Download - SAT Writing Sentence Error
Sentence Errors Level 3
1, Agreement on subject and verb a, *Intervening words between subject and verb
The solution by members of the two groups is really helpful.
*Intervening phrases (as well as, in addition to, along with, including,…)
My sister as well as my brother is going to a party tonight.
b, Subject that may be singular or plural
The family is going to France for the whole week. (a family as a whole)
The family are going to France at different times. (members of the family)
c, Collective noun
A flock of birds flies in front of him.
d, Compound subjects thought of as one unit
Fish and chips is my favorite breakfast
e, Either/or, Neither/nor (the number of the verb is determined by the closer noun)
Neither I nor he is doing the job today.
f, (Singular)(Plural) or vice versa
Taxes are a great source of money for the government
g, Reverse sentence
Happy and proud was she on her wedding.
h, Percentage/fraction + Subject
84% of the residents don’t have to pay for their medications.
1/3 of the cake is finished.
2, Verb Tense After I had finished the job, I went to bed.
After having finished the job, I went to bed
Having finished the job, I went to bed.
After I finished the job, I went to bed.
After finishing the job, I went to bed.
Finishing the job, I went to bed. (two actions happen at the same time)
3, Diction (word choice) a, Confusing words
She is an eminent scientist.
If a person is affected by HIV, death is imminent.
b, Same‐root words
The need for fresh water is unquestionable.
Children must listen to their parents unquestioningly.
c, Wrong use of words
The reason for the drop in her grades is because of her illness. (because should not be used with reason)
The reason for the drop in her grades is her illness.
d, Informal words
I kind of hate horror movies. (kind of, sort of,… are informal)
I hate horror movies.
e, Redundancy
Your work is so badly done, so you have to redo it again. (the word ‘again’ is not necessary)
Your work is so badly done, so you have to redo it.
4, Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent a, Number
Everyone has to submit their work on time.
Everyone has to submit his work on time.
b, Shift in pronoun person
When you work in this company, one must follow its rules.
When you work in this company, you must follow its rules.
Level 2
1, Verb forms The winners are chose at random. (past participle should be used instead of simple past)
The winners are chosen at random.
2, Use of comparisons a, Comparative degree must be used between two subjects and superlative degree must be used
between more than two subjects
Mike and Mic are both handsome, but I like Mike more.
Of the three students, Ann is the best at Mathematics.
b, Parallel structure
Playing tennis is more fun than to play badminton.
Playing tennis is more fun than playing badminton.
c, Ambiguous comparisons
Ann loves Ben more than Chris.
Ann loves Ben more than she loves Chris.
Ann loves Ben more than Chris does.
d, Comparisons between a subject and a group (else, other,… are needed)
Ben’s flying skill is better than any pilots’.
Ben’s flying skill is better than any other pilots’.
e, as (adjective) as
I can run as fast, if not faster than Tom.
I can do as fast as, if not faster than Tom.
3, Pronoun reference a, There are more than one antecedents
Ben told Mark that his car had been destroyed by a stranger. (‘his’ here may mean Ben’s or Mark’s)
Ben told Mark that Ben’s car had been destroyed by a stranger.
b, ‘they’ cannot replace a pronoun
In the Daily Prophet they say that Sirius Black has escaped from the Azkaban.
Sirius Black is reported by the Daily Profet to have escaped from the Azkaban.
c, The use of ‘it’
If we stay close to each other, it will be better.
It is better if we stay close to each other.
d, Ambiguous ‘which’
I went into the haunted house, which frightened everyone. (‘which’ may refer to the house or the fact
that I went into the house)
I went into the house and that frightened everyone.
e, Possessive noun
Ben’s novel brings a lot of money to him.
Ben earns a lot of money from his novel.
4, Pronoun choice a, Object pronoun is used after preposition
He promised me that he would take care of her.
b, Parallelism
Dad bought a cake for me and he.
Dad bought a cake for me and him.
c, Possessive pronoun
I am sorry for me coming late.
I am sorry for my coming late.
d, A noun next to a pronoun
We boys find it irritating to clean the ladies’ toilet.
It is irritating for us boy to clean the ladies’ toilet.
e, It was I/me
It was he who locked the door.
It was him whom the teacher is talking to.
Level 1
1, Parallel construction a, Listing
I like painting, drawing, skiing and to dance.
I like painting, drawing, skiing and dancing.
b, Comparisons
I like drawing more than to dance.
I like drawing more than dancing.
c, Either/or, neither/nor
I like neither to draw nor skiing.
I like neither to draw nor to ski.
d, Same grammar structure must be used for parallel ideas
She objected to my coming to school late and my uncombed hair.
She objected to my coming to school late and to my uncombed hair.
2, Idiom They started to fight after arguing against each other for 2 hours.
They started to fight after arguing with each other for 2 hours.
3, Modifier a, Wrong position
I donated a car to an organization that no longer ran well.
I donated a car that no longer ran well to an organization.
b, Dangling modifier
Going home from school, my cat always waits for me at the door.
Going home from school, I always see my cat at the door.
4, Double negatives I didn’t see no one looking for you!
I didn’t see anyone looking for you
5, Sentence fragments, run‐ons and comma splices a, Sentence fragments
Because the weather today is really great for a run.
The weather today is really great for a run.
b, Run‐ons and comma splices
She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen, she has attractive blue eyes and she is tall.
She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen; she has attractive blue eyes and she is tall.
6, Wordiness The words are arranged alphabetically from A to Z.
The words are arranged alphabetically.