WRITING &

LANGUAGE
STR ATE GY G U I D E
THE BOOK IS A COMPANION
OF THE AP GURU CLASSES

SAT Instructional
Guides
1. SAT Math Classroom Book

2. SAT Reading Classroom Book

3. SAT Writing Classroom Book

4. SAT Reading Strategy Guide

5. SAT Writing Strategy Guide

6

© AP Guru
Dear Student,

Thank you for choosing AP Guru for your Digital SAT prep. This is a companion book to our AP

Guru Digital SAT classes. We hope that our program provides you with the preparation that you

need to ace your Digital SAT Test.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I understand. The SAT is a big deal, but there’s no need to be

nervous. Just follow our instructions, step-by-step, and a great score on this test is going to be

totally achievable.

Our classes along with our strategy guides will give you the foundation necessary to ace the

test. We have worked with thousands of students, and our classes and books are based on our

experience of working with all these kids. Through our classes and these books, you’ll be learning

strategies and tactics to improve your score. They are fun to learn and, hopefully, more fun to

use.

At AP Guru, we continually aspire to provide the best instructors, study materials, and technology

possible. We hope that you will find our commitment manifest in our classes and these books. If

you have any questions or comments, please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to

reading your comments.

Thanks again, and best of luck preparing for the SAT.

Sincerely,

Team AP Guru
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 Table of Contents
1. The Basics  6
2. Comma Usage  14
3. Other Punctuations  37
4. Modifiers  52
5. Verbs  60
6. Subject Verb Agreement  74
7. Pronouns 84
8. Parallelism  97
9. Transitions  112
10. Rhetorical Synthesis 121
 Chapter 1
Digital SAT
Writing Basics
The Digital SATs reading and writing (RW) section is made of short
passages or passage pairs, followed by a single multiple-choice
question. The RW section will be tested over two modules that will in
total, have 54 questions across 64 minutes.

Two different modules make up the reading and writing section. Each module is 32 minutes

and has 27 questions. Each question will have a passage so you will have around 27 passages

for each module. Passages range in length from 25 to 150 words.

Now, out of the 54 questions in the entire RW section, 23-24 questions (or about 45%) will be

from the writing section, and 30-31 questions (about 55%) will be from the reading section.

Now you might be wondering, what’s the difference between the modules? The first module will

mix easy, medium, and difficult multiple-choice questions.

Your performance in the first module will determine the level of difficulty in the second

module. After completing the first section, how many questions you answered correctly will

send you down one of two paths. The first path is a second section with average difficulty

Digital SAT Writing Guide 6

that is easier than what you experienced in the first module.

The second path is a second section with average difficulty that is harder than what you

encountered in the first module. This is crucial since harder questions have more weight than

more straightforward questions. A second section with access to harder questions will opens

up a higher possible score range for your overall reading and writing section score.

Since this is a writing strategy guide, we will focus on the writing questions. The writing

questions are further divided into the following two categories:

1. Grammar Questions (60% of the questions) - These questions are designed to test your

ability to identify grammar errors. They test you on concepts such as punctuation, verbs,

subject-verb agreement, pronouns, and parallelism.

The college board has released 4 official tests. We have analyzed the 4 tests to understand

the grammar questions’ breakup. All of the above comes with a big caveat - the digital

SAT is still new, and four practice exams aren’t yet a large enough sample size for us to

confidently say just how frequently the actual exam will or won’t test these concepts. Still,

this breakdown at least strongly hints at how different concepts are (and aren’t) on the

new test.

7 © AP Guru
As you can see, to ace your RW score, you’ll have to first learn the rules governing

punctuation and verbs since these comprise the vast majority of grammar questions. Once

you’ve mastered those, you can inch your score closer to perfect by covering the more

complex concepts like modifiers, parallelism, and mood.

2 - Expression of ideas (40% of the questions) - These questions focus on your rhetorical skills

and will test you on strategy, organization, and style. The last two chapters of this book focus

on these topics.

SCOPE OF THIS BOOK

This book is written to teach you tons of awesome grammar tricks, strategies, tactics, and

more. However, it is not written as a complete overview of English grammar rules.

Instead, this book aims to make you proficient enough to master rules regarding commas and

semicolons, tenses, pronoun usage, and rhetorical skills to ace the Writing questions on the SAT.

No matter how good you are at English, there will always be a few rules here and there that

you likely don’t know. Fortunately, they’re all very easy to learn.

As you work through your practice sections, be sure to mark every problem that you get

wrong and look at the answer explanations. If you see a new grammar rule you don’t know,

make a note of it in this book.

The sooner you start documenting the grammar rules you aren’t familiar with and studying

them, the more proficient you’ll become. There’s simply no substitute for practice.

Before we launch into grammar rules, here are a few common, extremely important strategies:

Digital SAT Writing Guide 8

1. Context is Everything
If you want to get a great score, the most important habit to build is the habit of reading

through the entire passage up to the point of the problem. In other words, you should never

just skip to an underlined portion of the text without reading what came before it.

Read through the whole thing. Every word. And collect context for each sentence before you

answer questions.

Pronouns depend upon nouns. Tenses depend upon a story’s timeframe. Everything in

grammar exists in context.

Is the phrase “I had already eaten” correct?

It is impossible to say without context. In this sentence, it’s totally fine: I had already eaten

by the time you got to the diner.

In this sentence, it’s completely wrong: I had eaten pie tomorrow afternoon.

Yes - these are obvious examples, but the point is this: even within a single sentence, the

same phrase or word can be totally right or totally wrong, depending upon the context.

Do NOT try to answer grammar questions before collecting as much information as possible.

Furthermore, never answer a grammar question without reading the entire sentence that it’s

a part of. You must consider the passage as a whole.

Lastly, there’s an extremely simple but important rule to remember: if something isn’t

underlined, then it’s correct. Sections that aren’t underlined are, therefore your rocks - the

solid ground on which you can gain context for the rest of the passage.

9 © AP Guru
2. Elimination is Also Everything
It’s very important to get into the habit of eliminating wrong answers rather than “picking

a right one.” Often students work to find “the best answer.” However, the job is not to pick

the “best answer” but to eliminate the three worst answers.

As a quick exercise, try to prove why the following sentence is grammatically correct: ”I

found a turtle hanging out underneath my bed, but it turned out that he didn’t want to be

my friend.”

The sentence is totally fine but proving why it’s grammatically correct means you must show

that it is free from errors.

And the only way to do that is to compare it to a sentence that is not incorrect. Comparing

answer choices enables us to find the wrong answers.

3. Comparison is Your Best Friend

By comparing answer choices, obsessing over their weaknesses, being hyper-cynical, looking

at their differences, and eliminating the worst differences, you’re being truly efficient. You’re

using logical reasoning and arguing against the bad answers rather than arguing for them.

EXAMPLE 1:
The house, was the first of its kind.

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

A. heated from the sun when it was out and shining,

B. totally heated just from the sunlight and the warmth

C. using the sun’s heat to heat the house,

D. heated only by the sun,

Digital SAT Writing Guide 10

Solution: All of these answers are seemingly decent. None of them, on their own, are

particularly horrific. But when you compare them to each other, the right answer becomes

extremely obvious.

Look at A and B. “Heated from the sun when it was out and shining” is wrong because “it”

could be referring to the HOUSE or to the SUN. This sentence is grammatically unclear. B

sounds silly but doesn’t break any rules. So, we can eliminate A and move on to B.

Now compare B and C. B still sounds odd, but C is horrible! “The house, using the sun’s heat to

heat the house?” You’re repeating the subject twice in one sentence, and you’re repeating the

noun “heat” and using it as a verb. C is out.

Now we take B and compare it to the last man standing, D. “The house, heated only by the

sun, was the first of its kind.” It’s clean, and it’s short, and it’s beautiful! It breaks no rules.

And now, looking back at B, we realize that “that warmth” is totally awkward. What warmth?

You’d say, “the sun and ITS warmth,” not “that warmth.” It’s an obvious flaw, and hence we

can kill it! D is your answer. It’s the LEAST WRONG, by comparison.

Notice something else: by using comparison and elimination, you “pick up steam” - in other

words, by picking up one error, you can use that error to eliminate more answers instantly

down the line!

As you work through the answers, you realize that they’re all way too long, repetitive, and

unclear. Then, by the time you get to D, it’s so free of errors that B looks like a joke!

At first, this might seem like it takes a bit of time. But when you get used to flying through

passages and eliminating rather than picking, you’ll be a lot faster! Suddenly, you won’t be

11 © AP Guru
having long, drawn-out arguments with yourself about what is “good” or what is “better” -

you’ll be mercilessly slaying answers based on pure, objective FACTS.

4. Don’t Go Back: Pull the Trigger

If you want to finish the RW modules on time, you can’t dwell. You can’t spend five

minutes on one question and still expect to get a good score. You’ll never finish! If you’re

spending more than 60 seconds trying to eliminate answers, and you still can’t figure it

out, just pick something and move on.

Do not let one hard question hurt your chances on all the others. This is what happens

when you dwell!

Also, do not “go back” and try to re-figure later. You’ll have lost context, and your first

instincts are almost always right. Once you’ve tried the problem once, YOU ARE DONE.

Get in and out quickly, and NEVER go back!

5. Reflecting on Errors
Albert Einstein famously said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and

over again and expecting different results.”

Most students get something wrong, check the right answer, and go, “Eh, I should’ve gotten

that right,” or “Whatever, that was a hard one anyway.” That’s the wrong approach. All too

often, students keep making the same mistakes over and over, but they never do anything

to improve.

You should always ask yourself, “What was it that I was missing that led to my mistake?

In other words, if I had known X, I would have gotten this correct. What is X?”

Digital SAT Writing Guide 12

Every mistake should lead to a plan of action so that when you complete that plan of action,

you don’t make the same mistake again.

For example, it could be knowledge based: “I got this one wrong because I wasn’t aware of

the ways the SAT tests subject-verb agreement. Ok, that’s something I need to learn.”

OR

“I got this one wrong because I thought this word was a verb. Why is this word not a

verb? Anything tricky about it? Oh, it ends in “ing.” Do words that end in “ing” (like running)

count as verbs?”

“Let me look that up and review my parts of speech so that I can distinguish between nouns,

verbs, adjectives, etc.”

Now you might feel that this sort of internal dialogue is silly, but this is exactly how top

scorers think. They’re adamant about figuring out why they got something wrong.

So, the overall strategy for the Digital SAT writing questions is this:

1. Read through the entire sentence for which the problem asks you to consider BEFORE you

answer questions.

2. Get the full context behind the sentence before you look at the answer choices.

3. For all problems, do NOT pick the “right” answer but to eliminate three wrong answers.

4. For grammar problems, remember it’s impossible to prove something grammatically correct.

Whichever choice doesn’t contain an error, leave it alone.

5. Never spend more than 60 seconds on a problem under any circumstances. No matter

how close you might be or how challenging the problem might be, move on.

6. NEVER leave a problem blank. Even if you have only the faintest idea, pick something. It’s

foolish not to.

13 © AP Guru
 Chapter 2
Comma Usage
The comma is widely is the most commonly tested concept on the
writing sections of the Digital SAT Test. Therefore, it’s important to
understand how to correctly use commas and when to avoid them.

One chapter cannot fully describe everything there is to know about comma usage, which

is why you’ll find comma-related information in other chapters, like modifiers and other

punctuation. However, the following are the most important concepts to answer comma usage

questions in the writing section of the digital SAT.

Though sentence structures are rarely tested on the SAT, you will need to understand them

to accurately answer comma-based questions.

Clauses
A CLAUSE is a group of words that includes at least a subject and a verb. A clause always

contains a subject that acts through a verb. Clauses are categorized into two types to help

us work with them:

1. Independent Clauses - a clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence.

EXAMPLE: I went to the bonfire after the game.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 14

2. Dependent Clauses - a clause that contains elements of a sentence but can’t stand alone

as a complete sentence.

EXAMPLE: When the circus gets to town

If you’re still a bit confused about what makes up an independent clause vs. a dependent

clause, simply remember what we like to call, “THE AWKWARD RULE.”

Dependent clauses, when said by themselves, sound awkward and incomplete. For instance:

− so let’s find out why!

− and that’s why I’ll never go to that store again

− but who’s to say she isn’t?

Each of the above examples demand more information.

In comparison, the following independent clauses make complete sense when said by

themselves:

− I’m in the mood for sushi

− I have a pool in my backyard

− there are five dogs in my local vet’s playpen

EXAMPLE 1:
Claudia didn’t enjoy following the news. No matter the topic, every story seemed to fall

under a general pessimistic trend. In every part of the world,

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

A. troubling developments in politics.

B. trouble developments in politics.

15 © AP Guru
 C. there were troubling developments in politics.

D. politics was developing trouble.

Solution:

The error in the sentence as it is written is that it is not a complete sentence. It also does

not contain a verb - “troubling” is a not a verb (we’ll cover this more in the Verbs chapter).

C is the correct answer choice, as it correctly inserts a verb and makes the sentence

complete.

Conjunctions
A CONJUNCTION is a word that connects clauses or sentences together. There are two types

of conjunctions that appear on the SAT: coordinating and subordinating.

1. Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordination means bringing things together, in this case, two independent clauses. A

coordinating conjunction is a word that connects two independent clauses in a sentence.

Coordinating conjunctions are FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET and SO, and are paired with a

comma: Comma + Coordinating Conjunction.

Coordinating Conjunction

EXAMPLE: The girl walked in the door, and her mother gave her a huge hug.

Independent Clause Independent Clause

Want to remember coordinating conjunctions?

Just remember FANBOYS: For And Nor But Or Yet So

Digital SAT Writing Guide 16

Two independent clauses can also be connected using these methods:

1. Semicolon: The girl walked in the door; her mother gave her a huge hug.

2. Period: The girl walked in the door. Her mother gave her a huge hug.

Therefore, if an answer choice joins two independent clauses using two of the above three

options, then the answer choice is wrong.

EXAMPLE 2:
There are many good varieties of tomatoes available to should try a few

plants of several varieties to determine which performs best.

Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable alternative to the underlined portion?

A. growers. Each grower

B. growers, each grower

C. growers; each grower

D. growers, and each grower

Solution: The period in A), the semicolon in C), and the comma + and in D) are the same, so

you can instantly eliminate all of those answers. Only B) remains.

2. Subordinating Conjunctions
Sometimes clauses in a sentence are connected by a subordinating conjunction. You

may already know what “subordination” means and you can apply that definition here.

Subordinating conjunctions link a dependent clause to an independent clause, making one

clause subordinate to (or dependent on) the other.

Often, a subordinating conjunction will show a time, place, or cause and effect relationship.

17 © AP Guru
EXAMPLE:
Subordinating
Conjunction

Because she had gotten there just in time, her mother gave her a huge smile,

Dependent Clause Independent Clause

EXAMPLE:

Once I cleaned my room, I was allowed to go to the movies.

Independent Clause Independent Clause

Subordinating
Conjunction

SOME COMMON
SUBORDINATING
CONJUNCTIONS ARE:
after, although, as, because, before, even,
though, every time, if, in case, now that,
once, since, though, unless, until, when,
whenever, whether or not, while.

EXAMPLE 3:
If you grow tomatoes to sell at a that it will take about 70 to 80 days from

the time you set plants in the field until you can pick ripe tomatoes from them.

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

A. market, remember

B. market, and remember

C. market. Remember

D. market; remember

Solution: “If you grow tomatoes to sell at a market” is a dependent clause and “remember

Digital SAT Writing Guide 18

that it will take about 70 to 80 days from the time you set plants in the field until you can

pick ripe tomatoes from them” is an independent clause. You connect a dependent clause

with an independent clause with a comma. Therefore, A is the correct answer.

EXAMPLE 4:
A recent study by two professors at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Chris Wilmers

and James Esters, kelp forests protected by sea otters absorb as much as

12 times the amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as those where sea urchins are

allowed to devour the kelp.

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

A. suggest, that

B. suggests that,

C. suggests, “that

D. suggests that

Solution: The comma before “that” is unnecessary as that always starts an essential clause.

A common error on SAT punctuation questions is to randomly place a comma or semicolon

within a sentence, especially in sentences in which there are other commas. In this sentence,

answer choice D is the correct answer. No punctuation is needed. Remember that if

punctuation isn’t needed, you should leave it out.

Comma Usage Rules

The following are the comma usage rules you need to know to answer the comma usage

questions testing on the Digital SAT verbal section:

Rule 1: Between Transitions

Using punctuation and transitions can be confusing, but here’s a tip to remember: Place

19 © AP Guru
commas around the transition word if it is used in middle of a clause. Transitions words

are always non-essential.

Correct: The Tower of London was built during the Norman Conquest. Nearly a thousand

years later, however, it still remains standing.

The commas around ‘however’ tell us that if we cross that word out, the sentence will still

make sense.

The need for two commas is determined solely by context. If you are unsure which type of

punctuation should be used, cross out the word or phrase in question and read the sentence

without it.

If the sentence makes sense, the word or phrase is being used non-essential, and two

commas must be used. If the sentence does not make sense, or a comma splice is created,

a semicolon or period is required.

Important: If it’s used to begin a new clause, a transition should never follow a comma.

, ,
Wrong: Independent Clause Transition Independent Clause

Correct: Independent Clause; Transition, Independent Clause

Correct: Independent Clause. Transition, Independent Clause

Wrong: The tomato is one of the most popular salad ingredients, however, it is actually a

fruit.

Correct: The tomato is a popular salad ingredient; however, it is actually a fruit.

Correct: The tomato is a popular salad ingredient. However, it is actually a fruit.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 20

Rule 2: Connecting Two Independent Clauses (ICs)
Remember that independent clauses are complete sentences. When you connect two

independent clauses with an unnecessary comma, you’ve created a COMMA SPLICE. Comma

splices are grammatically incorrect.

Comma here
creates a comma
splice
The basic form of a comma splice is:

Independent Clause , Independent Clause

Tip: Commas splices are often signaled by the construction “comma + pronoun” (e.g: it, he, I).

When you see this construction on the SAT, you should immediately be on your guard.

Wrong: Tomatoes were originally small and multicolored, they are mostly large and red today.

In comparison, when punctuation is needed to connect two independent clauses, but you

haven’t used any, you’re left with a RUN-ON sentence.

The basic form of a run-on is: No punctuation here

creates a run-on
sentence

Independent Clause Independent Clause

As covered in the previous section, we can use a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) along

with a comma to correctly connect two independent sentences and avoid a comma splice or

run-on.

Wrong: Tomatoes were originally small and multicolored, they are mostly large and red today.

Correct: Tomatoes were originally small and multicolored, but/yet they are mostly large and

red today.

21 © AP Guru
Important: If two independent clauses are connected by a word that’s not from the FANBOYS

list, the sentence is STILL A RUN-ON. This is how the SAT tricks you.

Here’s another example.

Wrong: He was hungry, therefore, he bought a chipotle burrito.

This sentence is wrong because ‘therefore’ is not a coordinating conjunction/not on the

FANBOYS list. Other words that the SAT might use to confuse you are “however, moreover, in

addition, nevertheless, and furthermore.” These words are transition words pretending to be

coordinating conjunctions.

However, it’s important to remember that you should not use FANBOYS with a semicolon or

period. Semicolons and periods require complete sentences on either side. If you add in a

FANBOYS word, the second clause is no longer a complete sentence.

Wrong: He was hungry; and he bought a pizza.

Rule 3: Connecting an Independent (IC) and a Dependent

Clause (DC)

Another comma usage is to connect an independent clauses with a dependent clause, often by

adding a subordinating conjunction. In the sentences below, the dependent clause is noted in

orange.

Wrong: Tomatoes were originally small and multicolored, they are mostly large and red today.

Correct: While tomatoes were originally small and multicolored, they are mostly large and red

today.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 22

The SAT will try to trick you by putting stuffing many clauses into a sentence to keep you

from realizing the error. Read carefully and be on the lookout for where an independent

clause ends and where another begins.

EXAMPLE 5:
Choreographer and dancer Savion Glover aims to restore the African roots of

hand gestures to focus on the feet as the primary source of movement.

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

A. tap dance, he eliminates

B. tap dance; and he eliminates

C. tap dance, consequently he eliminates

D. tap dance, eliminating

Solution: Answer choice B can be eliminated because and should only follow a comma, never a

semicolon. Option C can be eliminated because consequently is not a FANBOYS conjunction. A can

also be eliminated because it contains a comma splice. Option D correctly joins the sentences.

EXAMPLE 6:
Josh is one of the best players I’ve ever seen. Talent can only be fully

realized when it is combined with hard work and a good mindset.

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

A. He does everything so naturally and so confidently and he never misses a practice.

B. He does everything so naturally and so confidently plus he never misses a practice.

C. He does everything so naturally and so confidently, and he never misses a practice.

D. He does everything so naturally and so confidently; and he never misses a practice.

23 © AP Guru
Solution: “He never misses a practice” is an independent clause and therefore needs to be

separated from the remaining sentence with appropriate punctuation: either a semicolon

or a comma with a FANBOYS conjunction. The only answer choice that does that is answer

choice C.

Drill: Identify Run-On Sentences

Identify whether the sentence is a run-on or correct.

1. A caller from Memorial Park reported a man beating his head against a wall, he was

heading to work. (Run-on/Correct)

2. Last Saturday, Peter Parker was bit by a spider, after that incident, he would never be

the same again. (Run-on/Correct)

3. In New York, the train system is difficult to learn, however, the food is fantastic and

diverse. (Run-on/Correct)

4. When a man became so upset with the lack of parking enforcement in his town, he

reported his own parking violation, and the police showed up to subdue him with a stun

gun, apparently he became combative and screamed at the officers that they weren’t

doing their job. (Run-on/Correct)

5. There’s a big chance that if you’re 16 or older, you’ve already met the person you’ll

marry. (Run-on/Correct)

6. Omega-3 fish oil provides essential fatty acids for your nutritional health, furthermore, it

soothes back pain and muscle aches. (Run-on/Correct)

7. The salesman, aware that he was going to lose a sale if he didn’t make something up,

claimed that the laptop could not be customizable and that the only options were in the

store. (Run-on/Correct)

8. Zoe likes to ace her tests but resents it when her classmates ask her how much she

studied, sometimes Zoe will just say that she didn’t study at all when in fact she had

stayed up all night. (Run-on/Correct)

9. At the time, discovering quantum physics looked like a waste of time and money, but it

Digital SAT Writing Guide 24

 is now the foundation of all modern technology, thus, when people claim that math and

science are of no relevance, it drives Dr. Tyson into a deep rage. (Run-on/Correct)

10. Playing them day and night, Samay and his video games were inseparable, however,

once he got a girlfriend, everything changed. (Run-on/Correct)

Solutions
1. Run-on 6. Run-on

2. Run-on 7. Correct

3. Run-on 8. Run-on

4. Run-on 9. Run-on

5. Correct 10. Run-on

Rule 4: Removing Non–Essential Clauses

If a clause can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence, it needs to be

surrounded by commas.

Consider the following EXAMPLEs:

− Her mother, a doctor, was often late.

− Jonah, a fifth-grader, jumps rope on the playground every day.

Take the orange font clauses out of these examples and you still have three clear and

complete sentences. If you aren’t sure whether a clause needs to be surrounded by commas,

try crossing it out. If the sentence still makes sense, then the commas are needed; if it

doesn’t make sense, then the commas are not needed.

For EXAMPLE: The Tower of London, which was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078, is

one of the largest and most imposing fortifications in England.

25 © AP Guru
As you can see, the sentence still makes sense even when you remove the clause in the

orange font: The Tower of London is one of the largest and most imposing fortifications in

England.

However, if we remove one or both of the commas, then the sentence becomes incorrect.

Incorrect: The Tower of London, which was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 is one

of the largest and most imposing fortifications in England.

Incorrect: The Tower of London which was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 is one of

the largest and most imposing fortifications in England.

Sometimes non-essential clauses can be very long. In such cases, look all the way back to

the beginning of the sentence in order to identify the start of the non-essential clause. You

will need to cross out a lot of information to test whether a non-essential clause is present.

EXAMPLE 7:
Pets can have pretty funny names sometimes. When he stands on his hind

legs, he’s as tall as I am!

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

A. Tiny Tim my neighbour’s dog is a Great Dane the size of a small horse.

B. Tiny Tim, my neighbour’s dog, is a Great Dane the size of a small horse.

C. Tiny Tim, my neighbour’s dog is a Great Dane the size of a small horse.

D. Tiny Tim, my neighbour’s dog is a Great Dane, the size of a small horse.

Solution: From the context of the sentence, we can tell that “Tiny Tim” is not the name of a

person; it’s the name of the speaker’s neighbour’s dog. Does the sentence make sense without

Digital SAT Writing Guide 26

the information conveyed by “my neighbour’s dog”?

“Tiny Tim is a Great Dane the size of a small horse.”

Yes, it does! My neighbor’s dog is non-essential information, so we need to set it apart with

commas. The only answer choice that does that is B.

EXAMPLE 8:
London, which was originally built by the Romans along the banks of the Thames more than

two thousand years some extremely modern neighborhoods.

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

A. ago contains

B. ago; contains

C. ago, containing

D. ago, contains

Solution: If you focus only on the underlined portion of the sentence, you’re likely to get

confused. The key is to go back to the beginning of the sentence and recognize that it

contains a non-essential clause, as signalled by the word which.

London, which was originally built by the Romans along the banks of the Thames more than

two thousand years ago contains some extremely modern neighborhoods.

We need to remove the non-essential clause in blue font. Only option D does this and

correctly places a verb (contains) immediately after the comma. D is the correct answer.

Important: Two commas do not always equal a non-essential clause! One common mistake is

27 © AP Guru
to assume that the presence of two commas in a sentence automatically indicates a non-

essential clause.

Consider the following two sentences:

Correct: London, which was one of the largest and most important cities in Europe during

the Middle Ages, remains an important financial and cultural centre today.

This sentence has a non-essential clause that can be removed without altering its meaning.

Wrong: During the Middle Ages, London was one of the largest and most important cities in

Europe, and today it remains an important financial and cultural center.

The sentence is wrong if we cross out the information between the commas. The information

between the commas is actually the important information and the independent clause.

You need to remove the part of the sentence that you believe is non-essential and read the

sentence without it to test. If that doesn’t work, try again with a different part of the

sentence. This process is very important.

EXAMPLE 9:
In 2004, historian and journalist J. Pennelope Goforth came across a silver shopping bag

with an envelope inside. immediately caught her attention. For years,

Goforth has researched the company, which had controlled Alaska’s waters in the late

nineteenth century.

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

A. The envelope marked “Alaska Commercial Company”

B. The envelope marked “Alaska Commercial Company,”

Digital SAT Writing Guide 28

 C. The envelope, marked “Alaska Commercial Company,”

D. The envelope, marked “Alaska Commercial Company

Solution: The key to answering this question is to recognize that the sentence is referring

to one specific envelope. The passage states that Goforth found a shopping bag with an

envelope inside. That’s one envelope.

The sentence you’re being asked about can therefore only be referring to that single

envelope, not implying that the envelope Goforth found was one of many envelopes. Because

the clause “marked ‘Alaska Commercial Company’” describes that one particular envelope,

commas must be used. C is therefore correct.

On the other hand, consider this version of the passage:

EXAMPLE 10:
In 2004, while rummaging in a Seattle basement, historian and journalist J. Pennelope

Goforth came across a silver shopping bag filled with envelopes. immediately

caught her attention.

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

A. The envelope marked “Alaska Commercial Company”

B. The envelope marked “Alaska Commercial Company,”

C. The envelope, marked “Alaska Commercial Company,”

D. The envelope, marked “Alaska Commercial Company

Solution: In this version, the passage indicates that Goforth found many envelopes. The

description marked ‘Alaska Commercial Company’ is essential because it specifies which one

of the envelopes Goforth found. No commas are therefore needed, making A correct.

29 © AP Guru
Drill: Identifying Non-Essential Information

In the following sentences, strikethrough the non-essential information. Remember: Non-

essential information must be set off by two commas.

1. The cesium fountain atomic clock the most form precise form of timekeeper available

is expected to become inaccurate by less than a single second over the next 50 million

years.

2. Frank Gehry’s buildings often cited as being among the most important works of

contemporary architecture have become popular tourist attractions in many cities.

3. The most common types of coral which are usually found in clear, shallow waters require

sunlight in order to grow.

4. Used in some martial arts, the Red Belt one of several colored belts intended to denote a

practitioner’s skill level and rank originated in Japan and Korea.

5. The Iditarod dogs sled race an annual event in Alaska commemorates the dogsled teams

that delivered a lifesaving serum during the 1925 diphtheria epidemic.

6. New Zealand one of the last lands to be settled by humans developed distinctive animal

and plant life during its long isolation.

7. Forensic biology the application of biology to law enforcement has been used to identify

illegal products from endangered species and investigate bird collisions with wind

turbines.

8. Human computers who once performed basic numerical analysis for laboratories were

behind the calculations for everything from the first accurate prediction of the return of

Halley’s Comet to the success of the Manhattan project.

9. Simon Fortini a choreographer born in Italy but a resident of the United states since a

young age rapidly became known for a style of dancing based on improvisation and

everyday movements.

10. The Rochester International Jazz Festival which takes place in June of each year

typically attracts more than 100,000 fans from across the United States.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 30

Solutions

1. The cesium fountain atomic clock, the most form precise form of timekeeper available,

is expected to become inaccurate by less than a single second over the next 50 million

years.

2. Frank Gehry’s buildings, often cited as being among the most important works of

contemporary architecture, have become popular tourist attractions in many cities.

3. The most common types of coral, which are usually found in clear, shallow waters,

require sunlight in order to grow.

4. Used in some martial arts, the Red Belt, one of several colored belts intended to denote

a practitioner’s skill level and rank, originated in Japan and Korea.

5. The Iditarod dogs sled race, an annual event in Alaska, commemorates the dogsled

teams that delivered a lifesaving serum during the 1925 diphtheria epidemic.

6. New Zealand, one of the last lands to be settled by humans, developed distinctive animal

and plant life during its long isolation.

7. Forensic biology, the application of biology to law enforcement, has been used to identify

illegal products from endangered species and investigate bird collisions with wind

turbines.

8. Human computers, who once performed basic numerical analysis for laboratories, were

behind the calculations for everything from the first accurate prediction of the return of

Halley’s Comet to the success of the Manhattan project.

9. Simon Fortini, a choreographer born in Italy but a resident of the United states since a

young age, rapidly became known for a style of dancing based on improvisation and

everyday movements.

10. The Rochester International Jazz Festival, which takes place in June of each year,

typically attracts more than 100,000 fans from across the United States.

31 © AP Guru
Rule 5: Names and Titles
Proper names and titles can be either essential or non-essential to a sentence. Context will

decide if we need commas around names and titles or not.

The basic idea here is simple: if the proper name being used is describing the ‘only thing’ in

the world, use a comma to offset the name. If it’s not, don’t use commas.

CORRECT: I went to see Woody Allen’s latest movie, “Midnight in Paris,” with my oldest friend,

Jessie.

In the above example, you need a comma after ‘movie’ because “Midnight in Paris” is the

only film that could be described as Mr. Allen’s newest movie in theaters and a comma after

‘friend’ because “Jessie” is the only thing in the world described by “my oldest friend.” Make

sense?

EXAMPLE 11:
Ada Lovelace and her were two of the most influential figures in the history

of computer science.

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

A. acquaintance, Charles Babbage,

B. acquaintance Charles Babbage

C. acquaintance Charles Babbage,

D. acquaintances, Charles Babbage

Solution: Let’s cross out the name entirely, and see if the sentence still makes sense: Ada

Lovelace and her acquaintance, Charles Babbage, were two of the most influential figures in

the history of computer science.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 32

A crucial piece of information is lost: we do not know who Lovelace’s acquaintance was –

since she may have had many acquaintances. Also, the reference to Babbage does not make

sense, so the name is essential and no commas are required. The answer is, therefore, B.

EXAMPLE 12:
Caribbean-American is also known for being an enthusiastic essayist and

gardener. She was born Elaine Potter in St. John’s, Antigua but came to the United States

at the age of 17 to work as an au pair in Westchester County, New York.

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

A. author, Jamaica Kincaid

B. author Jamaica Kincaid

C. author, Jamaica Kincaid,

D. author Jamaica Kincaid,

Solution: Once again, start by crossing the name out of the sentence to see if it still makes

sense: Caribbean American author, Jamaica Kincaidis is also known for being an enthusiastic

essayist and gardener.

The sentence loses meaning if we remove the name: it doesn’t tell us who the Caribbean-

American novelist is. The name is essential, so no commas are needed. The answer is B. •

EXAMPLE 13:
When I moved into a new house last summer, I was thrilled to discover that there was

enough space in the yard for a garden. There was just one problem - I’d never actually

planted one. So I called a friend who had a lot more gardening experience than I did.

Luckily, that agreed to come over the next day.

33 © AP Guru
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. friend, Jane,

B. friend, Jane

C. friend Jane,

D. friend Jane

Solution: When we cross out Jane, the resulting sentence still makes sense: Luckily, that

friend, Jane, agreed to come over the next day.

Jane is therefore non-essential and the commas are necessary, making the answer A.

EXAMPLE 14:
In 1985, Jamaica Kincaid published a semiautobiographical story of a young girl

growing up in Antigua.

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

A. the novel, Annie John,

B. the novel Annie John,

C. the novel, Annie John

D. the novel Annie John

Solution: As before, start by crossing out the novel’s title and reading the sentence without

it: In 1985, she published the novel, Annie John, a semi-autobiographical story of a young girl

growing up in Antigua.

The sentence does not make sense in context because we do not know which novel the

sentence is referring to. The information is therefore essential, meaning that commas should

not be placed around the title. But, do we need a comma after the title? The clause that

starts with “a semi-autobiographical…” is a modifier that modifies the noun Annie John.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 34

Therefore, a comma is needed. So, the answer is B.

Rule 6: Seperating Elements of a List

A comma rule that everyone is most familiar with is that in lists of three or more items, you

must place a comma after every item except the last. This is called a serial comma or the

Oxford comma.

EXAMPLE: The pirate loves Barbados because there’s so much to do, including shopping for

eye patches, sharpening his sword, and visiting the pub.

After looking at the last two rules, you might assume that you need to put a comma

anywhere you see ‘and,’ but that’s not the case!

For EXAMPLE: James and his brother’s travel led to Oregon and Washington.

Often, you will see a list that doesn’t look like a list because each item is so long. Be careful

here.

CORRECT: Yesterday, Talia went on a boring first date that she left early and plotted to take

over the world using nothing but duct tape and string.

You don’t need commas in this sentence because it only lists two items.

EXAMPLE 15:
The history of the English language is a fascinating one that reveals influences from a wide

variety of different languages,

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

35 © AP Guru
 A. including French Latin and Anglo-Saxon.

B. including French, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon.

C. including French, Latin, and, Anglo-Saxon.

D. including French Latin, and Anglo-Saxon.

Solution:

If “French Latin” were a language, the sentence would be corrected, but “French Latin” is not

a language; “French” is a language, and “Latin” is a language. Thus, three things are being

listed, and need to use commas to separate items in the list. Thus, the correct answer is B!

Rule 7: Seperating Adjectives

In a sentence with more than one adjective in front of a noun or pronoun, and the order

of the adjectives doesn’t matter, you need to separate the adjectives with a comma.

Let’s look at two examples, one where you need a comma and one where you don’t:

− The hot dry desert

− The first female astronaut

Which one do you think needs a comma? If you’re not sure, check whether the examples

make sense with the order of the adjectives reversed:

− The dry hot desert

− The female first astronaut

The first sentence makes perfect sense with the new word order, so it needs a comma: the

hot, dry desert.

The second, however, doesn’t work when the order of the adjectives is switched, so no

comma is needed: the first female astronaut.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 36

 Chapter 3
Other Punctuations
Even though comma usage is the most prominent punctuation rule tested
on the SAT, other punctuations such as semicolons, colons, dashes, and
apostrophes are frequently tested as well.

Rule 8: Semicolon Rules

Semicolons have two primary uses in standard modern English.

The first, and most common, is to join independent clauses. Both the clause before and after

a semicolon must be independent, otherwise the sentence is ungrammatical. A simple trick is to

replace the semicolon with a period and check if the sentence is still grammatically correct. If

it is, the semicolon is being used correctly.

Wrong: My favourite breakfast sandwich, beans on toast; I often make one and eat it before

work.

Correct: My favourite breakfast sandwich is beans on toast; I often make one and eat it

before work.

Semicolons should not be followed by any sort of conjunction, or the sentence will become

ungrammatical.

37 © AP Guru
Wrong: Grilled cheese is one of the best, in my opinion; and beans on toast is pretty good

as well.

The second, and rarer, role semicolons play in standard modern English involves a scenario in

which items in a list of three or more are themselves phrases that involve commas.

One common example of this is when listing cities followed by the states or countries in

which they are located.

Wrong: I visited Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles, California, and San Antonio, Texas on my

vacation.

See how confusing it is to read that? It’s very difficult to keep track of which place names

refer to cities and which refer to states. Imagine how difficult it would be to read if the

cities named were smaller and less known? Use semicolons in the place of commas in this

specific scenario to avoid confusion.

Correct: I visited Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles, California; and San Antonio, Texas on my

vacation.

Note that if one item in a list includes a comma, it is appropriate to use semicolons for the

entire list. For example:

Correct: I packed my sleeping bag; a pop-up tent, which I had borrowed from a friend and

only used a few times; a cast-iron skillet; and some popcorn to bring on the camping trip.

Only “pop-up tent” uses a comma, but it’s still appropriate to set each item in the list off

with a semicolon.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 38

EXAMPLE 1:

John and I have been trying to get together for weeks now. Maybe

one day soon we’ll be able see each other again.

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

A. Sometimes it is just hard to coordinate plans, people have responsibilities, after all.

B. Sometimes it is just hard to coordinate plans; people have responsibilities after all.

C. Sometimes it is just hard to coordinate plans people have responsibilities after all.

D. Sometimes it is just hard, to coordinate plans, people have responsibilities after all.

Solution: Here, we have two independent clauses. Therefore, we connect them with a semicolon.

Therefore, we connect them with a semicolon. The correct answer is B.

Colons

A colon (:) provides further explanation for what comes before it or to introduce a list. The

most important rule of colons to remember they must be preceded by an independent clause.

What comes after the colon does not have to be able to stand alone. Therefore, all of the

following examples are incorrect:

Wrong: A classic eggs benedict breakfast should include the following: poached eggs, English

muffins, and English tea.

Wrong: The dangerous animals you have to watch out for me are: lions, tigers, and pythons.

In each of the above examples, the phrases preceding the colon are not independent clauses.

The following are the two usages of colons:

39 © AP Guru
1. Rule 9: To list things.

EXAMPLE: I went to the bakery and bought three things: donuts, pretzels, and a cake.

Independent Clause List of Items

2. Rule 10: To introduce information in a way that emphasizes it.

The first part of the sentence still needs to form an independent clause for this to be

grammatically correct, and the latter part of the sentence can be either a phrase or an

independent clause; its relationship to the first part of the sentence is what’s key.

The content of the two parts of a sentence in which a colon is used for emphasis should be

very closely related.

EXAMPLE: There was only one thing to do: fight the pirates head-on.

Independent Clause Verb Phrase

The second part of the sentence answers the question, “What was the only thing to be

done?”

EXAMPLES
s 2:
I was wondering why he urged the group to go to the new restaurant when it dawned on

________________________

A. me: the restaurant had a special on macaroni and cheese, his favorite meal.

B. me; the restaurant had a special on macaroni and cheese; his favorite meal.

C. me that the restaurant had a special on macaroni and cheese; his favorite meal.

D. me, the restaurant

Digital SAT Writing Guide 40

Solution:

The clause that follows the colon is answering the question, “What dawned on the speaker?”

Answer choice B uses a semicolon to connect the clauses, which might be permissible, but B

cannot be correct because it also replaces the comma that appears later in the sentence with

a semicolon. Answer choice C also replaces the comma with a semicolon and thus cannot be

correct either. By replacing the colon with a comma, option D creates a comma splice, so it is

not correct. A is the correct answer.

EXAMPLE 3:1
Today’s researchers have found that the veritable army of trained volunteers travelling the

country conducting face-to-face interviews can sometimes be the vast

array of individual volunteering details about their lives - and, inadvertently, their language -

through social media.

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

A. replaced by another army

B. replaced - by another army,

C. replaced by another army;

D. replaced by another army:

Solution: The portion of the sentence after “army” describes the other type of army. We

need punctuation to separate the independent clause before the word “army.” A colon does

the job here. The correct answer is D.

Rule 11: Rules for Dashes

A dash adds an additional thought to an independent clause. A set of two dashes is used in

much the same way as you use a set of commas - to include non-essential information.

41 © AP Guru
 2 Dashes = 2 Commas

When used to set off a non-essential clause, two dashes are exactly equivalent to two

commas. If one dash appears, so must the other. Another punctuation mark such as a

comma cannot be used in place of it.

Wrong: London - which is a very old city, has many new buildings.

Correct: London - which is a very old city - has many new buildings.

As a rule of thumb, remember that if you can take a phrase or clause out of a sentence

without making the sentence grammatically incorrect, that phrase or clause should be

separated from the main clause of the sentence with commas, parentheses, or dashes.

EXAMPLE 4:
My brother is a decent tennis but his forehand could be hit with a bit more

accuracy.

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

A. player, he serves well:

B. player - he serves well -

C. player, he serves well -

D. player and he serves well

Solution: You have first to figure out the non - essential information. In this sentence, the

non-essential information is “he serves well”. That phrase should be off-set by two commas

or two dashes. Based on our choices, the answer is B

Digital SAT Writing Guide 42

EXAMPLE 5:
When we think about animals depicted in well-known works of art, the image of dogs

playing poker - popularized by American artist C.M. may be the first and only one

that comes to mind.

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

A. Coolidge,

B. Coolidge -–

C. Coolidge;

D. Coolidge

Solution: The phrase from “popularized” to “Coolidge” is a non-essential phrase. You can get rid

of the phrase without altering the meaning of the sentence. There is a dash already before

the word popularized, and therefore the correct answer is B.

The choice to use two dashes rather than two commas is purely a stylistic one, and the SAT

will never require you to choose between the two. The only rule is that dashes must go with

dashes and commas with commas. One of the SAT’s favourite errors is to mix and match

commas and dashes.

IMPORTANT: Dashes can also be used to signal a list, restatement, or additional details.

Therefore, one dash often acts as a colon.

EXAMPLES:
− The preacher gave an entire sermon against eating beans - I think he’s gone mad.

− The company leadership is faltering - the CEO embarrassed himself on the news last

night - and the investors are restless.

− I like to walk everyday - not for exercise, but for alone time.

43 © AP Guru
 EXAMPLE 6:
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest national park in the United States, represents

everything compelling about Alaska. It is immense in fact, that Belgium.

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

A. larger

B. ,larger

C. larger,

D. - larger,

Solution: The independent clause in this sentence is “It is immense”. “Larger that Belgium” is

additional information describing immense. Therefore, it has to be preceded by either a colon

or a dash. The phrase “in fact” is non-essential and has to be set off by two commas. The

correct answer is D.

The functionality of a dash and colon are often similar and confusing to students. Don’t

worry, the SAT will never test you on whether a dash should be used instead of a colon,

since the two are somewhat interchangeable.

Rule 12: Apostrophe Rules

The basic rules for forming possessives are quite simple:

1. Singular nouns - simply add an apostrophe followed by an “s” to indicate possession.

EXAMPLE: I really like Mike’s car.

Note also that this applies even to singular nouns that end with “s.”

EXAMPLE: Mitosis’s properties are fascinating.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 44

2. Plural nouns not ending in “s” - again simply add an “s” and an apostrophe.

EXAMPLE: I’m always amazed by children’s capacity for wonder.

3. Plural nouns ending in an “s” - add an apostrophe without an “s.”

EXAMPLE: The classes’ size is getting unmanageable.

4. Compound nouns - the apostrophe should be placed at the end of the entire

compound noun, not at the end of the single-word noun.

EXAMPLE: My father-in-law’s taste in wine is very refined.

5. Two or more subjects. if both are singular, put the apostrophe after the last noun.

EXAMPLE: Orange juice and grapefruit juice’s best property is their vitamin content.

If both nouns are plural, make each plural noun possessive independently.

EXAMPLE: The companies’ and lobbyists’ argument was that corporations should be

treated as people.

If one of the nouns is plural and the other is singular, make them possessive independently.

EXAMPLE: My cat’s and dogs’ shots are all taken care of.

With apostrophes, it’s not so much about knowing the rules as it is about determining

whether you need an apostrophe at all and, if so, whether the noun is meant to be plural or

singular.

Happily, there’s an easy trick to determine whether a noun should be possessive. “Gary’s ball”

is just another way of saying “the ball of Gary.” So, if you want to figure out whether a

noun is meant to be possessive, try swapping the order of the nouns and, putting an ‘of’ in

the middle.

45 © AP Guru
EXAMPLE: When my computer crashed, I lost a months work on my plan to take over the

world.

Should month be possessive? Try switching it around: When my computer crashed, I lost the

work of a month on my plan to take over the world.

That makes sense: the point is that all the work done in a month was lost.

Correct version: When my computer crashed, I lost a month’s work on my plan to take over

the world.

EXAMPLE 7:
I have started two companies, which I run simultaneously. I think it’s safe

to say that I am a valuable employee.

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

A. Both mine companies’s profits have soared over the last six years.

B. Both my companies’ profits have soared over the last six years.

C. Both my companies’s profits have soared over the last six years.

D. Both my company’s profits have soared over the last six years.

Solution: The underlined sentence features two errors of possession. The first is the incorrect

use of the possessive adjective “mine” instead of the possessive pronoun “my.” The second error

incorrectly places an “s” after the apostrophe of “companies.” Since “companies” is a plural noun

ending in an “s” only the apostrophe is only required to demonstrate the “companies” possession

of something, in this case, “profits.” The correct answer is B.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 46

 EXAMPLE 8:
Because their families are wealthy, each of my has a swimming pool

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

English?

A. friends’ houses

B. friend’s house

C. friend’s houses

D. friends houses

Solution: The friends are intended to be plural because of the word “their” at the beginning

of the sentence. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

EXAMPLE 9:
If it is improperly introduced into the environment, acid-whey runoff

depleting the oxygen content of streams and rivers as it decomposes.

A. can pollute waterways,

B. could pollute waterway’s,

C. could have polluted waterways,

D. has polluted waterway’s

Solution: “Waterways” should be a plural noun without an apostrophe because the sentence

is stating that acid-whey runoff can pollute waterways. There is nothing indicating

possession. Therefore, we can eliminate B and D. Now, the question becomes a verb tense

question. Because the sentence begins in the present tense with “is,” the correct answer

should also have a verb in the present tense. The correct answer is A.

47 © AP Guru
Contraction Questions
A contraction is when an apostrophe is used to join two words together. Let’s look at some

EXAMPLES:
− •they are → “they’re”

− •would have → “would’ve”

− •could not → “couldn’t”

When you use a contraction, it’s very important that you know what words you are joining

together! You should never use a contraction just because you think it might work - it’s

important to be familiar with common contractions that show up on the SAT.

1. Its vs It’s

“It” - is a pronoun that refers to an object.

“Its” - indicates possession.

“It’s” - refers to “it is.”

By the way, “its’” is NEVER correct. If any answer choice contains this word, the SAT is

trying to trick you don’t fall for it!

2. Whose vs Who’s

“Who” - a pronoun that refers to a person or people.

“Whose” - indicates possession.

“Who’s” - refers to “who is.”

3. Their vs They’re vs There

This is a little trickier because now there are three words!

“Their” - indicates possession by the pronoun “they.”

“They’re” - contraction meaning “they are.”

“There” - refers to a position or place.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 48

4. Your vs You’re

“You” - pronoun referring to the person addressed.

“Your” - indicates possession.

“You’re” - contraction meaning “you are.”

NOTE: There are no cases where we should use apostrophes with the possessives “hers” and

“his,” even as contractions. By memorizing these common contractions, you’ll be prepared to

recognize them and know how to use them correctly in all sorts of SAT questions!

EXAMPLE 10:
Scientists have long known that soot particles facilitate melting by darkening the snow and

ice, limiting ability to reflect the sun’s rays.

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

A. it’s

B. its

C. there

D. their

Solution: The sentence is referring to the ability of snow and ice to reflect the sun’s rays;

therefore the underlined word is a possessive and no apostrophe is needed. We can get

rid of A and C. Now we have to determine if the possessive pronoun should be singular or

plural. What has the ability to reflect the sun’s rays? Snow and ice. That’s two things, so the

pronoun that takes their place needs to be plural. The correct answer is D.

EXAMPLE 11:
As interesting as Russ’s findings are, though, reminder that the Internet is not

merely a sophisticated tool for collecting data but is also a rich source of data.

49 © AP Guru
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard

English?

A. they’re true values lies in their

B. their true values lies in their

C. there true values lies in they’re

D. their true values lies in there

Solution: In this question, two words in the underlined phrase could be possessive pronouns.

The first is the word “they’re,” which is a contraction for “they are.” Should that word

remain the same, or be replaced with the word “there” or the possessive pronoun “their?”

The sentence implies that “they’re” is referring to the value of Russ’s findings, or “their

value.” Therefore, we can immediately eliminate A and C.

Next, let’s look at the underlined pronoun “their” after “in.” That word also refers to findings

and should be possessive. Thus, that word should remain the same, and the correct answer

is B

Drill: Identifying Apostrophe Errors

Identify the noun or pronoun errors in each sentence:

1. Despite it’s brilliance and power, the sun grew out of tiny particles suspended in

enormous clouds of dust and gas.

2. The British scientist J.D. Bernal believed that human beings would eventually be replaced

by creatures who’s bodies were half human and half machine.

3. Instrument makers have tried to reproduce a Stradivarius violin’s perceived sound for

hundreds of years, but all of they’re attempts have been unsuccessful.

4. A computer program devoted to facial recognition can determine people’s emotions by

following there faces’ movement and linking its reading with a database of expressions.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 50

5. George Westinghouse was an electrical industry pioneer who’s first major invention, the

rotary steam engine, earned him many scientists’ admiration when he was still a young

man.

6. Although Los Angeles has long been famous for it’s traffic jam’s, pedestrians are now

able to walk in the cities centre with much greater ease.

7. The woolly mammoth’s appearance and behavior have been studied more than those of

most prehistoric animals because there bones have been discovered in many different

locations.

8. If the idea of travelling across the United States in an 18-wheeler, flying a commercial

jet, or crossing the Atlantic in a cargo vessel appeals to you, then a career in

transportation might be just what your looking for.

9. The peacock is a bird who’s penchant for showing off its bright, multicolored plumage

has made it a symbol of vanity and price in many different cultures.

10. Every springs, New Orleans receives thousands of tourists for Mardi Gras, the years most

important festival. Visitors arrive their from around the world.

Solutions

1. it’s -> its

2. who’s -> whose

3. they’re attempts -> their attempts

4. there -> their

5. who’s -> whose

6. it’s traffic jam’s -> its traffic jams, cities -> city’s

7. there -> their

8. your -> you’re

9. who’s -> whose

10. years -> year’s, their -> there

51 © AP Guru
 Chapter 4
Modifiers
Modifiers are words, phrases or clauses used to describe something
in a sentence. They are often tested on the SAT in the form of comma
usage.

The following are the rules that you need to remember about modifiers:

Rule 13: Keep it Close

Place the modifier as close as possible to the thing you’re describing.

EXAMPLE: I dig holes for the tomato seeds that are six inches deep.

The modifier in this sentence “that are six inches deep” is placed right next to the tomato

seeds, which makes it sound as if the tomato seeds are six inches deep! That doesn’t make

sense. Tomato seeds can be buried deep, but they can’t be deep themselves.

The only thing that can be “six inches deep” in this sentence are the holes, so the modifier

describes the holes. According to the keep it close rule, the modifying clause “that are six

inches deep” should go next to “holes.”

Here’s our clarified sentence: I dig holes that are six inches deep for the tomato seeds.

Let’s look at another EXAMPLE: The circus has three clowns with the big red tent.

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The phrase “with the big red tent” is the modifier, and it’s describing the circus. But right

now, it looks like it’s describing the clowns, which doesn’t make sense!

So, the correct version is “The circus with the big red tent has three clowns.”

Let’s move on to our next rule.

Know Your Commas

There is a certain type of modifying clause that we at AP Guru ask our students to pay

special attention to, and it’s one the SAT likes to test relatively frequently.

When a modifier begins a sentence (and ends with a comma), the noun it modifies must be

placed directly after the comma.

For EXAMPLE: Thinking about the day ahead, a branch on the sidewalk tripped me.

The phrase “Thinking about the day ahead” is the modifying clause - it starts the sentence

and ends with the comma. This sentence places “a branch” right after the modifier, which

makes it sound as if the branch was thinking about the day ahead! That doesn’t make

sense.

Rather, “thinking about the day ahead” can only be describing one thing: the person in the

sentence, “me.” “Me” doesn’t quite work in this construction, so we can change it to “I” and

place it next to “Thinking about the day ahead.”

Correct: Thinking about the day ahead, I tripped on a branch on the sidewalk.

53 © AP Guru
Now the sentence correctly states that “I” was thinking, not the branch!

The SAT loves this trick because so few students know about it. Once you start looking for

this kind of error, you’ll see it all the time. It comes up constantly. Once you realize that

this is wrong it’s incredibly easy to spot.

EXAMPLE 1:
Hurrying to get her things ready,

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

English?

A. the search for her laptop charger was nearly impossible for Clarissa.

B. it was almost ridiculous how long it took for Clarissa to find her laptop charger.

C. Clarissa’s laptop charger was impossible to find.

D. Clarissa frantically searched for her laptop charger.

Solution: You already know that the answer must start with “Clarissa” because she is the

noun being modified. You know INSTANTLY that answers A, B, and C are all wrong. The

correct answer is D.

But wait!!!! Doesn’t answer “C” start with “Clarissa” as well!? The answer is a loud NO. It

starts with “Clarissa’s laptop charger!!!”

This is another trick the SAT uses to mess with your head: the possessive noun clause. A

possessive noun clause looks like this:

JAVI’S SKATES CAN’T

BE EXCITED… BUT
JAVI CAN.
Excited about the first game of the season, Javi’s hockey skates sat in the front hall, ready

to be worn.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 54

How to fix it: Make sure the thing a phrase modifies is actually in the sentence.

Correct: Excited about the first game of the season, Javi kept his hockey skates in the front

hall, ready to be worn.

Remember: the noun being described, and not something the noun owns, must show up after

the comma.

EXAMPLE 2:
Spread by rat fleas, .

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

English?

A. millions of people in medieval Europe were killed by bubonic plague

B. this lead to the killing of millions of medieval Europeans by bubonic plague

C. bubonic plague in medieval Europe was why millions of people were killed

D. bubonic plague killed millions of people in medieval Europe

Solution: The first step is to figure out what the modifier “spread by rat fleas” describes.

It’s clear it’s the “bubonic plague,” which is spread by rat fleas. Both answer choices C and

D are grammatically correct, but the correct answer D is simpler and clearer.

Rule 14: Keep it Clear

Some modifiers can incorrectly apply to multiple nouns in the same sentence. Your goal is to

make it clear which nouns are being described by the modifier.

The best way to do this is to keep the modifier far from things it doesn’t modify.

55 © AP Guru
Yes, this is essentially the other side of Rule 1. But, if we want to keep a modifier close to the

noun it modifies, we also want to keep it farther from any other nouns so the meaning of

the sentence is clear.

Let’s look at an EXAMPLE: We ate a burger at the diner with fries.

The phrase “with fries” is the modifier - the sentence could mean that either the burger

came with fries or the diner came with fries. Which makes more sense? Definitely the burger

coming with fries, unless the owners who bought the diner got fries with the diner. So, we

must move the modifier away from “the diner” and closer to the “burger.”

Correct: We ate a burger with fries at the diner.

Here’s another EXAMPLE: We talked with leather seats about a car.

The phrase “with leather seats” is the modifier, and it could be saying either the car has

leather seats or we have leather seats. Which makes more sense?

That the car has leather seats, unless we had an unfortunate accident where we stitched

leather seats to ourselves. So “with leather seats” should go next to “car.”

Correct: We talked about a car with leather seats.

EXAMPLES
3-9 Tennis

Since the age of 10, [3] tennis has been my daughter Cayla’s fascination. [4] Having

watched them play live, Venus and Serena Williams became her idols and she tries to

immitate their aggressive play style. [5] When other six year olds were watching cartoons,

Digital SAT Writing Guide 56

Cayla would be watching tennis. So as encouraging parents, [6] lessons were the next step.

At the ages of ten and eleven, the Williams sisters were enrolled at the Academy of Rick

Macci to improve their game, so getting Cayla started with the game early seemed like a

good idea.

A simple sport, [7] the rules of tennis have not changed since 1890. The main idea

is to hit the ball inside the opponent’s side of the court with a racquet. Made and shaped

from wood, [8] players found the first racquets difficult to play with, but by improving the

underlying technology, [9] today’s racquets are more powerful than ever before.

3.

A. NO CHANGE

B. tennis has been the fascination of my daughter Cayla.

C. my daughter Cayla has been fascinated with tennis.

D. my daughter Cayla’s fascination has been tennis.

4.

A. NO CHANGE

B. After Cayla watched them play live,

C. After watching live,

D. Watching them play live,

5.

A. NO CHANGE

B. Having watched cartoons,

C. When watching cartoons,

D. Cartoons being watched by other six year olds,

6.

A. NO CHANGE

57 © AP Guru
 B. lessons had to be

C. Cayla’s lessons were

D. we decided lessons were

7.

A. NO CHANGE

B. tennis has not had its rules changed

C. tennis’s rules have not changed

D. no one has changed the rules of tennis

8.

A. NO CHANGE

B. the game of tennis was

C. the first racquets were

D. the first racquets were found to be

9.

A. NO CHANGE

B. they are

C. today’s racquets have become

D. today’s racquet creators have made them

Solutions:

3 “Since the age of 10” is describing Cayla and based on Rule 1 (Keep it Close), we know

that the noun being modified should be placed next to the modifier. The only answer choice

that does that is C, making it the correct answer. Be careful of answer choice D. The noun

in this option is not Cayla but her fascination.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 58

4. Choices A, C and D make it seem like Serena and Venus were watching something live,

whereas it was Cayla who watched. Only option B makes that clear. The correct answer is

B.

5. Choice A is the only one that makes logical sense. You will easily be able to eliminate the

other options if you place them back in the sentence and read it aloud. The correct answer

is A.

6. The modifier “as encouraging parents” needs to be placed next to “we.” The correct

answer is D.

7. The modifier “a simple sport” should to be placed next to the noun “tennis.” The rules

themselves are not a sport. The correct answer is B.

8. The modifier “made and shaped from wood” needs to be placed next to the “first

racquets,” not “players.” Therefore, the answer has to be either C or D. The correct answer

choice is C because it is much more concise than D.

9. The modifier “improving the underlying technology” should be placed next to a person/

people, in this case “today’s racquet creators.” After all, humans improve the technology, not

the racquets themselves. The correct answer is D.

59 © AP Guru
 Chapter 5
Verb Tense
The Digitial SAT Test repeatedly tests the proper usage of verb
tenses. Knowing when to use different verb tenses and forms will be
extremely beneficial to you on this part of the test.

When it comes to verb tense, using verbs properly is all about understanding which tenses

you’re using and how they’re meant to be used.

While you don’t need to know the names of verb tenses for the SAT, you do need to know

when and how to use different verb tenses properly. Therefore, it’s important you get a

basic introduction of all the major verb tenses first.

Rule 15: Know The VERB TENSES

1. Simple Tenses - The three simple tenses express three basic times:
1. Simple Present: I am hungry. I love pizzas. You have the floor.

2. Simple Past: I was hungry. I loved pizzas. You had the floor.

3. Simple Future: I will be hungry. I will love pizzas. You will have the floor.

The SAT typically prefers the simple tenses, unless the sentence clearly requires one of the

more complex tenses discussed below.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 60

2. Progressive Tenses
1. Present perfect continuous: Expresses something that has been happening continuously

into the present moment.

Formed using has been/have been + present participle.

EXAMPLEs:

− I have been cooking this chicken for hours.

− They have been learning to speak English.

− She has been thinking about dinosaurs all day.

2. Past perfect continuous: Expresses something that had happened continuously into a

specific moment in the past.

Formed using had been + present participle.

EXAMPLE:

− I had been cooking the chicken for hours when my kitchen exploded.

− She had been thinking about dinosaurs when a T-rex stole her lunch.

3. Future perfect continuous: Expresses something that will happen continuously up into a

specific moment in the future.

Formed using will have been + present participle.

EXAMPLEs:

− I will have been cooking this chicken for hours when you finally bring me the broth.

− They will have been learning English for years when they arrive in Portland.

− She will have been thinking about dinosaurs all day when she arrives at the Natural

History Museum.

61 © AP Guru
 EXAMPLE 1:
At the zoo, monkeys play on the handlebars and exotic birds in their elaborate

cages.

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

A. had chirped

B. chirp

C. chirped

D. could have chirped

Solution: The clue is “play on the handlebars” - this tells us that the sentence is written in

the simple present tense. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

EXAMPLE 2:
While we were on vacation, my brother and I out of our hotel room to go

swimming with the sharks in the ocean.

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

A. will quietly creep

B. quietly creep

C. are quietly creeping

D. quietly crept

Solution: The clue is the word “were,” which shows us that the sentence is in past tense. The

correct answer has the word “crept” in the past tense; therefore, the correct answer is D.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 62

 The PErfect TENSE
Rule 16: The Past Perfect Test
Some actions in a sentence involve more complex time sequences that cannot be expressed

with the simple or progressive tenses. These actions can be expressed using the PERFECT

tenses: Present Perfect, Past Perfect and Future Perfect.

If two actions in a sentence occurred at different times in the past, we often use the
past perfect tense for the earlier action and simple past for the later action. Past
perfect is the “past of the past.”

Past Perfect Simple Past

EARLIER
past moment
LATER
past moment
now

The past perfect tense is formed as follows:

Past Perfect = HAD + Past Participle

EXAMPLE:

− I had finished the book when you gave me the new one.

− You had already eaten when I brought over the pasta.

Note that we do not always use past perfect to write about earlier actions. In general, you

should use past perfect only when an earlier event may somehow have a bearing on the

context of the later event.

63 © AP Guru
Moreover, if the sequence is already obvious, we often do not need past perfect.

Correct: Antonio DROVE to the store and BOUGHT some ice cream.

We already know that “drove” happened before “bought.” A sequence of verbs with the

same subject does not require past perfect. Rather, use simple past for all the verbs.

Correct: Laura LOCKED the deadbolt before she LEFT for work.

We know that Laura locked up first because of the word “before.”

Rule 17: The Present Perfect Test

We use the present perfect tense for actions that started in the past but continue into the

present or remain true in the present. The present perfect tense has one foot in the past

and one foot in the present.

The Action or its Effect

A Moment now
in the Past

The present perfect tense follows this formula:

Present Perfect = HAVE/HAS + Past Participle

The present perfect is, without question, the most confusing tense in the English language. It

sounds like it’s past tense, but it’s actually present.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 64

When I say: “I have been to Ireland,” I’m making this statement from my current position

in the present, even though I’m referencing an event that happened in the past.

Here are some examples of actions using present perfect tense:

− This country has enforced strict immigration laws for years.

− They have known each other since 1987.

− There have been many terrible incidents in the news.

Each of these examples involves an action that began in the past and continues into the

present.

EXAMPLE 3:
By 1999, the internet the way people around the world communicate.

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

A. would have already drastically changed

B. had already drastically changed

C. already drastically change

D. has already drastically changed

Solution: We are talking here about of an event that is already completed - the internet

drastically changing the world. Therefore, part perfect and “had+past participle” should be

used. The correct answer is B.

Verb Errors
When it comes to verbs, students generally make mistakes in the following three areas:

65 © AP Guru
1. Verb Tense Consistency
As a general rule, you must avoid shifting verb tenses if the time frame of the events or

actions discussed has not changed.

Wrong: Ronnie went to the store and buys some fish.

The sentence above uses both the past and present tense. Depending on which word is

underlined in the question, you can correct this in two ways: make all verbs present tense

OR make them all past tense.

Correct: Ronnie goes to the store and buys some fish.

Correct: Ronnie went to the store and bought some fish.

Of course, the SAT usually likes to make things complicated by adding more clauses, like in

this wrong example: Abigail was frightened that she might be in danger due to the storm

and stocks up on canned vegetables and water.

Here, we must correct the sentence by changing “was frightened” (past tense) to “is

frightened” (present tense). Why? Because there is another, non-underlined verb in the

sentence, “stocks,” which is in present tense. So, we must change the underlined portion to

match. Always be on the lookout for non-underlined verbs and check to be sure all underline

verbs match.

Exception: There’s one big exception to having to match verb tenses. Occasionally, it’s okay to

have two verbs with different tenses in the same sentence, but only when it is very clear

that they describe two different points in time.

Correct: Yesterday, I ran six miles, but tomorrow I will run only three.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 66

 EXAMPLE 4:
As part of a prolonged effort to curb abuses, the amount of bonuses given for

arrests. The hope behind this effort was that with fewer perks for arresting people, fewer

needless and illegal arrests would be made. Since the new policies went into effect only two

weeks ago, it remains to be seen if it will be an effective change of course in the long run.

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

A. the governments reduce

B. the governments are to reduce

C. the governments reduced

D. the government’s reduction in

Solution: The opening clause of the sentence notes a “prolonged effort,” which indicates the

government action has taken place over a long time period in the past. The proper verb will

written therefore be in the past tense. C is the best choice among the answers.

EXAMPLE 5:
Samuel Adams was by no means the first American to espouse the democratic cause, but he

_____________ the party machinery that made it practical.

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

A. has been the first who conceived

B. had been the first who conceived

C. was the first having conceived

D. was the first to conceive

Solution: We know that correct sentence should be written using past tense because of the

verb “was,” We also know that present perfect is used for something that is still going on,

67 © AP Guru
and, based on the sentence context we’re dealing with a completed action here.

Similarly, because there is not a sequence of completed actions, we know that we shouldn’t

use the past perfect tense, “had been.” After eliminating wrong choices, we’re left with C and

D. Due to parallel structure rules, the infinitive “to conceive” should be used to be parallel with

“to espouse” on the other side of the conjunction. The answer is D.

2. Verb Mood
Verb moods show the mode or manner in which thought, idea, or action is expressed. There

are three verb moods in the English language:

1. The Indicative Mood is by far the most commonly used verb mood. As the name

suggests, the indicative mood is used to simply indicate that an event or action has or will

occur.

EXAMPLEs:

− • The sky is blue.

− • That movie was upsetting.

2. The Imperative Mood is used to indicate a command or request, give permission, or

issue a restriction.

EXAMPLEs:

− Please, give me some more.

− Move over so I can sit down.

− I am going to be waiting in the surveillance truck across the street.

3. The Subjunctive Mood is used to express a condition that is doubtful or not factual.

It is most often found in a clause beginning with the word “if.” It is also found in clauses

following a verb that expresses a doubt, wish, regret, request, demand, or proposal.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 68

EXAMPLEs:

− I would if I could.

− The judge demanded that he be banished from the county.

The vast majority of verb mood errors occurs when using the subjunctive mood. The following

sentence, for example, is incorrect.

Wrong: If I was tall, I would be a basketball player.

The correct past tense form of “is” in the subjunctive is “were” not was. “If I was” is never

a correct formulation. This thought should be formed as: “If I were.”

Correct: If I were tall, I would be a basketball player.

EXAMPLE 6:
If I a teacher, I would grade fairly.

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

A. can be

B. was

C. were

D. am ever

Solution: In this instance, the speaker is not a teacher, but is instead thinking about the

future scenario. The word “were” is the proper usage and the correct answer is C.

EXAMPLE 7:
At night John would turn it completely off, and he caught up with his messages at lunchtime

69 © AP Guru
or dinnertime, but only if he .

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

English?

A. were dining

B. was dining

C. had been dining

D. were to be dining

Solution: The phrase “were dining” uses the subjunctive mood, which is used for describing

the uncertainty about whether John is dining alone or not. The correct answer is A.

EXAMPLE 8:
Victory is the ultimate goal of any general, but too precise a focus

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

English?

A. can clouds a leader’s judgement.

B. can cloud a leader’s judgement.

C. can clouds a leaders judgement.

D. can cloud leaders judgement.

Solution: The phrase in the sentence uses the verb “can,” which places conditions on what

might happen in the future. The verb form “clouds” is incorrect as the subject “focus” is

singular. Additionally, “leader’s” should have an apostrophe to show possession. The correct

answer is B.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 70

 EXAMPLE 9:
He said he wouldn’t have jumped into the murky lake

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

A. if someone else would not have jumped in before him.

B. if someone else hadn’t jumped in before him.

C. if someone else hasn’t jumped in before him.

D. if someone else were not to have jumped in before him.

Solution: Because the character actually did jump into the murky lake, the correct mood is

simply the past indicative: “He said he wouldn’t have jumped into the murky lake if someone

else hadn’t jumped before him.” B is the correct answer.

3. Rule 18: Don’t Shift! Keep Your Voice Consistent

A verb can be either active or passive. When a verb is active, the subject of the sentence

actually does something.

EXAMPLE: John hit the ball out of the park.

JOHN DOES SOMETHING

TO THE BALL – HE HITS IT!

When a verb is passive, it means that something HAPPENS to the subject of the sentence.

EXAMPLE: The ball was hit out of the park by Jessica

SOMETHING HAP PENED TO

THE BALL – J ESSICA HIT IT!

71 © AP Guru
 − When a verb in a sentence is an active verb, we say it’s in the ACTIVE VOICE.

− When a verb in a sentence is a passive verb, we say it’s in the PASSIVE VOICE.

On the SAT, avoid the passive voice. Additionally, never switch from active to passive voice in

the same sentence.

When Alice pulled the fire alarm, a loud ringing was heard.

ACTIVE! <----------------------------> PASSIVE!ВВ
DOESN’T ВM ATCH!

If you begin in active voice, make sure all your verbs are active.

When Alice pulled the fire alarm, the students heard a loud ring.

ACTIVE! <------------------------> ACTIVE!ВВ

IT ВM ATCHES

Drill: Identifying Correct Verb Tenses

Identify the correct verb that needs to be used in below sentences

1. When Columbus and his crew discovered American in 1492, many Indian tribes (welcome/

welcomed) them graciously.

2. The United States is considered the melting pot because it’s in habitants (include/included)

immigrants from all over the world.

3. Although the giant panda’s diet consists primarily of bamboo, most other bears (hunted/

hunt) for their food.

4. The door was decorated with ornate imprints of animals and (had/has) a stained-glass

window in the middle.

5. Every Sunday, Jane cleans the house and does the laundry at the same time her dad

(could have mowed/mows) the lawn.

6. She bought her dress at Walmart yet it (impresses/impressed) everyone at the party.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 72

 .

7. He wishes for an end to world hunger and (prayed/prays) for a cure for cancer.

8. Whereas astronomers focus on the stars to advance the frontier of science, astrologists

(study/studied) the constellations to predict whether bad things will happen today.

9. To create the bracelet, Jane carefully slipped beads onto the band and then (had

twisted/twisted) it into a circular shape.

10. It’s easy to tell when the teacher is being boring because some students start to fidget

with their pens while others (have yawned/yawn).

Solutions

1. welcomed 6. impressed

2. include 7. prays

3. hunt 8. study

4. had 9. twisted

5. mows 10. yawn

73 © AP Guru
 Chapter 6
Subject Verb
Agreement
The following is the most important rule of subject verb agreement:

Rule 19: Subjects and Verbs Agree in Number

Therefore, a singular subject requires a singular verb form: The dog runs out of the house.

A plural subject requires a plural verb form: The dogs run out of the house.

Singular and plural verb forms should be second nature to you - you use them so often that

there is nothing to memorize. You would never write the dog run out or the dogs runs out.

However, you may get confused when the subject is cleverly hidden in the sentence. In such

a scenario, you may be unsure whether the subject is singular or plural! If you do not know

the number of the subject, then you will not be able to select the verb form that agrees with

the noun.

Consider this example: The discovery of new medicines were vital to the company’s growth.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 74

If you ask yourself “What is vital to the company’s growth?” you may answer the

“Discovery of new medicines is”. Therefore “The discovery... was” is correct.

The key to making subjects and verbs agree is to find the subject that goes with a

particular verb. To find the subject, you must ignore all the words that are not the subject.

You do that by eliminating all the non-essential information between the subject and the verb.

Generally, the subject is hidden in a few ways. The most common way to eliminate these

Middlemen or Warm-ups by inserting words between the subject and the verb or putting a

significant number of words in front of the subject.

This strategy will enable you to easily identify the subject and determine whether there is an

error in subject-verb agreement.

WRONG: Changes for the new and improved SAT Writing section is going to be implemented

soon.

CORRECT: Changes for the new and improved SAT Writing section are going to be

implemented soon.

WRONG: When the auditors left, the EXECUTIVE who had been interviewed were glad.

CORRECT: When the auditors left, the executive who had been interviewed was glad.

WRONG A book that has an interesting plot and well-developed characters are fun to read.

CORRECT A book that has an interesting plot and well developed characters is fun to read.

Now, let’s walk through a tricky example: Mastery of magic tricks that truly (surprise/

surprises) the audience (require/requires) lots of time.

Here, we have to identify the subject of two verbs.

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First, cross out the warm-ups and the middlemen: Mastery of magic tricks that truly (surprise/

surprises) the audience (require/requires) lots of time.

Now it’s easy to see that mastery is the main subject of the sentence. Mastery is singular, so

we need the singular verb requires.

Now, let’s get back to the first verb, which is included in part of the sentence that has been

crossed out. We need to ask ourselves the question “What is truly surprising the audience?”

Magic tricks! Magic tricks are plural, so we need the plural verb surprise.

The correct sentence: Mastery of magic tricks that truly surprise the audience requires lots of

time.

Subject Comes After the Verb

In rare instances, the subject follows the verb. In these cases, it can be particularly

challenging to identify the subject and determine if there’s an error in subject-verb agreement.

example: In the trunk of my car resides 15 empty water bottles.

In the sentence, what’s residing? The water bottles. Because the subject is “water bottles,” the

verb should be in the plural form.

This is the correct version of the sentence: In the trunk of my car reside 15 empty water

bottles.

The correctly written sentence may sound more awkward to you because the singular noun

“car” is placed right next to the plural form of a verb. You should focus on the rules and

strategies as opposed to just relying on what “sounds right.”

Digital SAT Writing Guide 76

Collective Nouns
A common error in the subject verb agreements comes in the use of collective nouns. Collective

nouns refer to groups of things/people but act, grammatically, as singular objects. If the

subject of a sentence is a collective noun, the verb of that sentence should remain singular.

Wrong: The firm are still making a decision on your employment status at the moment.

While “the firm” is composed of many more than two people, here the collective stands for

singular grammatical entity.

Correct: The firm is still making a decision on your employment status at the moment.

Compound Subjects
As discussed in an earlier chapter, the coordinating conjunction “or,” when used to connect

two nouns in a sentence, renders the subjects it connects singular. When “and” is used in this

fashion, the two subjects connected are joined, and must be treated as plural.

Wrong: The umbrella or the hat are at the bottom of the stairs.

This sentence is incorrect because while “or” connects the two subjects, it also treats them

both as singular entities.

Correct: The umbrella or the hat is at the bottom of the stairs.

Correct: The umbrella and the hat are at the bottom of the stairs.

Watch out for singular nouns ending in “s.” Just because a noun ends in “s” does not

necessarily mean it is plural.

77 © AP Guru
example: Mathematics is a subject that I just cannot get my head around.

This sentence is correct! The speaker is referring to one subject. He or she is not referring

to many “mathematics,” just one.

A more complicated example in which a prepositional phrase is placed at the beginning of

the sentence is:

Wrong: In between the cushions of my couch is change and an old pen.

What’s in between the cushions? Change and an old pen. The sentence has two subjects

(change and an old pen) therefore, the verb should be plural.

Correct: In between the cushions of my couch are change and an old pen.

Hopefully, you got most of those, if not all, right. Now, try to solve the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1:
the girls on the ski team ever competed internationally?

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

English?

A. Has

B. Does

C. Hasn’t

D. Have

Solution: he subject of this sentence is girls. The subject is plural and should have the plural

Digital SAT Writing Guide 78

verb - have. The correct answer is D.

EXAMPLE 2:
Borderlands Food Bank, an organization in Nogales, Arizona, millions of pounds of

slightly imperfect imported food every year.

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

A. rescue

B. have rescued

C. are rescuing

D. rescues

Solution: The subject of the sentence is Borderlands Food Bank - one organization. Therefore,

the subject is singular. The only answer option with a singular verb is D - rescues. The

correct answer is D.

EXAMPLE 3:
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. inventing

B. will invent

C. had invented

D. invents

Solution: The subject is French physicist Gaston Plantée. Plantee had invented the battery 15

79 © AP Guru
years earlier. The correct answer is C.

Drill: Subject Verb Agreement

In the following passage, complete the following:

1. Circle the subject of the sentence

2. Match it with the corresponding correct verb

The Writer’s Life

On every author’s bookshelf (is/are) dusty and worn out reference books. In every

desk drawer (sits/sit) a stack of papers waiting to be edited. A wide variety of pens, most

of which are blue, red, or black, (is/are) scattered across the desk. The life of a writer is a

lonely yet hectic existence.

The act of putting words on a paper and editing them (is/are) mentally

draining. The notion that because words come naturally to us when we’re speaking, they

should also come easily when we’re writing, (misrepresents/misrepresent) the struggles that

every author faces.

In addition, writers do more than just write. Research and investigation into

their subject matter (plays/play) a crucial role in good writing. After all, perfect grammar

and well-crafted sentences about a vague topic written off the top of one’s head (does/do)

not make for a good read.

Most writers learn their craft in school. A strong liberal arts education that

(encompasses/encompass) grammar, style, structure, and prose fosters great writing. Upon

graduation, writers must develop and apply all those skills to the research, writing, and

editing phases of any given project. Draft after draft, they have to rework and tweak what

they’ve already done. This dedication to the craft and attention to detail that rival that of

a surgeon (requires/require) discipline and work ethic. Authors such as James Joyce (has/have)

equated writing to torture. Only when all the pages in the book are written (does/do) writers

feel the true joy of writing.

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 Nevertheless, because many people think that writing is subjective and that

there (is/are) no right or wrong answers, the belief that writers have it easy, as well as its

underlying misconceptions, (persists/persists).

Now, compare your work with the correct answers. The subject is indicated in orange and

the verb in blue.

On every author’s bookshelf are dusty and worn out reference books. In every

desk drawer sits a stack of papers waiting to be edited. A wide variety of pens, most of

which are blue, red, or black, is scattered across the desk. The life of a writer is a lonely

yet hectic existence.

The act of putting words on a paper and editing them is mentally draining.

The notion that because words come naturally to us when we’re speaking, they should also

come easily when we’re writing, misrepresents the struggles that every author faces.

In addition, writers do more than just write. Research and investigation into

their subject matter play a crucial role in good writing. After all, perfect grammar and

well-crafted sentences about a vague topic written off the top of one’s head do not make

for a good read.

Most writers learn their craft in school. A strong liberal arts education that

encompasses grammar, style, structure, and prose fosters great writing. Upon graduation,

writers must develop and apply all those skills to the research, writing, and editing phases

of any given project. Draft after draft, they have to rework and tweak what they’ve

already done. This dedication to the craft and attention to detail that rival that of a

surgeon require discipline and work ethic. Authors such as James Joyce have equated writing

to torture. Only when all the pages in the book are written do writers feel the true joy of

writing.

Nevertheless, because many people think that writing is subjective and that

there are no right or wrong answers, the belief that writers have it easy, as well as its

underlying misconceptions, persists.

81 © AP Guru
 Noun-Noun Agreement
Like subjects and verbs, related nouns in a sentence should also agree in number. When we

say, “agree in number,” we mean that plural nouns most often suggest that a corresponding,

logically related noun should be plural as well. The same goes for singular nouns.

Wrong: During our panel, we came up with an answer to all the questions that were asked.

Here, it does not really make sense that “we” had a single answer to “all the questions.”

These related nouns should agree in number.

Correct: During our panel, we came up with answers to all the questions that were asked.

The exception to this rule of noun-noun agreement can be found with abstract nouns, which

should usually remain singular, even if they are represented by multiple objects.

Wrong: His love for his wife were shown by the many books of poems he dedicated to her.

This sentence, as you can see, reads quite oddly. While “love” and “many books of poems”

are, logically related in this sentence (the “books” show the “love”), because “love” is being

used here as an abstract noun to represent a singular emotional state, it must remain

grammatically singular.

Correct: His love for his wife was shown by the many books of poems he dedicated to her.

EXAMPLE 4:
The frazzled librarian scampered back to the desk. “We checked the of the

library, but couldn’t find the title Amy requested,” she reported. “We need to log it in the

‘Missing Titles’ list.”

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

A. cover of all of the books in that sections

B. cover of all of the books in that section

C. covers of all of the books in that section

D. covers of all of the books in that sections

Solution: “Books” is a plural noun, and multiple tangible books presumably have multiple covers,

so “cover” needs to be changed to “covers.” Only C and D do that. However, D also changes

“section” to “sections,” creating an ungrammatical phrase “that sections.” The correct answer

choice is C.

EXAMPLES 5:
Succulents have become popular houseplants as of late. A few details suggest why

this is the case. very little water, sometimes needing attention as rarely as

once a month.

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

A. The plants are adapted to arid climates, so it requires

B. The plant is adapted to an arid climate, so they require

C. The plants are adapted to arid climates, so they require

D. The plant is adapted to arid climates, so it requires

Solution:

The passage begins by talking about “succulents,” a plural noun. The correct answer C, the

one that refers to the plural noun “the plants,” remains consistent with the passage’s initial

plural subject. A is wrong because it used the singular subject it in the second part of the

sentence.

83 © AP Guru
 Chapter 7
Pronouns
A pronoun can often be used as a substitute for a noun in a sentence.
Anytime a pronoun is used in a passage, that pronoun must have a
clear antecedent; that is, it must directly connect to a noun or
pronoun that was mentioned before it.

Wrong: Jim, Jerry, and Frank were best friends; unfortunately he never talks to them

anymore.

Whoa now! Who is this “he” we are talking about? And what group of people makes up

“them?” The sentence, as it stands, does not give us enough context to justify use of the

pronoun “he”.

Correct: Jim, Jerry, and Frank were best friends; unfortunately Jerry never speaks to the

other two anymore.

Anytime you are reading a passage and you find yourself confused by a pronoun, look over

the sentence again and try to clarify what or whom the pronoun is referring to; if you

can’t, make a note and move on. That unclear pronoun may come back as a question in

mere moments!

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MISSING OR AMBIGUOUS ANTECEDENT
When the noun that a pronoun refers to is missing or unclear, it is necessary to include the

specific name of the person, place, or thing to ensure your sentence is clear and correct.

Between a pronoun such as it or they and a noun naming a specific person or thing, the

noun will virtually always be correct even when it appears in the longest answer.

EXAMPLE 1:
Some sources claim that Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes was the first person to bring

the tomato to Europe in 1521. Others say that Christopher Columbus took it back as early

as 1493. Regardless of which version is true, reports from that time period all agree that

_______ were intensely suspicious when they first encountered the small yellow fruit.

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

A. they

B. members of the Spanish court

C. some of them

D. those people

Solution: Since the passage describes how two explorers brought the tomato back to Europe,

it makes sense that it would refer to the Europeans who first encountered the fruit. however,

the noun “Europeans” doesn’t actually appear in the text. Only option B supplies the noun

indicating who was suspicious.

EXAMPLE 2:
Over the last several decades, the Internet has fundamentally changed how we live, work,

and play. From virtual classrooms to electronic banking to online “gaming,” many of our daily

actions and interactions are now governed by the web. While have numerous

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benefits, they have some drawbacks as well.

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

A. these

B. some things

C. such exceptions

D. these innovations

Solution: In the paragraph above, Internet, virtual classrooms, electronic banking, and online

gaming are all examples of things that have developed over the past few decades that is,

they are new innovations so option D is correct.

EXAMPLE 3:
As the group waited to spot the comet in the dark field outside of town, it struck me that

Rachel and Nancy were polar opposites. Rachel laughed and chatted with her friends while

eagerly watching the night sky, while all Nancy did was complain about the mosquitoes and

ask when they were going back. certainly having the better time.

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

A. she was

B. Rachel was

C. Nancy was

D. Rachel and Nancy were

Solution: This particular paragraph describes how Rachel “laughed” and “chatted” “while eagerly

watching the night sky,” while it says Nancy “complained” and “asked when they were going

back.” The paragraph’s details convey that Rachel had the better time, so B is the correct

answer.

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 Rule 20: Relative Pronounds

Emphatic Prnounds
An EMPHATIC PRONOUN is a pronoun that emphasizes its antecedent.
The word that a pronoun
refers back to and
EXAMPLE: My brother tied his shoes himself. replaces in a sentence

ANTECEDENT EMPAHATIC PRONOUN

Emphatic pronouns always end with “self’ or “selves.” Some emphatic pronouns are MYSELF,

HIMSELF, HERSELF, YOURSELF, ITSELF, THEMSELVES, OURSELVES, and YOURSELVES.

EXAMPLEs:

− I saw the aliens myself.

− The band itself is amazing, even without the fancy costumes.

Note: Emphatic pronouns are never sorrounded by commas.

EXAMPLE 4:
The author’s characters, who are quite eccentric, by are enough to distinguish her

work from others.

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

A. itself

B. its own

C. their own

D. themselves

87 © AP Guru
Solution: The pronoun is referring to the “characters,” who are plural. Therefore, the correct

answer is D.

Me vs I
It can get tricky trying to determine when to use either “I” or “me” in your writing.

Thankfully, once you get exposed to enough of these questions, you’ll start to develop an eye

to detect the subtle differences between the two.

First, use your ear and your common sense. If something does not sound right or looks

awkward, it probably is. Be sure not to overthink.

Use “me” when you are receiving an action. You may or may not be the subject.

EXAMPLEs:

− He threw the football to me.

− My friends threw me a surprise party.

In all three instances, you are receiving the action. You are receiving the football, given a

paycheck, and thrown a party. “I,” on the other hand, is used when you are performing an

action.

EXAMPLEs:

− Here I am, typing up this article for you to read for the SAT.

− I went out yesterday to get some groceries.

Here, you are the one who is doing all of the actions. You also happen to be the subject.

Those examples might seem silly, so here’s a more difficult example that you might have more

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trouble with. You may see a question on the SAT where the answer comes down to deciding

between “and me/me and” or “and I.” To help identify the correct answer, take out the

extraneous subjects and then look for which one sounds better or makes more sense.

Wrong: Me and Hannah went to the store.

To fix the error, first take out the other person: Me and Hannah went to the store.

You can see that’s not correct, so you know you can change “me” to the proper case: I went

to the store.

Lastly, add the other person back in: Hannah and I went to the store.

Works like magic!

Drill: Me/I
Pick the right word (I or me) for each of the below sentences:

1. Why is it that they always complain about you and (I/me)?

2. It’s hard to get through the school day when the class bully considers my friends and (I/

me) his source of lunch money.

3. To think that there’s a special relationship between you and (I/me) is stupid indeed.

4. He can’t stand how fast you and (I/me) talk.

5. After grabbing a drink, she plopped herself between the rest of the girls and (I/me).

6. The girl scouts and (I/me) went out to sell cookies in the neighborhood.

7. The coach’s extreme resentment towards the opposing team and (I/me) disturbed even his

own players.

89 © AP Guru
Solutions

1. me 2. me 3. me 4. I

5. me 6. I 7. me

Who vs Whom
If there’s one pronoun that seems to perplex all our AP Guru students, it’s the issue of

when to use the word ‘WHO’ and when to use ‘WHOM.’

Use the following to help you determine the appropriate use of ‘who’ and ‘whom’ in a

sentence:

1. WHOM is always used immediately following a preposition.

If you see a preposition, followed by “who/whom,” make sure that it’s ‘whom.’

EXAMPLE:

− To whom am I speaking?

− Under whom do you work?

− In whom do you place the most trust?

− By whom were you standing?

2. WHO is always the subject, and WHOM is always the object.

The simplest way to think about the “non-preposition” use of the words “who” and “whom”

is in terms of subject and object. “Who” is always the subject of a sentence, and the word

whom is always the object of a sentence.

Remember this really, really easy trick: “HE VS. HIM.”

If you would use ‘he’ in a sentence, replace “he” with ‘who’, and if you’d use ‘him’ in a

sentence, replace the word “him” with ‘whom.’

Digital SAT Writing Guide 90

In other words:

− I punched him.

− I spoke with him on the phone.

All turn into:

− Whom did you punch?

− Whom did you speak to on the phone?

But:

− He is a great guy.

− Do you ever think he needs to take a vacation?

Turn into:

− Who is a great guy?

− Who do you think needs to take a vacation?

Drill: Who/Whom
Pick the right word (who or whom) for each of the below sentences:

1. The agency recruited overseas teachers (who/whom) would be able to demonstrate a

native fluency in English.

2. At Kim’s birthday party were millionaires and celebrities, some of (who/whom) had flown

in from New York to attend.

3. The police officers, (who/whom) were eating donuts at the time, did not hear didn’t hear

the cries for help.

4. The girl (who/whom) Dave was matched with was unimpressed by his sense of humour.

5. Anyone (who/whom) has read the book will say that it’s much better than the movie.

6. Can you tell the boys (who/whom) are at the door to go away?

7. The girls with (who/whom) I’m going shopping need to borrow money.

8. I want to hire those chefs (who/whom) cooked the perfect pasta at the restaurant we

ate at last week.

91 © AP Guru
Solutions

1. who

2. whom

3. who

4. whom

5. who

6. who

7. whom

8. who

Shift in Point of View

Keep the point of view the same within sentences and within paragraphs.

Wrong: If one does not believe, you will not succeed.

Correct: If one does not believe, one will not succeed.

Wrong: If someone wants to play tennis, you should know to serve.

Correct: If someone wants to play tennis, he or she should know to serve

EXAMPLE 5:
Psychologists advise that before making any major changes in .

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

A. your life, a person needs to focus on one’s goals

B. their life, a person needs to focus on their goals

C. one’s life, you should focus on your goals

D. their lives, people should focus on their goals

Digital SAT Writing Guide 92

Solution: The underlined part of the sentence uses two different pronouns, “your” and “one’s,”

neither of which agree with the antecedent, “a person.” Choice C has a similar mistake - it

uses both “your” and “one’s,” when any given sentence can either use “you” or “one.” B has a

mistake with the agreement in number: “their” is plural and can’t be used with “a person.”

Eliminating these choice leaves only D, which is the correct answer, since the third-person plural

pronoun “their” is used appropriately with the third-person plural antecedent “people.”

Drill: Point of View

Keep the point of view the same in the following sentences:

1. The flight attendants demanded that we leave the plane even though ____ wanted to

finish the movie

2. Despite how hard salesmen try, sometimes ____ just can’t get anyone ____ want to buy a

house.

3. Even when we arrive ahead of time at the doctor’s office, he makes ____ wait at least 15

minutes.

4. One must not disregard ____ moral compass when confronted with temptation.

5. In Paris, a tourist can spend a romantic night overlooking the Eiffel tower and ____ can

also enjoy delicious coffee at all the cafes.

6. Registered voters will be notified of election time by a message to ____ email addresses.

Solutions

1. we

2. they, they

3. us

4. one’s

5. he or she

6. their

93 © AP Guru
 Rule 21: Pronoun Agreement

Any time a pronoun is used to replace a noun, that pronoun must agree in both number and

gender with the antecedent noun to which it refers. Singular pronouns (e.g. she, it) must agree

with singular nouns, and plural pronouns (e.g. they) must agree with plural nouns.

EXAMPLE 6:
The cacao bean is the dried and fully fermented fatty bean of the cacao tree (Theobroma

cacao). the source of cocoa butter and solids, including chocolate, as well as an

ingredient in many Mesoamerican dishes such as mole and tejate.

EXAMPLE 7:
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Their

B. It’s

C. Its

D. They’re

Solution: The question is asking you for the source of cocoa butter and solids that is the

cacao bean. The cacao bean is singular. The pronoun ‘it’ should be used to refer to singular

nouns. The answer is, therefore, B.

EXAMPLE 8:
Things have changed in the workplace; let me just tell you. I remember back when I was

herding sheep, each man and sheep had own sleeping bag. Nowadays, you’d be

lucky to get your hands on a pillow, let alone an entire sleeping bag for a woolly friend!

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

Digital SAT Writing Guide 94

 A. their

B. they’re

C. his or her

D. some of their

Solution: This sentence uses the incorrect pronoun to stand in for “each man and sheep.” The

use of each individualizes the subject here, making the plural pronoun “their” incorrect. The

singular pronoun “his or her” agrees with the subject, so C is the correct answer.

Pronouns can refer to either people or things. Some pronouns can refer only to people, some

can refer only to things, and some can refer to both.

When you see a set of answer choices that include both singular and plural pronouns, you

should always take a moment to determine which noun the underlined pronoun refers to.

Otherwise, you are very likely to be confused by answers that are grammatically correct but

that create disagreements when plugged back into the passage.

EXAMPLE 9:
Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to travel into space when she went

into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12,1992. After medical

education and a brief general practice, Jemison served in the Peace Corps for two years.

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

A. one’s

B. her

C. its

D. they’re

95 © AP Guru
Solution: Since the underlined pronoun can only refer to Mae Jemison, who is clearly female

based on the pronoun “she,” “her” is the sole possibility and the answer must be B.

EXAMPLE 10:
The old maxim “Let the buyer beware” suggests that for inspecting merchandise

for flaws before paying for it.

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

A. as a buyer we are responsible

B. as a buyer it is their responsibility

C. the buyer is the responsible one

D. buyers are responsible

Solution: Here the pronoun “we” stands in for the noun “a buyer.” This may seem fine

because it makes sense that we can be buyers, but there’s a disagreement in number: “we” is

plural and “a buyer” is singular.

The obvious fix is “as buyers we are responsible,” but that isn’t a choice. Answer B has a

disagreement issue similar to A with the plural “their” standing in for the singular “buyer.”

C adds extra words that make the sentence more confusing. As such, D, which cuts the

pronoun altogether, is the correct choice.

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 Chapter 8
Parallelism
Parallelism is a very strange concept. Unlike commas, semicolons,
pronouns, tenses, etc., parallelism isn’t applied to just a single area of
grammar – it spans all aspects of the English language.

When you list two or more things in a sequence, they must be in EXACTLY the same

grammatical format, or they are NOT PARALLEL.

WRONG: I took the job for the extra money and to increase my status.

If you’re listing even two things in a sentence, they need to be identically formatted. Correct

versions would be:

CORRECT: I took the job for the extra money and for the improved status.

CORRECT: I took the job to make more money and to increase my status.

Rule 22: When in a parallel structure, compare apples

with apples.

When comparing two or more items in a parallel structure, ensure that both the elements

are as similar to each other as possible.

97 © AP Guru
WRONG: I like Melissa because she seems so sweet and for her beautiful eyes.

CORRECT: I like Melissa because she seems so sweet and because she has such beautiful eyes.

EXAMPLE 1:
To complete the music program, a student must present one vocal performance, one

instrumental performance, .

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

A. and composing one original work

B. and one original composition

C. with one original composition

D. and to compose one original work

Solution: The phrase “and composing one original work” is one of three things that a student

must present to complete the music program. We want the last item in the list to match

the other two items as closely as possible. The answer is B.

When making lists of any kind (pretty much any time you use the word ‘and’), try to make

your sentences as parallel as possible.

WRONG: I like you because you’re a great guy and good at pool.

CORRECT: I like you because you’re a great guy and because you’re good at pool.

WRONG: Everyone in that store is great at pool and handsome.

CORRECT: Everyone in that store is handsome and is great at pool.

If this sounds unnatural, it’s because people rarely speak like this anymore. But, it is

grammatically correct.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 98

 EXAMPLE 2:
can lead to the creation of ocean waters low in oxygen and inhospitable

to marine life.

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

A. Changes in wind circulation, runoff from sewage, and they accumulate chemical

fertilizers

B. Changing wind circulation, runoff from sewage, and accumulating chemical fertilizers

C. Changing wind circulation, having runoff from sewage, and to accumulate chemical

fertilizers

D. Changes in wind circulation patterns, runoff from sewage, and accumulation of

chemical fertilizers

Solution: D is the only answer that contains three nouns. The other options contain various

combinations of nouns, verbs, and gerunds and are therefore not parallel.

EXAMPLES 3:
It was like standing on a bridge that must be crossed, leaving behind the carefree days of

youth and into a life of responsibilities and business meetings.

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

A. stepped

B. to step

C. stepping

D. we stepped

Solution:

The word ‘and’ is the clue that acts like a parallel marker. The phrase “leaving behind the

99 © AP Guru
carefree days of youth” needs to be parallel with “stepped into a life.” Therefore, stepped

should be changed to stepping. The correct answer is C.

Parallel Structure with Multiple Sentences

So far, we’ve looked at parallel structure within a single sentence. The SAT, however,

may also test your ability to recognize and create parallel structure when more than one

sentence is involved. Although these questions may initially seem very complicated, they can

actually be relatively simple to answer if you know what information to focus on.

WRONG: She argues that the agency acts with disregard for human life AND property AND

reckless abandon AND it should therefore be shut down.

The five underlined items are not all at the same logical level. For a grammatical correct

sentence, we create a hierarchy by placing like words or phrases together and adding

commas where necessary.

RIGHT: She argues THAT the agency acts WITH reckless abandon AND WITH disregard

for human life AND property AND THAT it should therefore be shut down.

You can visualize the different levels of parallelism with a diagram:

She argues THAT the agency acts WITH reckless abandon

AND
WITH disregard for human life
AND
property,
AND
THAT it should therefore be shut down.

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 Parallel Markers
How do we know that parts of a sentence need to be parallel to each other? Often, we

can use Parallel Markers - words that link or contrast items and that force those items to

be parallel.

Examples of parallel markers include the following:

Markers Structures Examples

And X and Y Apples AND pears
X, Y, and Z Apples, pears, AND bananas
Both/And Both X and Y BOTH apples AND pears
Or X or Y Apples OR pears
Either/Or Either X or Y EITHER apples OR pears
Not/But Not X but Y NOT apples BUT pears
Not Only/But Also Not only X but also Y NOT ONLY apples BUT ALSO
Rather Than X rather than Y Apples RATHER THAN pears
From/To From X to Y FROM apples TO pears

The words in each pair in the above table always go together when used in a paired

construction.

Wrong: The college experience is not only an exciting time to meet new people and also a

stressful one because of the level of independence required.

Correct: The college experience is not only an exciting time to meet new people but also a

stressful one because of the level of independence required.

Pair errors like the one above are freebies on the SAT as long as you remember to check

101 © AP Guru
for them.

As covered earlier in this chapter, just remember that whenever you have a paired

construction, the two things being paired should be as parallel as possible.

EXAMPLES 4:
James Barrie, the author of Peter Pan and other plays, is noted for portraying adulthood

as unpleasant and .

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

A. childhood is glorified

B. childhood is being glorious

C. childhood as glorious

D. childhood glorified

Solution: James Barrie is noted for portraying two things. The two things are connected by

the conjunction “and.” The first thing he is noted for portraying is “adulthood as unpleasant.”

The construction of the second phrase should mirror - the phrase “childhood as glorious”

matches the construction and fixes the error in parallel structure. The answer is C.

EXAMPLE 5:
Mutual funds, though helpful for personal investors who wish to diversify their portfolios,

expose shareholders to additional taxation: reinvested dividend stakes

earned by the securities held by the fund itself.

A. not only are taxes on shareholders’ eventual sales of the securities collected by the

IRS, but also on

B. collected by the IRS are taxes not only on shareholders’ eventual sales of the

securities, but also on

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 C. taxes not only on shareholders’ eventual sales of the securities are collected by the

IRS but also

D. taxes are collected by the IRS not only on shareholders’ eventual sales of the

securities but also

Solution: Parallel construction between “not only” and “but also” is nonnegotiable! What comes

after “not only” must be directly mirrored after “but also” - B is the correct answer.

EXAMPLE 6:
over 16 million soldiers who served in combat and thousands

more support staffers who served the war effort domestically, and which indirectly

supported several million additional jobs through its extensive use of the manufacturing and

transportation industries.

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

A. During World War II the Department of Defense was the nation’s largest

employer, directly employing

B. The Department of Defense was the nation’s largest employer during World War

II, which directly employed

C. During World War II the Department of Defense was the nation’s largest employer

and employed

D. During World War II the nation’s largest employer was the Department of

Defense, which directly employed

Solution: Two things are crucial about the phrase in question: “And” is a connector, meaning

that there is a previous portion to which this clause needs to be parallel, and “which” sets

up that parallel structure. We need the first clause, before “and,” to lead with a “which,” and

only correct answer choice D supplies it.

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Drill: Choose the Parallel Sentence
Pick the option with correct parallel structure out of the three options provided.

1.

A. I decided to call back and to see if they wanted to move forward with the

process.

B. I decided to call back and seeing if they wanted to move forward with the

process.

C. I decided to call back, and I want to see if they wanted to move forward with

the process.

2.

A. Everybody in the group was dancing, sang some songs, and they went home late.

B. Everybody in the group danced, sang, and went home late.

C. Everybody in the group was dancing, sang some songs, and going home late.

3.

A. The girl in that class is smarter than how intelligent the girl is in the higher grade.

B. The girl in that class is as smarter as how smart the girl is in the higher grade.

C. The girl in that class is smarter than the girl in the higher grade.

4.

A. Have you ever watched TV, studied, and was eating at the same time?

B. Have you ever been watching TV, studying, and ate at the same time?

C. Have you ever been watching TV, studying, and eating at the same time?

5.

A. You have to study chemistry, biology, and how rocks work, in that major.

B. You have to study how elements work, how the body works, and how geology works,

Digital SAT Writing Guide 104

 in that major.

C. You have to study chemistry, biology, and geology, in that major.

6.

A. To be a champion, you have to want to win more than eating.

B. To be a champion, you have to want to win more than you want to eat.

C. To be a champion, you have to love winning more than you want to eat.

7.

A. Part of the trip is whale-watching; the other part is surfing.

B. Part of the trip is whale-watching; the other part is to go on a long hike.

C. Part of the trip is whale-watching; the other part was hiking.

Solutions:

1. A

2. B

3. C

4. C

5. C

6. B

7. A

Comparisons

Comparisons are a form of parallelism that deserves special attention. As the name indicates,

comparisons compare two parts of the sentence.

To spot comparisons, you must first learn certain signal words or phrases. Once you find a

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comparison, identify the two parts of the sentence that are being compared to each other.

Comparison Signals
The most important comparison signals are Like, Unlike, As, and Than. Whenever you see

one of these four words, stop and find the two items being compared. Other common

comparison signals are listed below:

• Like • As
• Unlike • As <word> as
• More than • As much as
• Less than • As little as
• Faster than • As fast as
• Different from • The same as
• In contrast to/with

Two general types of comparison errors can arise:

1. Terms Being Compared Must Be the Same.

When directly comparing two terms, those terms need to be parallel to each other.

Comparisons have to be parallel. That is, they must compare similar things.

WRONG: Frank’s build, LIKE his brother, is broad and muscular.

What two things are being compared? As written, the sentence is comparing Frank’s build

directly to his brother, not his brother’s build. This is not a logical comparison. In order to

correct this error, we need to change the comparison.

RIGHT: Frank’s build, LIKE his brother’s, is broad and muscular.

Let’s look at a harder EXAMPLE: Beethoven’s music, which broke a number of established

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rules with its structure and melodic form, is considered more revolutionary than Bach.

We look for the two things being compared. It is often easier to find the second thing,

which follows the comparison signal: More revolutionary than Bach. So, what is more

revolutionary than Bach?

The subject of the sentence: Beethoven’s music. This comparison is not parallel.

RIGHT: Beethoven’s music, which broke a number of established rules with its structure and

melodic form, is considered MORE revolutionary THAN BACH’S.

Note again that we do not have to repeat the word music, as long as we have written

Bach’s.

EXAMPLE 7:
One reason that an insect can walk on walls while a human cannot is that the mass of its

tiny body is .

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

A. far lower than humans

B. far lower than that of a human’s body

C. lower by far than humans

D. far lower than is a human’s body

Solution: The sentence is comparing “the mass of its tiny body” with “humans.” This is an

illogical comparison - the comparison should be between the mass of an insect and the mass

of a human. We can eliminate option A.

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Answer choice C contains the same error: it merely tweaks the word order. Answer D seems

to fix the problem by adding “body,” but it’s still not correct to compare a human body with

the mass of an insect body. The only answer that’s left is B, which correctly compares “the

mass of its tiny body” and the mass of a human’s body. B is the right answer.

EXAMPLE 8:
Many people struggle to learn to type, but shouldn’t get discouraged if they find the

process to be more difficult than anticipated. Learning to type is a more difficult task than

mastering a simple word-processing program. , and it is a skill that

can deteriorate over time if not practiced.

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

A. Like video games or playing the piano, typing requires a great deal of hand-eye

coordination

B. Like the piano or video games, typing requires a great deal of handeye coordination

C. Like playing the piano or maneuvering in video games, typing requires a great deal

of hand-eye coordination

D. Like the piano and video games, typing requires a great deal of hand-eye

coordination

Solution: What’s being compared in this sentence? Three terms are in play: “video games,”

“playing the piano,” and “typing.” Two of these are gerunds and one is not: “video games.”

We need to insert an “-ing” verb in front of “video games” so that it acts as a gerund and

matches the other terms being compared. The answer choice that does that is C.

2. Comparisons with Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

This type of error appears when possessive nouns or phrases (e.g. “the _ of _”) are in play.

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Wrong: Which is larger, the population of New York or Los Angeles?

This sentence compares “the population of New York” with the entire city “Los Angeles.”

We can fix this error by adding “the population of” before “Los Angeles,” or revising the

sentence so that the information specifying population size appears before the comparison.

Correct: Which is larger, the population of New York or that of Los Angeles?

Correct: Which is larger, the population of New York or the population of Los Angeles?

Let’s try a more complex EXAMPLE:

Wrong: Wandering around the furniture store, she decided that while burgundy and taupe

would work well in her living room, the bright aquamarine lampshade would probably hog the

spotlight.

This complex comparison involves the colors “burgundy” and “taupe” and “the bright

aquamarine lampshade,” a tangible item. To fix this sentence, we need to either adjust “the

bright aquamarine lampshade” to refer to just a color (e.g. “bright aquamarine”) or change

“burgundy” and “taupe” so that they specify tangible items (e.g. “the burgundy drapes” & “the

taupe carpet”).

Correct: Wandering around the furniture store, she decided that while burgundy and taupe

would work well in her living room, bright aquamarine would probably hog the spotlight.

Correct: Wandering around the furniture store, she decided that while the burgundy drapes

and the taupe carpet would work well in her living room, the bright aquamarine lampshade

would probably hog the spotlight.

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 EXAMPLES 9:
As far as places to eat for lunch, I recommend going to the deli across the street. ,

but they are slightly larger, a bit healthier, and definitely fresher. Plus, you can eat your

sandwich on one of the benches in the nearby park and enjoy the weather.

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

A. At that deli, the sandwiches are similar to the cafeteria

B. That deli’s sandwiches are similar to the cafeteria’s

C. Deli sandwiches are similar to cafeteria sandwiches

D. At that deli, the cafeteria sandwiches are similar to its sandwiches

Solutions: “Sandwiches” cannot be compared to “the cafeteria” - these are very different

things. What the speaker seems to be comparing are the sandwiches at the deli and the

sandwiches at the cafeteria.

B is the correct answer; it discusses sandwiches from the specific deli and sandwiches

from the specific cafeteria and uses possessive punctuation to convey that the comparison

is being made between the two. It is grammatically correct to omit the word “sandwiches”

after “cafeteria’s” here; the structure of the sentence conveys that the comparison is being

made between sandwiches from the two venues.

EXAMPLE 10:
The books of Agatha Christie, a popular writer of crime novels, have had a greater

audience .

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

A. than any fiction author in history

B. than have those of any fiction author in history

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 C. in history as any other fiction author has had

D. than those of any other fiction author in history

Solution: Can the books of Agatha Christie, a fiction author, have had a greater audience

than those of any fiction author in history?

She is a fiction author! The best she can do is tie herself; she cannot have more readers

than even she does. So, the word “other” is crucial here. As a result, the correct answer

choice must be D.

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 Chapter 9
Transitions
Transitions are one of the most common and trickiest topics tested on
the SAT RW Sections.

A transition word can be either located in the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. For the

latter two cases, these questions may initially appear to only test one sentence. However, they

are actually testing your ability to identify the relationship between two sentences: the sentence

in question and the sentence before it.

Rule 23: How to Solve Transition Questions

1. Cross out the underlined word. Always start by crossing out the original word.

Otherwise, you may be biased in favor of the original phrasing.

2. Read to the end of the sentence. It’s especially important here to make sure you

understand how the two sentences are related to each other.

3. Ask yourself if anything seems obviously necessary/correct? Sometimes you’ll read the

two sentences and immediately recognize what word you would use - that specific

transition

4. Ask yourself about the relationship type. Is it addition, contrast, or causation? If you’re

not sure, it can be helpful to think about whether you would connect the sentences with

and (addition), but (contrast), or so/because (contrast).

5. Narrow down your choices. Once you have a sense of what you’re looking for, rule out

any answers that don’t make sense or that aren’t grammatical.

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 6. Plug answer into the sentence to check your work. When you think you have the

answer, plug it into the sentence and make sure the transition is logical.

7. If two choices are synonyms, neither is correct. If two of the words mean the same

thing, there’s no way to choose between them, so neither can be correct. When you

see two choices that are synonyms, rule them both out.

Types of Transitions

1. Additional Information
This is one of the easier relationships to identify: it’s one in which two similar ideas are

connected.

EXAMPLE: Between 1880 and 1930, Buenos Aires attracted tens of thousands of European

immigrants; similarly, rural Argentinians migrated there to find work during the same period.

These ideas are very similar: two groups of people come to the same place at the same

time. So, we would use a word like “similarly” to communicate that the second sentence is

just adding some additional information on to the first sentence.

Other SAT words that could fill this blank are:

− likewise

− also

− as well

2. Supporting Information
This type of transition is a step up from “Additional Information”; it connects two ideas

when one is an example or clarification of the other.

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EXAMPLE: The university’s debate team had tried several new things to recruit potential

members; for example, they held an ice cream social at the beginning of the school year for

all freshmen students.

In this sentence, we get one main idea: the debate team is trying to recruit new students.

We then get an example of one of the ways in which the team is trying to accomplish this

goal: holding an ice cream social. So, we’d use a phrase like “for example” to show that an

example is being given!

Other SAT phrases that can fill this blank are:

− for instance

− as a matter of fact

− indeed

3. Sequence of Events
This type of transition connects different events based on their relationship to each other in

terms of time.

EXAMPLE: When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is brush my teeth. Then, I

take a quick shower.

In this sentence, we have a list of events: First, I brush my teeth, and then I take a shower.

In order to make this sequence clear, we use the word “then” to show an order of events.

Other SAT words and phrases that we could use here would be:

− next

− later

− simultaneously

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4. Causation
In a cause and effect relationship, one thing or action leads to another thing or action.

EXAMPLE: In the early 20th century, San Francisco was hit with a massive earthquake,

as a result, many of the buildings in the city were destroyed.

In this sentence, we’re given a cause: San Francisco was hit by an earthquake. We then get

the result, or the effect of that cause: many buildings were destroyed. So, we use a phrase

like “as a result” to show that the effect is a result of the cause.

Other SAT words that can fill this blank are:

− thus

− consequently

− therefore

− because

5. Contradiction
Another important relationship the SAT tests is contradiction or a change from one idea to

another. The SAT uses several different words to communicate this kind of change.

EXAMPLE: Tango is an honored cultural tradition in Argentina, although it was considered

scandalous in many other countries until it entered the mainstream in Paris in 1912.

Tango is an honored cultural tradition in a certain country. We have a contrasting idea:

that tango was actually considered scandalous in other countries for a long time. We use

“although” to show the change in idea.

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 Other SAT words that can fill this blank are:

− but/yet

− however

− nevertheless

EXAMPLE 1:
Conditions in the interior of Antarctica are inhospitable to many forms of life: sub-zero

temperatures, high winds, and extreme dryness make it impossible for most animals to

survive. The Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding islands have milder temperatures and

liquid water, more animals can thrive there.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. whereas

B. when

C. since

D. so

Solution: We need to consider what each half of the sentence is saying:

1. Weather conditions on the Antarctic Peninsula are milder than those in the Antarctic

interior.

2. More animals can thrive on the Antarctic Peninsula.

The second statement is the result of the first. The only transition that correctly conveys

that cause/effect relationship is “so.” “Since” would indicate that the first statement resulted

from the second. The answer is thus D).

EXAMPLE 2:
Conditions in the interior of Antarctica are inhospitable to many forms of life: sub-zero

Digital SAT Writing Guide 116

 temperatures, high winds, and extreme dryness make it impossible for most animals

to survive. the Antarctic Peninsula and its surrounding islands have milder

temperatures and liquid water, allowing more animals to thrive there.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. Therefore,

B. In contrast,

C. In fact,

D. Despite

Solution: The two sentences are saying the following:

1. Antarctica has a very extreme climate, so animals can’t live there.

2. The Antarctic Peninsula and its islands have a milder climate, so animals can live there.

Clearly these two sentences express opposite ideas, so we’re looking for a transition

indicating that contrast. B is correct because “in contrast” clearly indicates that an opposing

idea is being introduced.

EXAMPLE 3:
Healthy arctic marine mammals have a thick layer of fat beneath the skin. Tropical marine

mammals, , have very few fat reserves in their bodies. As a result, many of

them dwell primarily in the warm waters that surround coral reefs.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. therefore

B. likewise

C. however

D. for example

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Solution: Consider those two sentences without the transition:

1. Healthy arctic marine mammals have a thick layer of fat beneath the skin.

2. Tropical marine mammals have very few fat reserves in their bodies.

The two sentences express contrasting ideas: a thick layer of fat vs. very few fat

reserves. So, a contradictor is required, leaving C as the only option.

EXAMPLE 4:
Seismologists Kaiqing Yuan and Barbara Romanowicz have proposed that the magma fueling

Iceland’s more than 30 active volcano systems emerges from deep within Earth. The

great depths involved - nearly 3,000 km - mark Iceland’s volcanoes as extreme outliers;

____________ many of Earth’s volcanoes are fed by shallow pockets of magma found less

than 15 km below the surface.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

A. consequently,

B. in addition,

C. indeed,

D. nevertheless,

Solution: Consider those two sentences without the transition:

1. The great depths involved - nearly 3,000 km - mark Iceland’s volcanoes as extreme

outliers.

2. Many of Earth’s volcanoes are fed by shallow pockets of magma found less than 15 km

below the surface.

The two sentences express similar ideas: great depth make Iceland’s volcanoes outliers vs.

most of volcanoes are found below the surface. So, C is the correct answer.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 118

 The following is a summary of all transition types:

Addition
• Also • Similarly
• Moreover • Indeed
• In fact • In conclusion
• Furthermore • In other words
• In addition • Finally

Contradiction
• However • Still
• On the other hand • Instead
• Nonetheless • Despite this
• Nevertheless • Meanwhile
• but
• Even though

Causation
• Thus • Consequently
• Because • As a result
• Therefore • since

Supporting
• For Example • As a matter of fact
• For instance • indeed
• As an illustration

Sequence of Events
• Then • Next
• After that • At the same time
• Later • Simultaneously

Drill: Identify the Correct Type of Transition

For each of the following sentences, state which of the above type of transitions will fit in

best.

1. In the past, coffees were blended to suit homogenous popular taste, ________ many

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 different coffee flavors are now being produced.

2. ________ research are unable to drill into the Earth’s core, chemical composition

remains a mystery.

3. The Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world. _________, some

people believe that architectural beauty has never been surpassed.

4. Music serves no obvious purpose. It has, ________, played a role in every known

civilization on earth.

5. ________ modern technology offers remarkable opportunities for self-expression and

communication, it also offers many possibilities for distraction.

6. ________ modern chemistry keeps insects from ravaging crops, removes stains, and

saves lives, constant exposure to chemicals is taking a toll on many people’s health.

7. In the Middle Ages, fairs often attracted large crowds and led to rioting. ______,

authorities were reluctant to grant permission for fairs to be held.

Solutions:

1. Contradiction

2. Causation

3. Addition

4. Contradiction

5. Contradiction

6. Contradiction

7. Causation

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 Chapter 10
Rhetorical
Synthesis
Rhetorical synthesis questions are usually the last 2-3 questions on each
module of the verbal sections of the digital SAT.

These questions will provide you with a series of bulleted notes that contain related

information about an unfamiliar topic. The question will then ask you to effectively use relevant

information from the notes to accomplish a particular goal.

A typical rhetorical synthesis question will have the following breakup:

− Introduction to the content - usually science or social science genre

− Bullet points on some notes on the topic

− Each bullet point is factual and to the point

− Question Stem - use information from notes to accomplish some writing goal

− Four Answer Choices

The following is an example of a question:

EXAMPLE 1:
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

− Muslins are woven cotton fabrics with a variety of uses.

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 − Dhaka muslin is a handmade fabric produced in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

− It has an extremely fine weave and is primarily used to make luxury clothing.

− Sheeting muslin is a machine-made fabric produced in factories.

− It has a coarse weave and is primarily used to upholster furniture and create

backdrops for theater sets.

The student wants to emphasize a difference between the two muslins. Which choice most

effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Muslins can be used in a variety of ways, from making luxury clothing to

upholstering furniture and creating backdrops for theater sets.

B. Sheeting muslin is machine made, has a coarse weave, and is used for furniture and

theater sets.

C. Dhaka muslin is a handmade fabric with an extremely fine weave, while sheeting

muslin is machine made with a coarse weave.

D. Dhaka muslin and sheeting muslin are two different types of woven cotton fabrics.

It is crucial that you analyze the answer choices, not from a perspective of asking which is

grammatically correct (they all will be) or even which sounds the best (they all might sound

equally good) but how they are able to fulfill the desired outcome as specified in the question.

3 STEP APPROACH TO ANSWER RHETORICAL SYNTHESIS

Rhetorical synthesis questions throw a lot of information at us. If we focus too much on that

information, we can easily lose track of what the question is actually asking us to do.

The key to success on these questions is to ignore all the details at first and to focus on the

goal identified in the question prompt.

To solve a rhetorical synthesis question, follow these three steps:

Digital SAT Writing Guide 122

Step 1: Identify the goal
If we understand how rhetorical synthesis questions are structured, finding this goal should be

easy.

As discussed, a rhetorical synthesis question will have the following breakup:

− Introduction

− Bullet points

− Question Stem

− Four Answer Choices

Most of you will instinctively be drawn to the bullet points first. However, you need to focus

on the question prompt instead.

The question prompt will tell you what the goal of the question is. In the above example, the

goal of the question stem is to “identify the difference between the two muslins.”

The simpler you can make the goal, the easier it will be to test the choices. For example, if

the question wants to “emphasize a difference between thing X and thing Y”, we can simplify

our goal to just “difference”.

Step 2: Pick the Correct Bullet Points

Now, we need to go through a bullet point at a time with the goal in mind.

All the bullet points are grammatically correct; therefore, you don’t need to determine whether

or not the bullets are grammatically correct or not. You only need to focus on the goal.

As you read through each bullet point, ask yourself, “does this bullet point accomplish the goal?”

If the answer is yes, shortlist the bullet point.

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Identify 1-2 bullet points that address the goal.

If you’re running out of time, skip the bullets and move to step #3.

In our example, the goal of the question prompt is “difference between the two muslins.”

Below are the bullet points provided, along with my comments in red font:

− Muslins are woven cotton fabrics with a variety of uses. No differences between the

two muslins

− Dhaka muslin is a handmade fabric produced in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Speaking only

about Dhaka muslin yet

− It has an extremely fine weave and is primarily used to make luxury clothing. Still

Dhaka muslin

− Sheeting muslin is a machine-made fabric produced in factories. Here we go - this

muslin is factory-made compared to the other one being handmade

− It has a coarse weave and is primarily used to upholster furniture and create

backdrops for theater sets. We can shortlist this bullet point as well

The primary difference between the two muslins is how they are manufactured (machine-

made vs. handmade) and their uses (furniture vs. luxury clothing). Bingo - that’s all we got to

find in our answer choices.

Step 3: Select the choice that matches

Once you’ve shortlisted 1-2 bullet points, you should go through each choice. As you do, ask

yourself, “does this answer choice say something similar to the shortlisted bullets?”

Be strict! Don’t pick choices that are “kind of” or “almost” similar to the bullet points or

accomplish the goal. If an answer choice doesn’t completely address all parts of the goal, we

can eliminate it. Details matter!

Digital SAT Writing Guide 124

Don’t pick choices that “kind of” or “almost” accomplish the goal.

If the answer is no, eliminate that option.

Let’s get back to our example. To summarize, we are finding the answer choice that lists the

correct difference between the two muslins - how they are manufactured (machine-made vs.

handmade) and their uses (furniture vs. luxury clothing).

Now, let’s go through the answer choices one at a time with my comments in red once again:

A. Muslins can be used in a variety of ways, from making luxury clothing to upholstering

furniture and creating backdrops for theater sets. This is not comparing two muslins

but talking about muslins in general

B. Sheeting muslin is machine made, has a coarse weave, and is used for furniture and

theater sets. Only speaking about sheeting muslin

C. Dhaka muslin is a handmade fabric with an extremely fine weave, while sheeting

muslin is machine made with a coarse weave. This answer choice is similar to our

shortlisted bullet points. This is our answer

D. Dhaka muslin and sheeting muslin are two different types of woven cotton fabrics.

Does not compare both the muslins based on our shortlisted bullet points

EXAMPLE 2:
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

− A wok is a cooking pan that originated in China during the Han dynasty (206 BCE–

220 CE).

− The wok’s round, wide base helps to cook food evenly.

− The wok’s high, angled sides help to contain oil splatters.

− Grace Young is a cook and culinary historian.

− Her book The Breath of a Wok (2004) traces the history of the wok.

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The student wants to describe the wok’s shape. Which choice most effectively uses relevant

information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Grace Young’s 2004 book, The Breath of a Wok, traces the history of the cooking

pan.

B. A wok is a cooking pan with a round, wide base and high, angled sides.

C. The design of a wok, a type of cooking pan that originated in China during the Han

dynasty, helps the pan cook food evenly and contain oil splatters.

D. Able to cook food evenly and contain oil splatters, the wok is the subject of Grace

Young’s 2004 book.

Solution:

Step 1 - Identify the Goal: Describe the wok’s shape

Step 2 - Pick the correct bullet points:

− A wok is a cooking pan that originated in China during the Han dynasty (206 BCE–

220 CE). Nothing about the wok’s shape

− The wok’s round, wide base helps to cook food evenly. Yessss - speaks about the

shape. Shortlist the bullet point

− The wok’s high, angled sides help to contain oil splatters. Again, speaks about the

wok’s shape.

− Grace Young is a cook and culinary historian. Nothing about shape

− Her book The Breath of a Wok (2004) traces the history of the wok. Again, useless

bullet

The goal is to describe the wok’s shape - it has a round, wide bade and high, angled sides.

Be careful to note that the question is asking to describe the shape and not state the

benefits of the shape.

Digital SAT Writing Guide 126

Step 3: Select the correct answer choice:

A. Grace Young’s 2004 book, The Breath of a Wok, traces the history of the cooking pan.

Nothing about the shape of the wok

B. A wok is a cooking pan with a round, wide base and high, angled sides. Identical to

our shortlisted bullets. The correct answer

C. The design of a wok, a type of cooking pan that originated in China during the Han

dynasty, helps the pan cook food evenly and contain oil splatters. Speaks about the

benefits of the wok and not describing the shape. Trap answer

D. Able to cook food evenly and contain oil splatters, the wok is the subject of Grace

Young’s 2004 book. Again, does not describe the shape

EXAMPLE 3:
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

− Marine biologist Camille Jazmin Gaynus studies coral reefs.

− Coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems that provide habitats to 25% of all

marine species.

− Reefs can include up to 8,000 species of fish, such as toadfish, seahorses, and clown

triggerfish.

− The Amazon Reef is a coral reef in Brazil.

− It is one of the largest known reefs in the world.

The student wants to introduce the scientist and her field of study to a new audience. Which

choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

A. Located in Brazil, the Amazon Reef is one of the largest known coral reefs in the

world.

B. Marine biologist Camille Jazmin Gaynus studies coral reefs, vital underwater

ecosystems that provide homes to 25% of all marine species.

C. Providing homes to 25% of all marine species, including up to 8,000 species of fish,

127 © AP Guru
 coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems and thus of great interest to marine

biologists.

D. As Camille Jazmin Gaynus knows well, coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems,

providing homes to thousands of species of fish.

Solution:

Step 1 - Identify the Goal: Introduce the scientist and her field of study

Step 2 - Pick the correct bullet points:

− Marine biologist Camille Jazmin Gaynus studies coral reefs. Speaks about the scientist

and what she does. Shortlist.

− Coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems that provide habitats to 25% of all

marine species. Speaks about coral reefs - not of our interest.

− Reefs can include up to 8,000 species of fish, such as toadfish, seahorses, and clown

triggerfish. Same - not connected to the scientist and her field of study.

− The Amazon Reef is a coral reef in Brazil. Again, avoid.

− It is one of the largest known reefs in the world. Same.

The goal is to Introduce the scientist and her field of study - The scientist is a marine

biologist who studies coral reefs.

Step 3: Select the correct answer choice

A. Located in Brazil, the Amazon Reef is one of the largest known coral reefs in the

world. Nothing about the scientist and her field of study

B. Marine biologist Camille Jazmin Gaynus studies coral reefs, vital underwater

ecosystems that provide homes to 25% of all marine species. Bingo - the answer

choice mentions the scientist and what she does. The correct answer.

C. Providing homes to 25% of all marine species, including up to 8,000 species of fish,

coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems and thus of great interest to marine

Digital SAT Writing Guide 128

 biologists. Nothing about the scientist.

D. As Camille Jazmin Gaynus knows well, coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems,

providing homes to thousands of species of fish. Just mentions the scientist but not

who she is or her field of study. Trap answer.

129 © AP Guru
ABOUT AP GURU
Since We Began In 2011, Ap Guru Has Grown From A Boutique Sat/act Company In Mumbai
To Serving Students From All Across The World.

Since Its Inception, Ap Guru Has Developed A Reputation For Consistently Producing India’s
Top Sat/act/ap Scores Every Year; Hundreds Of Ap Guru’s Students Have Achieved
Exceptional Sat/act Scores That Place Them In The Highest 1% Of All Test-takers Worldwide.

A snapshot of our results till date:

4000+ students taught
500+ 99th Percentile scores
16 Perfect Scores
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SERVICES OFFERED

AP Guru provides intensive group courses and private tutoring for following:

SAT
ACT
IB COURSES
ADVANCED PLACEMENTS (APS)
SAT SUBJECT TESTS
AMC
PSAT

Website: www.apguru.com
Email Id: [email protected]
Phone Number: +91 76664 56565, +91 76660 55656

Copyright © AP Guru
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, web – distribution – without the prior written permission of AP Guru.
ABOUT AP GURU
Since We Began In 2011, Ap Guru Has Grown From A Boutique Sat/act Company In Mumbai To
Serving Students From All Across The World.

Since Its Inception, Ap Guru Has Developed A Reputation For Consistently Producing India’s Top
Sat/act/ap Scores Every Year; Hundreds Of Ap Guru’s Students Have Achieved Exceptional
Sat/act Scores That Place Them In The Highest 1% Of All Test-takers Worldwide.

A snapshot of our results till date:

4000+ students taught
500+ 99th Percentile scores
16 Perfect Scores
400+ IVY League Admissions

SERVICES OFFERED

AP Guru provides intensive group courses and private tutoring for following:

SAT
ACT
IB COURSES
ADVANCED PLACEMENTS (APS)
SAT SUBJECT TESTS
AMC
PSAT

Website: www.apguru.com
Email Id: [email protected]
Phone Number: +91 76664 56565, +91 76660 55656

Copyright © AP Guru
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, web – distribution – without the prior written permission of AP
Guru.