SAT WRITING

Sentence Errors
The Seven Deadly Screw-Ups
The same types of grammar errors pop up again and again on Identifying Sentence Errors questions. Our list of Seven Deadly Screw-
Ups tells you what inds of errors to loo and listen for! "ut you also need to now precisely what each one means. #elow we provide
a "it more "acground and plenty of e$amples to help mae sure you%ve got each screw-up squared away in your head.
& word of advice' (hen going through the e$amples "elow! read them out loud to yourself. )earing what sounds right and what
sounds wrong can help "urn these grammar rules into your "rain. &lso! we now from e$perience that it%s easy to space out while
studying grammar. Taling out loud will help eep you focused. *eady to get familiar+
Screw-Up 1: Pronouns
,ronoun errors are the most common type of screw-up found on Identifying Sentence Errors questions. To reiterate what we covered
in Improving Sentences' pronouns are words that tae the place of nouns -words for people! places! and things./words lie she, her,
hers, he, him, his, they, their, it, its, that, and which. 0et%s loo at this sentence'
Ernie felt "etter after playing air guitar.
& pronoun is a word you would use to replace the noun Ernie'
He felt "etter after playing air guitar.
1)earing2 pronoun pro"lems might tae a little practice! "ecause people often use pronouns incorrectly in casual speech. So even if a
particular pronoun sounds correct! dou"le-chec it to mae sure it follows all the rules governing pronoun use. )ere are those rules'
Pronoun Agreement
,ronoun agreement is "y far the most frequently tested pronoun rule in Identifying Sentence Errors questions. )ere%s what it%s all
a"out.
Pronouns must agree in number with the noun. If the noun is plural! the pronoun must "e plural3 if the noun is singular! the
pronoun must "e singular. This sounds straightforward enough! "ut spotting errors in pronoun agreement on the test can "e tricy
"ecause we mae errors of pronoun agreement so frequently in speech. (e tend to say things lie Yo, somebody lost their shoe!
instead of Yo, somebody lost his shoe! 4ou might avoid saying somebody lost his shoe "ecause you don%t want to e$clude women
"y saying his! and it%s cum"ersome to write somebody lost his or her shoe. ,eople attempt to solve these pro"lems with the gender-
neutral their. So if you see it on the test! you%ll now it%s an error. Their might "e gender-neutral! "ut it%s plural! and plural pronouns
cannot ever replace singular nouns.
Since this error is so common in everyday speech and therefore sounds correct to many people%s ears! you can "e sure you%ll see a few
questions on it on the test. The deceptively correct sound of many pronoun agreement errors serves as a good reminder of how
dangerous it is to 5ust trust your ear. Often what sounds right is dead wrong.
The sentence "elow is incorrect "ecause the pronoun and the noun don%t agree in num"er'
Every student at the party tried to loo their "est . 6o error .
& # 7 D E
This sentence "egins with the singular noun student! so the pronoun must "e singular too. Their is plural and therefore wrong in this
sentence.
The pronoun and noun also won%t agree if the noun is plural and the pronoun is singular'
Even though some possess the fle$i"ility to put their legs
&
over their heads! most people vary in his or her a"ility
# 7
to achieve this feat . 6o error .
D E
In this sentence! the pro"lem is with C! the phrase his or her. Those pronouns refer to the plural noun people! "ut his or her is singular!
"ecause that pesy or maes it one or the other. This is a case in which their is correct! and his or her is incorrect.
&nother ind of pronoun agreement question 5ust tests to see if you%re paying attention. On questions lie the one "elow! you%ll get
into trou"le if you%re reading quicly and fail to mae sure that the pronoun matches up with the noun it replaces'
8or the ro""er trying to decide "etween potential getaway
SAT WRITING
&
cars! every car up for consideration has their own set of
# 7 D
advantages. 6o error
E
In this sentence! the pronoun their replaces the noun car. This is incorrect! "ecause car is singular! and their is plural. If you were
reading carelessly! however! you might assume that since the first part of the sentence contains the plural noun cars! the plural
pronoun their is correct. &lways "e sure you%re inspecting each pronoun carefully.
Pronoun Case
(e%re a"out to get on your case. The case of a wor refers to the function that a wor performs in a sentence. The most
important thing for you to understand in reference to pronoun case is the su"5ective and o"5ective case. 1)uh+2 E$actly. 0et us
e$plain.
& word is the su"5ect of a sentence if it is the main noun that performs the ver". The o"5ect of a sentence is the noun toward which! or
upon which! the ver" is "eing directed. 0oo at this sentence'
Sam issed 9ess.
Sam is the su"5ect! since he performed the iss! and 9ess is the o"5ect! since she received the iss.
(hen a pronoun replaces a noun! that pronoun must match the noun%s case. This is important "ecause pronouns actually have different
forms! depending on their cases.
Sub!ecti"e Case Pronouns #b!ecti"e Case Pronouns
I me
you you
he! she! it him! her! it
we us
they them
who whom
In the e$ample sentence! you would replace the su"5ect! Sam! with the su"5ect pronoun! he! and the o"5ect! Jess! with the o"5ect
pronoun! her. He issed her.
The S&T (riting section often tests your nowledge of pronoun case in a tricy way. 4ou%ll get phrases lie her and her cats or him
and his friends. They try to confuse you with these phrases "y including two pronouns! each of which is doing separate things. They
want you to reason that if one pronoun is in a certain case! then the other pronoun should "e in the same case! right+ 6oooo. 8or
e$ample'
)er and her friend lie to stay in their hotel room and
& #
drin root "eer whenever they tae a trip . 6o error .
7 D E
This sample has a plural su"5ect' Her and her friend. 4ou now her and her friend is the su"5ect since they are the ones who do the
liing in the sentence/they perform the ver" -drin.. In this sentence! the first her is a pronoun and should "e in the su"5ective case!
not the o"5ective case.
Don%t worry if this all feels too technical for you. If you can grasp this ind of grammatical comple$ity after a few tries! then you%re in
great shape. #ut whether you now the grammar or not! there is a strategy that can help you decide if a pronoun is in the proper case.
(hen you have a compound su"5ect lie her and her friend! throw out each side of the phrase and try it out in the sentence/5ust
remem"er to mae the ver" singular! since it stops "eing plural when you throw out one half of the su"5ect. If you follow this method!
you%ll get two sentences! which would "egin in the following ways'
)er lies to stay . . .
)er friend lies to stay . . .
4ou should immediately "e a"le to hear that the first sentence is wrong and the second one is right. Suddenly it seems o"vious that the
first part of the original sentence should read'
SAT WRITING
She and her friend lie to stay . . .
T$E CU%&#US CASES #' (E A)* &
The S&T particularly lies to test you on phrases such as John and me or the !host in the !ra"eyard and #! "ecause many people don%t
now when to use me and when to use #.
)ere%s a quic True:8alse question for you' It%s always more proper to use #/true or false+ 8&0SE. Often me is the right word to use.
*ead the following e$ample'
There is usually a ha;e of "lue smoe surrounding 9esse and I
& #
in 7hem la"! especially when we mi$ together chemicals of
7
unnown origin . 6o error .
D E
In this e$ample! + is incorrect! since it should read Jesse and me. So how can you tell when to use # and when to use me+ It%s got
nothing to do with formality or propriety. $e is used as an o"5ect of a preposition. # is used as the su"5ect -or part of the su"5ect. of a
sentence. 1<ive that "all to me.2 1The dog and # sped down the lane.2
It%s often hard to tell when to use # and when to use me. One of the "est ways to tell is to cut out some of the surrounding words. 8or
e$ample! in the sentence a"ove! if you cut out Jesse and from the sentence! you get the phrase smoe surroundin! #. Though we told
you not to rely on your ear e$clusively! e$amples lie this one don%t require a trained ear to detect the error. 4ou%d ne"er say or write
the smoe surroundin! #. It should leap off the page and shout out its incorrectness to you.
It%s always a good idea to dou"le-chec your ear. On I:me questions lie this e$ample! su"stitute me for # -or vice versa if the case may
"e.. )ere you%d get smoe surroundin! Jesse and me! which sounds "etter and checs out correctly if you drop Jesse and to get smoe
surroundin! me.
T$E ST%A),E CASES #' (E A)* (-
It can also "e tough to depend solely on your ear to try to figure out whether to use me or my. 0oo at this sentence'
(hen it comes to me studying for the math tests! 1 concentration 2
& # 7
is my middle name . 6o error .
D E
&lthough it may sound right! me is actually incorrect in this sentence. The me:my refers to studying. 4ou need a possessive word to
indicate that the sentence refers to your study ha"its. If you use me! the phrase means when it comes to me. The su"5ect of the sentence
is not you! it%s your study habits. Using my gives the sentence the possessive meaning it needs to convey.
Pronoun Shift
This is a "ad thing. & sentence should start! continue! and end with the same ind of pronouns. ,ronoun shift occurs when the pronoun
type changes over the course of the sentence.
(hen one first "egins to arm wrestle! it%s important to
& #
wor on your endurance and to mae your "iceps appear formida"le .
7 D
6o error .
E
If you start taling a"out one! you have to eep taling a"out one for the duration of the sentence. Therefore! the sentence could read!
%hen one first be!ins to arm wrestle, it&s important to wor on one&s endurance, or! %hen you first be!in to arm wrestle, it&s important
to wor on your endurance. #ut the sentence cannot com"ine one and you. So C is the correct answer.
Ambiguous Pronouns
& pronoun is called 1am"iguous2 when it%s not a"solutely clear what the pronoun refers to. ,eople use am"iguous pronouns all the
time when they%re taling. This wors out fine in speech! as you can usually mae it clear! from conte$t or gestures! what the pronoun
refers to. #ut in writing! you often can%t provide that sort of conte$t. Even if the result sounds awward! you must mae sure it%s
a"solutely clear what the pronoun refers to. See if you can spot the am"iguous pronoun in the following sentence'
SAT WRITING
Sarah told Emma that she had a serious foot odor pro"lem!
& #
and that medicated spray might help. 6o error .
7 D E
The pronoun she poses a pro"lem in this sentence. (ho has a pro"lem with foot odor! Sarah or Emma+ 6o one nows! "ecause she is
am"iguous. <rammatically and logically! she could refer either to Sarah or Emma. Therefore! A is the correct answer.
Comparisons Using Pronouns
Tae special notice whenever you see a comparison made using pronouns. (hen a pronoun is involved in a comparison! it must match
the case of the other pronoun involved'
I%m much stronger than her ! which is good! "ecause it means
& # 7
I%ll dominate this wrestling match. 6o error .
D E
In this sentence! # is "eing compared to her. These two pronouns are in different cases! so one of them must "e wrong. Since only her
is underlined! it must "e wrong! and therefore it%s the right answer.
&nother way to approach pronouns in comparisons is to reali;e that comparisons usually omit words. 8or e$ample! it%s grammatically
correct to say! Johanna is stron!er than Tom! "ut that phrase is actually an a""reviated version of what you%re really saying. The long
version is! Johanna is stron!er than Tom is. That last is is invisi"le in the a""reviated version! "ut you must remem"er that it%s there.
0et%s go "ac to the wrestling sentence for a sec. &s in the 9ohanna and Tom e$ample! the word is is invisi"le! "ut it%s implied. If you
see a comparison using a pronoun and you%re not sure if the pronoun is correct! add the implied is. In this case! adding is leaves you
with #&m much stron!er than her is. That sounds wrong! so you now that she is the correct pronoun in this case.
Tae a loo at this similar sentence'
#roc 0esner is a "etter professional wrestler than them .
& # 7 D
6o error .
E
In this comparison the word are is implied! since in this sentence the pronoun them is plural. &dding are leaves you with 'roc (esner
is a better professional wrestler than them are. That sounds dead wrong! so you now that the sentence should read 'roc (esner is a
better professional wrestler than they! and that * is the right answer.
Screw-Up .: Sub!ect-/erb Agreement
The fundamental rule a"out the grammatical relationships "etween su"5ects and ver"s is this'
If you have a singular su"5ect! you must use a singular ver". If you have a plural su"5ect! you must use a plural ver".
It sounds simple! and usually it is. 8or e$ample! you now that it%s incorrect to say candy are !ood or concerts is fun.
)owever! in a few instances! su"5ect-ver" agreement can get hairy. There are four varieties of su"5ect-ver" pro"lems the S&T (riting
section loves to test'
(hen the su"5ect comes after the ver"
(hen the su"5ect and ver" are separated
(hen you have an either)or or neither)nor construction
(hen the su"5ect seems plural "ut isn%t
*emem"er! it%s not necessary to remem"er the name of the pro"lem/you certainly don%t have to memori;e this list. It%s only
necessary to chec su"5ects and ver"s carefully to see if they match up. =nowing the different ways su"5ects and ver"s can go astray
will help you chec more efficiently.
Sub!ect After the /erb
In most sentences! the su"5ect comes "efore the ver". The S&T tries to throw you off "y giving you a sentence or two in which the
su"5ect comes after the ver" and the su"5ect-ver" match-up is incorrect.
Even though Esther created a petition to protest the crowning
& #
of a ,rom >ueen! there is many people who refused to sign!
SAT WRITING
7
saying they support the ?@ABs-era tradition. 6o error .
D E
The S&T frequently uses this e$act formulation! so "e wary if you see a comma followed "y the word there. In this ind of sentence!
it%s tempting to assume that 5ust "ecause the word there comes "efore the ver" is, there is the su"5ect/"ut it%s not. *eople is the
su"5ect. &nd since people is plural! the matching ver" also must "e plural. #s is a singular ver"! and therefore incorrect in this sentence.
Even when you don%t see the red flag of there is, don%t 5ust assume that the su"5ect always comes "efore the ver". 0oo at the
following sentence'
&top my sundae! a colossal mass of ice cream! whipped cream !
& # 7
and sprinles! sits two maraschino cherries. 6o error .
D E
TricyC The answer is *! sits. #ecause the things doing the sitting are two maraschino cherries -plural su"5ect.! you need to use sit
-plural ver".. The sentence should read +top my sundae, a colossal mass of ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinles, sit two
maraschino cherries. (hy is this so sneay+ The su"5ect! maraschino cherries, comes after the ver"! sits. (ith all the singular stuff
floating around/one sundae! one mass of ice cream and whipped cream/it%s easy to assume that the ver" should "e singular! too.
0oo out for that ind of "acwards construction.
Sub!ect an /erb Are Separate
One of the S&T%s most dia"olical trics is to put the su"5ect here and the ver" waaaaay over yonder. The test-writers hope that "y the
time you get to the ver"! you%ll forget the su"5ect and end up "affled.
Sundaes with whipped cream and cherries! while good if consumed
& #
in moderation! is heinous if eaten for "reafast! lunch!
7 D
and dinner. 6o error .
E
In this sentence! the su"5ect -sundaes. is at the "eginning of the sentence! while the ver" -is. is miles away. (hen this happens! it%s
helpful to "racet clauses that separate the su"5ect and the ver" so you can still see how the su"5ect and ver" should relate. If you
ignore the phrase here -while !ood if consumed in moderation.! you%re left with sundaes is heinous. That%s grammatically heinous. So
C is the right answer.
)either0)or an Either0#r
In neither)nor and either)or constructions! you%re always taling a"out two things! so it%s tempting to assume that you always need a
plural ver".
#ut if the two things "eing discussed are singular! you need a singular ver". 8or e$ample! it%s correct to say! ,either Jason nor Sandra
acts well! "ecause if you "roe the components of the sentence in two! you would get Jason acts well and Sandra acts well. It%s
incorrect to say! ,either Jason or Sandra act well! "ecause if you "rea that sentence into its components! you get Jason act well and
Sandra act well.
It can "e hard to hear this error! so "e sure to chec su"5ect-ver" match-ups carefully when you see a sentence lie this one'
6either =ylie nor 9ason measure up to 7arrie . 6o error .
& # 7 D E
Even though the sentence mentions two people -9ason and =ylie. who don%t measure up to 7arrie! "oth of those people are singular
nouns. Therefore! the ver" must "e singular. $easure is a plural ver"! when it should "e a singular one! so C is the answer.
Tric12 Singu3ar Sub!ects that Seem P3ura3
There are a "unch of confusing su"5ects out there that are singular "ut masquerade as plural. It%s easy to get tripped up "y these
singular su"5ects and mistaenly match them with plural ver"s. )ere are the leading culprits'
any"ody either audience no"ody
anyone group each none
SAT WRITING
&merica num"er every"ody no one
amount neither everyone
In this sentence! for e$ample! nobody seems plural'
Of all of the students in my class! no"ody! not even me !
& #
are e$cited a"out the new teacher . 6o error .
7 D E
,obody is always a singular noun! so it needs to "e matched with a singular ver". The answer is C. The sentence should read! -f all
the students in my class, nobody, not e"en me, is e.cited about the new teacher. 0oo carefully at all seemingly plural su"5ects to mae
sure they%re not singular su"5ects masquerading as plural ones.
#e particularly careful with phrases lie as well as! alon! with! and in addition to. 0ie the neither)nor construction! these phrases can
tric you into thining they require a plural ver".
The leadoff hitter! as well as the cleanup hitter! are getting
& #
some good hits tonight . 6o error .
7 D E
The actual su"5ect here is leadoff hitter. Since leadoff hitter is a singular su"5ect! the ver" must "e singular! too. The presence of the
phrase as well as does not mae the su"5ect plural. Even though there are two hitters doing well! the leadoff hitter is the only su"5ect
of this sentence. + is the answer3 the sentence should read! The leadoff hitter, as well as the cleanup hitter, is !ettin! some !ood hits
toni!ht. If the sentence used an and instead of an as well as! so that it read! The leadoff hitter and the cleanup hitter are !ettin! some
!ood hits toni!ht! then are would "e correct. It%s that as well as construction that changes things.
Screw-Up 4: Tenses
Identifying Sentence Errors questions test your nowledge of three common causes of tense errors. (e e$plain each type in detail
"elow.
&nnoying ver"s
Illogical tense switches
The conditional
/er2 Anno2ing /erbs
Dery annoying ver"s never sound quite right in any tense/lie to lie, to swim,or to drin. (hen do you lay and when do you lie+
(hen do you swim and when have you swum+ (hen did you dran and why are you drun+ 8orget that last one.
4ou 0IE down for a nap.
4ou 0&4 something down on the ta"le.
4ou 0&4 down yesterday.
4ou S(IE across the English 7hannel.
4ou S(&E across the &tlantic Ocean last year.
4ou had S(UE across the "athtu" as a child.
4ou D*I6= a glass of water every morning.
4ou D*&6= a glass of water yesterday.
4ou have D*U6= three gallons of water this wee.
4ou%ll pro"a"ly see one question that will test your nowledge of a confusing ver" lie to lie. 0oo at this sentence! for e$ample'
On Saturday afternoon! I laid in the sun for an hour ! woring
& # 7
on my tan . 6o error .
D E
+ is the correct answer here! "ecause laid is not the correct tense in the conte$t of this sentence. The past tense of to lie is lay, so the
sentence should read # lay in the sun.
Tense Switch
4ou don%t always need to use the same tense throughout a sentence. 8or e$ample! you can say'
I used to eat chocolate "ars e$clusively! "ut after going through a conversion e$perience last year! I have
SAT WRITING
"roadened my range and now eat gummy candy! too.
This sentence has several tense switches! "ut they%re logical and correct' The sentence uses past tense when it refers to the past and
present tense when it tals a"out the present! and the progression from past to present maes sense.
The S&T gives you a sentence or two with incorrect tense switches. )ere%s an e$ample'
&t swimming pools last summer! the heat will have "rought
& #
hundreds and even thousands of people to "athe in chlorine-infested
7 D
waters. 6o error .
E
This sentence "egins "y taling a"out the past -last summer.! "ut then uses the phrase will ha"e brou!ht! which refers to the future.
The phrase will ha"e brou!ht doesn%t fit "ecause it suggests something continuing from the present to the future! whereas the sentence
should "e rooted entirely in the past. Therefore! + is the correct answer. &lways "e sure that the sentence%s tenses match the time
frame -past! present! or future. in which the su"5ect is discussed.
The Conitiona3
4our parents are supposed to give you unconditional love! meaning they love you even though you refuse to "e seen in pu"lic with
them. So it stands to reason that the conditional is a ver" form used to descri"e something uncertain! or dependent on something else.
7onditional sentences are often characteri;ed "y the presence of the word if. The conditional requires a different con5ugation of some
ver" forms! most nota"ly the ver" to be. 8or e$ample! in the past tense! you%d write! 1I was a good student and got good grades.2 In
the present tense! you%d write! 1I am a good student and get good grades.2 That%s all fine and familiar so far! right+ The conditional is
different! however. In the conditional! you%d write! 1If I were a good student! I would get good grades.2
To conquer conditionals on the S&T! loo out for the word if and memori;e this simple formula to use the correct con5ugation' 1If . . .
were . . . would.2 )ere%s an e$ample'
If I was to see a movie with Eom and Dad! I would ris
& # 7
my reputation. 6o error .
D E
%as may sound right to you on first reading this sentence! "ut when in dou"t! remem"er the formula. %as violates the formula and
therefore is incorrect. The sentence should read! #f # were to see a mo"ie with $om and /ad, # would ris my reputation. A is the right
answer.
Screw-Up 5: Para33e3ism
,arallel lines line up neatly with each other! right+ ,arallelism in writing means that the different components of a sentence start!
continue! and end in the same way. It%s especially common to find errors of parallelism in sentences that list actions or items. (hen
you see a list of any sort! "e on the alert for an error in parallelism. In the question "elow! for e$ample! the activities are not presented
in the same format! which means there is a parallelism error.
9ac never lied "athing the dog ! feeding the llamas! or
& #
to ride his personal roller coaster . 6o error .
7 D E
& !erund is a funny word for something you already now well' & ver" in its 0in! form. 'iin!! parin!! walin!! talin!/all
gerunds. The list of ver"s in the e$ample a"ove starts out with two gerunds -bathin!, feedin!. and then switches to an infinitive -to
ride.. &n infiniti"e is the to form of the ver". 1To run2 and 1to hide2 are two infinitive ver" forms. The sentence a"ove "egins with
gerund ver" forms and must continue with gerunds all the way through for it to have proper parallel structure. C is the correct answer.
Some parallelism errors occur at the end of phrases. The sentence "elow is incorrect "ecause its two halves don%t end in a similar way'
The stea is definitely the "est entrFe on the menu ! and
& #
the clam chowder is the "est appeti;er . 6o error .
SAT WRITING
7 D E
The "est appeti;er where+ In the nation+ In the world+ #ecause the first part of the sentence specifies on the menu! the second part of
the sentence must also "e specific. In corrected form! this sentence would read' 1The stea is definitely the "est entrFe on the menu!
and the clam chowder is the "est appeti;er in the world.2
Screw-Up 6: A"erbs an A!ecti"es
&dver"s are often confused with ad5ectives! especially when used in comparisons. #elow we%ve "roen down the ey adver" pitfalls
you should loo out for.
Confusing A"erbs with A!ecti"es
&dver"s are words used to descri"e ver"s or other adver"s. &dver"s often end in 1ly -breathlessly, an!rily.. 8or e$ample! if you%re
descri"ing how you ate your spaghetti dinner! you%re descri"ing a ver" -eating.! so you need to use an adver". 4ou could say
something lie'
I ate my spaghetti 2uicly.
&d5ectives are words used to descri"e nouns. &gain! tae the spaghetti e$ample/"ut this time! suppose that instead of descri"ing the
process of eating! you%re descri"ing the actual dinner. Since you%re descri"ing a noun -dinner.! you need to use an ad5ective. 4ou could
say something lie! 1I ate my delicious spaghetti.2
,eople often confuse adver"s with ad5ectives! especially in speech. (e say things lie! 1I ate my dinner quic.2 (rongC #ecause
you%re descri"ing an action! you must use an adver" lie 2uicly. One very frequently confused ad5ective:adver" pair is well and !ood.
%ell is an adver"! and !ood is an ad5ective! so one can%t "e su"stituted for the other.
This paper%s going pretty good ! although I%m not sure I%ll
& # 7
"e done on time . 6o error .
D E
& paper can%t go pretty good3 it can only go pretty well. In order to descri"e the ver" !oin!! you have to use an adver" lie well
instead of the ad5ective !ood.
The S&T usually tests adver":ad5ective confusion "y giving you a sentence that uses an ad5ective when it should use an adver".
6o matter how careful ites are flown! they often get tangled
& # 7 D
in trees. 6o error .
E
In this sentence! the ad5ective careful is used improperly to descri"e the ver" flown. #ecause a ver" is "eing descri"ed! careful should
"e carefully. The following sentence has a similar pro"lem'
The fascinating TD special shows how quic the hungry tiger
& #
can devour its prey. 6o error .
7 D E
This sentence uses the ad5ective 2uic to descri"e the ver" de"our3 the adver" 2uicly is the right word to use! so + contains the error
in this sentence. 6otice that in this sentence! the ad5ective! 2uic! is separated from the ver"! de"our! "y three words. Sniffing out the
improper use of an ad5ective can "e difficult when the ver" "eing descri"ed is not directly ne$t to the ad5ective. If you see an ad5ective
you%re not sure a"out! don%t "e fooled "y distracting phrases lie the hun!ry ti!er. 9ust chec to see what the ad5ective is descri"ing. If
it%s descri"ing a ver"! you%ll now it%s an error.
A"erb or A!ecti"e (isuse in Comparisons
(hen you see a comparison or an implied comparison! chec to mae sure all of the adver"s and ad5ectives are used correctly. If
you%re comparing two things! you need to use what%s nown as a comparative modifier. 8orget that term. 9ust remem"er that when
comparing two items! use a word that ends in 1er, lie smarter, better, faster. Only when comparing three or more things can you use a
superlative modifier lie smartest, best, fastest.
The S&T will pro"a"ly test your nowledge of this rule "y giving you a question in which a superlative modifier is used incorrectly.
0oo at the following e$ample'
SAT WRITING
Of the two cars I drive ! I lie the 0am"orghini Dia"lo
& # 7
"est . 6o error .
D E
This sentence contains a comparison "etween two cars. #ecause only two things are "eing compared! best is the wrong word. Only
when comparing three or more things can you use words lie best. 4ou could figure this out "y phrasing the comparison in a different
way. 4ou wouldn%t say! # lie my (ambor!hini /iablo best than my 3i"ic3 you%d say! # lie my (ambor!hini /iablo better than my
3i"ic. This rephrasing also wors if you%re pu;;ling over a sentence that compares three or more items. 4ou wouldn%t say! +fter tryin!
sydi"in!, hula0dancin!, and pineapple0eatin!, # decided that # lied hula0dancin! less! "ecause that sentence does not e$plain if you
lied hula-dancing less than you lied sydiving! or less than you lied pineapple-eating! or less than you lied "oth. (hat you would
say is! +fter tryin! sydi"in!, hula0dancin!, and pineapple0eatin!, # decided that # lied hula0dancin! least. The superlative modifier
least maes it clear that hula-dancing was the most disagreea"le of all three activities.
)ere%s a chart of some ad5ectives with their common comparative and superlative modifier forms.
A!ecti"e Comparati"e (oifier Super3ati"e (oifier
fast faster fastest
"ig "igger "iggest
healthy healthier healthiest
tough tougher toughest
smart smarter smartest
good "etter "est
few fewer fewest
different more different most different
lu$urious more lu$urious most lu$urious
Screw-Up 7: ,eruns
&s we said in screw-up G a gerund is a ver" form that ends in Hin!! such as prancin!, di"ul!in!, stuffin!, and so on. 4our
understanding of gerunds will usually "e tested "y questions that use the infinitive 1to III2 form! such as to prance, to di"ul!e, and to
stuff.
In my family ! Thansgiving dinner usually causes two or
&
more family mem"ers to engage in a screaming match! thus preventing
# 7
the meal to "e completed . 6o error .
D E
In this e$ample! the pro"lematic phrase is pre"entin! the meal to be completed. This phrase should read thus pre"entin! the meal from
bein! completed, changing the infinitive to be to the con5ugated form! bein!. That change preserves the parallel structure with the
gerund pre"entin! in the last clause. )ere%s another e$ample'
To eep your engine running in the free;ing cold is a good
& #
way to eep the car%s interior warm and co;y. 6o error .
7 D E
In this sentence! the infinitive ver" to eep should "e switched to the gerund eepin! to match the gerund ver" runnin! in the same
clause.
Screw-Up 8: &ioms9 :rong :ors9 an *oub3e )egati"es
)ere%s a twist that should mae you happy' Idiom errors are easy to spot "ecause they sound dead wrong. Oh yeah! you should now
what an idiom is "efore we get in too deep here. &ctually 1in too deep2 is an idiom/a form of speech that is unique to itself! has its
own grammatical construction! and is usually pretty hard to understand 5ust on its own. That maes it pretty easy to see why there%s no
SAT WRITING
set rule at all a"out idiom errors. 4ou have to "e a"le to read a sentence and thin! 1That sounds wrong!2 "ased on your familiarity
with idiomatic e$pressions in &merican English. Usually it%s a prepositional phrase that%s off. 8or e$ample'
9oan *ivers recently moved to a "rand-new apartment in ?BJth
& # 7
street . 6o error .
D E
)ere! the answer is C! "ecause in &merican English we say! 1She lives on this street2 rather than 1She lives in this street.2 There is no
specific rule that e$plains why we use the word on3 it%s 5ust something you pro"a"ly now from years of English-speaing. The
following is a list of proper usage of idioms that often appear on the S&T (riting'
)e can%t abide by the no-spitting rule.
(inona accused me of stealing.
I a!reed to eat the rotten "roccoli.
I apolo!i4ed for losing the hamsters in the heating vent.
She applied for another credit card.
Ey mother pretends to appro"e of my "oyfriend.
She ar!ued with the "ouncer.
I arri"ed at wor at noon.
4ou belie"e in ghosts.
I can%t "e blamed for your pro"lems.
Do you care about me and my pro"lems+
)e%s in char!e of grocery shopping.
6othing compares to you.
(hat is there to complain about+
)e can always count on his mommy.
Ice cream consists of mil! fat! and sugar.
I depend on no one.
That%s where cats differ from dogs.
It%s terri"le to discriminate a!ainst chimpan;ees.
I have a plan to escape from high school.
There%s no e.cuse for your awful "ehavior.
4ou can%t hide from your past.
It was all he%d hoped for.
I must insist upon it.
It%s impossi"le to ob5ect to her intelligent arguments.
I refuse to participate in this discussion.
*ray for me.
*rotect me from evil.
*ro"ide me with plenty of food! shelter! and Sittles.
She stayed home to reco"er from the flu.
I rely on myself.
She stared at his ridiculous haircut.
)e subscribes to several trashy maga;ines.
I succeeded in seducing him.
%ait for meC
%or with me! peopleC
Occasionally! the idiomatic association "etween words can affect the entire sentence in a sort of cascade of idioms. Tae the following
e$ample'
(hile the principal of the high school is relatively laid
& #
SAT WRITING
"ac! the vice principal is often accused to "e too harsh
7 D
with the students. 6o error .
E
The answer to this question is * "ecause the word accused must tae the preposition of rather than to. Idiomatically! the preposition of
must "e followed "y a gerund rather than an infinitive! so the ver" to be is incorrect. The sentence should read'
(hile the principal of the high school is relatively laid "ac! the vice principal is often accused of "eing too
harsh with the students.
:rong :ors
There are tons of frequently confused words in the English language! and while it%s impossi"le to predict which ones the S&T will
throw at you! it is possi"le to learn the difference "etween these pairs of words.
(e%ve "roen down wrong words into categories' words that sound the same "ut mean different things -lie allusion and illusion.!
made-up words and phrases -lie should of.! tricy contractions -lie its and it&s.! and words commonly and incorrectly used as
synonyms -lie disinterested and uninterested..
:#%*S T$AT S#U)* T$E SA(E +UT (EA) *&''E%E)T T$&),S
In the following list! you%ll find homonyms, such as dyin! and dyein!. )omonyms are words that sound the same or similar when
spoen aloud "ut are spelled differently and have different meaning. Since the word die sounds e$actly the same as the word dye! it
can "e hard to remem"er which spelling means e.pire and which means color. The words in this list sound pretty much the same and
are therefore often set as traps to confuse you on the S&T. They%re not all full-on homonyms! "ut they all sound alie enough to mae
certain questions on the S&T (riting section e$tra tough'
A;;US&#)0&;;US&#)
&n allusion is a reference to something.
9ohnno%s essay was littered with conspicuous allusions to Shaespeare and Spenser.
&n illusion is a deception or unreal image.
#y clever use of his napin! 9ason created the illusion that he%d eaten his rotten "roccoli.
A;TE%)ATE0A;TE%)AT&/E
&n alternate is a su"stitute.
(hen Evie was ousted after the voting scandal! the alternate too her place on the student council.
&n alternati"e is a choice "etween two or more things.
The Simpsons provides an alternati"e to mindless! poorly written sitcoms.
APP%A&SE0APP%&SE
To appraise is to figure out the value of something.
&fter appraisin! the drawing! *ichard informed 7ynthia that her house was worthless.
To apprise is to give someone information.
In an urgent undertone! Donald apprised me of the worrisome situation.
+%EAT$0+%EAT$E
'reath and breathe cannot "e used interchangea"ly. 'reath is a noun! and breathe is a ver". That little e on the end maes all the
difference. & breath -noun. is the lungful of air you inhale every few seconds.
Elena too a deep breath and 5umped off the diving "oard.
To breathe -ver". is the act of taing in that lungful of air.
1I can%t breatheC2 gasped Eario! clutching at his throat.
C#)SC&E)CE0C#)SC&#US0C#)SC&E)T&#US
SAT WRITING
& conscience is a sense of right and wrong.
&fter he ro""ed the store! ,inocchio%s conscience started to "other him.
To "e conscious is to "e awae and alert.
Suddenly! Earie "ecame conscious that she was not alone in the room.
To "e conscientious is to "e dutiful and hardworing.
3onscientious 7edric completed his chores and then did his homewor.
*ESE%T0*ESSE%T
& desert is a place with sand and camels.
The cartoon figure pulled himself across the desert! calling out for water.
& dessert is something sweet that you eat after dinner.
Ey favorite dessert is cooie dough ice cream.
E''ECT0A''ECT
There%s a good chance you%ll see this pair on the test! "ecause the S&T nows that differentiating "etween effect and affect drives
students cra;y. Effect is usually a noun. The effect is the result of something.
Studying had a very positive effect on my score.
+ffect is usually a ver". To affect something is to change it or influence it.
Ey high S&T score positively affected the outcome of my college applications.
The e$tra tricy part is that effect can also "e a ver"! and affect can also "e a noun. In those instances! effect means 1to cause2 and
affect means a 1sense of "eing alive or vital.2 )ere are two e$amples.
The students marching outside the Supreme 7ourt are hoping to effect change.
The mummy standing silently against the wall appears to have no affect.
E(&)E)T0&((&)E)T
&n eminent person is one who is well nown and highly regarded.
The eminent author disguised himself with a "eret and dar glasses.
&n imminent event is one that is 5ust a"out to happen.
(hen the papara;;i%s arrival seemed imminent! the cele"rities duced out the "ac entrance.
;#SE0;##SE
To lose something is to misplace it or shae it off.
Eichel tried to lose the hideous shirt his girlfriend had given him for 7hristmas.
(oose means mova"le! unfastened! or promiscuous.
The loose chair leg snapped off! and Doug fell to the floor.
P%&)C&PA;0P%&)C&P;E
The principal is the person who calls the shots in your high school.
*rincipal Sinner rules Springfield Elementary School with an iron fist! yet he still lives with his mother.
& principle is a value! or standard.
SAT WRITING
Edward! a "oy of principle! refused to cheat on the test.
STAT&#)A%-0STAT&#)E%-
Stationary means immo"ile.
The scarecrow remained stationary in the field.
Stationery is the paper you get for 7hristmas from your aunt.
6athaniel wrote than-you notes on custom stationery.
&(A,&)A%- :#%*S A)* P$%ASES
)ere is a list of some words and phrases that don%t actually e$ist "ut still tend to "e used in writing. These mistaes happen mainly
"ecause they are the phonetic! or sounded out! spellings of words and phrases we use in speech. 8or e$ample! the phrase should of -a
grammatically incorrect phrase. sounds lie the way we pronounce should ha"e or should&"e! which is why it creeps into people%s
writing.
A ;#T0A;#T
Despite widespread usage! the word alot does not e$ist. It is never grammatically correct. &lways use the phrase a lot instead.
)enri ate a lot of "rie with his "read.
C#U;*</E0C#U;* #'
3ould&"e is the contraction of could ha"e. ,eople sometimes write could of when they mean could&"e or could ha"e. Unfortunately!
lie alot, could of is not a real phrase. 6ever use it.
#ritney could ha"e gone on the date! "ut she claimed to have a prior engagement.
%E,A%*;ESS0&%%E,A%*;ESS
This is an easy one "ecause the 1word2 irre!ardless does not e$ist. &lways use re!ardless.
6e!ardless of whether your physics teacher uses fae words lie irre!ardless! you should not.
S$#U;*</E0S$#U;* #'
Should of does not e$ist.
&rnold should ha"e done his Spanish homewor.
SUPP#SE* T#0SUPP#SE T#
Suppose to falls in the category of made-up phrases. It%s often used in place of supposed to "ecause when we%re taling! we say
suppose to instead of the grammatically correct supposed to.
&ccording to the vet! 7hristina is supposed to "rush her pit "ull%s teeth once a month.
USE* T#0USE T#
7se to -you guessed it. is made-up. The correct spelling is used to.
&le$ used to play checers with &nthony.
C#)T%ACT&#) C#)'US&#)
0oo deep within your soul. Do you write its sometimes and it&s at other times! with little regard for which its)it&s is which+ If you do!
stop it.
&TS0&T<S
#ts and it&s are very different. #ts is a possessive pronoun. #t&s is a contraction of it is.
It%s understanda"le why people confuse the two words. The most common way to show possession is to add an apostrophe and an s
-/orothy&s braids, the tornado&s wrath, Toto&s bar.! which is perhaps the reason people frequently write it&s when they should write
its8they now they want to show possession! so they pic the word with the apostrophe and the s.
To avoid maing a mistae! when you see the word it&s! chec to mae sure that if you su"stituted it is for the it&s! the sentence would
still mae sense. To sum up' its signals possession! while it&s is a contraction of it is.
This day-old soda has lost its fi;;.
SAT WRITING
#t&s a shame that this glass of soda was left out overnight.
T$E&%0T$E-<%E0T$E%E
&nother "unch of very confusing words. It%s too "ad! "ut their, they&re, and there are not interchangea"le. )ere%s how to distinguish
them'
Their is a possessive pronoun.
They lost their hearts in Eassachusetts.
They&re is the contraction of they are.
They&re the ugliest couple in all of #oston.
There means over yonder.
0ooC There they goC
:$#SE0:$#<S
%hose is possessive! while who&s is a contraction of who is.
&nna-6icole! whose 7alifornia roll I 5ust ate! is looing at me with hatred.
%ho&s responsi"le for the theft and ingestion of my 7alifornia roll+
-#U%0-#U<%E
Your is possessive. You&re is a contraction of you are.
Your fly is un;ipped.
You&re getting sleepy.
:$&C$ :#%* :$E)=
#elow is a list of words people often/"ut incorrectly/use interchangea"ly.
)U(+E%0A(#U)T
Use number when referring to a group of things that can "e counted.
8aith concealed a number of gummy "ears in various pocets of her 5eans.
Use amount when referring to something that cannot "e counted.
8aith dran a certain amount of soda every day.
'E:E%0;ESS
Use fewer when referring to items that can "e counted.
4anni complained that he had received fewer presents than his sister did.
Use less when referring to items that cannot "e counted.
4anni%s parents e$plained that "ecause they loved him less than they loved his sister! they gave him fewer
presents.
A,,%A/ATE0&%%&TATE
(hen screaming in frustration! we often say things lie! 1That%s so aggravatingC2 )owever! this is incorrect usage. +!!ra"ate is not
synonymous with irritate. To a!!ra"ate is to mae a condition worse.
#etty%s sin condition was a!!ra"ated "y her constant sun"athing.
To irritate is to annoy.
SAT WRITING
&eisha en5oys irritatin! her sister "y 5a""ing her in the leg during long car rides.
'A(#US0&)'A(#US
&s you pro"a"ly now! a famous person is someone lie 9ulia *o"erts or Tom 7ruise.
The famous young actor made his way up the red carpet.
&n infamous person or thing! however! is something different. #nfamous means notorious/famous! yes! "ut famous in a "ad way.
The infamous pirate was nown the world over for his cruel escapades.
*&S&)TE%ESTE*0U)&)TE%ESTE*
Even reputa"le daily newspapers occasionally confuse disinterested with uninterested. /isinterest suggests impartiality.
6adine and 6ora need a disinterested third party to referee their argument.
In contrast! an uninterested person is one who is "ored.
6ora is completely uninterested in hearing 6adine%s opinions.
*oub3e )egati"es
& dou"le negative is a phrase that uses two negative words instead of one. Dou"le negatives are used very effectively "y people lie
Tony Soprano/1I don%t tae nothin% from no"ody2/"ut your score on the (riting section will get whaced if you fall prey to their
tough-guy allure. 4ou%ll pro"a"ly "e adept at spotting dou"le negatives such as 1I don%t tae nothin% from no"ody!2 "ut the S&T may
try to tric you into missing a dou"le negative "y using words that count as negatives "ut don%t sound lie it! such as hardly! barely! or
scarcely. If you see any of these inds of words paired with another negative -don%t! can%t! won%t.! it%s an error.
=atie can%t scarcely stand to wear her gymnastics leotard
& #
without underwear underneath . 6o error .
7 D E
In this e$ample! can&t is o"viously a negative word! "ut scarcely is also negative! so the two cannot "e used together. A is the correct
answer