sat verbs + grammar patterns

How do you know it’s a verb question?

All choices are forms of the same verb with no punctuation differences. Adverbs in the choices are fine. If punctuation differs, solve it as punctuation first and use verb rules only as a tiebreaker. Verbs ≈ 30% of grammar questions.

What is the first move on every verb question?

Look at the answer choices first. They show which rule is tested. Only compare the FIRST verb in each choice and ignore adverbs. Treat “is developing” as one verb.

In what order do you use the verb tools?

1) By/As/To + non-verb. 2) 3-to-1 singular/plural. 3) Three -ing/to choices. 4) The word “will.” If none work, go to the main verb flowchart. The first shortcut must come first or the others lose accuracy. The four cover ≈ 52% of verb questions.

Shortcut 1: By / As / To + non-verb (≈7%)

Look at the first two words after the blank. If word 1 is by, as, or to AND word 2 is NOT a verb, pick the -ed choice. Example: “by collectors” → -ed. “to read” → shortcut fails because read is a verb.

Shortcut 2: 3-to-1 singular/plural (≈15%)

Exactly three choices share one number and one choice has the other. Pick the odd one out. It works in either direction. Compare only the first verb in each choice, and only normal present-tense forms (not taking or to take).

Singular vs. plural verbs: how do you tell?

Verbs are the opposite of nouns. Verb + s = singular (takes). No s = plural (take). Helping verbs: is/are, has/have, was/were (is, has, was = singular). Base words ending in s add -es (focuses = singular, focus = plural).

What signals that you should check for 3-to-1?

Two or more helping verbs (is/are, has/have, was/were) in the choices. Check quickly whether there are three of one number and one of the other.

Shortcut 3: Three -ing / to constructions (≈12%)

If three choices are -ing or to + verb, pick the one choice that is neither. It does NOT work in reverse. Example: developing / to develop / to develop / to develop → pick developing.

Shortcut 4: The word “will” (≈18%)

“Will” in the choices means a past/present/future tense question. Find context clues (last year = past, predicts = future, in recent years = present). Mostly easy questions in Module 1.

Parallelism for tense: what is the catch?

Match a nearby verb’s tense only if both verbs refer to the same idea or action (e.g., an index “uses” a measure, then “this tool measures” is the same ongoing function). Don’t just copy the nearest verb.

When is HAD used?

“Had” is past of the past. Use it for the event that happened first when two past events appear. “When I arrived, the train had left” = the train left first. Clue words: before that.

What is the main verb?

The main action done by the subject. Every sentence has exactly one. The subject comes first (after any intro modifier) and the main verb usually follows right after it ends.

Which verb forms are automatically NOT main verbs?

-ing verbs and to + verb. Verbs inside the subject (“whether you paid attention…”) or inside additional information are also non-main.

How do you find the main verb in a tricky sentence?

Find where the subject ends, skip additional information, and ask what the subject does. Use comma hopping: skip text between a pair of commas and read on after the second comma.

Main verb examples: what are they?

“Whether you paid attention… is irrelevant…” → is. “Determining whether… was correct required practice” → required. “James’s SAT course, covering…, has helped students raise…” → has helped.

Main verb flowchart: step 1

Read only the sentence with the blank. Is there already a main verb? YES → choose a NON-main verb. NO → choose a main verb.

Flowchart: choosing a non-main verb

Pick the -ing or to + verb choice. If two choices are non-main (rare): blank inside a comma sandwich → -ing. Blank outside → to + verb.

Flowchart: choosing a main verb

Are the choices singular/plural versions of the same verb? YES → find the true subject and match its number. NO → it’s a tense question: use context clues or parallelism.

True subject Rule 1: AND

Two subjects joined by AND = plural. “A state’s voting record and polling data determine…”

True subject Rule 2: along with, as well as

Along with, as well as, in addition to, in conjunction with do NOT make a subject plural. Match the first subject: “record, along with data, determines.”

True subject Rule 3: something OF something

Look at the noun before “of.” “The shape of the ears is…” “A flock of birds is…” (a flock is one group).

True subject Rule 4: each

Each one / each + noun = singular.

True subject Rule 5: subject after the verb

Sentences starting with a prepositional phrase may put the subject after the verb. “Along the coastline… are several ancient ruins.” Ask what is actually doing the action.

What counts like a period when finding the main verb?

A semicolon and a comma + FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Stop reading there and analyze only the sentence containing the blank.

Pronoun questions: process (≈5%)

Read the whole passage, find the antecedent (the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun replaces or refers to in a sentence), and decide singular or plural. Pairs: it/they, it/them, its/their, this/these. The answer is usually between a singular and plural form of the same word.

Does the SAT accept “they/their” for one animal or thing?

No. One thing = it/its. They/them/their only if the antecedent is actually plural.

It’s vs. its

It’s = it is / it has. Its = possessive (no apostrophe). Test: replace with “it is.” If it works, use it’s. “The animal nurses its young.”

Modifier rule (≈3%)

A modifier must sit right next to what it modifies. Read from the start of the sentence to the blank, find what the intro modifier describes, and choose the choice whose subject is that thing.

Possessive trap in modifier choices

In “The author’s debut novel,” the subject is novel, not author. Look at the noun after ’s. “Passed down from grandmother” describes techniques, not grandmother.

Two modifier choices both look right: what now?

This is a double modifier. Read from the blank to the end, find what the ending modifier describes, and choose the answer that puts that noun at the end too.

Common modifier mistakes

Picking a choice just because it names a related word. The answer must be a noun that can do the action (drawing water → a person). The first word is not always the subject.

Plural vs. possessive: what do the apostrophes mean?

’s = one owner (dog’s toy). s’ = plural owners (dogs’ toy). The weird-looking one is plural. Both are possessive.

Plural/possessive process

1) Find the apostrophes. 2) The next thing must be a noun that makes sense to be owned (not a verb, no comma). 3) If still tied between singular and plural owner, use passage evidence. For two owners (rock’s and rap’s), each needs its own ’s.

Universal SAT grammar workflow

1) Look at the answer choices. 2) See what changes. 3) Name the rule being tested. 4) Decide exactly what to look for. 5) Read only that part (pronouns: whole passage). 6) Apply the strategy.