Free SAT Writing Standard English Conventions Practice Test Flashcards

Which sentence uses correct punctuation? A. The dog ran quickly, it leaped over the fence. B. The dog ran quickly; it leaped over the fence. C. The dog ran quickly it leaped over the fence. D. The dog ran quickly, and, it leaped over the fence.

Answer: Sentence B

Sentence B uses a semicolon correctly to join two independent clauses. Sentence A is a comma splice. Sentence C is a run-on. Sentence D over-punctuates with unnecessary commas.

Which sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error? A. The team plays every Saturday. B. The team of players are ready. C. She runs three miles daily. D. He has been studying for hours.

Answer: Sentence B

In Sentence B, 'team' is the singular subject, so the verb should be 'is,' not 'are.' The prepositional phrase 'of players' does not change the subject.

Choose the version that correctly uses a comma: A. Before the storm arrived, we closed all the windows. B. Before the storm arrived we closed all the windows. C. Before, the storm arrived we closed all the windows. D. Before the storm, arrived we closed all the windows.

Answer: Sentence A

An introductory adverbial clause ('Before the storm arrived') should be followed by a comma before the main clause. Sentence A is correct.

Which option correctly punctuates the list? A. I need eggs, milk, bread and butter. B. I need eggs, milk, bread, and butter. C. I need, eggs milk bread and butter. D. I need eggs milk, bread, and butter.

Answer: Sentence B

In a series of three or more items, commas separate each item. Sentence B uses the Oxford (serial) comma correctly before 'and,' which is standard in formal writing.

Identify the sentence with correct pronoun-antecedent agreement: A. Each student must bring their textbook. B. Each student must bring his or her textbook. C. Each student must bring its textbook. D. Each students must bring their textbooks.

Answer: Sentence B

'Each' is singular, so the pronoun should agree in number. 'His or her' is the traditional singular pronoun. Note: 'their' is increasingly accepted as singular in modern usage, but B remains the most traditional correct answer.

Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe? A. The dogs bone was buried in the yard. B. The dog's bone was buried in the yard. C. The dogs' bone was buried in the yard. D. The dogs's bone was buried in the yard.

Answer: Sentence B

A single dog possesses the bone, so the possessive is formed with 's after the noun: 'dog's bone.' Sentence B is correct.

Choose the version that eliminates the dangling modifier: A. Running to the bus, my backpack fell off. B. Running to the bus, I dropped my backpack. C. Running to the bus, the backpack fell off me. D. My backpack, running to the bus, fell off.

Answer: Sentence B

A participial phrase ('Running to the bus') must modify the subject of the main clause. Only in Sentence B does 'I' correctly perform the action of running.

Which sentence is correct? A. Neither the students nor the teacher are ready. B. Neither the students nor the teacher is ready. C. Neither the students nor the teacher were ready. D. Neither the student's nor the teacher is ready.

Answer: Sentence B

With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. The closest noun is 'teacher' (singular), so the verb is 'is.' Sentence B is correct.

Which sentence uses a colon correctly? A. She had one goal: to graduate with honors. B. She had: one goal to graduate with honors. C. She had one: goal to graduate with honors. D. She: had one goal to graduate with honors.

Answer: Sentence A

A colon is used after a complete independent clause to introduce a list, explanation, or amplification. Only Sentence A follows this rule correctly.

Choose the correct word: 'The committee made (its/their/it's) final decision.'

Answer: its

'Committee' is a collective noun treated as singular in formal American English. The correct possessive pronoun is 'its' (no apostrophe). 'It's' means 'it is,' which is incorrect here.

Which sentence avoids a run-on error? A. It was raining hard we stayed inside. B. It was raining hard, we stayed inside. C. It was raining hard; therefore, we stayed inside. D. It was raining hard, and, so we stayed inside.

Answer: Sentence C

Sentence C correctly uses a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb ('therefore,') to join two independent clauses. Sentences A and B are run-ons/comma splices. Sentence D has redundant coordinators.

Which uses correct verb tense? A. Yesterday, she walks to school. B. Yesterday, she walked to school. C. Yesterday, she will walk to school. D. Yesterday, she has walked to school.

Answer: Sentence B

'Yesterday' signals a completed past action, requiring simple past tense: 'walked.' Simple present (A), future (C), and present perfect (D) are all incorrect here.

Choose the correctly punctuated sentence with a nonrestrictive clause: A. My sister who lives in Boston visited me. B. My sister, who lives in Boston, visited me. C. My sister who, lives in Boston, visited me. D. My sister, who lives in Boston visited me.

Answer: Sentence B

A nonrestrictive clause (extra, non-essential information) is set off by commas on both sides. Sentence B correctly places commas before and after 'who lives in Boston.'

Which sentence uses 'who' correctly? A. She is the student who I recommended. B. She is the student whom I recommended. C. She is the student who I recommended her. D. She is the student which I recommended.

Answer: Sentence B

'Whom' is used for the object of a verb. In this sentence, 'I recommended [her/whom]' — the student is the object, so 'whom' is correct.

Which sentence correctly uses a dash for emphasis? A. The only thing she wanted—was peace. B. The only thing she wanted was—peace. C. The only thing she wanted was peace—truly. D. The only thing—she wanted was peace.

Answer: Sentence C

An em-dash can be used for emphasis or to set off a final word or phrase. Sentence C uses the dash grammatically and stylistically correctly to emphasize 'truly.'

Identify the correctly constructed parallel sentence: A. She likes swimming, to run, and hiking. B. She likes to swim, running, and hike. C. She likes swimming, running, and hiking. D. She likes swim, run, and hiking.

Answer: Sentence C

Parallelism requires matching grammatical forms in a list. Sentence C uses the gerund form (swimming, running, hiking) consistently.

Which sentence is grammatically correct? A. The data shows that results are conclusive. B. The data show that results are conclusive. C. The data is showing that results are conclusive. D. The data shown that results are conclusive.

Answer: Sentence B

'Data' is the plural form of 'datum.' In formal academic writing, 'data' takes a plural verb: 'The data show.' (Note: In informal usage, 'data is' is common but B is more formally correct.)

Which version corrects the pronoun reference error? A. When Tom met Greg, he was nervous. B. When Tom met Greg, Tom was nervous. C. When Tom met Greg, they was nervous. D. When Tom met Greg, Greg he was nervous.

Answer: Sentence B

In Sentence A, 'he' is ambiguous — it could refer to Tom or Greg. Sentence B eliminates ambiguity by naming Tom explicitly.

Choose the sentence that avoids wordiness: A. Due to the fact that it was raining, we canceled the game. B. Because it was raining, we canceled the game. C. On account of the raining conditions, we canceled the game. D. Given the fact that rain was occurring, we canceled the game.

Answer: Sentence B

'Because' is more concise than 'due to the fact that,' 'on account of,' or 'given the fact that.' Sentence B is the most direct and clear.

Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly? A. I went to the store; because I needed milk. B. I went to the store; I needed milk. C. I went to the store; and I needed milk. D. I went; to the store I needed milk.

Answer: Sentence B

A semicolon joins two independent clauses. Sentence B has two complete independent clauses. Sentence A incorrectly places a semicolon before a dependent clause. Sentence C incorrectly uses a semicolon before a coordinating conjunction.