SAT / ACT Grammar Masterkey

Here are some basic but useful important comma rules to remember for the SAT and the ACT. The 3rd rule is the most important. 1. Comma is not used after a preposition (within a prepositional phrase). I have a car from, Italy .                               (incorrect) S he met a guy in, Korea . I have a car from Italy.                                 (correct) She met the guy in Korea. 2. Comma is not used between an adjective and a noun. I have a blue, car .                                       (incorrect) W e need a new, computer . I have a blue car.                       ...

Though it looks simple, the grammatical logic behind this question is the basis of all difficult grammar questions in the SAT and the ACT . *The answers can be found at the end of this page, but please read this page thoroughly.

  Identifying a comma splice error will allow us to eliminate most answer choices in punctuation questions. However, this is not as easy as it sounds.  The fundamental reason is that there are so many different types of sentences that often confuse us.  Below are 3 sentences we must understand to fix a comma splice / run-on sentence errors perfectly: Inverted Sentences, Imperative Sentences, and Shakespearean Sentences. 1. Inverted sentence 2. Imperative sentence 3. Shakespearean Sentence *I have simplified the name because knowing grammatical terminology is not as important as understanding the concepts themselves.

again, remember that the word "however" is not FANBOYS and does not have the power to connect two sentences . I called him , however, he did not answer. This error can be simply fixed by using a semicolon or period. I called him; however, he did not answer. I called him. However, he did not answer. Or by replacing "however" with a contrasting conjunction from FANBOYS. I called him, but he did not answer. I called him, yet he did not answer. It is perfectly fine to use the word "however" this way, though: I, however , was wrong. In this case, " however " is not connecting two sentences. Likewise, words like “ Nevertheless, Even so, Consequently, Therefore ” create a comma splice error when they are not punctuated properly. I called him, nevertheless, he did not answer. I called him, even so, he did not answer. I called him, consequently, he called me back. I called him, therefore, he c...

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark that can be used to show possession or omit words. 1. Omission He's studying for the test. He is studying for the test I can't sleep. I cannot sleep. It's fine. It is fine. 2. Possession To show a possession, simply use an apostrophe at the end. T he actor's hand was rough. To make a plural possessive, simply use an apostrophe right after the "s". Actors ' hands are different.  In case of irregular plural nouns, use —'s. People's ideas have changed over time. Words that end in “S”. a) As a general rule, —'s is used for singular nouns that end with " s ". I would like to visit Paris's museums. The business's success was the result of his hard work. b) If a name ends with "s" both usages are fine. (e.g., Mr. Jackson s ) I have Mr. Jacksons's books. I have Mr. Jack...

  *This section will explore how to use a dash. In the English language, there are three punctuation marks that look alike: hyphen, En dash, and Em dash . However, they are all used differently. While the hyphen and the en dash are not tested in the SAT and the ACT, it is still worth mentioning their basic usage. Among the three, the Em Dash is the only one tested in the SAT and the ACT, and there are four usages (3 of which are important) to remember. 1. Dashes can be used like commas for a non-essential modifier. As mentioned in the non-essential modifier section, a dash can be used like a comma to set off a non-essential modifier. Brian , a boy from Canada, is very smart. Brian —a boy from Canada— is very smart. Remember that the punctuation mark involving non-essentials has to be parallel. When you begin with a dash, end with a dash . When you begin with a comma, end with a comma. Brian —a boy from Canada, is very smart. (incorrect) 2. a dash can b...