SAT GRAMMAR RULES
Periods are equal to semicolons
Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences.
Semicolons and periods are interchangeable when separating independent clauses.
Semicolons or periods can be used before conjunctive adverbs, which are transition words like "however" and "therefore".
Sentence boundary questions
Sentence boundary questions often involve determining the correct placement of periods to separate independent clauses.
A helpful technique for identifying correct sentence boundaries is to read the sentences aloud and assess their fluency and clarity.
An example of a sentence boundary error is presented, highlighting the importance of separating clauses that are not logically connected.
Colons and dashes
Colons and dashes are grammatically equivalent and can be used interchangeably before a list or an explanation.
When a colon or a dash is used to separate two sentences, it is grammatically equivalent to using a period or a semicolon.
When using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), remember to use a comma before the conjunction.
Commas and dependent clauses
Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and rely on an independent clause for context.
Transition words and phrases, such as "however" or "in addition," connect ideas and sentences, and the appropriate word choice depends on the intended meaning and relationship between the clauses.
Non-essential information can be removed from a sentence without changing its meaning and should be set off by commas or dashes.
SAT practice tips
It is recommended to download the free PDF handout containing all 16 grammar rules, which can be printed out or kept on a desk while practicing.
On the test day, students are advised to read passages out loud, either from notes on their phones or a PDF, to warm up their brains before the grammar section.
Reading passages out loud helps with enunciation and improves reading comprehension, making the grammar section less challenging.
Compound Subjects
It is suggested to determine subject-verb agreement with compound subjects by sounding out the sentence and identifying the correct verb conjugation.
Memorizing grammar rules for compound subjects is considered time-consuming and less efficient than verbally testing the sentence.
The tenth rule discussed pertains to compound subjects.
Verb Tense
Verb tenses should remain consistent throughout a sentence. For example, if a sentence starts in the past tense, it should remain in the past tense.
When using "for" or "since" in a sentence, use "have been" to indicate an action that began in the past and is still ongoing.
When describing a single past action, use a single word in the past tense. For example, use "published" instead of "has published."
Parallel Structure
Parallel structure in grammar means using the same grammatical structure for a series of words, phrases, or clauses.
For example, if a series begins with a verb, the following items in the series should also be verbs.
Maintaining parallel structure ensures clarity and grammatical correctness.
Hanging Modifiers
A dangling modifier occurs when a descriptive phrase does not have a clear grammatical connection to the noun it is intended to modify.
For a sentence to be grammatically correct, the noun being modified should come immediately after the modifying phrase.
An example of a dangling modifier is a sentence that says "Born in 2004, computers were RB's hobby," because it incorrectly implies that computers were born in 2004.
Faulty Comparisons
Faulty comparisons occur when comparing two dissimilar things, such as a person and a platform.
To correct a faulty comparison, ensure that the items being compared are logically similar, such as comparing videos from one person to videos from another person.
When comparing a person's work to a platform's content, specify that the comparison is to the platform's content (e.g., "as good as those of ") rather than the platform itself.
Quantity Words
Plural nouns should be used with the words "number," "many," and "fewer."
Singular nouns should be used with the words "amount," "much," and "less."
The word "fewer" should be used instead of "less" when referring to subscribers.