SAT Standard English Conventions

SAT Writing and Language Test

Standard English Conventions

● This is about the building blocks of writing:

○ Sentence structure

○ Usage

○ Punctuation

● You’ll be asked to change words, clauses,

sentences, and punctuation.

● Some (not all) topics covered include: verb tense,

colon/semicolon, subject-verb agreement, and comma use.

The Method: Standard English Conventions

● STEP 1: What is the question asking?

○ Look at the ANSWER CHOICES for clues

● STEP 2: What do I need to look for in the passage?

● STEP 3: What answer strategy is best?

○ Predict and Match

○ Eliminate

Concept 1: Keeping Verb Tense the Same

● The basketball player

pointed to the line and
says, “Watch this!”

● The teacher explains

the problem to the
students who asked
questions.

Why don’t these
sentences agree?

Multiple Choice

Wallace Chan, a renowned Chinese jewelry artist, is famous not only for his delicate, beautiful creations but also for his many inventive techniques. Among these is the "Wallace cut," a unique method of sculpting a precious gem from within. The front of the finished gem has a smooth facet, but under the surface, a three-dimensional image of the subject ___________ both in portrait and in profile.

• appear

• appears

• appeared

• appearing

Concept 2: Commonly Confused Words (and

Non-Words)

◻ Chose vs. Choose
◻ Their vs. They’re vs. There
◻ Its vs. It’s vs. Its’
◻ Except vs. Accept
◻ Fewer vs. Less
◻ Who’s vs. Whose
◻ Affect vs. Effect
◻ Could’ve vs. Could of
◻ Alot vs. A lot
◻ Weather vs. Whether
◻ Past vs. Passed
◻ To vs. Too vs. Two

Multiple Choice

Bebop jazz music flourished briefly in the early 1940s, but quickly encountered heavy resistance. Employing irregular rhythms and discordant sounds, bebop was initially opposed by older jazz musicians, but also, later and more lastingly, by the general public alienated by _______ complexity and sophistication.

• its

• it's

• its'

• its's

What They Are:

Why They’re Important:

● Phrases, clauses, or

words that describe

● They should be placed

DIRECTLY AFTER the
word(s) or phrase(s)
they are modifying

▪ He held the umbrella

over Emily’s head that he
got from Walmart.

▪ I saw the dead dog

driving down the
interstate.

▪ I smelled the lobster

coming down the stairs
for dinner.

Concept 3: Modifiers

Multiple Choice

Graphic designers have long played an important role in popular culture, crafting the formats, styles, images, and symbols that shape how consumers perceive products and services. However, with the drastic reduction in newspaper and magazine publishing in the last decade, the number of job openings in commercial design has shrunk. Trying to expand their possibilities, _____________ continues to be a growing field for tech-minded artists.

• much graphic design knowledge also now applies to website and web application design, which

• many graphic designers' knowledge also now applies to website and web application design, which

• website and web application design allows many graphic designers to apply their knowledge, which

• many graphic designers are also now applying their knowledge to website and web application design, which

Concept 4: The Comma

● Items in a series

○ He bought a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a drink.

● Appositives

○ Kelly, the blonde girl, works at Subway.

● Non-essentials

○ Anyone, regardless of skill or experience, can apply.

○ Anyone who speaks Spanish can apply.

● Before a conjunction joining two independent clauses.

○ We played volleyball, and we swam.

○ We played volleyball and swam.

● Intro phrases or clauses (AAAWWUBBIS)

● After we went to the store, we started cooking.

Comma Causers

After I sneezed, my
friends jumped back.

When I wiped my
nose on my sleeve,
they grimaced in horror.

Because it was flu
season, they didn’t want to
have anything to do with me.

-ing:  Feeling embarrassed, I vowed to take vitamin C when I got home.

Multiple Choice

On the internet, I can dispense with small talk altogether and proceed right to substantive dialogue; it is almost like flying. I can be talking with the closest of friends or a mere acquaintance with a shared interest. Either way, the kinship is there. I don't feel myself included __________ so much as by the willingness of a partner to share my ideas or gift me with thoughts of his own.

• by smiles, pats on the back, or eye contact

• by smiles, pats on the back, or eye contact,

• by, smiles, pats on the back, or eye contact

• by smiles, pats, on the back, or eye contact

Multiple Choice

Early jazz music, like much of Western music up to that time, generally used chord tones to create melodies. Bebop jazz, in contrast, relied heavily on chromatic ornamentation and borrowed notes from altered __________ new harmonic opportunities for musicians.

• scales. Opening up

• scales; opening up

• scales, opening up

• scales, and opening up

Concept 5: Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Pronoun: replaces a noun (he, she, it, they, them, we, us, etc.)

Antecedent: The more specific word (usually a
noun) to which the
pronoun refers

● Haley hopes her team

wins the next game.

● Both students are going

to dominate their
debates.

● All of the students loved

their English teacher.

● Someone turned in his

homework with no
name.

● Anyone can receive her

award in the mail.

Where it gets tricky…Fix these errors:

◻ One should appreciate their parents.

◻ When a student likes their teacher, they should buy them presents.

◻ Everyone should shovel their sidewalks.

◻ I never eat at that place because they have bad food.

◻ Each student must deliver their presentation soon.

Multiple Choice

What do mosquitoes, mussels, giraffes, sharks, plant burrs, and dog hair all have in common? In addition to being a part of the natural world that surrounds us, _________ have inspired significant advancements in modern technology through a practice called biomimicry.

• we need to

• it continues to

• these biological entities

• the natural world

Multiple Choice

Parkour, the practice of moving from one space to another in the fastest and most efficient way possible without the use of assistive equipment, began in the late 1990s when David Belle and his friends began to use the built environment of cities on the outskirts of Paris to engage in the art of movement. Parkour captured the whole world's attention through viral videos that featured amazing feats that highlighted people's agility and ingenuity. Part of _________ appeal was how accessible the sport was--there were no direct costs associated with participating.

• their

• your

• it's

• its

The Semi-Colon ;

The Colon :

● Joins two related COMPLETE sentences

○ We wore snowsuits; it was cold outside.

○ I’m on the track team; I can run a really fast mile.

● NOT a Semicolon (DC, IC or IC

DC):

○ Although it was March, it was still cold outside.

○ I locked my brother in his room because he is annoying.

● Introduces lists

○ We ate the following: chicken

nuggets, fries, and an apple pie

● Connects 2 sentences when

“because” can be substituted
for the :

○ We went to the store: we were

out of milk.

● Introduces definitions

○ We studied Romanticism: a

type of literature.

Concept 6: All Things Colon-Related

Multiple Choice

Although most of the products we buy today are made abroad in places well known to Americans, such as Mexico and China, a quick check of many clothing labels will reveal the name of a country that might not be ______.

• expected Vietnam.

• expected; Vietnam.

• expected: Vietnam.

• expected. Vietnam.

Multiple Choice

When people consider different types of communication, they often think of only verbal or written forms. Few, perhaps, think of art as a mode of _______ from early cave paintings and the intricate craftwork of ancient civilizations to contemporary, esoteric, abstract works that challenge traditional notions of aesthetic representation, art has played an essential role in visual communication.

• communication, however,

• communication, however

• communication; however

• communication; however,

What it is…

Examples…

● Subject: Noun or pronoun

the sentence is about

● Verb: The main action or

state of being

● Agreement: The subject

and verb should agree in
gender and number

● Hint: Cross out

prepositional phrases.

● Neither girl is going to

homecoming.

● The boy or his friends

run everyday.

● One of the boxes is

open.

Concept 7: Subject-Verb Agreement

Multiple Choice

The Babylonian king Hammurabi, who reigned between 1792 and 1750 B.C.E., recorded one of the first systems of laws. The 282 edicts of the code of Hammurabi all follow an "If...then..." structure that ________ the conditions required before a punishment can be imposed.

• establish

• establishes

• established

• are establishing

Concept 8: Apostrophes

● Use an apostrophe when there’s a contraction. Read

these as two words.

○ There’s a lot of people going to the party. = There is a lot of

people going to the party.

○ You want: There ARE a lot of people going to the party.

● Use an apostrophe when there’s possession.

○ Use ’s with singulars.

• My brother’s room is a mess.

○ Use s’ with plurals.

• My parents’ house is really clean.

Multiple Choice

Children's zoos often provide hands-on opportunities for children to learn about the most common domesticated animals. In contrast to the guests at zoos and parks that focus on exotic animals, a children's ________ rarely feel intimidated because they are surrounded by many animals with which they are already familiar.

• zoos visitors

• zoos visitors'

• zoo's visitors

• zoo's visitors'

Additional Practice...

Here is a link to additional practice for the SAT Standard English Conventions questions.