
SAT-like example: Although William Shakespeare is usually recognized as the best-selling author of all time, Agatha Christie, _____ have books have been translated a record 7,236, is considered the best-selling novelist.
A. who’s books
B. who’s books’
C. whose books
D. whose books’
The answer is C because whose is the correct form of the possessive pronoun; the idea is belonging to whom. The word books, however, needs no apostrophe because, in this context, nothing belongs to the books. Rather, the books belong to the author.