Idiomatic Prepositions

Just as idioms lack any justification for the way they are constructed so too do idiomatic phrases. For
instance, I just used a common idiomatic phrase (Just asso too; see below). In other words, certain
phrases contain certain words and prepositions.
To give you example, lets take the most common SAT idiomatic phrase (not onlybut also). When the
words not only appear, at some point in the sentence the words but also must appear too. Thats why
I use those little dots in between the two phrases. Those dots mean that a bunch of words can come in
between the not only and but also.
To highlight this fact, Ive bolded the idiomatic phrase in each of the sentences below. Ive included the
top 10 most common idiomatic phrases you are likely to encounter on the SAT. Indeed, this list accounts
for the vast majority of idiomatic phrases you are likely to see test day.

1) Not onlybut (also)

Function: Show that two ideas are similar. Make sure that parts of speech are parallel (Ive highlighted
the parts of speech below).
Im not only tired of waiting in line but I am also frustrated at having to pay so much for the tickets.
Pauline Kael not only changed how movie reviews were written but also influenced almost every single
movie critic writing today.

2) Eitheror
Function: Show difference between two nouns/noun phrases
For the most part, when applying to college, you can take either the SAT or the ACT.

3) Neithernor
Function: To show two nouns/noun phrases do not apply in a certain instance. Remember: it is never
neitheror. Also, make sure that the two parts are parallel (though the SAT usually doesnt directly test
this).
Neither a perfect SAT score nor a perfect GPA will guarantee admission into Harvardone must also
show exceptional talent in a certain field.

4) Sothat
Function: Basically, whenever you see so followed by an adjective (adjective phrase) make sure that a
that follows the adjective phrase.
The mayor was so revered during his time that the citizens built a statue for him in the public square.
Galileo is so often accorded the utmost respect for a scientist that we forget that he did not always
follow the scientific method in his work.

5) Not A but B
Function: pretty straightforward
He was not angry but upset that I had forgotten to call him.
The SAT is not a test of intellectual aptitude but a measure of how well you take the SAT.

6) Think ofas
Function: pretty straightforward
He likes to believe that his colleagues think of him as a nice guy.
His peers thought of Rachmaninoff as a throwback to the romantics; today, many musicologists
maintain that the composer was far more forward thinking than his contemporaries knew.

7) Asas
Function: compare two things. Remember, it is never asthan
The lion is not as fast as the cheetah.
While the novels of Thomas Hardy are not as wide known as those of Charles Dickens, Hardy is more
highly esteemed amongst academics than is Dickens.

8) At once A and B (the A and B stand for adjectives that must

come between at once and and)
Function: To show that a person or thing has two opposite traits or behaves in two opposite ways.
Therefore, A and B will basically be opposites.
At once charming and rude, George flattered the hosts while ignoring the other guests.
At once enlightened because of his extensive knowledge of ancient civilizations and uninformed because
of his total lack of interest in current events, Johnson, it is said, lives in a time warp.

9) Just asso(too)
Function: to show that two different nouns or noun phrases are equal. The parenthesis around the too
means that the too is optional.
Just as running will get you into quick shape, so will swimming.
Just as Picasso revolutionized the way an artist approaches the canvas, so too Beethoven utterly
changed the way a composer approaches the symphonic form.

10) Between A and B

Function: This is to show the difference between A and B (but Im sure you knew that). The reason this
is tricky is that especially on the Identifying the Error section, the SAT will replace and with or.
Between you and me, the SAT likes to trap students who think that the pronoun I is always preferable
to me.
Since colleges know that students will have trouble choosing between one major and the array of
different fields offered by the college curriculum, they allow students to remain undecided for up to 2
years.
- See more at: http://magoosh.com/sat/2014/sat-writing-idioms/#sthash.5LRVgtbi.dpuf

Oh those SAT idioms the bane of every SAT test taker. Yes, it is true. Even those who have an ear for
the proper idioms often find the rest of the writing section a breeze. While there is no one way to master
idioms, a combination of approaches should help.

One approach is practice questions. The College Board book is filled with them. The other publishers also
have a fair number of problems for you to test you ability on idioms.
Below are two of my own. The first is your standard five-answer choice, identifying the error question.
The second is an identifying the error on steroids.

Practice Questions
1. On her (A) recent trip to Los Angeles, Shirley had (B) not accounted for (C) the inclement weather,
and instead of arriving early, as she had planned, (D) she almost missed the movie premiere. No
Error. (E)
2. The recent renovations to (A) her penthouse did not agree with (B) Marias
aesthetic sensibilities, and (C) she found herself (D) wishing she had not given (E) her interior
designer free reign over (F) her domicile. No Error (G)
3. The professor derives great comfort in (A) used bookstores, often spending (B) hours at a time (C)
hovering over a dog-eared copy of some tome long forgotten. (D) No Error (E)

Answers and Explanations

1. The idiom should be taken into account, which means to consider. Accounted for means to explain.
The answer for the first question is (C).
2. Tests renovations to (which is correct) and agree with (also correct), which means to suit in terms of
taste.
This question, however, does have an error. The structure of the sentence needs a conjunction that
means, as a result of instead of the word and. So does the trick. The answer is (C).
3. This is a challenge question!
Many students would choose (D), mainly because it sounds weird. However, you should always be on
guard against your ear when dealing with difficult questions.
We know this question is difficult because it is a #28 question. (The Identifying the Error section covers
question 12 29 on the Writing Section, with question #12 being the easiest and #29 being the
hardest).
The more likely culprit in this case is the preposition in. Typically when you see a line under a
preposition the preposition may or may not be accompanied by another word the question is testing
an idiom. Whether the idiom is the correct is up to you.

There is no magical way to game the systembut I would say there is a greater than 50% chance the
idiom is incorrect.
However, I wouldnt put too much stock in this some students adhere so literally to the no more than
five underlined (E) no errors theory that they will change answers they know are incorrect just so they
dont go over the five quota limit. (Again, do not start practicing this voodoo SAT.)
Okay, back to the question at hand: in is underlined. Is the idiom correct? Do you derive great comfort
in something or should the in be replaced with another preposition?
There is no logical reason why one preposition should follow derive and not another. In this case, the
preposition from always follows derive, so the answer should be (A), and the correct sentence should
read, the professor derives great comfort from
- See more at: http://magoosh.com/sat/2012/idioms-on-the-sat-writing-practicequestions/#sthash.VYbaYSEz.dpuf
Prepositions in SAT Writing
Sometimes, grammar errors in SAT writing multiple choice questions arent rule-based. That is, there are
errors in sentences that have nothing to do with what you mightve learned in an English class. In order
to get them right, you have to just know the answer. Its all about your ear. Ask yourself, does that
sound right?
This might be the only time in SAT writing multiple choice that I say to go with your gut about an error.
Most times, you should be trying to find why something is wrong as its written.
But when its a preposition thats underlined, its all about your ear.

Idioms and prepositions

You might see prepositions lumped under the category of idiom in SAT prep material. Thats not
technically wrong, but its misleading. Usually, when we say idiom, we mean a metaphorical expression
or phrasal verblike bite the dust or cracking upthat doesnt convey a clear meaning just from the
words we use. Think of how itd sound to a non-native speaker.
The SAT doesnt care about that kind of idiom. Instead, the test-makers want to know if you can choose
the right preposition to go with words which actually do carry the meaning theyre expected to. For
instance, you might disagree with an idea, but you cant object with it. Instead, you object to it. Both
disagree and object mean exactly what we expect them to in those phrases. Its only the preposition
thats weird.

How to answer preposition questions

During your SAT, if you see an underlined preposition, find the words before and/or after that should get
paired with it. Pretty often, that means finding the verb or adjective that came before the preposition,
like in the disagree vs. object example above, but sometimes its about the words after the
preposition, instead.
In the sentence Im on my classmates phone, youd note the word phone, and ask whether on and
phone link well together, which they do. Similarly, an actor might appear in a movie, on TV, or at a
restaurant. In those cases, its not about the word appear, but about movie, TV, and restaurant.
Whether its the word before or after the preposition, you have to find that related word. Then, its all
about your ear.
- See more at: http://magoosh.com/sat/2013/prepositions-in-sat-writing/#sthash.rf6a1rR6.dpuf

When I first set out to master the SAT Critical Reading passages, I began by focusing my effort on the passages
themselves, thinking that perhaps I was not reading properly or thoroughly enough, all the while wasting valuable
time. Only after hours of analyzing the numerous Critical Reading Sections did I realize I was going about it
incorrectly. It may seem counterintuitive at first, but I realized, the key is to focus on the Questions and their
Answer Choices, not the passages the passages themselves.
The single most important skill for succeeding on the SAT Critical Reading Passages is to learn to evaluate the ANSWER
CHOICES! I cant emphasize this enough.
Have you ever read an SAT passage and not understood what it was about?? No, of course not. The passages are relatively straight
forward. Most 5th graders can understand what the authors are saying and give a fairly good summary. Ive never had a student read a
passage and ask, what the heck was that about?
Take a look yourself at this passage from the CollegeBoards Official Web Site: here. This is a typical passage you would encounter on the
actual SAT. After just a quick read of this passage, you would realize that the passage is simply a personal narrative about the authors first
experience witnessing a live theater show.
Its just as easy to understand any of the passages in the CollegeBoards Official SAT Study Guide. For example, take a look at the first
reading passages offered in Practice Test #1 (Section 2, p. 391). After a quick read, you can easily see that each passage is simply
providing its authors perspectives on dolphin intelligence. Look at the longer passage on the next page. Again, one could easily conclude
that the passage is about the perception (or misconceptions) that outsiders have had of Native Americans throughout history. Was there
anything that was difficult to understand? Not really.
So, then why do so many students do poorly on the Critical Reading passages??
If you think about it, each question can have only one correct answer (obvious, right?). Well, this means that the test makers have to create
four other answer choices that are incorrect choices that are meant to lure you to them. Therefore, focus on the questions and answer
choices, not the reading passages themselves! This does not mean to ignore the passages altogether. That would be foolish. Instead,
get through them as quickly as possible while still getting the gist of them, so that you can focus your energy on what matters. You dont get
points on the SAT for reading the passages; you only get points for each question you answer correctly. So why waste time and
energy overanalyzing the passages?

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You should spend, at most, only two minutes reading each passage, then one full minute on each question. For some of you that may
mean skimming the passages (Ill explain in another post how to do this while still reading critically). But know, that overall, you should spend
considerable more time on the questions than you do reading the passage itself.

OK, so what do you look for among the answer choices?

Lets start with things to avoid. The following are indicators of bad choices that should be avoided:

1. Extreme or absolute words

One of the clearest indicators of poor choices are those words that make a statement extreme or absolute. On the SAT, you have to take
every word literally. If you do, youll realize that certain answer choices that seem plausible, or in accord with the overall theme of the
passage, are actually poor choices. For example, take a look at the following sentences:
- You should never eat right before going to bed.
- All children should play as much as possible as exercise is good for their bodies.
While these two sentences are examples of how we speak in daily conversations, they make for poor choices on the SAT because, when
taken literally, they mean very different things than what is intended. Words such as never and all are very strong words in the context of
the SAT and are rarely contained within the correct answer.
Some other words and phrases that often indicate extreme answers that are rarely the correct choices are:
-All, always, the only, oldest, the first, same.
-superlatives (such as best, biggest, greatest)
-and less words (such as pointless, useless, endless)
The words above often suggest sweeping generalizations that are often too extreme. Correct answers for the Critical Reading Passages are
usually presented in more moderate terms such as:
-Not all, not always, seemed the only, oldest known, among the first, about the same
*Keep in mind that there are no fool proof rules on extreme words.These are just some of the words that often but not always indicate
good or bad choices. Whats more important is the principle underlying them. Always remember to keep context in mind.
Here they are listed side-by-side so that you can more clearly see the differences:

Indicators of Extreme
Answers

More Moderate Versions

(better choices)

(poor choices)
all

not all

always

not always

the only

seemed the only

oldest

oldest known

the first

among the first

same

about the same

Notice that while only almost always indicates a poor choice, the phrase not the only is often correct. Therefore, its not enough to just
look for extreme words, but also to consider their context.

2. Politically Incorrect Choices

Avoiding politically incorrect choices is especially important when dealing with a passage that refers to a specific person. While the passage
may highlight some of his or her faults, the overall tone of the passage will be positive. When the passage is about a woman or a member of
any minority group, the answer will almost always be positive.

3. Choices that defy common sense

This may seem obvious, but its easy to get caught up in the details of the passages that you overlook these. In each set of answer choices,
there will almost always be at least one answer choice that you know is so ridiculous that it most certainly cannot be the answer. Your
intuition is correct. You should certainly avoid these choices.

4. Choices that require you to infer beyond the limits of the passage
There are something called an inference questions on the Critical Reading passages, but theyre not what you think. These questions are
usually phrased in such a way as, Based on line 8-12, you can infer that the author Many students mistake this as an opportunity to
assume something beyond the limits of the passage. These questions are not asking you to guess or jump to some conclusion; DO NOT
read into things. These questions simply require you to look into specific parts of the passage and find the answers. If you find yourself
thinking up a hypothetical question in your head to justify an answer, its probably the wrong choice.Remember this is
a standardized test. The answer must be something that most other students can infer from the passage, not something random you draw
up in your head. This also applies to the sentence completion questions that Ill get to later.