How To Ace SAT Grammar Questions

Punctuation. Subject-verb agreement. Dangling modifiers. Pronouns. Comma splices. In order to ace the SAT Grammar questions, you will need to know about all of these topics and more. While these questions can prove to be quite tricky, you will have nothing to worry about if you take the time to prepare for them.

Here are a few tips to help you ace the SAT Grammar questions on the Writing and Language section of the test:

Learn key grammar rules

While grammar is constantly evolving and the list of grammar rules is extensive, there are only a few grammar rules that are actually tested on the SAT. If you learn these rules, you will be able to do well on any SAT grammar questions.

Here are some of the most important grammar rules you will need to know.

Fixing wordiness and redundancy

Many of the questions on the SAT Writing and Language part of the SAT ask you to change sentences in order to make them more concise and less redundant. This is typically done by choosing the answer options that do one of the following:

• Remove part of the sentence
• Combine two independent sentences into a complex or compound sentence
• Replace several words or a phrase with a shorter option

Fixing informal writing

The SAT will require you to recognize and fix informal language like slang in order to correct different sentences. As a rule of thumb, the more professional and formal sounding your answer, the better.

For example, you would use “received” instead of “got.”

Fixing punctuation

For the Writing and Language section of the SAT, you will need to know how to correctly punctuate modifiers, use dashes and semicolons appropriately, and put commas in the proper places for compound and complex sentences. Make sure to avoid comma splices!

Fixing dangling and misplaced modifiers

Tired after a long day at work, the deer was almost hit by the young man.

This sentence sounds a little funny, right? That’s because it has a misplaced modifier (and uses the passive voice). It’s the man, not the deer, who is tired after a long day at work, so the sentence needs to be changed to reflect that.

Fixing common expressions

You will also encounter questions that use common words and phrases incorrectly. For these sentences, you will need to determine the correct word or phrase to use in order to get across a specific meaning.

For example, you might need to know the difference between “inflict” and “afflict,” or that the correct phrase is “based on” and not “based off of.”

Fixing sentence structure

Sentences are made up of different combinations of independent and dependent clauses. A compound sentence, for instance, needs two independent clauses joined together with a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

The SAT will test your ability to avoid sentence fragments and properly form ompound and complex sentences

Take your time

It is very easy to make simple mistakes on grammar questions. When the difference between an answer that is correct and one that is incorrect is something as seemingly minuscule as a comma or a colon, it doesn’t take much to make a small, but costly mistake.

Take your time when you approach grammar questions on the SAT, especially those that involve punctuation.

Answer the question before you look at the answer options

One way for you to make sure you are on the right track when answering SAT grammar questions is to actually come up with the correct answer before you look at the possible solutions.

If your answer matches one of the solutions provided, there is a good chance that your answer is correct.

Practice!

Even if you know all of the grammar rules, you will have a hard time acing this section of the SAT if you do not practice.

One of the best ways for you to practice efficiently is to take an SAT prep course. These courses will help you learn all of the material that will be covered on the test, including all of the information and strategies you will need to answer the grammar questions.

If you want to make sure you are well prepared for the SAT, you should consider taking an SAT prep course through Prep Expert. These courses are flexible and taught by expert instructors who will help you learn everything you need to know to ace all of the SAT Grammar questions. Learn more or sign up for a class today when you visit our website.