SAT Grammar and Writing Review

1. SAT Grammar and Writing Review January 7 to January 17

2. SAT Grammar and Writing Overview • The following slides represents the following tested areas. • Improving Sentences • Improving Paragraphs • Identifying Sentence Errors

3. IMPROVING SENTENCES Scenes from the everyday lives of African Americans, which are realistically depicted in the paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner. (A) Scenes from the everyday lives of African Americans, which are realistically depicted in the paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner. (B) Scenes from the everyday lives of African Americans being realistically depicted in the paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner. (C) The paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner realistically depict scenes from the everyday lives of African Americans. (D) Henry Ossawa Tanner, in his realistic paintings, depicting scenes from the everyday lives of African Americans. (E) Henry Ossawa Tanner, whose paintings realistically depict scenes from the everyday lives of African Americans. Explanation Difficulty: Medium For a sentence to be grammatically complete, it must include both a subject and a main verb. When a sentence lacks either a subject or a main verb, the result is a sentence fragment. In this example all options but (C) are sentence fragments. In (A), the phrase "Scenes ... Americans " is modified by the dependent clause "which ... Tanner," but there is no main verb. In (B), the phrase "Scenes ... Tanner" contains no main verb. In (D), the noun "Henry Ossawa Tanner" is modified by "depicting" but is not combined with a main verb. And in (E), the noun "Henry Ossawa Tanner" is modified by the dependent clause "whose ... Americans" but not combined with a main verb. (C) is correct. It is the only choice in which a subject ("The paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner") is combined with a verb ("depict") to express a complete

4. IMPROVING SENTENCES Looking up from the base of the mountain, the trail seemed more treacherous than it really was. (A) Looking up (B) While looking up (C) By looking up (D) Viewing (E) Viewed Explanation Difficulty: Hard When a modifying phrase begins a sentence, it must logically modify the sentence's subject; otherwise, it is a dangling modifier. In this example, every option except (E) is a dangling modifier. In (A), the phrase "Looking up from the base of the mountain" does not logically modify the subject "the trail." A person might stand at the base of a mountain and look up at a trail, but it is illogical to suggest that a trail looks up from the base of a mountain. (B), (C), and (D) are simply variations of the error found in (A). Each results in a sentence that illogically suggests that a trail was looking up from the base of a mountain. (E) is correct. Although a trail cannot itself look up from the base of a mountain, a trail can be viewed by someone looking up from the base of a mountain, so the phrase "Viewed from the base of the mountain" logically modifies the subject "the trail."

5. IMPROVING SENTENCES One of the most common types of mistakes that inexperienced physicians make is misreading symptoms, another that occurs about as frequently is recommending inappropriate treatment. (A) symptoms, another that occurs (B) symptoms; another one that occurs (C) symptoms, the other, and it occurs (D) symptoms; another one which is occurring (E) symptoms and also occurring Explanation Difficulty: Hard This sentence illustrates a comma splice, the incorrect use of a comma to connect two complete sentences. Choice (B) correctly uses a semicolon to coordinate two independent clauses and form a compound sentence (while at the same time keeping verb tenses parallel). The correct sentence reads: One of the most common types of mistakes that inexperienced physicians make is misreading symptoms; another one that occurs about as frequently is recommending inappropriate treatment.

6. IMPROVING SENTENCES Underestimating its value, breakfast is a meal many people skip. (A) Underestimating its value, breakfast is a meal many people skip. (B) Breakfast is skipped by many people because of their underestimating its value. (C) Many people, underestimating the value of breakfast, and skipping it. (D) Many people skip breakfast because they underestimate its value. (E) A meal skipped by many people underestimating its value is breakfast. Explanation Difficulty: Medium The problem with this sentence is that the opening phrase "underestimating its value" modifies "breakfast," not "people." The order of the words in the sentence in choice (D) does not have this problem of a misplaced modifying phrase. Choice (D) also clarifies the causal relationship between the two clauses in the sentence. None of the other choices convey the information presented in the sentence as effectively and directly as choice (D).

7. IMPROVING SENTENCES Certain shipwrecks have a particular fascination for those people which have a belief in finding the treasure in them. (A) which have a belief in finding the treasure in them (B) that belief there is treasure to be found in them (C) who believe they hold treasure and that they can find it (D) who believe that there is treasure to be found in them (E) who believe about treasure to be found in them Explanation Difficulty: Hard This sentence is awkward as written, and the pronoun "which" is the wrong relative pronoun to refer to "people" (the antecedent of the pronoun in this sentence). Choice (D) uses the correct pronoun "who" and more effectively than the other choices states the characteristics of people who are fascinated by shipwrecks. The correct sentence reads: Certain shipwrecks have a particular fascination for those people who believe that there is treasure to be found in them.

8. IMPROVING SENTENCES The revolt against Victorianism was perhaps even more marked in poetry than either fiction or drama. (A) either fiction or drama (B) either fiction or in drama (C) either in fiction or drama (D) in either fiction or drama (E) in either fiction or in drama Explanation Difficulty: Easy Correcting the error in this sentence requires close attention to the need for parallelism. The structure of the underlined portion should match the structure of the phrase "in poetry" that appears earlier in the sentence. Neither choice (A) nor choice (B) includes the preposition "in." Among the remaining choices, only choice (D) has the preposition "in" appropriately located in the phrase. The correct sentence reads: The revolt against Victorianism was perhaps even more marked in poetry than in either fiction or drama.

9. IMPROVING SENTENCES The problem of antibiotic resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries because the sale and use of antibiotics are not tightly controlled. (A) resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries because (B) resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries and (C) resistance, frequently compounded in certain countries when (D) resistance is frequently compounded in certain countries where (E) resistance is frequently compounded in certain countries and Explanation Difficulty: Medium This sentence is a fragment as written; there is no verb in the main clause. Of the choices offered, only (C) and (D) correct this problem. (D) is the best choice because the adverb "where" connects the second part of the sentence in a way that clarifies the relationship between the two parts of the sentence. The correct sentence reads: The problem of antibiotic resistance is frequently compounded in certain countries where the sale and use of antibiotics are not tightly controlled.

10. IMPROVING SENTENCES Many of the instruments used in early operations of the United States Army Signal Corps were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians, particularly that of the heliograph. (A) Corps were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians, particularly that of the heliograph (B) Corps, there were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians, particularly the heliograph (C) Corps, and in particular the heliograph, was an adaptation of equipment used by the Plains Indians (D) Corps, and in particular the heliograph, were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians (E) Corps being adaptations, the heliograph in particular, of those used by Plains Indians Correcting the error in this sentence requires moving the information about the heliograph closer to "instruments," which is the material it relates to. Only choice (D) accomplishes this without introducing an error in subject-verb agreement, as in (C), or producing a sentence fragment, as in (E). The correct sentence reads: Many of the instruments used in early operations of the United States Army Signal Corps, and in particular the heliograph, were adaptations of equipment used by the Plains Indians.

11. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS (1) Many times art history courses focus on the great "masters," ignoring those women who should have achieved fame. (2) Often women artists like Mary Cassatt have worked in the shadows of their male contemporaries. (3) They have rarely received much attention during their lifetimes. (4) My art teacher has tried to make up for it by teaching us about women artists and their work. (5) Recently she came to class very excited; she had just read about a little-known artist named Annie Johnson, a high school teacher who had lived all of her life in New Haven, Connecticut. (6) Johnson never sold a painting, and her obituary in 1937 did not even mention her many paintings. (7) Thanks to Bruce Blanchard, a Connecticut businessman who bought some of her watercolors at an estate sale. (8) Johnson is finally starting to get the attention that she deserved more than one hundred years ago. (9) Blanchard now owns a private collection of hundreds of Johnson's works — watercolors, charcoal sketches, and pen-and-ink drawings. (10) There are portraits and there are landscapes. (11) The thing that makes her work stand out are the portraits. (12) My teacher described them as "unsentimental." (13) They do not idealize characters. (14) Characters are presented almost photographically. (15) Many of the people in the pictures had an isolated, haunted look. (16) My teacher said that isolation symbolizes Johnson's life as an artist. In context, which is the best revision to the underlined portion of sentence 3 (reproduced below)? They have rarely received much attention during their lifetimes. (A) In fact, they had (B) Too bad these artists have (C) As a result, these women have (D) In spite of this, women artists (E) Often it is the case that the former have Explanation Difficulty: Medium Although sentence 3 is not grammatically wrong, its relationship to the preceding sentence needs to be made clearer. A transitional phrase should be added to emphasize the cause-and-effect relationship between the stated facts — women artists received little attention as a consequence of having worked in the shadows of their male contemporaries — and the ambiguous pronoun "They" should be replaced with a word or phrase that clearly refers to the "women artists" and not the "male contemporaries" mentioned in sentence 2. (A), (B), and (D) are unsatisfactory because in each case the transitional phrase ("In fact," "Too bad," or "In spite of this") fails to indicate the cause-and-effect relationship. Moreover, both (A) and (B) leave the ambiguity of the pronoun unresolved. (E) is unsatisfactory not only because it fails to signal the cause-and-effect relationship but also because it is wordy and illogically combines the adverbs "Often" and "rarely." (C) is correct. The transitional phrase "as a result" clearly indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, and "these women" properly resolves the ambiguity of the pronoun "They."

12. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS (1) Many times art history courses focus on the great "masters," ignoring those women who should have achieved fame. (2) Often women artists like Mary Cassatt have worked in the shadows of their male contemporaries. (3) They have rarely received much attention during their lifetimes. (4) My art teacher has tried to make up for it by teaching us about women artists and their work. (5) Recently she came to class very excited; she had just read about a little-known artist named Annie Johnson, a high school teacher who had lived all of her life in New Haven, Connecticut. (6) Johnson never sold a painting, and her obituary in 1937 did not even mention her many paintings. (7) Thanks to Bruce Blanchard, a Connecticut businessman who bought some of her watercolors at an estate sale. (8) Johnson is finally starting to get the attention that she deserved more than one hundred years ago. (9) Blanchard now owns a private collection of hundreds of Johnson's works — watercolors, charcoal sketches, and pen-and-ink drawings. (10) There are portraits and there are landscapes. (11) The thing that makes her work stand out are the portraits. (12) My teacher described them as "unsentimental." (13) They do not idealize characters. (14) Characters are presented almost photographically. (15) Many of the people in the pictures had an isolated, haunted look. (16) My teacher said that isolation symbolizes Johnson's life as an artist. In context, which of the following revisions to sentence 7 is most needed? (A) Delete "Thanks to". (B) Move "Thanks to Bruce Blanchard" to the end of sentence 7. (C) Delete "who". (D) Change "her" to "Johnson's". (E) Change the period to a comma and combine sentence 7 with sentence 8. Explanation Difficulty: Easy Sentence 7 is a sentence fragment, with neither a subject nor a main verb to finish the thought it has begun. It says "Thanks to Bruce Blanchard," but it does not say what happened thanks to Bruce Blanchard. It should therefore be joined to an independent clause, complete with subject and verb, that indicates what happened as a result of Blanchard's action. (A), (B), and (D) are unsatisfactory because each fails to provide the main verb needed to complete the sentence. Each results in another sentence fragment. Although (C) results in a complete sentence, the sentence makes little sense in the context of the paragraph because it suggests that Bruce Blanchard is someone other than the Connecticut businessman who bought the watercolors. (E) is correct. This change results in a grammatically complete sentence that indicates what happened thanks to Bruce Blanchard's efforts: Johnson began to get the attention she deserved.

13. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS (1) Many times art history courses focus on the great "masters," ignoring those women who should have achieved fame. (2) Often women artists like Mary Cassatt have worked in the shadows of their male contemporaries. (3) They have rarely received much attention during their lifetimes. (4) My art teacher has tried to make up for it by teaching us about women artists and their work. (5) Recently she came to class very excited; she had just read about a little-known artist named Annie Johnson, a high school teacher who had lived all of her life in New Haven, Connecticut. (6) Johnson never sold a painting, and her obituary in 1937 did not even mention her many paintings. (7) Thanks to Bruce Blanchard, a Connecticut businessman who bought some of her watercolors at an estate sale. (8) Johnson is finally starting to get the attention that she deserved more than one hundred years ago. (9) Blanchard now owns a private collection of hundreds of Johnson's works — watercolors, charcoal sketches, and pen-and-ink drawings. (10) There are portraits and there are landscapes. (11) The thing that makes her work stand out are the portraits. (12) My teacher described them as "unsentimental." (13) They do not idealize characters. (14) Characters are presented almost photographically. (15) Many of the people in the pictures had an isolated, haunted look. (16) My teacher said that isolation symbolizes Johnson's life as an artist. In context, which of the following is the best version of sentence 10 (reproduced below)? There are portraits and there are landscapes. (A) (As it is now) (B) You can see both portraits and landscapes. (C) Therefore, both portraits and landscapes are among her works. (D) Johnson painted both portraits and landscapes. (E) Among them Johnson has portraits and landscapes. Explanation Difficulty: Easy In addition to being vague, sentence 10 contains no noun to which the pronoun "her" in sentence 11 may refer. It should be revised so that Johnson is clearly identified as the painter of the portraits and landscapes. (A), (B), and (C) are unsatisfactory because each omits any mention of Johnson. Though (E) does mention Johnson, it is misleading in that the words "Johnson has" suggest that Johnson is the owner rather than the painter of the portraits and landscapes. (D) is correct because it properly identifies Johnson as the painter of the artworks and thus provides an antecedent for the pronoun "her" in sentence 11.

14. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS (1) In the last fifty years, computers in many forms have become increasingly accessible. (2) For example, today the calculator is regarded as an essential tool for basic calculations by students and businesspeople. (3) Word processing is considered indispensable by most writers, researchers, and office workers. (4) In addition, many families use computers to organize information, to balance budgets, and to provide entertainment. Which of the following would be the most suitable sentence to insert immediately after sentence 1? (A) The race is on to produce the "ultimate" computer. (B) I have found the computer somewhat difficult to learn to operate. (C) Many people are understandably intimidated by computers. (D) They are now so common that they have a profound effect on daily life. (E) Modern telephones belong to the family of computers. Explanation Difficulty: Medium This question asks you to recognize that sentence (1) does not adequately introduce the examples described in sentences (2), (3), and (4). The examples do more than illustrate how "increasingly accessible" computers have become; they point out how indispensable and widespread the use of computers has become. The only choice that expresses this idea is choice (D). The correct paragraph reads: In the last fifty years, computers in many forms have become increasingly accessible. They are now so common that they have a profound effect on daily life. For example, today the calculator is regarded as an essential tool for basic calculations by students and businesspeople. Word processing is considered indispensable by most writers, researchers, and office workers. In addition, many families use computers to organize information, to balance budgets, and to provide entertainment.

15. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS (1) Advertisements are present wherever we go. (2) They enter our houses in newspapers, magazines, and on our television screens. (3) Television advertisements are used not only to sell products but, more importantly, to sell ideas. (4) It is in selling ideas that ads have the most significant impact. (5) They interrupt most television programs every few minutes. (6) Many ads imply that if we buy specific products then we will be happy. (7) An example of this strategy is an ad in which a woman is shown driving her family in a new car. (8) She has a smile on her face, a new car will bring people happiness. Sentence 5 would make the most sense if placed after (A) Sentence 1 (B) Sentence 2 (C) Sentence 8 (D) Sentence 6 (E) Sentence 7 Explanation Difficulty: Easy This question asks you to recognize that sentence 5 is an expansion of the thought introduced in sentence 2 and properly belongs immediately after that sentence in the paragraph. To place the idea later in the paragraph disrupts the progress of ideas that the writer is developing. The correct paragraph reads: Advertisements are present wherever we go. They enter our houses in newspapers, magazines, and on our television screens. They interrupt most television programs every few minutes. Television advertisements are used not to sell products but, more importantly, to sell ideas. It is in selling ideas that ads have the most significant impact. Many ads imply that if we buy specific products then we will be happy. An example of this strategy is an ad in which a woman is shown driving her family in a new car. She has a smile on her face; the new car has supposedly brought her happiness.

16. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS (1) Recently a group of workers from a clothing factory in my hometown picketed peacefully in front of a department store. (2) They carried signs, and passing shoppers were urged by them to buy products that were made in the United States. (3) A newspaper article suggested that they were wrong. (4) It pointed out that nearly all stores now sell goods that are not made in this country. (5) However, I would argue that the demonstrators are right, consumers should think about the effect they can have on industries here in the United States. In context, which is the best way to revise and combine the underlined portions of sentences 3 and 4 (reproduced below)? A newspaper article suggested that they were wrong. It pointed out that nearly all stores now sell goods that are not made in this country. (A) A newspaper article suggested that the demonstrators were wrong, pointing out (B) They were wrong, a newspaper article suggested, it pointed out that (C) Suggesting that they are wrong, in a newspaper article it says (D) The newspaper article suggests that the shoppers were wrong, (E)They were suggested wrong by the newspaper article. It depicted Explanation Difficulty: Medium This question asks you to connect two related ideas. Choice (A) is the correct answer. Choice (B) incorrectly and awkwardly connects several independent clauses with a comma. In choices (C) and (E), the pronoun "they" is ambiguous and could refer to either "workers" or "shoppers." Choice (C) also has a structural problem. The opening phrase, "Suggesting that they are wrong," should be immediately followed by the phrase "a newspaper article" that it modifies. Choice (D) may be grammatically correct, but the use of the definite article "The" and the present-tense verb "suggests" in choice (D) is inappropriate in the context of the passage. The correct sentence reads: A newspaper article suggested that the demonstrators were wrong, pointing out that nearly all stores now sell goods that are not made in this country.

17. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS The students a have discovered that b they can address issues more effectively c through letter-writing campaigns d and not through public demonstrations. e No error (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Easy The error in this sentence occurs at (D). When a comparison is introduced by the adverb "more," as in "more effectively," the second part of the comparison must be introduced by the conjunction "than" rather than "and not." The other options contain no errors. In (A), the plural verb "have discovered" agrees with the plural subject "students." In (B), the plural pronoun "they" correctly refers to the plural noun "students." In (C), the preposition "through" appropriately expresses the means by which issues are addressed. The sentence may be corrected as follows: The students have discovered that they can address issues more effectively through letter-writing campaigns than through public demonstrations.

18. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS After hours of futile debate, the committee has decided b to postpone further discussion c of the resolution until d their next meeting. e No error (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Hard The error in this sentence occurs at (D). A pronoun must agree in number (singular or plural) with the noun to which it refers. Here, the plural pronoun "their" incorrectly refers to the singular noun "committee." The other options contain no errors. In (A), the preposition "After" appropriately introduces a phrase that indicates when the committee made its decision. In (B), "to postpone" is the verb form needed to complete the description of the committee's decision. In (C), the prepositional phrase "of the resolution" appropriately specifies the subject of the postponed discussion. The sentence may be corrected as follows: After hours of futile debate, the committee has decided to postpone further discussion of the resolution until its next meeting.

19. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS At the music recital, Alexandra a enjoyed listening to her friend Mohammed's insightful interpretation, b which she thought was c more sophisticated d than the other performers. e No error. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Medium The problem in this sentence is one of illogical comparison. Alexandra is said to consider Mohammed's insightful interpretation more sophisticated than the other performers, improperly comparing his interpretation to other performers, rather than to interpretations of other performers. The correct sentence reads: At the music recital, Alexandra enjoyed listening to her friend Mohammed's insightful interpretation, which she thought was more sophisticated than the interpretations of the other performers.

20. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS The board a reviewing the courses offered by the college b found that the quality of academic programs c were generally good but d somewhat uneven. e No error (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Medium The error in this sentence is (C): the verb "were" (which is plural) does not agree in number with the noun "quality" (which is singular). The correct sentence reads: The board reviewing the courses offered by the college found that the quality of academic programs was generally good but somewhat uneven.

21. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS If he a had begun b earlier, he might have succeeded c in finishing the d extremely complex project before the deadline. e No error (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Hard Each of the parts of the sentence underlined with A, B, C, and D is correct as written. Therefore choice (E): no error is the appropriate answer.

22. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS Maude Adams, after her spectacular a triumph as the original Peter Pan, b went about c heavy veiled and was accessible to d only a handful of intimate friends. e No error (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Medium The error in this sentence is (C): the word "heavy" in the phrase "heavy veiled" should not be in the form of an adjective but in the adverbial form since it is used to modify the participle "veiled." The correct sentence reads: Maude Adams, after her spectacular triumph as the original Peter Pan, went about heavily veiled and was accessible to only a handful of intimate friends.

23. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS All states a impose severe b penalties on drivers who do not stop when c he or she is d involved in accidents. e No error (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Explanation Difficulty: Medium The error in this sentence is (C): the pronouns "he or she" (which are both singular) do not agree with the noun "drivers" (which is plural). The correct sentence reads: All states impose severe penalties on drivers who do not stop when they are involved in accidents. Note that the verb "is" has to be changed to "are" when the subject becomes plural.