SAT/ACT English and Grammar Rules Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key SAT/ACT grammar rules, punctuation guidelines, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structure strategies.

Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

1. Make the closest subject agree with the verb. 2. Don't change the tense of subject or verb from the starting sentence even if it feels right. 3. Ignore words between the subject and verb.

Singular Possessive Apostrophe ('s)

Used with singular nouns to show individual ownership.

Plural Possessive Apostrophe (s')

Used with nouns ending in 's' to show multiple possession.

Introductory Phrase Rule

Introductory phrases must always be followed by a comma.

NO CHANGE Strategy for Commas

If a question is confusing when trying to select a comma placement choice, go with NO CHANGE if it isn't awful.

Modifier Placement Rule

Modifying phrases must be followed immediately by the noun they describe or modify to keep the sentence clear.

I vs. Me Pronoun Test

Drop the other pronoun in a compound phrase and test the sentence alone (e.g., 'Helped I' vs. 'Helped me') without changing tense or possessiveness.

Interchangeable Punctuation Rule

Colons, semicolons, and dashes can be interchangeable; when assessing acceptability, check if anything is wrong with the original sentence first because it is normally correct unless flawed.

Verb Tense with Had/Was

When fixing verb tense in a sentence with 'had' or 'was' before a verb, forms like 'had ran' or 'was running' can be left as is because they remain grammatically correct.

Concision Rule

Choose the shortest answer choice that is clear and complete, avoiding any repetition of information.

Comma + FANBOYS Rule

A comma combined with a FANBOYS conjunction can join 2 complete sentences. Never use a comma alone between 2 complete sentences.

Complete Sentence Requirements

A complete sentence requires a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. Beware of sentence fragments and run-ons.

Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Pronouns including each, everyone, everybody, neither, either, anyone, and someone are always singular.

Common Contractions

it's = it is, you're = you are, they're = they are, who's = who is.

Possessive Pronouns

Pronouns showing ownership without apostrophes: their, your, its, and whose.

Semicolon Usage (;)

Acts like a period to separate two complete sentences: complete sentence ; complete sentence.

Colon Usage (:)

Introduces a list or explanation following a complete sentence: complete sentence : information.

Affect vs. Effect

Affect is usually used as a verb; Effect is usually used as a noun.

Principal vs. Principle

Principal means main or school leader; Principle refers to a belief or rule.

Methods for Joining Complete Sentences

Two complete sentences can be joined using a semicolon (;), a comma with FANBOYS (, + FANBOYS), or a period (.).

Prepositional Phrase Rule

Ignore prepositional phrases beginning with words like of, in, on, with, by, for, to when locating the subject of a sentence.

Nonessential Information Rule

Surround nonessential information with commas; if removed, the sentence must still function correctly.

Parallelism Rule

Items in a list or sentence structure must share the same grammatical form (e.g., reading, writing, swimming).

Pronoun Agreement & Antecedent Rule

A pronoun must agree in number and have a clear antecedent; clarify if a pronoun could refer to multiple people.

Transitions Types

Select transition words based on the relationship: Contrast (e.g., however), Cause/effect (e.g., therefore), Addition (e.g., furthermore).

Active vs. Passive Voice

Active voice has the subject doing the action, whereas passive voice has the action done to the subject. Prefer clear, direct active wording unless passive is necessary.

Comparative vs. Superlative Forms

Use comparative forms (e.g., faster, better, more interesting) for 2 things; use superlative forms (e.g., fastest, best, most interesting) for 3+ things.

Standard English Usage Rules

Always use standard English forms: use 'regardless' instead of 'irregardless', and 'could have' instead of 'could of'.

Correlative Conjunctions Rule

Keep paired conjunctions together (either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also) and ensure their structure remains parallel.

Strip the Sentence Strategy

A problem-solving strategy where you cross out extra words in a sentence to simplify and evaluate its core grammar structure.