SAT English Rules

Question 1

Adding/Deleting Sentences

When a question asks if you should Add or Delete a certain sentence, what should you do?

Answer 1

The single thing the paragraph is saying is:__________?

Figure out the main idea of the paragraph first and see if the sentence is in line with it or off-topic.

Question 2

Colon

What is the rule for a colon on the SAT?

Answer 2

1st Part is an Independent Clause.

2nd Part is anything that describes the 1st part.

Question 3

Commas

What are 6 Reasons for Commas on the SAT?

Answer 3

1. For Modifiers (My friend Tim, who is really funny, lives in Minnesota.)
2. Dependent Clause followed by an Independent Clause (Since he got a dog, John needed dog food.)
3. Separating 2 Independent Clauses with a Comma + FANBOYS Conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

John went to the mall, and Bill stayed home.

4. For a list of 3 or more things (I like apples, oranges, and bananas.)
5. For quotations (John said, “I hate when it rains.”)

**you don’t put a comma when the quoted part is not a new, full sentence (John said he hates his “dumbo ears.”

6. 2 Consecutive, InterchangeableAdjectives (They entered the dark, gloomy house./They entered the gloomy, dark house.)

Question 4

Direction-Based Questions

What should you do on Direction-Based questions?

Answer 4

Ignore all else!

Focus exclusively on what the direction is, ignoring everthing else.

Question 5

Effectively Combining

What are the 4 things to consider on Effectively Combining questions?

Answer 5

1. Flow (Read fast to see if it flows well)

2. Order (Make sure the order of words is not switched around such that it changes the intended meaning of the sentences)

3. Transitions (Words and Punctuation)

4. Avoid Restarting/Restating (this one is the most common)

e.g. School is fun. It is my favorite place.

Question 6

Excuse for the Main Idea

What should you do on these types of questions?

Answer 6

Announce the main idea!

Question 7

Illogical Comparisons

Which of the following is correct:

The Yankees’ pitching is better than the Mets.

The Yankees’ pitching is better than the Mets’.

Answer 7

The Yankees’ pitching is better than the Mets. WRONG

The Yankees’ pitching is better than the Mets’. RIGHT

In the right one, we are comparing the same things to each other: the Yankees’ pitching to the Mets’ pitching. The first one is an illogical comparison because it is comparing the Yankees’ pitching to the Mets, which aren’t the same things.

Question 8

Long Dash

What are the 2 uses of a Long Dash on the SAT?

Answer 8

1 Long Dash = A colon

2 Long Dashes = A set of parentheses

Question 9

Lebron James Rule

What do you need to know about a sentence that begins with a Modifier with no subject?

Answer 9

The Lebron James Rule: when a sentence starts with a modifier that’s missing the subject, then the subject must lead the 2nd part of the sentence.

After leading the Miami Heat to two championships, Lebron moved back to Cleveland.

Question 10

Modifiers

What is a modifier and how does it work?

Answer 10

Question 11

Semi-Colon

What is a semi-colon for on the SAT?

Answer 11

It separates 2 Independent Clauses

Question 12

Sentence Placement

When a question asks where you should place a certain sentence in the paragraph, what should you do?

Answer 12

Look within and imagine

The sentence itself has some special clues that tell you where in the story it would have to go…spend an extra moment on that sentence to ponder those clues.

*occassionally, look out for married sentences aka sentences that go together and need to appear one after another

Question 13

String of Nouns

When you have a String of Nouns Joined by Prepositions (a preposition tells you the relationship between nouns, for example: above, below, in, on, etc) and you need to determine singularity/plurality of a noun, what should you do?

e.g. The keys on the table of my cousins in college for agricultural sciences in Canada are/is gold.

Answer 13

The rule: judge singularity/plurality by the first noun in the string

The keys on the table of my cousins in college for agricultural sciences in Canada are/is gold.

Question 14

Transition Words

What should you do on Transition Word questions?

Answer 14

Invent your own transition word based on the sentence before and after.

This forces you to really read it.

Occassionally, be aware when you are in the conclusion.

Question 15

Verb Tense

What should you do when a question is testing Verb Tense?

Answer 15

Look throughout the paragraph for clues and see what tense the other verbs are. Then determine if this one should be the same tense, or if there is a reason to change its tense.

Question 16

Word Choice

What do you need to know about word choice questions?

Answer 16

Occasionally they are testing how ‘formal’ a word is (e.g. “Hey what’s up.” INFORMAL vs “Greetings.” FORMAL). The correct answer shouldn’t be informal, but it shouldn’t be overly formal either.

Normally, however, word choice questions are testing the definition of the word or the word environment. In the context of the passage, only one of the choices will be correct.

Question 17

Wordiness vs Conciseness

If all else is equal, is a wordier or more concise answer choice going to be right?

Answer 17

A more concise one.

For example:

He jumped high. good

He was able to jump high that day. bad

The red flag of this question type: one answer choice is shorter than the rest.

Look out for the decoy ‘conciseness’ question.