Boundaries Basics
What do “boundaries” questions test?
How clauses, phrases, and sentences are linked using punctuation or conjunctions.
Fix the fragment: “Ran a marathon.”
“Lola ran a marathon.”
What creates a run-on sentence?
When two independent clauses are not properly joined.
What must be on both sides of a semicolon?
Two independent clauses.
Why have colleges faced criticism regarding legacy admissions?
Legacy admissions are seen as giving unfair advantages to children of alumni.
What are the two things every complete sentence must have?
A subject and a verb.
What is missing in this fragment: “Despite being tired.”
A complete thought / independent clause.
Fix this run-on using a period:
“She loves math, she studies it every day.”
“She loves math. She studies it every day.”
When can you use a semicolon in a list?
When list items contain commas (sub-lists).
Who receives similar advantages to legacy students, according to the passage?
Recruited athletes.
What does a subordinating conjunction do to a clause?
It turns it into a dependent clause that cannot stand alone.
Identify the fragment type: missing subject, missing verb, or incomplete thought?
“In the middle of the soccer field after school.”
Missing verb / missing complete thought.
Fix this run-on using FANBOYS:
“I finished my homework I went to bed.”
“I finished my homework, and I went to bed.”
Fix this sentence using a semicolon:
“Gaby worked for hours on her paper, she finished it just before bed.”
“Gaby worked for hours on her paper; she finished it just before bed.”
What major scandal in 2019 highlighted admissions advantages for athletes?
The U.S. Justice Department’s “Operation Varsity Blues.”
Identify the type of error:
“Lucas enjoys hiking, he climbs a new mountain every summer.”
Run-on sentence (comma splice).
Fix the fragment by removing the subordinating conjunction:
“Although he studied late into the night.”
“He studied late into the night.”
Fix this run-on by making one clause dependent:
“Computers have changed society, they influence every part of life.”
“Since computers have changed society, they influence every part of life.”
Choose the correct use of a semicolon:
A) “Lucas likes hiking; and he likes camping.”
B) “Lucas likes hiking; he likes camping.”
B
According to the passage, how do some colleges use athletics for institutional survival?
Smaller schools rely on sports programs to maintain enrollment and avoid shutting down.
Explain why the clause “While Lola ran a marathon” is a fragment, even though it has a subject and verb.
Because “while” is a subordinating conjunction → the clause becomes dependent and doesn’t express a complete thought.
Turn this dependent clause into a grammatically correct complex sentence WITHOUT deleting the subordinating conjunction:
“Since the experiment produced unexpected results.”
“Since the experiment produced unexpected results, the scientists repeated it the next day.”
Fix this run-on using any correct method, but do NOT use FANBOYS:
“The class took a quiz today it covered fragments and run-ons.”
“The class took a quiz today; it covered fragments and run-ons.”
Rewrite this sentence to correctly use semicolons for sub-lists:
“The team needed uniforms, helmets and gloves, oranges and water, and hockey sticks and skates.”
“The team needed uniforms; helmets and gloves; oranges and water; and hockey sticks and skates.”
The passage argues that recruiting at exclusive, expensive youth sports events reinforces what kinds of inequalities?
Class, racial, and geographic inequalities — likely more than legacy admissions do.