COMMAS, SEMICOLONS, COLONS
Bounding through the meadow my dog discovered poison ivy.
Bounding through the meadow, my dog discovered poison ivy.
There is [a nest of a bird] outside my window.
There is a bird's nest outside my window.
Running late, the bus was missed by Sarah.
What is change to “Running late, Sarah missed the bus” (subject after comma must be the late person)?
Between you and I, this test is tricky.
What is change “I” to “me” (object of the preposition “between” — pronoun case)?
She likes to swim, run, and biking.
What is change “biking” to “bike” (or change all to gerunds: “swimming, running, biking”)?
She is really talented in fact I’m not sure I have ever heard a voice as beautiful as hers.
She is really talented; in fact, I’m not sure I have ever heard a voice as beautiful as hers.
The [basketball team of the women] has run up quite an impressive string of victories.
The women's basketball team has run up quite an impressive string of victories.
The man was bitten by the dog walking down the street.
What is move “walking down the street” next to “the man” (“The man walking down the street was bitten by the dog”)?
The box of rare coins were found in the attic.
What is change “were” to “was” (subject is “box” — singular; “of rare coins” is a prepositional phrase that does not change the subject — subject-verb agreement)?
The coach told the team to warm up, stretch, and that they should hydrate.
What is remove “that they should” → “warm up, stretch, and hydrate”?
He deserves a raise he completed the project on schedule and under budget.
He deserves a raise: he completed the project on schedule and under budget.
I hope to earn [the income of two months] this summer and buy a car.
I hope to earn two months' income this summer and buy a car.
Having read the instructions carefully, the device was easy to assemble.
What is change to “Having read the instructions carefully, she found the device easy to assemble” (dangling modifier — no person in the sentence)?
The person who will save this company is her.
The person who will save this company is she.
If she was taller, she would try out for the team.
What is change “was” to “were” (past subjunctive for hypothetical contrary to fact)?
Summer of course is my favorite of the four seasons because school is out.
Summer, of course, is my favorite of the four seasons because school is out.
All of the girls' cell phones were confiscated.
Forgotten in the car for hours, Maria rushed to rescue her groceries.
What is change to “Forgotten in the car for hours, the groceries were rescued by Maria” (or “Maria rushed to rescue her groceries, which had been forgotten in the car for hours”)?
Each of the boys (has, have) the option of taking an art class.
has
The school requires that every student submits a permission slip.
What is change “submits” to “submit” (subjunctive after “requires” — bare infinitive)?
Yes you can go to the prom Maddy but you must be home by midnight.
Yes, you can go to the prom, Maddy, but you must be home by midnight.
My favorite story to study is [the quest of Ulysses).
My favorite story to study is Ulysses' quest.
The professor only graded the first three questions
What is “The professor graded only the first three questions” (placing “only” directly before the noun phrase it limits)? This tests the “only” squinting modifier
Neither the coach nor the players was aware that the referee’s whistle, along with his flags, were missing from the locker. (2 errors)
What is change “was” to “were” (with “neither…nor,” the verb agrees with the closer subject “players” — plural) and change “were” (after “flags”) to “was” (subject “whistle” is singular; “along with his flags” is parenthetical and does not make the subject plural — subject-verb agreement with interrupting phrase)?
The data from this study suggests a different conclusion, but the phenomena observed in the second trial was unexpected.
What is change “was” to “were” (plural “phenomena” — Greek plural, rare on SAT but appears in high-difficulty questions)?