SAT Grammar Rules

1. SAT Grammar Rules 3rd Q. 2014

2. Agreement – 1/8 The # of a word indicates whether it is singular or plural. The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in #. Single sub. needs a single verb & plural sub. needs a plural verb. This is called subject/verb agreement.

3. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/9 Single: The childwonders what is under the Christmas tree. • The sub. is the singular n. “child”. Therefore, a singular verb takes an “s” at the end.

4. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/10 Plural: The booksfell off the desk with a loud clatter. • Plural nouns take an “s” while plural verbs do not.

5. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/13 • Verbs only agree w/ the subject. • Words that come in between the sub. and verb do not matter when figuring out agreement. Kalani, along with other students, agrees that we need to change the dress code.*

6. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/14 • Remember, for compound sub., the verb will be plural. Kalani and Kaleoare visiting. • However, if the compound sub. is considered 1 unit, then you use a singular verb. Spaghetti and meatballsis my favorite food.

7. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/15 • When the parts of a compound sub. are joined by or/nor, then you need to look at the sub. (noun or pronoun) that is, physically, closest to it. Either the clerks or their manageris taking inventory.*

8. Sub./Verb Agreement - 1/16 • Some indefinite pronouns are always singular, and some are always plural. Some may be either depending on how they are used in the sentence.

9. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/16 cont. Singular Indefinite Pronouns: another either neither other anybody everybody nobody somebody anyone everyone no one someone anything everything nothing something each much one • Each of the cabins has a fire place. • Everyonelikes chocolate.

10. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/17 Plural Indefinite Pronouns: both few many several • Many of the ships are here today. • Both of us need rest after the flight.

11. Sub./Verb Agreement – 1/21 Questionable Indefinite Pronouns: • They are singular when referring to things that can’t be counted & plural for things that can be counted. all enough most plenty any more none some • Some of the scenery is ready. • Plenty of athletes are competing.

12. Pronouns – Nominative – 1/22 • People often become confused when dealing w/ the pred. nominative form if it’s at the end of the sentence. • Remember, if the pronoun is talking about the sub. of the sentence, then you use the nom. form. The teacher is she.*

13. Pronouns – Objective – 1/23 • Objective p.n. are either a direct object (directly receiving the action), and indirect object (a word that comes between a transitive verb & the direct object), or an object of the prep. • My parents visited me. (d.o.) • Kalani gave her a pair of socks as a gift. (i.o.) • This present is for me. (o.p.)

14. Pronouns – Objective – 1/24 • Remember that an objective p.n. cannot be used as part of the subject. “My friend and me went to the movies.” This is incorrect, it should be, “My friend and I went to the movies.”

15. Problem Pronouns – Usage – 1/27 • Who is the nominative case (sub. or pred. nom. of the sentence). • Whom is the objective case (d.o., i.o., o.p.). Who is going to the dance? (sub.) The teacher is who? (pred. nom.) To whom am I speaking to? (o.p.) Whom is he irritating now? (d.o.)

16. Problem Pronouns – Usage – 1/28 • Remember that a comparison can be made using a clause that begins w/ than or as; however, the ending of the sentence might be omitted. If that is the case, then add the missing word to see which p.n. is correct. He is taller than (her/she).*

17. Problem Pronouns – Usage – 1/29 • Pronouns ending in –self or –selves shouldn’t be used alone; their antecedents should be there as well. Wrong: Kalani and myself went to the beach. Correct: Kalani and I went to the beach. Correct: I did the project myself.*

18. Problem Pronouns – Usage – 1/30 • Hisself & theirselves are incorrect usage. Don’t ever use them.

19. Problem Pronouns – Usage – 1/31 When do you use his, her, their…? • When you have a singular indefinite p.n., you need to use a singular p.n. (i.e. everyone & his/hers). • When you have a plural indefinite p.n., you need to use a plural p.n. (i.e. both & their). Everyone should bring his/her own lunch. Several people brought their own lunches.

20. Problem Pronouns – Ambiguous*2/3 • An ambiguous p.n. reference means that p.n. could be talking about more than one noun. Ambiguous: Remove the wrappers from the boxes and then discard them. (Are you talking about the boxes or wrappers?) Clear: Discard the wrappers after you remove them from the boxes.

21. Verbs – Irregular – 2/4 • Irregular verbs are important to know simply because of the usage. • Remember, a verb is irregular if you cannot just add an –ed to make it past tense. Reg. verb: walk = walked Irregular verb.: swim = swam

22. Verbs – Irregular – 2/5 • To make it trickier, irregular verbs can change again when you had a helping verb (i.e. has) to it: swim = swam = has swum

23. Verbs Tenses – Problems – 2/6 • When speaking/writing about 2 past actions, & one has happened before the other, use the past perfect tense (had + verb) to talk about the action that happened first. The student believed he had eaten that particular piece of chicken before.

24. Verbs Tenses – Problems – 2/7 • Use having w/ the 1st verb to show that one action was completed before the other (& both happened in the past). Having finished his final early, Kalani fell asleep at his desk and missed the release bell.

25. Verbs Tenses – Shift Problems – 2/10 • Always use the same tense to express 2 or more actions that occur at the same time. • Never shift tenses within or between sentences unless you need to clarify the meaning of the sentence.*

26. Verbs Tenses – Shift Problems – 2/11 Wrong: Lao Mao moved to Maui in 1912, and he eventually becomes an America citizen in 1920. Correct: Lao Mao moved to Maui in 1912, and he eventually became an America citizen in 1920.*

27. Modifiers and Comparisons – 2/12 • Adj. describes nouns and pronouns. Many end w/ -ous, -cal, & ing. • Adv. describes verbs, adj., & other adv. They often have an –ly ending that is added to the end of an adj.

28. Modifiers and Comparisons – 2/13 • Positive degree means the adj./adv. is describing 1 person, place, group, thing, idea, or action. It stands alone. Adj.: strong (1 syllable) beautiful (2 syllables) Adv.: calmly

29. Modifiers and Comparisons – 2/18 • Comparative degree is used to compare 2 things. Adj.: stronger (+ “er” to a 1 syllable word)* more beautiful (+ “more” to a 2 syllable word)** Adv.: more calmly (always add “more”)

30. Modifiers and Comparisons – 2/19 • Superlative degree is used to compare 3 or + things. Adj.: strongest (+ “est” to a 1 syllable word)* most beautiful (+ “most” to a 2 syllable word)** Adv.: most calmly (always add “most”)

31. Using Comparisons Correctly – 2/20 • Double comparisons are incorrect; you never use more/most when the word already ends with –er/-est. Wrong: Your last paper was more clearer. Correct: Your last paper was clearer.

32. Using Comparisons Correctly – 2/21 • Watch out for illogical comparisons. The word other or else is used to compare an individual member of a group with the rest of the group. Wrong: Chinese is more difficult to learn than any language. Correct: Chinese is more difficult to learn than any other language.

33. Special Modifier Problems – 2/24 • A double negative occurs when 2 or more neg. words are used to express a single neg. idea. Wrong: Kaleo didn’t do nothing wrong. Correct: Kaleo didn’t do anything wrong. Or Correct: Kaleo did nothing wrong.

34. Special Modifier Problems* - 2/25 • The words hardly, barely, & scarcely already function as neg. & should not be used with other neg. words. Wrong: There wasn’t hardly a student left. Correct: There was hardly a student left.

35. Capitalization Rules – 2/26 • Capitalize proper n. & adj. • China & Chinese food • Capitalize the names and initials, as well as titles and abbreviations, that are used with a personal name. • Dr. V. Ululani Laepaÿa • Mr. Michael-Randy Keone Laepaÿa Jr.

36. Capitalization Rules – 2/27 • Cap. a kinship name when it is used before a proper n. or when it is used alone in place of a name. • They met Aunty Kim at the mall. • I need to give the present to Mom.

37. Capitalization Rules – 2/28 • Cap. the names of races, languages, nationalities, tribes, and religions, and any n. or adj. derived from these names. • Asian • Italian • Hebrew • Apache

38. Capitalization Rules – 3/3 • Cap. all words referring to God, the Holy Family, other deities, and religious scriptures. • God • Buddha • The Talmud • The Gospel

39. Capitalization Rules – 3/4 • Cap. the p.n.* I and the interjection O. • Why, O God, am I forsaken? • Cap. The named of parts of the world, political divisions, topographical names, and the names of specific structures and public places. • California Democrats • London Bridge Grand Canyon

40. Capitalization Rules – 3/5 • Cap. the names of sections of the country but not of directions of the compass. • Kalani and Kaleo went to school on the EastCoast, but often drive south during their breaks. • Cap. proper adj. derived fr. names of sections of the country, but not adj. made from directional words. • A Northern state vs. the southern most city.

41. Capitalization Rules – 3/6 • Cap. the names of stars, planets, galaxies, constellations, and other heavenly bodies except sun and moon. • Polaris • Mars • Orion • Andromeda Nebula • Haley’s Comet

42. Capitalization Rules – 3/7 • Cap. the names of ships, trains, automobiles, airplanes, and spacecrafts. • Hokuleÿa • Boeing 727 • Toyota Camry • Challenger

43. 4th Q. Grammar cont. Capitalization Rules - 3/10 • Cap. the names of historical events, people, and documents. • American Revolution • The Enlightenment • Magna Carta • Cap. the names of organizations and institutions. • Kamehameha School • Toys-for-Tots

44. Capitalization Rules – 3/11 • Cap. the abbreviations of B.C., A.D., A.M., and P.M. • 88 B.C. until 100 A.D. • From 11:45 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. • Cap. the names of awards and special events. • Nobel Peace Prize • Special Olympics

45. Capitalization Rules – 3/12 • Cap. freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior when they refer to specific classes. • Soph. English • Senior Prom • Cap. the brand name of a product but not the common noun that follows it. • A Prada bag.

46. Capitalization Rules – 3/13 • Cap. the titles of specific, numbered, & lang. courses, but not the genl. names of school subjects. • I have English followed by Psychology 101. • I find math cumbersome. • Cap. the 1st word of every sentence, of every line of most poetry, & of a direct quotation. • As she cried, she yelled out, “Go away!”

47. Capitalization Rules – 3/14 • Cap. the 1st word in the greeting of a letter & the title & name of the person you are writing to. Cap. only the 1st word of the closing sentiment. • Dear Dr. Lau • Yours truly

48. Capitalization Rules – 3/27 • Cap. the 1st, last, and all important words in titles; don’t cap. conjunctions, articles, or prep. w/ fewer than 5 letters. • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

49. Capitalization Rules – don’ts – 3/28 • Do not capitalize prefixes such as pro-, pre-, post-, ex-, and anti- when they are used in compound words. • ex-President Clinton • Titles used alone shouldn’t be cap. unless they refer to a person in a uniquely important position or used in direct address. • Call a doctor. • The President is here.

50. Capitalization Rules – don’ts – 3/31 • Don’t cap. a kinship name when it is preceded by an article or a possessive word. • He just became a father. • I took a message for my aunty. • Don’t cap. the words god and goddess when they refer to the deities of ancient mythology.* The Greek goddess of the rainbow was named Iris.