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

2. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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”)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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”)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.)

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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.)

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

17. 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

18. 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”

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