SAT Writing : Correcting Punctuation Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Improving Sentences
No longer confined to his hospital bed; the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
No longer confined to his hospital bed though the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
No longer confined to his hospital bed; the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
No longer confined to his hospital bed the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
No longer confined to his hospital bed, the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
No longer confined to his hospital bed, and the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
No longer confined to his hospital bed, the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block.
The sentence is divided by a semicolon, although the two phrases are not able to be complete sentences on their own. This is always incorrect, and a sentence with an introductory clause, like this one, needs to have both phrases separated by a comma; therefore, the correct answer is "No longer confined to his hospital bed, the man still did not feel up to taking a walk around the block."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Semicolon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
The new style was loathsome to older designers; but they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
The new style was loathsome to older designers; and they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
The new style was loathsome to older designers; but they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
The new style was loathsome to older designers, they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
The new style was loathsome to older designers, but they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
The new style was loathsome to older designers so they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
The new style was loathsome to older designers, but they all knew the importance of the innovations made by younger stylists.
A compound sentence, like the one written in this question, must have its two independent clauses joined by either a semicolon or a conjunction and a comma. Using a semicolon and a conjunction, like written in the sentence, is never correct, and the semicolon should be replaced by a comma, as done in "The new style was loathsome to older designers, but they all knew the importance of the innovations from younder stylists."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Semicolon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.
Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach feels he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation, the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wants to do.
Drawn the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation, the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Although the sentence is written as compound sentence joined by a semicolon, the first portion, "Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation," is actually an introductory clause. As such, the clause should be set apart from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation, the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
I talked to Jenny this morning; who said that it was too cold to go swimming.
morning, who
morning. Who
morning—who
morning: who
morning; who
morning, who
A comma should separate the two clauses of the sentence; the second clause is a dependent clause, and cannot stand alone as its own sentence.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Because my aunt lives far away; I do not see her very often.
Although my aunt lives far away; I do not see her very often.
Because my aunt lives far away. I do not see her very often.
Because my aunt lives far away, I do not see her very often.
Because my aunt lives far away; I do not see her very often.
Because my aunt lives farthest away; I do not see her very often.
Because my aunt lives far away, I do not see her very often.
The two clauses need to be separated by a comma.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Semicolon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
There are three colors in a typical traffic light; red, green, and yellow.
traffic light: red and green and yellow.
traffic light, red, green, and yellow.
traffic light: red, green, and yellow.
traffic light, those being red, green, and yellow.
traffic light. Red, green, and yellow.
traffic light: red, green, and yellow.
A semicolon should only ever be used to seperate two parts of a sentence that could each stand as independent clauses on their own. If you can't take the two parts of the sentence on either side of the semicolon and make them into their own sentences, then you should use something different. In this case, "red, green, and yellow" does not make sense as a sentence on its own, so a semicolon should not be used. A colon makes more sense because a list is being introduced, and colons are often used to introduce lists.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Semicolon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The new plan had made a small difference; reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The new plan had made a small difference reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The new plan had made a small difference, reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The new plan made a small difference; for reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The new plan had made a small difference; reduce costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The new plan had made a small difference; reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The new plan had made a small difference, reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.
The use of the semicolon in the sentence is incorrect, as a semicolon needs to separate two independent clauses in a compound sentences, instead of separating a dependent clause from the main part of the sentence it is reliant on. The sentence needs to feature a comma separating the two parts, making the correct answer "The new plan had made a small difference, reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year."
Example Question #2 : Correcting Semicolon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The scientist conducted her experiment in the tropical forest; instead of in the desert where the lizard population was flourishing.
No error
desert where
was flourishing
the lizard population
forest; instead
forest; instead
A semi-colon, or a colon, is used to connect two complete sentences: here the second sentence is a fragment.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Punctuation Errors: Other Punctuation
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism; and spoke against slavery.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism and spoke against slavery.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism, and spoke against slavery.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement; Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism, and spoke against slavery.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism; and spoke against slavery.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement; Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism and spoke against slavery.
Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism and spoke against slavery.
A semi-colon separates two independent clauses. No punctuation between "individualism" and "and" is necessary.
Example Question #4 : Correcting Semicolon Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities; but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities, but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities so many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities; but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities; and many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities, but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.
The sentence as written as a complex sentence, and it joins its two parts with a semicolon and the conjunction "but;" however, a compound sentence needs to be joined either by just a semicolon or a conjunction and comma, but not a semicolon and a conjunctionl; therefore the correct answer choice is "Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities, but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years."
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