SAT Grammar Terms (copy)

Antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

Finite Verb

A verb that changes ending to show person, number, and tense.

Nonfinite Verb

A verb that does not change tense or complete the action of the subject. Nonfinite verbs include infinitives, gerunds, and participles.

Infinitive

A verb form, usually preceded by "to," that is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Infinitives are often used to convey purpose.

Gerund

A verb form ending in -ing that is used as a noun.

Participle

A verb form that ends in -ing or -ed and acts as an adjective.

Modal Verb

A type of auxiliary verb that shows ability, possibility, permission, or obligation.

Includes: can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, would.

Example: We could go to your favorite coffee shop tomorrow.

(The modal verb "could" shows possibility)

Modifier

A word, phrase, or clause that describes another word, phrase, or clause (it "modifies" or updates the subject in question).

Dangling Modifier

A word or phrase that modifies an unintended word because of poor placement in a sentence.

Possessive determiner

An adjective that shows who the noun belongs to.

Includes "its" and "their"

Example: It's their assignment, not mine.

Supplements

Words that provide additional detail or clarity to a sentence. Includes both essential and nonessential elements.

Relative Clause

A clause introduced by a relative pronoun, such as who, which, or that. A relative clause helps to define the noun it is modifying.

Example: The mug that is chipped on the rim belongs to me.

Restrictive Appositive

An appositive that cannot be omitted from a sentence without affecting the meaning.

Complement (of a preposition)

The word, phrase, or clause that follows the preposition and completes its meaning within a sentence.

Example: The girl skipped to the park. ("to" is the preposition and "park" is its complement).

Nonessential Elements

Words, phrases, or clauses that are not needed to clarify the meaning of a sentence.

Nonessential elements should be set off by punctuation marks such as commas, parentheses, or dashes.

Essential Elements

Components of a sentence that are necessary for conveying its basic meaning or structure. Essential elements should not be separated with punctuation marks (like commas).

Coordinating Conjunctions

A type of conjunction that connects words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank and importance within a sentence. They can join independent clauses together or connect words within a single clause.

Think "FANBOYS": "and", "but", "or", "nor", "for", "so", "yet"

Subordinating Conjunction

A type of conjunction that introduces a subordinate (dependent) clause and establishes a relationship between that clause and the rest of the sentence. They can convey the nature of the relationship between the dependent clause and the independent clause in terms of time, cause and effect, contrast, condition, concession, and manner.

Includes "because", "although", "since", "while", "if", "when", "unless", "whereas", "though", "after", "before", "whether", "as", "since", "until", "while", "where", "once", etc.

Perfect Verb Tense (past perfect, present perfect, future perfect)

A tense used to emphasize the completion of actions in relation to other events.

Conjugate the following verb into past perfect, present perfect, and future perfect tense: PRACTICE

Past Perfect: had practiced

Present Perfect: has practiced

Future Perfect: will have practiced

Progressive (Continuous) Verb Tense

A tense used to convey the duration or continuity of an action. The progressive (continuous) verb form ends in -ing.

Conjugate the following verb into past progressive, present progressive, and future progressive: REMEMBER

Past Progressive: was remembering

Present Progressive: is remembering

Future Progressive: will be remembering

Perfect Progressive Verb Tense

A tense used to show the ongoing nature of an action leading up to a specific point in time and emphasizes the completion of that action at that moment.

The structure of the perfect progressive tense involves the use of the auxiliary verbs "have" (in its various forms for different subjects) and "been," along with the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb.

Conjugate the following verb into past perfect progressive, present perfect progressive, and future perfect progressive: STUDY

Past Perfect Progressive: had been studying

Present Perfect Progressive: has been studying

Future Perfect Progressive: will have been studying

Reflexive pronoun

A type of pronoun that is used when the subject of a sentence performs an action on itself.

Includes "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," "ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves."

Independent Clause

A clause that can stand alone as a sentence; a complete thought. An independent clause MUST contain both a subject and a verb.

Example: The digital SAT is an adaptive test.

Subject: (The) (digital) SAT

Verb: is

Subject Complement: (an) (adaptive) test

Dependent Clause

Also known as a subordinate clause. A clause that contains both a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. Dependent clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions like "because," "although," "when," "since," "if," etc. They function within a sentence to provide additional information or to show the relationship between ideas.

Example: Because I studied months in advance, I scored higher on the test than my peers.

Dependent Clause: "Because I studied months in advance"

Independent Clause: "I scored higher on the test than my peers."

Comma Rules (8)

1. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) that joins two independent clauses.

Ex: The new curriculum emphasizes critical thinking skills, and it incorporates project-based learning approaches.

2. Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.

Ex: In an effort to make the SAT more accessible, College Board decided to cut down the overall number of questions.

3. Use a comma between items in a list.

Ex: A recent survey revealed that onions, green peppers, and olives are some of Americans' least favorite pizza toppings.

4. Use commas to set off nonessential elements, such as nonrestrictive appositives.

Ex: Tama the cat, the beloved railway station master of Wakayama Electric Railway, brought joy to commuters and tourists alike with her charming presence and impeccable service in Japan.

5. Use a comma to separate a participial phrase at the end of the sentence if it's modifying a noun that is not immediately next to the participial phrase (the comma helps clarify the relationship between the phrase and the noun it modifies)

Ex: The dog bolted after the squirrel, barking loudly and tripping over its paws out of sheer excitement. (the squirrel isn't barking loudly, the dog is)

6. Use commas to set off direct quotation that is a complete sentence.

Ex: Maya Angelou inspired countless of people when she said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."

7. Use commas for dates and locations.

Ex: On September 27, 1986, Cleveland, Ohio, attempted to set a world record by releasing over one million balloons into the sky. (comma after day of the month, year, city, and state)

8. Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives that independently modify the same noun.

Ex: It was a long, tiring day of test-taking, but it was finally over

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

The company's training program focuses on practical skills development, and it incorporates hands-on simulations to cover probable scenarios.

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) that joins two independent clauses.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

In response to customer feedback, the restaurant management decided to revamp the menu by introducing healthier options and child-friendly foods.

Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

A study conducted by the local newspaper found that rising gas prices, costly vehicle maintenance, and environmental concerns are some of the main reasons people prefer public transportation over owning a vehicle.

Use a comma between items in a list.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

Jane Austen, one of the most acclaimed novelists of the 19th century, published her first four novels anonymously; it wasn't until the release of Mansfield Park in 1814 that she finally included her name on the cover.

Use commas to set off nonessential elements, such as nonrestrictive appositives.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

The children rushed onto the playground, racing to reach the swings before the others.

Use a comma to separate a participial phrase at the end of the sentence if it's modifying a noun that is not immediately next to the participial phrase.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

As Stephen King once said, "Books are a uniquely portable magic."

Use commas to set off direct quotation that is a complete sentence.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

On April 5th, 2024, it was announced at a conference in San Diego, California, that the Associated Press Stylebook would use the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as its official dictionary of choice moving forward.

Use commas for dates and locations.

What comma rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

Even though it was a cold, miserable day, hundreds of people lined up to race in the marathon.

* Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives that independently modify the same noun.

*Use a comma after a subordinate clause when it comes before the main clause.

Semicolon Rules (2)

1. Use a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses.

Ex: The student had a big exam the following day; she couldn't afford to waste any more time.

2. Use a semicolon as a "super comma" to list items in a complex series (when the items themselves contain commas).

Ex: On our trip, we visited Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; Rome, Italy; and Madrid, Spain.

What semicolon rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

Determined to get a perfect score on her final exam, Mikayla stayed up all night reviewing her notes and study guide; what she didn't account for, however, was the crushing sense of fatigue that would ensue the next day from a lack of sleep.

Use a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses.

What semicolon rule is demonstrated in the following sentence?

The project team includes Bob Builder, the lead engineer; Mark Eting, the marketing director; Frankie Funds, the financial analyst; and Hannah Hireson, the head of human resources.

Use a semicolon to list items in a complex series.