sat grammar rules cheat sheet

Guri Bee

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21-10-2024

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SAT Grammar Rules Cheat Sheet: Master the Essentials for a Higher Score

The SAT grammar section can be tricky, but with a little practice and a firm grasp of the essential rules, you can ace it. This cheat sheet breaks down some of the most common grammatical concepts tested on the SAT, making it easier for you to identify and correct errors.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement:

• The Rule: The verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject.
• Example: The dog barks (singular subject, singular verb) vs. The dogs bark (plural subject, plural verb).
• Common Errors:
  • Intervening Phrases: Be careful with phrases that come between the subject and verb, as they don't affect agreement. The dog, along with its puppies, barks loudly.
  • Collective Nouns: These nouns (e.g., team, group, family) can be singular or plural depending on the context. The team is playing well. (singular) The team are arguing about their strategies. (plural)

2. Pronoun Agreement:

• The Rule: Pronouns must agree in number, gender, and person with their antecedent (the noun they refer to).
• Example: The girl picked up her book. (The pronoun "her" agrees with "girl" in gender and number)
• Common Errors:
  • Ambiguous Pronoun References: Make sure it's clear which noun a pronoun refers to. The dog chased the cat, and it ran away. (Which one ran away?)
  • Pronoun Case: Use the correct case (nominative, objective, possessive) of pronouns based on their role in the sentence. He gave the book to her. (objective case) It is his book. (possessive case)

3. Modifiers:

• The Rule: Modifiers (words or phrases that describe other words) must be placed close to the words they modify.
• Example: The red car, with the shiny wheels, sped down the street. (The modifier "with the shiny wheels" modifies "car")
• Common Errors:
  • Dangling Modifiers: These modifiers appear to modify the wrong word. Running down the street, the dog barked loudly. (Who is running?)
  • Misplaced Modifiers: These modifiers are in the wrong place, creating confusion. I saw a dog on the way to school with a wagging tail. (Did you see the dog with the tail, or was it you with the tail?)

4. Parallelism:

• The Rule: Items in a list or compared elements must be structured in a parallel way.
• Example: He likes to swim, to play tennis, and to ride his bike. (All verbs are in the infinitive form)
• Common Errors:
  • Inconsistent Verb Tenses: I went to the store, bought groceries, and will eat dinner. (Should all be in the past tense)
  • Mismatched Structures: He likes playing basketball and to watch football. (Should be either "playing" or "to watch")

5. Verb Tense:

• The Rule: Use the appropriate verb tense to indicate the time of the action or state.
• Example: I am going to the store. (present continuous) I went to the store yesterday. (past simple)
• Common Errors:
  • Shifting Verb Tenses: I went to the store, and I buy groceries. (Should be consistent tense)
  • Incorrect Tense Usage: He will graduated high school next year. (Use the correct tense for the future)

6. Common Usage Errors:

• Affect vs. Effect: Affect is a verb (to influence), effect is a noun (a result).
• Its vs. It's: Its is a possessive pronoun, it's is a contraction of "it is".
• Their, There, They're: Their is a possessive pronoun, there refers to a place, they're is a contraction of "they are".
• Who vs. Whom: Who is used for the subject of a verb, whom is used for the object of a verb or preposition.

Additional Tips:

• Read the passage carefully: Understanding the context is crucial for identifying grammatical errors.
• Eliminate obvious errors first: Focus on the most glaring mistakes before considering subtle issues.
• Practice, practice, practice: The more you practice, the better you will become at recognizing and correcting grammar errors.

Further Resources:

• Khan Academy: Offers free SAT prep resources, including grammar exercises and explanations.
• CollegeBoard: Provides official SAT practice tests and study guides.
• Grammarly: A helpful online tool that can identify and suggest corrections for grammar and writing errors.

By mastering these essential grammar rules and practicing consistently, you can build the confidence to tackle the SAT grammar section and achieve a higher score. Good luck!