SAT Punctuation Rules & Test Strategies

Commas

• Four SAT-relevant comma functions to memorize:

  • Separate items in a list (nouns, adjectives, or verb phrases).

  • Ex: “My favorite foods are ice cream, pizza, and mangoes.”

  • Set off non-essential (non-restrictive) information – the “comma sandwich.”

  • Core message must stand if the sandwiched words are removed.

  • Ex: “Eating, which is my favorite activity, is something we all must do.”

  • Link two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS); comma precedes the conjunction.

  • Ex: “I told a chemistry joke, but there was no reaction.”

  • Both halves must be independent; if not, omit the comma.

  • Close an introductory word/phrase/clause that precedes the sentence’s main subject.

  • Ex: “After correcting my pronunciation, Hermione nailed the spell with ease.”

• Common pitfalls & fixes:

  • Comma splice = comma between two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. Replace with period or semicolon.

  • Only lists of three or more need commas; two items joined by a FANBOYS word do not.

  • When testing a comma sandwich, delete the middle; remaining sentence should be grammatical.

FANBOYS Refresher (Coordinating Conjunctions)

• For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

• Rule 3 only triggers if a FANBOYS word ties two independent clauses.

Colons

• Governing rule: A colon must follow an independent clause.

• Four SAT uses (after the independent clause):

  1. Introduce a list.

  • “I have three favorite foods: ice cream, pizza, and mangoes.”

  1. Give an example / elaboration.

  • “My roommate is terrible at cooking: last night, he burned water.”

  • Also covers colons that introduce quotations.

  1. Resolve a cliff-hanger statement.

  • “Bob’s biggest fear came true: he was out of coffee.”

  1. (Implicit) Can introduce a single item if that item answers/defines something in the first clause.

• Material after the colon need not be an independent clause.

• On SAT, wrong colon choices often violate the “independent clause before” rule.

Semicolons

• Rule 1 (≈ $90\%$ of SAT usage): Semicolon = period.

  • Must sit between two independent, closely related clauses.

  • “I told a chemistry joke; there was no reaction.”

• Rule 2: Separate complex list items that already contain internal commas.

  • “My favorite foods are ice cream, which is cold and comforting; pizza, which is hot; and mangoes, which are magical.”

• Diagnostic tips:

  • If a period works, a semicolon works.

  • If either side isn’t independent, eliminate semicolon answer.

  • When list items each include commas, expect semicolons between items.

Dashes

• Primary SAT use: Form a “dash sandwich” to set off non-essential information (same logical role as comma pair or parentheses).

  • Test: remove the sandwiched part → remaining sentence still functions.

• Secondary rule: Dashes can “steal the power” of other punctuation to create a deliberate, often dramatic pause.

  • Can replace comma (FANBOYS link), semicolon/period, or colon, depending on context.

  • Writer-chosen dramatic pause will appear in all answer choices, so decision becomes mechanical (e.g., keep matching pairs, avoid mixing commas & dashes).

• Consistency principle: If a dash starts a non-essential interruption, a dash (not comma) must end it, and vice-versa.

• Never mix comma + dash around the same non-essential element.

Strategy for Punctuation Questions

• Focus only on the sentence containing the blank; mentally delete surrounding intro phrases or non-essential clauses to reveal core structure.

• Identify

  1. Number of clauses.

  2. Whether each clause is independent.

  3. Presence/absence of FANBOYS.

• Check for lists vs. clause linkage vs. add-on info.

• Eliminate answers that violate fundamental rules (e.g., colon after fragment, comma splice, mismatched dash/comma pairs).

Walk-Through Highlights from the Video

(Each bullet notes rule(s) demonstrated, answer selected, and reasoning.)

• Aerobic vs. anaerobic respiration sentence

  • Intro phrase before subject ➔ comma after “does not.”

  • Correct answer $C$.

• Ocean-mixing “team” sentence

  • FANBOYS “and” present, but second element is not independent ➔ no comma.

  • Correct answer $D$.

• Silk tensile-strength researcher

  • Two independent clauses without FANBOYS ➔ need period/semicolon, not comma (avoid splice).

  • Correct answer $D$.

• Apiary expansion (couple + nine lots)

  • Two independent clauses joined by “and” ➔ comma before “and.”

  • Correct answer $B$.

• Sculpture arrangement “according to Swen”

  • Comma sandwich for non-essential attribution.

  • Correct answer $B$.

• Meteorites from Moon/Mars

  • Clause before blank starts with “Although” ➔ dependent; cannot precede semicolon/colon/period.

  • Only comma (continue sentence) is legal. Correct answer $B$.

• Neanderthal dental-plaque sequencing

  • Independent clause “A team tried something new” + cliff-hanger ➔ colon.

  • Correct answer $A$ (colon fulfills cliff-hanger use).

• Festac 77 renaming

  • Non-essential rename begins with “or” and ends later with dash; must be enclosed by matching dashes.

  • Correct answer $B$.

• Nobel Prize click chemistry list

  • List items contain commas inside → separate items with semicolons.

  • Correct answer $D$.

• Psychologist + personality trait

  • Intro independent clause + cliff-hanger → colon acceptable; provided in choice $D$.

• Emperor/Death-Star dramatic dash example

  • Dash kept for dramatic pause; period required after second clause to avoid splice.

  • Correct answer $D$.

Numerical & Statistical Mentions (appear in examples/questions)

• Tensile strength change: $0.5\,\text{GPa} \rightarrow 2\,\text{GPa}$.

• Nobel example: $2022$ Prize.

• Cahokia population ≈ $20{,}000$ in year $1150$.

• Weather forecasting window: $3$–$4$ weeks (subseasonal).

• Beekeeping story: $9$ additional lots, $35$ hives.

Practical/Real-World & Test-Day Implications

• Knowing punctuation roles equals fast, objective elimination—no stylistic guessing.

• Dash dramatic pauses are the only “style” element; SAT forces the pause by locking dash into every option.

• Ethical tip by instructor: avoid comma splices or “he’ll tickle you” (humorous threat → emphasizes importance of rule).

• Time management: strip away fluff (intro + non-essential) to reveal clause skeleton; speeds answer selection.

• Course plug: Instructor offers 3–4-hour punctuation/grammar course with $100+$ exclusive practice problems and discount link.

Mini-Checklist Before Choosing an Answer

• Does the mark sit after an independent clause (for colon/semicolon)?

• Are you splicing two sentences with just a comma? (If yes, wrong.)

• Are list items simple (commas) or complex (semicolons)?

• If you open non-essential info with dash/comma/parenthesis, did you close with the same mark?

• Could a period replace a semicolon choice and still make sense? If no, semicolon is wrong.

Quick Reference Equations/Rules

• Independent Clause + FANBOYS + Independent Clause → “IC , FANBOYS IC”.

• Independent Clause + $:$ + list/example/cliff-hanger resolution.

• Independent Clause $;$ Independent Clause.

• Dash sandwich ⇒ “— non-essential —”. Remove middle → sentence intact.

• Complex list ⇒ “Item 1; Item 2; Item 3.”

These notes condense all principles, examples, tips, and meta-strategies presented in the video, providing a full toolkit for scoring perfectly on SAT punctuation questions.