Bluebook SAT Test Boundaries Punctuation and Grammar 1 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
- She loves hiking; but hates camping.
- The storm was fierce; trees fell everywhere. (Correct answer)
- He bought milk; and eggs.
- I enjoy reading; especially mystery novels.
Correct answer: The storm was fierce; trees fell everywhere.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses. 'The storm was fierce' and 'trees fell everywhere' are both complete sentences.
A semicolon is used to join two independent clauses (complete sentences) that are closely related. 'The storm was fierce' and 'trees fell everywhere' are both independent clauses, making option B correct. Options A and C incorrectly use semicolons before coordinating conjunctions (but, and). Option D uses a semicolon before a phrase, not an independent clause.
Question 2: Choose the sentence with the correct apostrophe usage.
- The dog wagged it's tail.
- The dog wagged its' tail.
- The dog wagged its tail. (Correct answer)
- The dogs tail wagged.
Correct answer: The dog wagged its tail.
'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive pronoun. 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is.'
'Its' is the possessive form of 'it' and does not take an apostrophe. 'It's' is the contraction for 'it is' or 'it has.' Since the sentence means the tail belonging to the dog, 'its' (no apostrophe) is correct. 'Its'' is never a correct form.
Question 3: Which option correctly fixes this run-on sentence: 'The meeting ran late everyone was exhausted'?
- The meeting ran late, everyone was exhausted.
- The meeting ran late; everyone was exhausted. (Correct answer)
- The meeting ran, late everyone was exhausted.
- The meeting ran late, and, everyone was exhausted.
Correct answer: The meeting ran late; everyone was exhausted.
A semicolon correctly separates two independent clauses. Option A creates a comma splice.
The original is a run-on sentence with two independent clauses fused without punctuation. Option B correctly uses a semicolon to join them. Option A creates a comma splice (a comma cannot join two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction). Option C misplaces the comma, and Option D uses awkward double commas.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly uses a colon?
- I need: milk, eggs, and bread.
- She had one goal: to win the championship. (Correct answer)
- He loves: running and swimming.
- The answer is: forty-two.
Correct answer: She had one goal: to win the championship.
A colon after a complete independent clause introducing a list, explanation, or appositive is correct.
'She had one goal' is a complete independent clause, so the colon correctly introduces 'to win the championship' as the explanation. Options A, C, and D incorrectly use colons after incomplete clauses (the colon interrupts the verb's relationship with its object/complement).
Question 5: Select the correctly punctuated sentence.
- My sister, who lives in Boston loves coffee.
- My sister who lives in Boston, loves coffee.
- My sister, who lives in Boston, loves coffee. (Correct answer)
- My sister who lives in Boston loves coffee,
Correct answer: My sister, who lives in Boston, loves coffee.
The nonrestrictive clause 'who lives in Boston' is correctly set off with commas on both sides.
'Who lives in Boston' is a nonrestrictive (parenthetical) clauseâit provides extra information but is not essential to identifying which sister. Nonrestrictive clauses must be enclosed with commas on both sides. Option C correctly places a comma before 'who' and after 'Boston.'
Question 6: Which sentence has a subject-verb agreement error?
- The team plays well together.
- Neither the teacher nor the students was present. (Correct answer)
- Each of the boxes is labeled.
- The group of students studies hard.
Correct answer: Neither the teacher nor the students was present.
With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. 'Students' is plural, so 'were' is correct, not 'was.'
The rule for 'neither...nor' is that the verb agrees with the subject closest to it (the principle of proximity). 'Students' (plural) is closest to the verb, so it should be 'were present,' not 'was present.' The sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error.
Question 7: Which punctuation best fills the blank: 'She had three options __ leave, stay, or fight.'?
- ,
- ;
- : (Correct answer)
- --
Correct answer: :
A colon introduces a list after a complete independent clause.
'She had three options' is a complete independent clause. When a complete clause introduces a list, the correct punctuation is a colon. This signals to the reader that what follows is an enumeration of the options: leave, stay, or fight.
Question 8: Which version correctly uses a dash?
- The answerâwas clear to everyone.
- The tripâParis, Rome, and Athensâwas unforgettable. (Correct answer)
- Sheâquickly ran away.
- He boughtâmilk and eggsâat the store.
Correct answer: The tripâParis, Rome, and Athensâwas unforgettable.
Dashes can enclose a parenthetical list or interruption. Both dashes correctly set off the appositive 'Paris, Rome, and Athens.'
Em dashes can be used in pairs to set off a parenthetical element, similar to parentheses but with more emphasis. 'Paris, Rome, and Athens' is an appositive that elaborates on 'the trip,' and enclosing it with dashes on both sides is correct. The other options misuse dashes by interrupting essential parts of the sentence.
Bluebook SAT Test Boundaries Punctuation and Grammar 1
Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?