SAT Cheat Sheet

SAT Cheat Sheet

1. Clauses

   • Independant
     • 1. Must be a subject 2.Must be a verb 3. Must be a verb not attached to subject 4. ing-words do not count
   • Dependant
     • 1.Does not have a subject or does not have a verb. 2. Subject and a verb but also a modifying word. Ex. When I was young

2. Punctuation Rules

   • Semicolons
     • A semicolon can only separate 2 Independent Clauses
   • The Five Comma Rules
     • 1. Comma comes after an IC and before FANBOYS 2. Commas go before and after parenthetical phrases 3. Commas go after initial modifier 4. Commas go after every item on a list 5. Commas go in between adjectives
   • Colons
     • What comes before the colon must be an IC
   • Periods
     • 1. Periods must separate two complete sentences 2. The division of sentences needs to make sense
   • Em Dashes
     • 1. Em dashes can set off parenthetical phrases, but it must be consistent 2. Em dashes can act as colons
   • Apostrophes
     • 1. Singular noun recieves an apostrophe before an ''s'' Ex. David's Dog
     • 2. Plural Noun receives an apostrophe after the "s" Ex. The Puppies' mother
     • 3. Possesive pronouns have no apostrophe

3. Structure

   • Subject Verb Agreement
     • Rule: Singular subjects with Singular Verbs, and Plural Subjects with Plural Verbs
     • 1. Reduce subject to one word 2. Physically Circle subject
   • Verb Tense
     • A sentence can mix tenses, so look before and after a sentence to check its tense
   • Verb Conjugation
     • Verb conjugation questions are usually about perfect tense, (I have eaten, I had eaten), watch out for things like "I have ate" or "I eaten"
   • Who/Whom
     • Who is a subject, Whom is an object, but replace "who" with "he", and "whom" with "him"
   • There/Their/They're
     • There is a place, Their is possessive, They're = They are
   • Adjective vs. Adverb
     • Adjectives can only describe nouns, adverbs can only describe verbs or other adjectives
   • Pronouns
     • 1. A pronouns must agree in gender and number with reference 2. Pronouns must have reference 3. Reference must not be ambiguous 4. A pronoun cannot come immediately after reference

4. Clarity

   • Connecting Words/Illogical Connectors
     • Connecting words like "however" and "therefore" must fit perfectly, and as rigidly as possible. Do not settle.
   • Vocabulary
     • Watch out for words like EXCEPT or NOT, and define each term as rigidly as possible
   • Initial Modifiers
     • When a sentence begins with an Initial Modifier followed by a comma, the noun immediately after must be the noun that is modified
   • Logical Flaws
     • Ask if the sentence makes sense
   • Rearranging Sentences
     • Make sure the choice is grammatically correct, and has no logical flaws or initial modifiers

5. Concision

   • Redudancy
     • Redundant answers are incorrect 1. Synonyms 2. Something is added that is already clearly defined 3. Said previously
   • Wordiness
     • Wordiness is incorrect 1. Irrelevant Info 2. Extra Words
   • Passive Voice
     • In active voice the subject does the verb, in passive voice, the Verb is being done to the subject. Active > Passive