SAT Writing and Language/ACT English: Grammar or Style?

Is it a grammar question or a style question? Usually, the answer is obvious. However, some “best version” questions are actually about style, word choice (diction), or rhetoric. Use the full context to understand what skills are being tested.

Grammar Strategy: Choose this one Choose NO CHANGE Start over Does the sentence contain an error? Is there a choice that fixes the error? Does this choice create a new error? Does this choice change the meaning? Choose again Is this choice the most concise, correct, and clear version? Choose this one Start over Is there a shorter version that is still correct and retains original meaning? Choose NO CHANGE Key: = YES = NO

Run-ons Watch for these when: Comma splices are a favorite To fix: The end of one independent clause and the beginning of the next is underlined The whole sentence is underlined Comma splices are a favorite To fix: Use a comma and a FANBOYS conjunction Use a ; Make one clause subordinate or a phrase

Fragments Less common in Improving Sentences, but still possible Remember that fragments can be long enough to look like sentences Check for lone present participles (-ing) in a predicate verb position without the necessary auxiliary verb (form of “to be”)

Parallel Structure Watch out for these when you see a list or a comparison Remember that all items must be in the same grammatical form (verb phrase to verb phrase, etc.) In a list of 3 items, the third item will contain the error, if there is one

Pronoun Agreement Singular pronouns go with singular antecedents, plurals with plurals Watch for: the indeterminate gender = plural pronoun error Switching between “you” and “one” These can be sneaky! Always match underlined pronouns with its antecedent

Pronoun Case Subjective case is for pronouns used as the subject of a clause Objective case is for pronouns used as objects of prepositions or verbs Watch out for prepositions that often use compounds (esp. between and with”)

Verb tense Check the tense of underlined verbs with those in non- underlined sections; if they don’t match, there’s probably an error Watch out for sentences with specific time references; they frequently contain verb tense problems

Subject-Verb Agreement Watch for these when: A verb is underlined Remember: The noun closest to a verb might not be its subject The test makers like to insert prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb in order to cause confusion

Idioms Make sure that all prepositions in the underlined sections are being used correctly This can be especially challenging for non- native speakers Makes sure that both parts of idiomatic pairs are used correctly (neither…nor; not only…but also; just as…so, etc.)

Modifiers Modifying phrases at the beginning of a sentence modify the subject; if this introductory modifier – subject pairing doesn’t make sense, it’s an error Watch for intro phrases that start with participles (-ing or –ed verbs)

Wordiness These can be tricky because wordiness, while a type of error, is not a grammar error, strictly speaking Watch for extra clauses and redundant phrases IC+PP > IC+SC > IC+IC Simple > Complex > Compound

Punctuation Review rules for commas (esp. introductory phrases and parentheticals), semicolons, colons, apostrophes, and dashes. Aside from lists, there should never be a comma in the middle of a grammatical unit (S-V unit, prepositional phrase, etc.)

“Combos” Some questions will involve more than one issue This one, for example, combines sentence structure, pronoun case, and verb tense

Style Strategy: Is something underlined? Single word or phrase: possible diction problem Check tone and/or connotation Check transition issues Whole sentence: possible content problem Check tone and POV Check main idea Whole sentence: possible combining problem IC+PP > IC+SC > IC+IC Simple > Complex > Compound

Style Strategy: Are the sentences numbered? Probable sentence order problem Treat the sentence in question as a transition Correct choice will link sentence before to sentence after Is there a chart or graph involved? Check relationship of graphic to the passage – they aren’t always directly related Remember to read the axes and scales and to take them at face value – no “reading between the lines”

Tonight’s assignment: Writing Exercise Set 2 (in the relevant post on the site)