Question ID 3580533b

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 3580533b
In recent years, economists around the world have created new tools that quantify the overall well-being of a country’s
citizens. Economists in India, for example, use an Ease of Living Index. This tool ______ economic potential, sustainability,
and citizens’ quality of life.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. measures

B. had measured

C. would have measured

D. will have been measuring

ID: 3580533b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The previous sentence tells us how economists in India "use" a certain tool, while this sentence
describes general facts about that tool. To express general facts (and also to match the simple present tense of "use"), we
should use the simple present tense form "measures."

Choice B is incorrect. This choice uses the past perfect tense, but the previous sentence tells us that the tool is currently
used to measure things, so the past tense doesn’t make sense for this verb. Choice C is incorrect. This choice uses the
future perfect conditional tense, but the previous sentence tells us that the tool is currently used to measure things, so the
future tense doesn’t make sense for this verb. Choice D is incorrect. This choice uses the future perfect continuous tense,
but the previous sentence tells us that the tool is currently used to measure things, so the future tense doesn’t make sense
for this verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID f0864217
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: f0864217
Rabinal Achí is a precolonial Maya dance drama performed annually in Rabinal, a town in the Guatemalan highlands. Based
on events that occurred when Rabinal was a city-state ruled by a king, ______ had once been an ally of the king but was later
captured while leading an invading force against him.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Rabinal Achí tells the story of K’iche’ Achí, a military leader who

B. K’iche’ Achí, the military leader in the story of Rabinal Achí,

C. the military leader whose story is told in Rabinal Achí, K’iche’ Achí,

D. there was a military leader, K’iche’ Achí, who in Rabinal Achí

ID: f0864217 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers
need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The
modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they
describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text
in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the
drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word
after the comma. Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of
Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be
next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ea0aa676
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: ea0aa676
In the 1970s, Janaki Ammal, a prominent botanist, emerged as a powerful voice in India’s environmental conservation
movement. Her exhaustive chromosomal survey of plants in Silent Valley, a pristine tropical forest in Kerala, India, that is
home to nearly 1,000 species of native flora (many of which are endangered), ______ instrumental in the government’s
decision to preserve the forest.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are

B. were

C. have been

D. was

ID: ea0aa676 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject "survey" is singular, and so is the verb "was."

Choice A is incorrect. The subject "survey" is singular, but the verb "are" is plural. Choice B is incorrect. The subject "survey" is
singular, but the verb "were" is plural. Choice C is incorrect. The subject "survey" is singular, but the verb "have been" is plural.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dc645172
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: dc645172
The artistic talents of Barbara Chase-Riboud, most known for her 1979 historical novel Sally Hemings and the conversation it
inspired, ______ limited to the realm of prose: she first excelled in sculpture, where her affinity for bronze—a material she
described as “timeless” due to its use across eras and cultures—became part of her artistic identity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. hasn’t been

B. wasn’t

C. isn’t

D. aren’t

ID: dc645172 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject "talents" is plural, and so is the verb "aren’t": "the artistic talents…aren’t limited."

Choice A is incorrect. The subject "talents" is plural, but the verb "hasn’t been" is singular. Choice B is incorrect. The subject
"talents" is plural, but the verb "wasn’t" is singular. Choice C is incorrect. The subject "talents" is plural, but the verb "isn’t" is
singular.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b74f676f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: b74f676f
Classical composer Florence Price’s 1927 move to Chicago marked a turning point in her career. It was there that Price
premiered her First Symphony—a piece that was praised for blending traditional Romantic motifs with aspects of Black folk
music—and ______ supportive relationships with other Black artists.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. developing

B. developed

C. to develop

D. having developed

ID: b74f676f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb "premiered," and "Price" is the subject of
both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."
Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a verb form error. The missing verb is part of the same clause as the verb
"premiered," and "Price" is the subject of both. So we need the past-tense form "developed" in order to match "premiered."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 69f031ab
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 69f031ab
While exploring Nevada’s Gypsum Cave in 1930, Seneca and Abenaki archaeologist Bertha Parker made her most famous
discovery: the skull of a now-extinct ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastensis) alongside human-made tools. Parker’s crucial
finding was the first ______ humans in North America as far back as 10,000 years ago.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. places

B. placed

C. place

D. to place

ID: 69f031ab Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The object for the verb "was" is "first," and "to place" is acting as a modifier for "first." What was
the finding? It was "the first." The first to do what? The first "to place humans in North America" 10,000 years ago. When a
verb serves as a modifier within a noun phrase, it must be nonfinite (i.e., not conjugated to a specific subject). The infinitive
form "to place" is the only nonfinite option among the choices that makes sense in context.

Choice A is incorrect. The object for the verb "was" is "first," and "places" is acting as a modifier for "first." What was the thing
that Parker’s finding did? What was it the first to do? Place humans in North America 10,000 years ago. When a verb acts as
a modifier, it must be nonfinite (i.e., not conjugated to a specific subject), but "places" is a finite form of the verb. Choice B is
incorrect. The object for the verb "was" is "first," and "placed" is acting to modify "first." What was it that Parker’s finding was
the first to do? Place humans in North America 10,000 years ago. When a verb acts as a modifier, it must be nonfinite (i.e.,
not conjugated to a specific subject), but "placed" is a finite form. "Placed" can also be a past participle, but that wouldn’t
make sense here because the meaning of "the first placed humans" would be unclear. Choice C is incorrect. The object for
the verb "was" is "first," and "place" is modifying "first." What was the thing that Parker’s finding did? What was it the first to
do? Place humans in North America. When a verb acts as a modifier, it must be nonfinite (i.e., not conjugated to a specific
subject), but "place" is a finite form of the verb. Additionally, "place" can’t serve as a noun here, because it results in an
illogical sentence (the "finding" wasn’t "the first place").

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 3bceeb93
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 3bceeb93
When they were first discovered in Australia in 1798, duck-billed, beaver-tailed platypuses so defied categorization that one
scientist assigned them the name Ornithorhynchus paradoxus: “paradoxical bird-snout.” The animal, which lays eggs but
also nurses ______ young with milk, has since been classified as belonging to the monotremes group.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they’re

B. their

C. its

D. it’s

ID: 3bceeb93 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The singular possessive pronoun "its" agrees with the singular antecedent "the animal" and
indicates that the "young" belong to it.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "They’re" is a contraction of "they are," a
plural pronoun and verb, but the antecedent "the animal" is singular. Also, we don’t need the extra verb "are" — we already
have a main verb in this clause, so adding "are" would be confusing and ungrammatical. Choice B is incorrect. This choice
creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "Their" is a plural pronoun, but the subject of the sentence is "the animal," a
singular noun. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a confusing and ungrammatical sentence. "It’s" is a contraction for
"it is." We already have the verb "nurses" in this clause, so we shouldn’t add the verb "is."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dab8b8ee
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: dab8b8ee
Known as Earth’s “living skin,” biocrusts are thin layers of soil held together by surface-dwelling microorganisms such as
fungi, lichens, and cyanobacteria. Fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. a recent study’s estimate is that these crusts reduce global dust emissions by 60 percent each year.

B. an estimated 60 percent reduction in global dust emissions each year is due to these crusts, according to a recent study.

C. these crusts reduce global dust emissions by an estimated 60 percent each year, according to a recent study.

D. a recent study has estimated that these crusts reduce global dust emissions by 60 percent each year.

ID: dab8b8ee Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts."
Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to each other, so "biocrusts" or some variant
meaning "biocrusts" (in this case, "these crusts") must begin the missing clause.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in
arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts," not "a recent study’s estimate." Choice B is incorrect. Modifiers and their
subjects must go next to each other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is
"biocrusts," not "an estimated 60 percent reduction." Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each
other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts," not "a recent study."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f4fd123c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: f4fd123c
The African Games Co-production Market, one of over 180 annual international conferences supporting video game
development, ______ the growth of the African gaming industry by helping start-up studios in Africa find partners.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. promote

B. are promoting

C. promotes

D. have promoted

ID: f4fd123c Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The subject of the sentence is “The African Games Co-production Market.” That’s one market,
so it’s a singular noun, which means it needs a singular verb. “Promotes” is the only singular verb among the choices.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-verb agreement error. The subject “The African Games Co-production
Market” is singular, but the verb “promote” is plural. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-verb agreement error.
The subject “The African Games Co-production Market” is singular, but the verb “are promoting” is plural. Choice D is
incorrect. This choice creates a subject-verb agreement error. The subject “The African Games Co-production Market” is
singular, but the verb “have promoted” is plural.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 0fe5ce68
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 0fe5ce68
Ten of William Shakespeare’s plays are classified as histories. Although each one of these plays, which include Henry V and
Richard III, ______ on a single historical figure (specifically, an English king), some, such as Henry VI Part One and Henry VI
Part Two, feature different episodes from the same monarch’s life.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. focuses

B. focus

C. are focused

D. were focused

ID: 0fe5ce68 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "focuses" agrees in
number with the singular subject "each one of these plays," which refers to each play individually.

Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "focus" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each one of these
plays." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "are focused" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each
one of these plays." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "were focused" doesn’t agree in number with the singular
subject "each one of these plays."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 684b8bd2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 684b8bd2
Far from being modern inventions, ______ more than 5,000 years ago.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia used drinking straws

B. drinking straws were used by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia

C. the use of drinking straws by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia happened

D. ancient Mesopotamia was home to Sumerians who used drinking straws

ID: 684b8bd2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being modern
inventions” must be describing “drinking straws,” because those are the only possible inventions in this sentence.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being modern
inventions” can’t be describing “Sumerians,” because they are a group of people, not an invention. Choice C is incorrect.
Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being modern inventions” can’t be describing
“the use of drinking straws,” because it is not “the use” of drinking straws that is an invention—it is the drinking straws
themselves. Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier “far from being
modern inventions” can’t be describing “Ancient Mesopotamia,” because that is a place, not an invention.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5b8f9cf2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 5b8f9cf2
In the canon of North African literature, Moroccan author Driss Chraïbi’s 1954 novel The Simple Past (Le Passé simple)
looms large. A coming-of-age story, a social meditation, and a sober gaze into the dark maw of French colonialism, ______
interrogates systemic power with memorable intensity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Morocco gained its independence two years before the publication of Chraïbi’s debut novel, which

B. Chraïbi’s debut novel, published two years before Morocco gained its independence,

C. Chraïbi wrote a debut novel that, published two years before Morocco gained its independence,

D. published two years before Morocco gained its independence, Chraïbi wrote a debut novel that

ID: 5b8f9cf2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to each other. The
subject of the modifier "a coming-of-age story…colonialism" is Chraïbi’s novel The Simple Past, so the subject "Chraïbi’s
debut novel" fits perfectly after this introductory modifying phrase.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The introductory modifier "a coming-of-age
story…colonialism" is describing Chraïbi’s novel, not Morocco. However, this choice places Morocco directly next to that
modifier. Choice C is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The introductory modifier "a coming-
of-age story…colonialism" all describes Chraïbi’s novel, not Chraïbi himself. However, this choice places Chraïbi directly next
to that modifier. Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier "a coming-of-
age story…" is describing Chraïbi’s novel, so that needs to be the subject immediately after the modifier. This choice adds
another modifier that describes Chraïbi’s novel, but then puts "Chraïbi" himself—not the novel—right after that modifier, which
doesn’t make sense. Chraïbi wasn’t "published two years before" Moroccan independence; his novel The Simple Past was.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID de3dd17d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: de3dd17d
Planetary scientist Briony Horgan and her colleagues have determined that as much as 25 percent of the sand on Mars is
composed of impact spherules. These spherical bits of glass form when asteroids collide with the planet, ejecting bits of
molten rock into the atmosphere that, after cooling and solidifying into glass, ______ back onto Mars’s surface.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to rain

B. raining

C. having rained

D. rain

ID: de3dd17d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. "That…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface" is a relative clause that describes the "bits of molten
rock." Forming the clause requires a conjugated, finite verb, and this is the only choice that provides that.

Choice A is incorrect. "To rain" is an infinitive and can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated verb is needed here
to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the "bits of molten rock."
Choice B is incorrect. "Raining" is a present participle and, on its own, can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated
verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the
"bits of molten rock." Choice C is incorrect. "Having rained" is a perfect participle and can’t serve as the main verb of a
clause. A conjugated verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface,"
which describes the "bits of molten rock."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b260c65a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: b260c65a
Earth is not a perfect sphere. Due to the ______ gravitational pull, Earth bulges out on the sides closest to and farthest from
the Moon. This distorting pull is known as a tidal force, and it is responsible for the changes in water levels that are called
high and low tides.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Moon’s

B. Moons

C. Moons’

D. Moon

ID: b260c65a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of possessive nouns. The singular possessive noun
"Moon’s" correctly indicates that there is only one Moon, and it has a gravitational pull.

Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "Moon’s," not the plural noun "Moons."
Choice C is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "Moon’s," not the plural possessive noun
"Moons’." Choice D is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "Moon’s," not the singular noun
"Moon."

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID c52652c9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: c52652c9
The human brain is primed to recognize faces—so much so that, due to a perceptual tendency called pareidolia, ______ will
even find faces in clouds, wooden doors, pieces of fruit, and other faceless inanimate objects. Researcher Susan Magsamen
has focused her work on better understanding this everyday phenomenon.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. she

B. they

C. it

D. those

ID: c52652c9 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. "It" is a singular pronoun used to stand in for objects. Since the antecedent in this case is the
singular noun phrase "the human brain," "it" is a perfect pronoun to use here.

Choice A is incorrect. Although "she" is a singular pronoun, it is reserved for people and animals, not objects like "the human
brain." Choice B is incorrect. "They" is a plural pronoun, but we need a singular pronoun to represent the antecedent "the
human brain." Choice D is incorrect. "Those" is a plural pronoun, but we need a singular pronoun to represent the antecedent
"the human brain."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 36944347
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 36944347
Official measurements of the Mississippi River’s length vary: according to the US Geologic Survey, the river is 2,300 miles
long, whereas the Environmental Protection Agency records its length as 2,320 miles. This disparity can be explained in part
by the fact that rivers such as the Mississippi expand and contract as ______ sediment.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they accumulate

B. one accumulates

C. it accumulates

D. we accumulate

ID: 36944347 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The noun that goes with "expand and contract" is "rivers," a plural noun. "They" is a third-person
plural pronoun, so it can correctly stand in for "rivers."

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "One" is a singular pronoun, but the noun
that goes with "expand and contract" is "rivers," a plural noun. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-
antecedent agreement error. "It" is a singular pronoun, but the noun that goes with "expand and contract" is "rivers," a plural
noun. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. The noun that goes with "expand
and contract" is the plural noun "rivers." Rivers are not people, so "we" can’t be used to stand in for it.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 7c48a6dd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 7c48a6dd
In the late 1960s, inspired in part by the sight of laundry hanging on a clothesline, African American abstract painter Sam
Gilliam began to create his iconic “Drape” paintings. He applied bold, saturated hues to large canvases and ______ them from
ceilings or walls, causing the drooping fabric to cascade in dramatic loops and curves.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to have suspended

B. suspending

C. to suspend

D. suspended

ID: 7c48a6dd Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The past tense of "suspended" matches the past tense of "applied," which has the same subject
("he") and takes place in the same context: "He applied…and [he] suspended."

Choice A is incorrect. The perfect infinitive "to have suspended" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t serve
as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to shift tenses.
Choice B is incorrect. The present participle "suspending" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t serve as a
verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to shift tenses.
Choice C is incorrect. The infinitive "to suspend" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t serve as a verb on its
own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to shift tenses.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 8d53e7a0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 8d53e7a0
Slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel The Poet X, winner of the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s
Literature, is composed of ______ protagonist, fifteen-year-old Xiomara Batista.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. poems putatively written by the novel’s

B. poem’s putatively written by the novel’s

C. poem’s putatively written by the novels’

D. poems putatively written by the novels’

ID: 8d53e7a0 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. Nothing belongs to the “poems” in the sentence, so it should not be possessive—just a simple
plural noun. The protagonist does belong to the novel—it’s the protagonist of the novel—so “novel” needs to be a singular
possessive noun.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This
choice uses the singular possessive “poem’s,” but the text indicates that it should be the simple plural “poems”: there is more
than one poem, and nothing belongs to the poems. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that
conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This choice uses the singular possessive “poem’s,” but the text indicates
that it should be the simple plural “poems”: there is more than one poem, and nothing belongs to the poems. This choice
also uses the plural possessive “novels’,” which is incorrect because there is only one novel. Choice D is incorrect. This
doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This choice uses the plural
possessive “novels’,” which is incorrect because there is only one novel, so it should be the singular possessive “novel’s.” .

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID fff4c7f4
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: fff4c7f4
American poet Emily Dickinson wrote many of her poems on scraps of paper, but she also took steps to collect these works.
From 1858 to around 1864, for example, she copied more than 800 of ______ into forty homemade booklets (known as
fascicles).

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. them

B. this

C. that

D. it

ID: fff4c7f4 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The pronoun "them" agrees with the plural antecedents "poems" and "works."

Choice B is incorrect. "This" is a singular pronoun, but its antecedents, "poems" and "works," are plural. Choice C is incorrect.
"That" is a singular pronoun, but its antecedents, "poems" and "works," are plural. Choice D is incorrect. "It" is a singular
pronoun, but its antecedents, "poems" and "works," are plural.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID e2759b92
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: e2759b92
Occupying a significant part of modern-day Nigeria, the Kingdom of Benin was one of the major powers in West Africa
between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries. It ______ ruled by Oba Ewuare I from 1440 to 1473.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is

B. will be

C. has been

D. was

ID: e2759b92 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this choice,
the past tense verb “was ruled” correctly indicates that Oba Ewuare I ruled the Kingdom of Benin in the distant past (from
1440 to 1473). This past tense verb choice is consistent with the other past tense verb (“was”) used to describe the Kingdom
of Benin.

Choice A is incorrect because the present tense verb “is ruled” doesn’t indicate that Oba Ewuare I ruled the Kingdom of Benin
in the distant past. Choice B is incorrect because the future tense verb “will be ruled” doesn’t indicate that Oba Ewuare I ruled
the Kingdom of Benin in the distant past. Choice C is incorrect because the present perfect tense verb “has been ruled”
doesn’t indicate that Oba Ewuare I ruled the Kingdom of Benin in the distant past.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID d46ac7e7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: d46ac7e7
A second-generation Japanese American, Wataru Misaka ______ in World War II (1941-45) and won two amateur national
basketball championships at the University of Utah when he joined the New York Knicks for the 1947-48 season, becoming
the first non-white basketball player in the US’s top professional league.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. already served

B. was already serving

C. already serves

D. had already served

ID: d46ac7e7 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the New York Knicks in 1947. To show that a
past occurrence took place before another past occurrence, we need to use “had” + the past tense form of the verb. This is
called the past perfect tense.

Choice A is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the Knicks. Both events are in the past, but his service
in World War II happened earlier, so we need a verb that makes it clear that his service (and the two national championships)
had ended by the time he joined the Knicks. Choice B is incorrect. “Was already serving” forms the continuous past tense,
which we use when we’re showing a past action that was ongoing. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the
Knicks. Both events are in the past, but they’re not happening at the same time, so we shouldn’t use the continuous past
tense here. Choice C is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II in the past, so we shouldn’t use the present tense “serves.”

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 31362d2d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 31362d2d
If simple sugars such as ribose and glycolaldehyde ______ Earth from elsewhere and survived impact—a possibility
astrophysicist Nicolle Zellner outlined in a 2020 study—the sugars could have reacted with other molecules that were already
present on the planet to form the nucleotides that are the structural components of RNA and DNA.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. reach

B. had reached

C. will reach

D. are reaching

ID: 31362d2d Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense. In this choice, the past perfect
verb “had reached” is used correctly to describe a past action that was completed before another action in the past.
Specifically, in this hypothetical scenario about the origins of RNA and DNA on Earth, the simple sugars had to have reached
Earth before they could react with other molecules on the planet.

Choice A is incorrect because the present tense verb “reach” doesn’t indicate that the simple sugars reached Earth before
reacting with other molecules on the planet. Choice C is incorrect because the future tense verb “will reach” doesn’t indicate
that the simple sugars reached Earth before reacting with other molecules on the planet. Choice D is incorrect because the
present progressive verb “are reaching” doesn’t indicate that the simple sugars reached Earth before reacting with other
molecules on the planet.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 1d971f75
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 1d971f75
Photographer Ansel Adams’s landscape portraits are iconic pieces of American art. However, many of the ______ of
landscapes were intended not as art but as marketing; a concessions company at Yosemite National Park had hired Adams
to take pictures of the park for restaurant menus and brochures.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. photographer’s early photo’s

B. photographers early photo’s

C. photographer’s early photos

D. photographers early photos

ID: 1d971f75 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. There’s only one photographer (Adams), and the photos are his, so the singular possessive
"photographer’s" is correct. There’s more than one photo, and nothing belongs to the photos, so the simple plural "photos" is
correct.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice uses the singular possessive "photo’s," which isn’t correct. There’s more than one photo,
and they don’t possess anything, so the noun should be the simple plural "photos." Choice B is incorrect. This choice uses
the simple plural "photographers" and the singular possessive "photo’s," which aren’t correct. There’s only one photographer
(Adams) and there’s more than one photo. Choice D is incorrect. This choice uses the simple plural "photographers," which
isn’t correct. There’s only one photographer (Adams).

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 0bcb4417
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 0bcb4417
Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier’s star quilt poems offer an unusually open-ended reading experience. With ______ eight
panels of text stitched together in the shape of a traditional eight-pointed Lakota star quilt, the poems present viewers with a
seemingly infinite number of ways to read them.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. their

B. it’s

C. they’re

D. its

ID: 0bcb4417 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of possessive determiners. The plural possessive
determiner "their" agrees in number with the plural noun "the poems," thus indicating that the poems had eight panels of text
stitched together in the shape of a traditional eight-pointed Lakota star quilt.

Choice B is incorrect because "it’s" is the contraction for "it is" or "it has," not a possessive determiner. Choice C is incorrect
because "they’re" is the contraction for "they are," not a possessive determiner. Choice D is incorrect because the singular
possessive determiner "its" doesn’t agree in number with the plural noun "the poems."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID db2e480a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: db2e480a
By the time Hawaiian king Kamehameha III ______ the throne, the number of longhorn cattle, first introduced to the islands in
1793, had drastically increased, and so too had the need for paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) to manage the wild herds that then
roamed throughout the volcanic terrain.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. ascended

B. will ascend

C. ascends

D. is ascending

ID: db2e480a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. "Ascended" is in the simple past tense. Since Kamehameha became king in the past, this makes
the most sense.

Choice B is incorrect. "Will ascend" is in the future tense, but we wouldn’t know about Kamehameha III’s ascent if it hadn’t
happened yet. The information in the sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described
happened in the past. Choice C is incorrect. "Ascends" is in the simple present tense. However, the information in the
sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described happened in the past. Choice D is incorrect.
"Is ascending" is in the continuous present tense, which we use to show that something is ongoing, but this doesn’t make
sense here—the information in the sentence, as well as the tense of other verbs, tells us that the events described happened
in the past.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 4c9a2aee
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 4c9a2aee
Wanda Diaz-Merced is an astrophysicist who lost her sight when she was young. Diaz-Merced’s condition inspired her to
develop software that can translate scientific data into sound. Sound-based tools ______ scientists to detect subtle patterns
in data. Such patterns may not be evident in traditional graphs.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has enabled

B. enable

C. is enabling

D. enables

ID: 4c9a2aee Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "enable" agrees in
number with the plural subject "sound-based tools."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "has enabled" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "sound-based
tools." Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "is enabling" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "sound-
based tools." Choice D is incorrect because the singular verb "enables" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject
"sound-based tools."

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID a30567fd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: a30567fd
Nuhād al-Ḥaddād, known as Fairuz, was one of the most beloved Lebanese singers of the twentieth century. Her broad
singing repertoire—which included traditional forms, such as the Arabic qasida and maqam, alongside modern pop and jazz
styles—lent Fairuz a timeless, cross-generational appeal, ______ her the moniker “the soul of Lebanon.”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. earned

B. had earned

C. earning

D. earn

ID: a30567fd Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The word "earning" is being used to introduce an additional modifying phrase, which describes
how Fairuz’s repertoire lent her cross-generational appeal. When a verb ends in -ing and doesn’t have a helper verb like "is"
before it, it can be used to modify a noun or verb. This is appropriate here.

Choice A is incorrect. The underlined verb is being used to introduce additional descriptive information, which is set off from
the rest of the sentence by a comma. Because there is no subject here, a finite form of the verb (like "earned") creates an
error. We need another form of the verb that doesn’t require a subject and can introduce descriptive information. Choice B is
incorrect. The underlined verb is being used to introduce additional descriptive information, which is set off from the rest of
the sentence by a comma. Because there is no subject here, a finite form of the verb (like "had earned") creates an error. We
need another form of the verb that doesn’t require a subject and can introduce descriptive information. Choice D is incorrect.
The underlined verb is being used to introduce additional descriptive information, which is set off from the rest of the
sentence by a comma. Because there is no subject here, a finite form of the verb (like "earn") creates an error. We need
another form of the verb that doesn’t require a subject and can introduce descriptive information.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 81ac953e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 81ac953e
In 1899, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius developed an equation to answer a long-standing question: why do chemical
reactions speed up at higher temperatures? The Arrhenius equation, named for its creator, ______ an important concept in
modern chemistry.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. have remained

B. remain

C. remains

D. are remaining

ID: 81ac953e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. This choice uses the singular verb "remains" to match the singular subject "equation."

Choice A is incorrect. The singular noun "equation" doesn’t match with the plural verb conjugation "have remained." Choice B
is incorrect. The singular noun "equation" doesn’t match with the plural verb conjugation "remain." Choice D is incorrect. The
singular noun "equation" doesn’t match with the plural verb conjugation "are remaining."

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 50801257
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 50801257
In 1994, almost 200 years after the death of Wang Zhenyi, the International Astronomical ______ the contributions of the
barrier-breaking 18th-century astronomer and author of “Dispute of the Procession of the Equinoxes,” naming a crater on
Venus after her.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Union would finally acknowledge

B. Union to finally acknowledge

C. Union, having finally acknowledged

D. Union, finally acknowledging

ID: 50801257 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. It’s the only choice that offers a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject
“International Astronomical Union” to make a complete sentence. This might seem like an odd use of “would,” but when
speaking from a point of view in the past, we can actually use “would” to express something that happened later. That’s the
case here: 200 years after Wang Zhenyi’s death, the IAU would finally acknowledge her contributions.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need
a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main
verb. “To acknowledge” can’t do that. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb
elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International
Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. “Having acknowledged” can’t do that. Choice D is incorrect. This choice
creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge”
that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. The “-ing” form can’t do that.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a14eef71
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: a14eef71
In 2015, a team led by materials scientists Anirudha Sumant and Diana Berman succeeded in reducing the coefficient of
friction (COF) between two surfaces to the lowest possible level—superlubricity. A nearly frictionless (and, as its name
suggests, extremely slippery) state, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. when their COF drops below 0.01, two surfaces reach superlubricity.

B. two surfaces, when their COF drops below 0.01, reach superlubricity.

C. reaching superlubricity occurs when two surfaces’ COF drops below 0.01.

D. superlubricity is reached when two surfaces’ COF drops below 0.01.

ID: a14eef71 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject of the modifier “a nearly frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier
placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another, so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the
missing clause.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly
frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another,
so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier
placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement
requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another, so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause.
Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly
frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another,
so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ec08463d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: ec08463d
Botanists recognize over fifty different species of sunflower. One species, the silverleaf sunflower, ______ both an early-
flowering ecotype that tends to grow in coastal areas and a late-flowering ecotype that grows inland.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. having included

B. including

C. to include

D. includes

ID: ec08463d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. This verb needs to function as the main verb in the sentence, with the subject “one species,” so
it needs to be conjugated. This choice gives us the singular present tense “includes,” which is the only conjugated form of
the verb among the choices.

Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This
verb needs to function as the main verb in the sentence, with the subject “one species,” so it needs to be conjugated. “Having
included” is a participle form of the verb: it’s not conjugated and doesn’t function like a normal verb. Choice B is incorrect.
This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This verb needs to function as
the main verb in the sentence, with the subject “one species,” so it needs to be conjugated. “Including” is the gerund form of
the verb: it’s not conjugated and doesn’t function like a normal verb. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a
way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This verb needs to function as the main verb in the sentence, with
the subject “one species,” so it needs to be conjugated. “To include” is the infinitive form of the verb: it’s not conjugated.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 4a90a978
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 4a90a978
In 1990, California native and researcher Ellen Ochoa left her position as chief of the Intelligent Systems Technology Branch
at a NASA research center ______ the space agency’s astronaut training program.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to join

B. is joining

C. joined

D. joins

ID: 4a90a978 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of nonfinite verb forms in a sentence. The nonfinite to-
infinitive verb "to join" is correctly used to form a subordinate clause that expresses why Ochoa left her position (to join the
training program).

Choice B is incorrect because the finite verb "is joining" can’t be used in this way to indicate Ochoa’s action of joining the
training program. A conjunction such as "and" would be needed to coordinate "is joining" with the previous finite verb, "left."
Choice C is incorrect because the finite verb "joined" can’t be used in this way to indicate Ochoa’s action of joining the
training program. A conjunction such as "and" would be needed to coordinate "joined" with the previous finite verb, "left."
Choice D is incorrect because the finite verb "joins" can’t be used in this way to indicate Ochoa’s action of joining the training
program. A conjunction such as "and" would be needed to coordinate "joins" with the previous finite verb, "left."

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 588887b9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 588887b9
In 1881, French chemist Camille Faure redesigned the rechargeable lead-acid battery. Faure’s design greatly increased the
amount of electricity that the original battery, which the French physicist Gaston Planté ______ fifteen years earlier, could
hold.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is inventing

B. will invent

C. invents

D. had invented

ID: 588887b9 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. Faure redesigned the battery in 1881, and the original battery was invented “fifteen years
earlier.” Notice that this is the only choice in the past tense. To indicate that a past occurrence took place before another
past occurrence, we need to use “had” + the past tense form of the verb. This is called the “past perfect” tense.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a tense error. Planté invented the original battery in the past, so we shouldn’t use
the present tense “is inventing.” Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a tense error. Planté invented the original battery in
the past, so we shouldn’t use the future tense “will invent.” Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a tense error. Planté
invented the original battery in the past, so we shouldn’t use the present tense “invents.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID e44db0a0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: e44db0a0
Because a cycle of lunar phases ______ 29.5 days to complete, it’s possible to observe two full moons in a single month, one
at the beginning and one at the end.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are taking

B. have taken

C. take

D. takes

ID: e44db0a0 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "takes" agrees in
number with the singular subject "a cycle of lunar phases."

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "are taking" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "a cycle of lunar
phases." Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "have taken" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "a cycle
of lunar phases." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "take" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "a
cycle of lunar phases."

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 67614549
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 67614549
After winning the 1860 presidential election, Abraham Lincoln appointed Edward Bates, Salmon P. Chase, and William H.
Seward to his cabinet. Lincoln’s decision was surprising, since each of these men had run against him, but historians have
praised it, noting that Lincoln ______ his rivals’ diverse talents to strengthen his administration.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has leveraged

B. is leveraging

C. will leverage

D. leveraged

ID: 67614549 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject of the verb is “Lincoln,” and the first sentence tells us that we’re talking about
something that Abraham Lincoln did in 1860. So the simple past tense “leveraged” fits the logic of the text.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a tense issue. “Has leveraged” is the present perfect tense, which is used for an
action that began in the past and continues into the present. Lincoln started leveraging his rivals’ talents in 1860—it’s
definitely not still happening today. So the present perfect tense isn’t appropriate. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a
tense issue. “Is leveraging” is the present tense, but Lincoln leveraged his rivals’ talents in 1860, so the present tense isn’t
appropriate. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a tense issue. “Will leverage” is the future tense, but Lincoln leveraged
his rivals’ talents in 1860, so the future tense isn’t appropriate.

Question Difficulty: Medium