Good grammar is essential for effective writing. It helps to make your writing more clear and engaging, which is especially important if you are preparing for the SAT Writing and Language Test. In this guide, we will go over some of the most important SAT grammar rules that you should know in order to improve your writing and score well on the test.
- The Use of Correct Words: There are two types of word choice problems on the SAT: homophones and related terms. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings, such as “cite/site/sight” or “fair/fair.” To use these words correctly, you need to be familiar with their meanings. The second type of word choice question involves underlining a word and providing answer choices that are related words. You need to choose the one that best fits in the sentence.
- Subject-Verb Agreement: This rule deals with the agreement between subjects and verbs in terms of number. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. For example, “He writes poems” (singular subject, singular verb). If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. For example, “David and John perform a song” (plural subject, plural verb). Subject-verb agreement is a common topic on the SAT Writing section, so it’s important to practice this rule.
- The Use of Punctuation: Some of the most common punctuation marks used to make sense of a sentence are apostrophes, commas, colons, semicolons, and dashes. Apostrophes are used to show possession, such as in “The cat’s food” (the food belongs to the cat). Commas are used to separate items in a list and to indicate a pause in a sentence. Colons are used to introduce lists or indicate a subtitle or subdivision. Semicolons are used to separate two main clauses in a sentence. Dashes can be used in a similar way to commas or semicolons, and are also used to set off non-essential clauses.
- Verb Tense: Verb tense refers to the time frame in which an action takes place. It’s important to use the correct verb tense in your writing to avoid confusion. The most common verb tenses are present, past, and future. It’s important to be consistent in your verb tense use within a sentence or paragraph.
- Modifiers: Modifiers are words or phrases that describe or modify other words in a sentence. It’s important to place them correctly in a sentence so that they are clearly modifying the correct word. Misplaced modifiers can lead to confusion or ambiguity.
By understanding and following these SAT grammar rules, you can improve your writing skills and do well on the SAT Writing and Language Test.
