Prepositions

Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. 

Read the sentence to yourself, listening for errors.  Quickly check each underlined portion against the Big 8 Grammar Rules, marking any error you find.  Remember, some sentences will not have an error.

ABefore the end of the semester, Beach of you Cneeds to meet with your adviser Dor I to discuss your plans for next year. ENo error

(A) In this case, the word “before” is a kind of modifier because it tells when the students must meet with their advisers.  It is placed right next to the words it modifies "the end of the semester," so there is no problem with its placement.  (A) has no error.

(B) The phrase “each of you” is idiomatically correct.  (B) has no error.

(C) The verb “needs” should agree with the subject “each of you.”  “Each of you” is singular so “needs” is correct.  If “each of you needs” sounds odd to you, think of it this way: you would say “he needs” and “she needs” rather than “he need” and “she need.”  (C) has no error.

(D) After a preposition, you must always use the word “me” rather than the word “I.”  Look before the underlined “I” and you will find the preposition “with.”   You would say “meet with me,” not “meet with I.”  Mark that error.

(E) This choice cannot be correct because you already identified an error.

The correct answer is (D).


On sat.collegeboard.org, 68% of the responses were correct.

For more help with the writing section of the SAT, visit www.myknowsys.com!

Subject Verb Agreement

Link of the Day

The first zipper design was patented in 1851, but zippers did not become widely popular until the 1930s, when they were added to children's clothing and touted for their contributions to the youngsters' self-reliance. Early zippers look downright dangerous to modern eyes, though their earliest uses were on shoes and boots rather than clothing. 

5/23 Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E.

For Identifying Sentence Errors questions, always read the sentence and focus on anything that sounds strange or wrong. Determine whether that part of the sentence is actually incorrect, then identify the part of the sentence that, if changed, would correct the error. Double-check that the other sections of the sentence are correct as they are, and finally mark the correct answer on your answer sheet.

Used Ain place of buttons, hooks and eyes, Bor laces, the zipper Cconsists of two rows of plastic or metal teeth Dand bound to the edges of two strips of fabric. ENo error

Pronouns

Link of the Day

Handcuffs have been used for centuries to restrain prisoners and for other purposes--such as Houdini's magic shows and even as fashion accessories. One of the earliest references to handcuffs is found in the works of Virgil. Since then, a multitude of materials and designs have been used, and handcuffs continue to evolve and change today. 

5/17 Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. 

Remember to always read the sentence carefully before you do anything else. Ignore the underlined words and try instead to get a feel for the sentence as a whole. Does anything sound wrong or strange? Identify a way to fix that problem by changing one of the underlined portions. That section of the sentence gives your answer.

AFormerly called manacles or shackles, handcuffs Bconsist of two metal rings Cjoined by a short chain; once fastened shut, Dit requires a key to open. ENo error

Does anything sound strange to you? Read it again and make a prediction. Then check each answer choice. I'll start with A today--you can jump to your prediction first if you want.

Idioms

Link of the Day

This "Brief History of The Simpsons" includes an introductory list of the characters and a few ways the show has interacted with the world outside TV. Information like that found in this article can turn a mediocre example (e.g., "In one episode of The Simpsons...") into an excellent one (e.g. a discussion of Marge Simpson's correspondence with First Lady Barbara Bush in late 1990). 

Writing: Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. 

Always read the sentence first to get a general feel for how it sounds. If something seems strange or wrong, start with the part of the sentence that caught your attention. Check that segment against what you know of standard English grammar. If nothing stands out to you, check all four underlined sections. When you find one that breaks the rules, mark it.

From its modest beginnings Aas a series of brief vignettes to Bits establishment as the longest-running prime-time animated series on television, The Simpsons Ctransformed the way Dboth the audiences and television programmers view the animated sitcom. ENo error

Does anything sound odd? If not, don't worry, just check each answer choice individually.

Subject Verb Agreement

Link of the Day

The first Swiss chocolate factory was built in 1819. The man who founded it was in his early 20s and had been working as an "immigrant labourer" in Italy for four years because the chocolate he saw at a Swiss fair smelled so good! This short list of Swiss chocolate makers  Swiss chocolate makers can be used for Excellent Examples about entrepreneurship, determination, and dedication. 

4/29 Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E.

Remember to read through the sentence for anything that sounds strange, then focus on the part that must be changed to correct the error. If nothing sounds strange to you, check all the options against the rules of English grammar. After checking each option, if none of them are wrong, select choice E.

AAn abundant supply of milk Bfrom dairy farms nearby Cmake the Bern region of Switzerland Da leading producer of condensed milk and milk chocolate. ENo error

Verb Phrases

Link of the Day

Tibet, the highest nation in the world, has a rich history spanning well over a thousand years. If you have in interest in Chinese or Tibetan history and culture, excellent examples could be found in the Dalai Lama, the Potala Palace, or the Jokhang Temple.

4/11 Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. IF the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. 

First, read the sentence to see if anything "sounds wrong," and use that as your prediction. Check that section of the sentence against the English grammar rules you know, and if necessary continue to check the other options as well. Finally, select the section of the sentence that contains the error.

ALong been isolated Bfrom the outside world and perched Chigh in the Tibetan Himalayas, Lhasa is the capital of Tibet, Dan autonomous region of the People’s Republic of China. ENo error

Prepositions

Link of the Day

Thomas Edison is best known for inventing the light bulb, but he also invented several other devices that are common (in updated forms) today. He invented an early type of camera for recording motion pictures, and he also developed the phonograph, a device for recording and replaying sound that was the 1880 version of the iPod. 

4/5 Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E.

Always read the sentence first to see if anything sounds wrong. Make a prediction, and check that prediction against the requirements of standard written English. Check the other answers to be sure you have the right answer, then select the correct answer choice.
Except for the phonograph, the performances Bof great musicians and the voices of famous people Cwould have been lost Dto history. ENo error

Verb Tense

Link of the Day: 

The Milleau Viaduct is one of the longest bridges in France. It is also one of the most beautiful. This website is the official home for the Milleau Viaduct and has details about how, when, and why it was constructed.

3/24 Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. 

First read through the sentence to see if anything "sounds" wrong. That is your prediction for this type of problem. Sometimes, the part that seems wrong is not underlined; in that case, your prediction is the part that you could change to make the sentence sound right. If nothing sounds wrong, your prediction is E. Check all four underlined parts against the rules of English grammar, starting with your prediction, and you will find the correct answer.

AOnce the suspension bridge replaced the cantilever, the United States Bbecomes the world leader Cin this new Dtype of long-span bridgebuilding. ENo error

Grammar

Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. 

Each Identifying Sentence Errors question has, at most, one error. If it looks like there are two errors, always check the apparent mistakes against the grammar rules you know. Often, phrases that are grammatically correct sound strange because so few people actually know and follow the rules of English grammar.

The tiger Ausually hunts by night and Bfeeds on a variety of animals, Cbut it prefers fairly large prey Dsuch as deer and wild pigs. ENo error

Check each answer choice.

Pronouns

Writing: Identifying Sentence Errors

The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E.

It is important to read for what sounds wrong, but the most important thing to remember in Identifying Sentences questions is to check each answer choice against the Big 8. If it breaks the rules of grammar, it's your answer!

The credit Afor making Franz Kafka internationally famous Bas a writer belongs to his friend, novelist Max Brod, Cwhich despite Kafka’s dying wishes, edited Kafka’s unpublished manuscripts and then Dhad them published. ENo error