SAT Writing Cheat Sheet

1. Shorter is better (grammar questions only). (ch. 4)

2. Comma+ it, tl1is, he, she, they usually (but not always) = comma splice = WRONG. (ch. 7)

3. Period = semicolon = comma+ and/but. (ch. 7)

4. 2 commas = 2 dashes = 2 parentheses = non-essential clause. If the information between these

punctuation marks is crossed out, the sentence will still make sense. BUT commas, dashes, and
parentheses cannot be mixed and matched. (ch. 9)

5. Its, tlteir = possessive; it's= it is; tlrey're = they are; there = a place. (ch. 13)

6. Colon = list or explanation. A complete, standalone sentence is required before but not after. (ch. 11)

7. All items in a list must match, e.g., noun, noun, noun; verb, verb, verb. (ch. 17)

8. Comma before preposition = WRONG. (ch. 10)

9. Being= WRONG. (ch. 6)

10. Affect= verb, effect = noun; t/ia11 = comparison, then = next. (ch. 5)

11. Singular verbs end in -s; plural verbs do not end in -s, e.g., it suggests, tltey suggest. (ch. 15)

12. Keep verb tense/form consistent. An underlined verb should stay parallel to the surrounding verbs
unless there is a clear reason for the tense to change. Check verbs in the sentence/ paragraph for
context. (ch. 15)

13. Add/Delete/Revise: Reread the surrounding sentences, and state the topic in your own words before
checking the answers. If the sentence is directly relevant to that topic, it beJongs. If not, it doesn't
belong. (ch. 1)

14. Transition questions: physically cross out the transition and determine the relationship (continue,
contradict, cause-and-effect) between the two sentences/halves of a sentence before checking the
answers. Eliminate synonyms+ answers from incorrect transition categories. (ch. 8)

15. Infographics: Take a moment and determine the "point" of the graphic before you start to answer the
question. You can sometimes eliminate answers based on a big-picture understanding. (ch. 3)

And two general points:

First, make sure you actually read the passage. You don't need to read closely, but you shouldn't just skip
from question to question. Otherwise, you're likely to miss important information.

Second, before you choose an answer, plug it back into the passage to make sure that it fits. An answer
that makes perfect sense on its own may create an error in the context of the passage.

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 Parts of Speech

There are eight parts of speech in the English language, seven of which are directly relevant to the SAT. lf
you arc n? t_c�mfortable identifying them, you should begin by reviewing this section. Although portions of
th� d�tions are repeated throughout the guide, familiarizing yourself with these terms before you
begm wtll help you move through the exp]anations and exercises more easily.

The seven parts of speech tested on the SAT are as follows:

1. Verb

Verbs indicate actions or states of being.

Examples: To be
To have
To seem
Togo
To study
To believe

The "to" form of a verb is known as the infinitive. All of the verbs Listed above are infinitives. If you
are uncertain whether a word can be used as a verb, try placing to in front of it to form an infinitive.

Verbs are not always used as infinitives. In order to indicate who is performing an action, we must
conjugate the verb and provide its subject.

To be and to have are the most common English verbs. As a result, they are tested frequently on the
SAT. Because they are irregular, their conjugated forms are different from their infinitives. To be is also
unique in that it is conjugated in both the present and past. To answer many verb questions accurately,
you must be able to recognize and distinguish between these verbs' singular and plural forms.

Conjugation of to be, present: Conjugation of to be, past:

Slngular Plural Singular Plural

lam We are I was We were
You are You (pl.) are You were You (pl.) were
It, (s)he, one is They are It, (s)he, one was They were

Conjugation of to have, present*:

Singular Plural
I have We have
You have You (pl.) have
It, (s)he, one has They have

*The past form of have is always !tad.

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The number of a verb indicates whether it is singular or plural. I, she, he, it and one are always
singular, and we and thetJ are always plural. You can be either singular or plural.

Note that third-person singular verbs end in -s, whereas third-person plural verbs do not end in -s,
e.g., it works, they work. SAT verb questions also focus on this distinction.

The tense of a verb indicates when an action occurred.

It is = Present It would be = Conditional

It has been = Present perfect It would have been = Past conditional
It was = Simple past It will be = Future
It had been = Past perfect It will have been = Future perfect

2. Noun

Nouns indicate people, places, objects, and ideas, and can always be preceded by a(n) or the.

Note that in addition to physical objects, nouns can refer to ideas/ concepts and things that cannot be
touched. These nouns, known as abstract nouns, frequently end in -ment, -tion, and -tude.

Examples: bicycle, supervisor, Amelia Earhart, Chicago, notion, development, latitude

• The bicycle is an affordable and convenient form of transportation .

• Until the early nineteenth century, most scientists held the belief that meteorites
could not exist.

3. Pronoun

Pronouns replace nouns.

Examples: she, you, one, we, him, it(s), their, this, that, these, those, which, both, some, few, many

• Astronomers study the universe. They observe it through telescopes .

• Michelangelo was one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. He was born in 1475.

Personal pronouns are often referred to in the following manner:

Singular Plural
1st person = I 1 person= We
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znd person = You 2nd person = You

3 rd person= S/he, It, One 3rd person = They

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4. Preposition
Prepositions are time and location words. They .indicate where things and people are, where they're
going, and when events happened. They are always followed by nouns.

Example: 1'he dog ran under the fence and into the neighboring yard in a matter of seconds.

About Among Beside In Opposite

Above Around Between Inside Outside
B
Across Before y Near Toward
Behind During Next to Under
Against �low For Off With
Alon2 Beneath From On Without

5. Conjunction
Conjunctions indicate relationships between words, phrases, and clauses.

Examples: and, but, however, therefore, so, although, yet, when, ,because, since

• Holland was once home to 10,000 windmills, but only 1,000 remain today.
• The surface of Mars appears red because it is covered with iron-rich mineraJs.

&.Adverb
Adverbs modify verbs, phrases, and other adverbs. Many common adverbs end in -ly (e.g., slowly,
loudly, strongly), but the SAT is primarily concerned with conjunctive adverbs: adverbs that serve as
transitional words.

Although many of these words have the same meaning as conjunctions, they can only be used at the
beginning of a sentence or clause.

Examples: however, therefore, thus, hence, moreover, indeed, furthermore, subsequently

• Holland was once home to 10,000 windmiUs; however, only 1,000 remain today.
• The surface of Mars is covered with iron-rich mineraJs; therefore, it appears red.

7. Adjective
Adjectives modify (pro)nouns and other adjectives.

Examples: large, pretty, interesting, solid, wide, exceptional.. smart, short, simple

• Some airports have begun using short, friendly robots to guide passengers to their gates.

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