50 + SAT Grammar and Punctuation Rules to Know

SAT Grammar Rule #1: Each sentence needs a noun, a verb, and to express a full thought.

SAT Grammar Rule #1: Each sentence needs a noun, a verb, and to express a full thought.

➜ He was tired.
✖ Because he was tired.

SAT Grammar Rule #2: Don't combine whole sentences with a comma.

➜ I can't hear you. Can you please use the megaphone?
✖ I can't hear you, can you please use the megaphone?

SAT Grammar Rule #3:"And" alone is not enough

➜ I can't hear you, so can you please use the megaphone?
✖ I can't hear you and can you please use the megaphone?

SAT Grammar Rule #4: Every comma should serve a purpose, so never place one without a reason.

➜ If you tend to get confused when using commas, keep in mind that every comma should serve
a purpose, so never place one without a reason.
✖ If you tend to get confused, when using commas, keep in mind, that every comma should
serve a purpose, so, never place one without a reason.

SAT Grammar Rule #5: Commas may go between independent clauses, but only when paired with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).

➜ The dog raced after the car, but he was left in the dust.
✖ The dog raced after the car but he was left in the dust.

SAT Grammar Rule #6: Commas may go after dependent clauses, prepositional phrases, or other descriptive phrases at the beginning of sentences

➜ On the other hand, the fortune teller had been correct.
✖ On the other hand the fortune teller had been correct.

SAT Grammar Rule #7: Commas may be surrounding non-essential phrases, such as appositives.

➜ Betsy, a lovely woman, offered to knit us socks.
✖ Betsy a lovely woman offered to knit us socks.

SAT Grammar Rule #8: Commas may go between elements in a list.

➜ The child ate cotton candy, fried cookies, and ice cream at the fair.
✖ The child ate cotton candy fried cookies and ice cream at the fair

SAT Grammar Rule #9: Commas may go between two adjectives that describe the same noun AND are interchangeable.

➜ My nephew made me a funny, cute card.
✖ My nephew made me a funny cute card.

SAT Grammar Rule #10: Commas may separate transitional words/phrases from the rest of the sentence.

➜ However, the judge disagreed.
✖ However the judge disagreed.

SAT Grammar Rule #11: Commas go before or after quotes.

➜ He asked, "Why?" "Because it just makes sense," she replied.
✖ He asked "Why?" "Because it just makes sense" she replied.

SAT Grammar Rule #12: Commas are used when addressing a person by name.

➜ Peter, would you pass the pepper?
✖ Peter would you pass the pepper?

SAT Grammar Rule #13: If you see a comma or an "and" underlined in a writing multiple choice question (but not used together), ask yourself whether they can be replaced by a period. If they can, then there's the problem.

➜ I went to the dog park, and then I went to the store.
✖ I went to the dog park, then I went to the store.

SAT Grammar Rule #14: A semicolon is meant to separate two clauses that, by themselves, could function as sentences.

➜ That supermarket is my favorite; it carries all my favorite foods for reasonable prices.
✖ That supermarket is my favorite, it carries all my favorite foods for reasonable prices

SAT Grammar Rule #15: If two sentences are talking about the same topic, a semicolon placed between them may improve the flow of ideas from one to the other. Also, if you are writing a list and the items within the list include commas, separating the items with semicolons prevents confusion between all the commas.

➜ My older brother, Craig; my younger brother, Clint; and my younger sister, Kayla, are coming to visit"

SAT Grammar Rule #16: Colons can also appear between independent clauses, but should really only be used when the second clause clarifies, or paraphrases the first.

➜ We will need the following for our camping trip: a tent, sleeping bags, and hiking boots.
✖ We will need the following for our camping trip: a tent: sleeping bags: and hiking boots.

SAT Grammar Rule #17: Hyphens appear not just within sentences, but within words themselves.

➜ The hand-made necklace was made of local turquoise.
✖ The hand made necklace was made of local-turquoise.

SAT Grammar Rule #18: Contractions use apostrophes to stand in for letters that have been removed.

➜ You shouldn't poke the cat, so don't do it.
✖ You shouldnt poke the cat, so dont do it.

SAT Grammar Rule #19: If a noun is singular or is plural but doesn't end with an ​s​, add ​'s.​ If it is plural and ends with an ​s​,​ just add an apostrophe.

➜ Our architect used the PTA members' ideas in the design for the children's playground.
✖ Our architect used the PTA member's ideas in the design for the childrens' playground.

SAT Grammar Rule #20: Be careful! Several contractions are homophones for possessive pronouns, which do NOT use apostrophes. For example, ​it's​ means ​it is​, while ​its​ is a possessive pronoun.

➜ It's a little confusing.
✖ Its a little confusing.

SAT Grammar Rule #21: Parentheses surround non-essential elements within sentences.

➜ The road trip (which was all my brother's idea) was ruined when the car broke down.
✖ The road trip which was all my brother's idea was ruined when the car broke down.

SAT Grammar Rule #22: Like commas and parentheses, dashes set off non-essential elements in sentences.

➜ My friends — Megan, John, and Ricky — offered to help me move.
✖ My friends Megan John and Ricky offered to help me move.

SAT Grammar Rule #23: Quotation marks always appear in pairs and closing quotation marks must be placed outside a sentence's end-punctuation.

➜ "Four score and seven years ago," began Lincoln.
✖ "Four score and seven years ago", began Lincoln.

SAT Grammar Rule #24: Watch out for synonyms in the same sentence.

➜ My family goes to the beach every year.
✖ Annually, my family goes to the beach every year.

SAT Grammar Rule #25: Hard to understand = bad! Look out for over-formality, wordiness, and passive voice in SAT writing and essays.

➜ Not many people dig through trash as much as I do. ✖ Not many people do as much digging through trash as I do.

SAT Grammar Rule #26: You don't want to say anything in a casual, lax way—or too formally, either.

➜ The SAT places harsh demands on a student's attention, forcing them to be focused for almost four hours straight.
✖ The SAT is really hard because you have to keep your mind on the task for four straight hours.
➜ Many people disagree with the theory.
✖ The theory has many people who disagree with it

SAT Grammar Rule #27: When we have independent clauses (sentences that can stand on their own), and want to join them, we can use a comma and either a coordinating or a subordinating conjunction.

➜ Kelly was able to score at the top of the class, and she was even considered for the position of
valedictorian later on.
✖ She was able to score at the top of the class, but she was even considered for the position of
valedictorian later on.

SAT Grammar Rule #28: Whether it is with nouns, adjectives, verbs, or adverbs you need to make sure the form is consistent.

➜ The girls at the sleepover said they wanted ice cream.
✖ The girls at the sleepover said she wanted ice cream

SAT Grammar Rule #29: Remember that if you cannot physically count a noun, use the words "less," "much," and "amount."

➜ I had less strength after running the marathon.
✖ I had fewer strength after running the marathon.

SAT Grammar Rule #30: Remember that if you can physically count a noun, use the words "fewer," "many," and "number."

➜ I had fewer apples than I thought because my dad ate some.
✖ I had less apples than I thought because my dad ate some.

SAT Grammar Rule #31: Misplaced modifiers don't modify the correct part of the sentence.

➜ Sonia was eagerly waiting for her book to come in the mail.
✖ Sonia was waiting for her book to come in the mail eagerly

SAT Grammar Rule #32: Dangling modifiers don't actually modify anything in the sentence.

➜ Typing furiously, she finished her essay.
✖ Typing furiously, the essay was finished

SAT Grammar Rule #33: Squinting modifiers logically make sense as modifiers for two subjects in the same sentence.

➜ Students who don't practice often for the SAT score lower than they would like.
✖ Students who don't practice for the SAT often score lower than they would like.

SAT Grammar Rule #34: When encountering a modifier problem, first identify the incorrectly-placed modifier.

Having played composers such as Beethoven and Mozart at a very young age, Alicia Keys'
songs have many elements of classical music.
➜ Having played composers such as Beethoven and Mozart at a very young age
✖ Alicia Keys' songs have many elements of classical music.

SAT Grammar Rule #35: Change a modifier problem in one of two ways: figure out either where to place the modifier, or how to correct the subject.

➜ Having played composers such as Beethoven and Mozart at a very young age, Alicia Keys
has many elements of classical music in her songs.
✖ Having played composers such as Beethoven and Mozart at a very young age, Alicia Keys'
songs have many elements of classical music

SAT Grammar Rule #36: Determine if there are any words modifying a verb or adverb, and verify that they are also adverbs.

➜ Mary yelled to Tina, "Drive safely - it's wet out there."
✖ Mary yelled to Tina, "Drive safe - it's wet out there

SAT Grammar Rule #37: Make sure the times given in the sentence are consistent and logical.

Ernest Hemingway's short stories, including the favorite "Indian Camp," continue to be highly influential pieces of fiction despite the fact that they have been written over fifty years ago.
The time "over fifty years ago" sounds pretty strange when put next to "have been written."

SAT Grammar Rule #38: If there's a sequence of events, make sure their tenses put them in the right logical order.

➜ Ernest Hemingway's short stories, including the favorite "Indian Camp," continue to be highly
influential pieces of fiction despite the fact that they were written over fifty years ago.
✖ Ernest Hemingway's short stories, including the favorite "Indian Camp," continue to be highly
influential pieces of fiction despite the fact that they have been written over fifty years ago.

SAT Grammar Rule #39: Has/Have + Participle = describes an action/event that happened in the past and continues in the present.

➜ Since I moved to California, I have walked Bucky in the mornings.
✖ Since I moved to California, I walked Bucky in the mornings.

SAT Grammar Rule #40: Had + Participle = describes an action/event in the past that happened before another action in the past.

➜ Before I moved to California, I had walked Bucky in the mornings, not at nights.
✖ Before I moved to California, I walked Bucky in the mornings, not at nights.

SAT Grammar Rule #41: Whenever we use the past perfect, we must also have another verb in the sentence that is in the simple past.

➜ Before I moved to California, I had walked Bucky in the mornings, not at nights.
✖ Before I moved to California, I walked Bucky in the mornings, not at nights.

SAT Grammar Rule #42: "Command words," or words such as "request that," "order that," "require that" are followed by "be + verb participle."

➜ He requested that she be present at the meeting.
✖ He requested that she was at the meeting.

SAT Grammar Rule #43: The subjunctive mood implies conditionality, in other words a hypothetical, i.e., something that isn't and can't be reality. To show this, we change the verb "was" to "were."

➜ Were she responsible for the break-in, she would not have an airtight alibi.
✖ Was she responsible for the break-in, she would not have an airtight alibi

SAT Grammar Rule #44: The SAT likes to put extra information between the subject and verb. If you cross out everything between the subject and the verb, the correct choice will be much more obvious.

➜ The teachers, who loaded up their trays with pizza, cookies, and chocolate milk, stand at the
back of the cafeteria.
✖ The teachers, who loaded up their trays with pizza, cookies, and chocolate milk, stands at the
back of the cafeteria.

SAT Grammar Rule #45: A pronoun refers to a noun in the sentence.

➜ To whom are you referring?
✖ To who are you referring?

SAT Grammar Rule #46: A pronoun can either take the subjective or objective form depending on its role in the sentence.

➜ To whom are you referring?
✖ To who are you referring?

SAT Grammar Rule #47: When you're listing other people as well as yourself, I or me should come last.

➜ Between you and me, the SAT Writing Section is not too difficult once you know the common
error types that appear in all three sub-sections of the writing portion.
✖ Between you and I, the SAT Writing Section is not too difficult once you know the common
error types that appear in all three sub-sections of the writing portion

SAT Grammar Rule #48: Its = possessive. It's = it is.

➜ A marathon is a challenging race. It's a combination of endurance, grit, and focus.
✖ A marathon is a challenging race. Its a combination of endurance, grit, and focus

SAT Grammar Rule #49: 's = singular possessive. s' - plural possessive.

➜ The students' lockers are all in great order.
✖ The student's lockers are all in great order
➜ The student's locker is in great order.
✖ The students' locker is in great order

SAT Grammar Rule #50: Know that diction questions will appear, and always be on guard if you can't seem to find a mistake in the question.

➜ I didn't know what effects the experiment would have on the subjects.
✖ I didn't know what affects the experiment would have on the subjects

SAT Grammar Rule #51: Note the word "than." It almost always signals that we're making a comparison, so you know to check for a problem there.

➜ Oranges' skins are tougher than lemons'.
✖ Oranges' skins are tougher than lemons

SAT Grammar Rule #52: When making comparisons, find the nouns—where the problem might happen.

➜ To prepare for college admissions, I had to prepare for the SAT, the ACT, and the TOEFL.
✖ To prepare for college, I had to prepare for the SAT, the ACT, and take the TOEFL

SAT Grammar Rule #53: When it's a preposition that's underlined, it's all about your ear.

➜ I don't know what time she signed on.
✖ I don't know what time she signed upon.

SAT Grammar Rule #54: If you see an underlined preposition, find the words before and/or after that should get paired with it.

➜ Despite being wrong a good portion of the time, Mary nevertheless always insists on having
her own way.
✖ Despite being wrong a good portion of the time, Mary nevertheless always insists at having
her own way

SAT Grammar Rule #55: Words in a sentence, or sentences in a paragraph, should all be alike in structure.

As a result, teachers must now be proficient curators of digital information, gathering, catalog, and maintaining these collections.
See how gathering and maintaining both end in -ing? You'll need to update catalog to cataloguing to match the rest of the words in the list.

Among the following examples, see if you can figure out which are sentences and which are fragments.
1. Though she participated often in class, hoping to get an 'A'.
2. Hoping to get an 'A', she participated often in class.
3. Growing up in a household in which everyone watched baseball, David knowing all of the rules of the game.
4. Because he studied, he passed.

1. A fragment.
The first part is a dependent clause (notice that subordinating conjunction "though"). The second part is a phrase, an orphan in search of a verb and a subject. Put that together with the dependent clause and you get a fragment.

2. A sentence.
The first part technically isn't a clause but a modifying phrase (more on these later). But since the second part (the clause after the comma) has a noun subject and a verb, and no subordinating conjunction, it is a sentence. Put that together with the first phrase and you get a complete sentence.

3. A fragment.
The setup here looks very similar to #2. Notice, however, that the second clause doesn't have an actual verb. It has the participle "knowing," making the second clause gibberish. Therefore, #3 is not a sentence. Had "knowing" been "knew," #3 would be a totally valid sentence.

4. A sentence.
First off, you can start a sentence with "because," as long as you have a comma at the end of the first clause and the second clause is an independent clause. Since "he passed" has a noun subject ("he") and a verb (the past tense of pass), #4 is a sentence.

The Brooklyn Museum features an item that might, for the first time ever, be the star of the show. Since its inception nearly 100 year ago, this accessory has been part of the limelight but has always been attached to the human body—whether in flight, in pivot, or in mid-stride. I'm talking about the lowly sneaker, which finally has the limelight all to itself in the exhibit "The Rise of Sneaker Culture."I should be honest: upon walking into the exhibit I did not expect much. After all, how edifying can one Air Jordan sneaker encased in a wall possibly be? But the exhibit offers much more than an endless procession of athletic shoes; it provides context for the way the game has both been played and evolved.
A) NO CHANGE
B) honest, upon
C) honest, upon,
D) honest; upon,

A) NO CHANGE

The very first shoe I saw, an original Chuck Taylor All Stars from 1927, hardly allayed my fears that the exhibit would underwhelm me. After all, the shoe, which is still produced today with very little variations in look and design, is so common that you don't have to walk very far before you see a person sporting a pair. But when I read the placard beneath the shoe, I learned that a Chuck Taylor, a professional basketball player, had influenced both the design and feel of the shoe. He held basketball clinics throughout the country, in which he was able to test out new designs and modifications to the shoe that ultimately led to the sneaker I beheld; a piece of history, its rubber sole worn down over the decades.
A) NO CHANGE
B) beheld: it was a piece
C) beheld, a piece
D) beheld: a piece

D) beheld: a piece

At the time, Wyoming was not a state, a condition that actually made it easier for the federal government to turn the land associated with Yellowstone into a national park. Nonetheless, had it not been for the efforts of Ferdinand V. Hayden, Yellowstone may not have become what we know today. Hayden was worried that Yellowstone could easily become like Niagara Falls, which was overridden with tourism, he felt that only the national government could help preserve the land so that it was consistent with his vision.
A) NO CHANGE
B) tourism: this he felt
C) tourism; he felt
D) tourism, feeling

C) tourism; he felt

Free to users who enjoy their services, websites like Facebook and Google are especially valuable, because they offer free resources for event organization and scheduling.
A) NO CHANGE
B) During periods of economic recession
C) When it comes to the free services the internet provides

B
We can immediately eliminate options A and C, because the writer notes the "free resources" later in the sentence. That leaves us with option B, which is not redundant. Option B also makes sense because free services would be even more valuable to users when times are financially tough!

There is, of course, a dark side to video games. Like any activity that is based on a system of rewards, video games can cause people to overindulge and neglect other aspects of their lives, just to reach the next level in a game.
A) NO CHANGE
B) stop doing other stuff
C) cease in the engagement with other significant life activities
D) fail to attend to urgent facets of life

B) is too casual.
Both C) and D) are too formal and wordy.
A) is consistent with the tone and level of formality found in the rest of the sentence.

Misplaced modifiers on the SAT also come in other forms. In the following examples, figure out what is being modified and what should be modified.
Sonia was waiting for her book to come in the mail eagerly.
The boys and girls couldn't wait action-packed for the new superhero movie.

Eagerly" is modifying "book" in the original sentence. Instead, the sentence should be Sonia was eagerly waiting for the book to come.
"Action-packed" is modifying "wait" in the original sentence. Instead, the sentence should be The boys and girls couldn't wait for the new, action-packed superhero movie.

The modifying phrase is not actually modifying a subject. How would you correct the sentence?
Desperate, a call was made to the police.

Desperate, I called the police. (Or the subject of your choice)

Spanning six decades, a period that encompasses dozens of albums, Bob Dylan continues to be a relevant musician well into the 21st Century.
A) Bob Dylan continues to be a relevant musician well into the 21st Century.
B) a relevant musician well into the 21st Century, Bob Dylan continues to be.
C) Bob Dylan has continued to have become a relevant musician well into the 21st Century.
D) Bob Dylan's career as a relevant musician continues well into the 21st Century.
E) Bob Dylan has been continuing to be in the 21st Century a relevant musician.

D
So what's being modified here? The first phrases, "spanning six decades..." isn't a sentence. We call it a dependent clause because it basically depends on a sentence (which is referred to as an independent clause - it can stand on its own).
The independent clause begins with the subject 'Bob Dylan.' But does Bob Dylan describe what was "spanning six decades..."? No, it is Bob Dylan's career that spanned six decades.
Therefore, Bob Dylan is being incorrectly modified (sorry Bob - in this case, you are a misplaced modifier).
Notice, that only answer choice begins with, "Bob Dylan's career." Just like that - without having to read through all the awkwardly worded answer choices (which can definitely give you test prep brain freeze) - we have the answer: D.

Once completely oblivious to climate change, the world had now began to look more seriously at pollution.
A) NO CHANGE
B) Has now begun
C) Has now began
D) Have now begun

B
The word "once" earlier in the sentence lets us know that something happened at one point in the past. "Once" also tells us that the second half of the sentence, after the comma, will contrast with the first part. We see that contrast in the word "now." So, we need to choose the tense that best reflects the sequence of events in the sentence: the present perfect.

Choose the correct verb tense(s).
After she graduated/had graduated from high school, Jessica decided/had decided to backpack through Europe.
Though he studied/had studied the entire weekend, Bobby was only able to get a B- on his Calculus mid-term

had graduated, decided
We have the first event: Jessica graduating. This event must be in the past perfect tense: had graduated. The more recent event, her deciding to backpack, is in the simple past: decided.
had studied
The first action is the studying, so we need had studied.

The SAT reading section has become less difficult for most students, their obscure vocabulary replaced by lots of reading.
A) NO CHANGE
B) they're
C) its
D) it's

The subject (SAT reading section) is singular. Finally, we want to show possessive, so we need its, not it's.

Common Diction Mistakes

Affect vs. Effect
Conscientious vs. Conscious vs. Conscience
Could of vs. Could have vs. Could've (hint: "could of" is always wrong!)
Crutch vs. Crux
Elicit vs. Illicit
Empathetic vs. Emphatic
Flaunt vs. Flout
Imitated vs. Intimated
Ingenuous vs. Ingenious
Irregardless - no such word