What Are the Most Common Grammar Mistakes Students Make in the SAT Writing Section?
The SAT writing section can make a significant difference in your overall SAT score. In 35 minutes, you'll face 44 multiple-choice questions evaluating your grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills.
A strong foundation in grammar is essential for tackling this section. The average SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score in 2024 was 519, making strong language skills crucial for standing out.
In this blog, Score at the Top will dive into the most common grammar mistakes students make in the writing section for the SAT and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
Overview of the SAT Writing & Language Section
This section tests your ability to improve sentences and passages,identify and fix grammar mistakes, and ensure your writing is clear and well-structured.
Here's the breakdown.
Number of questions: 44
Time allotted: 35 minutes (i.e., less than a minute per question)
Topics: Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, word choice, and rhetorical skills
Questions in the SAT writing section often target specific grammar rules, many of which students tend to overlook. Mastering these rules and identifying common traps can significantly affect your score.
1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
Here's the rule: the subject of your sentence must agree with its verb in number (singular or plural). Sounds straightforward enough. But the SAT writing section sneaks in tricky sentences to throw you off.
Common Mistakes:
Incorrect: The list of books are on the table.
Correct: The list of books is on the table.
Notice what's happening here? The SAT writing section's objective is to distract you with phrases in the middle of the sentence (in this case, of books). Ignore prepositional phrases like this and focus on the actual subject. In this example, the subject is "list" (singular), so the verb must also be singular: "is."
Quick Tip: When you're stuck, find the core sentence: Who is doing what? This will often lead you to the correct subject-verb pairing.
2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
A pronoun is only as good as the noun it replaces. That's why a pronoun must match its antecedent in number and gender. The SAT writing section tests this rule, especially using singular antecedents like "everyone" or "each student."
Common Mistakes:
Incorrect: Each student must bring their own laptop.
Correct: Each student must bring his or her own laptop.
Notice how each student is singular, but "their" is plural? This mismatch leads to an error.
Quick Tip: Watch out for indefinite pronouns like "everyone," "each," "anyone," and "nobody." These are singular and require singular pronouns (like "his," "her," "he," and "she"). Recognizing these traps in the SAT exam writing section can save your score.
3. Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers
Modifiers are like arrows pointing to specific words, but confusion occurs when that arrow lands in the wrong spot. A modifier must be placed directly next to the word it describes. The SAT writing section frequently tests this concept, trying to catch students off guard with tricky sentence constructions.
Common Mistakes:
Incorrect: Running down the hall, the backpack fell off Jake's shoulders.
Correct: Running down the hall, Jake let his backpack slip from his shoulders.
In the incorrect example, it sounds like the backpack is sprinting down the hall. The right way to do it is by placing the modifier (running down the hall) next to its logical subject (Jake). Misplaced modifiers are a common pitfall in the SAT writing section, so staying alert to sentence structure can help you avoid unnecessary mistakes.
Quick Tip: After identifying a modifier, ask yourself: Who or what is acting? Make sure the modifier's subject is clear.
4. Parallel Structure Errors
When listing items or making comparisons, we need to keep grammar consistent. This is known as parallel structure, which is a frequent focus in the SAT writing section.
Common Mistakes:
Incorrect: She likes running, swimming, and to bike.
Correct: She likes running, swimming, and biking.
Here, the verbs in the list need to match. The correct version keeps all items in the same form (-ing endings). The SAT writing section often includes tricky sentences like this to test your ability to spot inconsistencies.
Quick Tip: When tackling lists or comparisons, check if all parts use the same grammatical structure.
5. Incorrect Use of Commas
Commas may be small, but they're mighty in the SAT exam writing section. Misusing commas can create run-on sentences or sentence fragments, common traps.
Common Mistakes:
Comma Splice (two independent clauses joined incorrectly):
Incorrect: I love grammar, it is so interesting.
Correct: I love grammar. It is so interesting. (or rewrite with a semicolon or conjunction)
Unnecessary Commas:
Incorrect: She enjoys, reading books and painting.
Correct: She enjoys reading books and painting.
Quick Tip: Use commas only when necessary—such as after introductory phrases, in lists, or before conjunctions in compound sentences. Overusing commas will make your writing unclear. The writing section for the SAT frequently tests comma rules, so mastering them is essential for a high score.
6. Wrong Word Usage (Commonly Confused Words)
The SAT writing section is known for throwing in homophones and lookalike words to see if you're paying attention. Here are a few common traps:
Affect vs. Effect:
Incorrect: The new law will effect many students.
Correct: The new law will affect many students.
It's vs. Its:
Incorrect: The dog wagged it's tail.
Correct: The dog wagged its tail.
Quick Tip: Memorize commonly confused words and practice spotting them in SAT writing section questions. The better you recognize these tricky word pairs, the fewer mistakes you'll make on test day.
7. Run-On Sentences & Sentence Fragments
Incorrect sentence structure is a common pitfall in the SAT exam writing section. Here's how these mistakes pop up on the exam:
Run-On Sentences: Two complete thoughts joined without proper punctuation.
Incorrect: She loves math, she studies every night.
Correct: She loves math. She studies every night.
Sentence Fragments: Incomplete thoughts pretending to be sentences.
Incorrect: Because he studied hard for the test.
Correct: Because he studied hard for the test, he scored well.
Quick Tip: Make sure every sentence has a subject, verb, and complete thought. Many errors in the SAT test stem from improper sentence construction, so double-check your punctuation and structure.
8. Redundancy & Wordiness
The SAT exam writing section values clarity and brevity. Long-winded sentences often contain unnecessary words that need cutting.
Common Mistakes:
Incorrect: She made a final conclusion at the end of the debate.
Correct: She concluded the debate.
Quick Tip: Choose the most concise option without changing the sentence's meaning. Many questions in the SAT test's writing section challenge you to spot and eliminate redundancy, so always look for the most straightforward, most direct phrasing.
Strategies to Avoid Grammar Mistakes on the SAT
Knowing these common pitfalls in the SAT writing section is crucial to your preparation, but how can you ensure that they do not trip you up on test day? Here are some strategies to sharpen your grammar skills:
Read Carefully: Do not rush. Pay attention to sentence structure and grammatical details.
Identify Common Traps: The SAT exam writing section repeats similar grammar mistakes. Get familiar with these patterns.
Use the Process of Elimination: If you are unsure, eliminate wrong choices first. This narrows down your options.
Practice with Official SAT Materials: The College Board's official practice tests are gold. Use them to see which grammar errors you frequently miss.
Read & Write Regularly: Reading high-quality material exposes you to proper grammar, while writing helps you practice your learning.
Conclusion
You need strong grammar skills and quick thinking to ace the SAT writing section. From subject-verb agreement to redundancy, mastering common mistakes can significantly boost your score.
Take a timed SAT writing section test, review mistakes, and sharpen your skills.
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