Punctuation Traps
Fix the error: London is a very old city, it has many modern parts.
London is a very old city; it has many modern parts. (Use a period or comma splice rule)
Fix the error: Illegal logging in Mexican forests have resulted in habitat destruction.
Change have to has (Subject is singular logging, not forests).
Which is correct?
A) The battalion updated its policy
B) The battalion updated it's policy
Answer: A (its is possessive; it's = it is).
Fix the error: To prepare for JLAB, cadets study history practice grammar and doing math drills.
Change doing math drills to do math drills (Parallel structure in lists).
Which is correct?
(A) Cadets should of studied
(B) Cadets should have studied
Answer: B (should have; never use "should of").
Why is this incorrect? Visitors spend time in the main types of attractions; museums, castles, and shops.
Trick question! It is correct because the clause before the colon is a complete sentence.
Fix the error: Each of the chiefdoms were ruled by a leader known as cacique.
Change were to was ("Each" is always singular).
Fix the error: Speed bumps are used worldwide; it's found most frequently near schools.
Change it's to they're or they are (Speed bumps is plural).
Fix the error: Born in Mexico City in 1907, self-portraits made Frida Kahlo famous.
Answer: Born in Mexico City in 1907, Frida Kahlo became famous for her self-portraits. (Dangling modifier).
Simplify for wordiness: An enormous undertaking that occured on a very large scale.
Answer: An enormous undertaking (Eliminate redundant phrasing).
Fix the error: London-which is a very old city, has many modern parts
London, which is a very old city, has many modern parts. (or use two dashes, do not mix commas and dashes).
Fix the error: The Monarch and the Red Admiral is among the most common species.
Change is to are (Compound subjects joined by and are plural).
Fix the error: Frida Kahlo was an artist which gained renown for her portraits.
Change which to who (Use who for people, which for things
Fix the error: The work of Benjamin Marshall is as well-known as Frank Lloyd Wright.
Answer... as well-known as that of Frank Lloyd Wright (or Frank Lloyd Wright's). (Faulty comparison: compare work to work).
Choose the correct answer: The natural resources have
A) A whole bunch of
B) A remarkable variety of
C) A sublime plethora of birds
Answer: B (remarkable variety is neither too informal nor overly informal).
True of false? A colon must always be followed by a complete sentence.
False. A colon must follow a complete sentence, but it can be followed by a sentence of a fragment/list.
Fix the error: By the time Mae Jemison became an astronaut, she studied science for many years.
Change studied to had studied (Past perfect is required for actions completed before another past event).
True or false? The word its' is a plural possessive pronoun on the SAT.
Which pair is correct?
A) Neither... or
B) Neither... nor
Answer B: (Neither... nor is the correct correlative word pair).
Answer: than (Use than for comparisons, then for sequence).
Fix the error: Researchers led by engineering professor, Vikram Iyer, created a new device.
Remove the commas around the name (...engineering professor Vikram Iyer created... because the name is essential).
Identify the error: In the nucleus of an atom sits elementary particles such as protons and neutrons.
Fill in the blank: Frida Kahlo is a painter to ___ many artists owe their inspiration. (who or whom?)
Answer: whom (Use whom after a preposition).
Fix the error: Harvestman spiders have limbs that are nearly twice as long as other spiders.
Answer... twice as long as those of other spiders (or other spiders' limbs).
Fix the punctuation at the end; The experiment was designed to test how much children understand about the world around them?
Answer: Change the question mark to a period (it is an indirect question).