Question ID 333b2b65 1.

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 333b2b65
While one requires oxygen and one does ______ and anaerobic respiration are both forms of cellular respiration—
that is, they are processes by which cells break down glucose to use as energy.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. not aerobic
B. not. Aerobic
C. not, aerobic
D. not; aerobic

ID: 333b2b65 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. A comma is the appropriate way to link the dependent clause “While...not” and the
independent clause that follows.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. “While...not” is a dependent clause, which
must be separated from the independent clause that follows with some sort of punctuation. Choice B is
incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. “While one requires oxygen and one does not” isn’t an
independent clause, so it can’t stand alone as a complete sentence. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a
punctuation error. “While one requires oxygen and one does not” isn’t an independent clause, so it can’t be
linked to the clause that follows with a semicolon.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 148be4da 1.2

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 148be4da
Human-made (synthetic) fibers used in clothes and many other consumer products are more durable than most
natural plant ______ the manufacture of synthetic fibers requires toxic chemical solvents that can pollute air and
water.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. fibers,
B. fibers but
C. fibers
D. fibers, but

ID: 148be4da Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses within a
sentence. This choice correctly uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction “but” to join the first main
clause (“Human-made...fibers”) and the second main clause (“the manufacture...water”).

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t
be used in this way to join two main clauses. Choice B is incorrect because when coordinating two longer
main clauses such as these, it’s conventional to use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Choice C is
incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or
a conjunction.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 6fece68e 1.3

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 6fece68e
Emperor Ashoka ruled the Maurya Empire in South Asia from roughly 270 to 232 BCE. He is known for enforcing a
moral code called the Law of Piety, which established the sanctity of animal ______ the just treatment of the
elderly, and the abolition of the slave trade.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. life
B. life;
C. life:
D. life,

ID: 6fece68e Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the first item in a list of three things. We
must use a comma to separate the first two items in the list, just as a comma is used to separate "the just
treatment of the elderly" and "the abolition of the slave trade."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the
first item in a list of three things. To appropriately format the list, we need punctuation to separate each item.
Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the
first item in a list of three things. While semicolons are sometimes used to separate list items, this list uses
commas to separate the other list items, and lists must use the same punctuation throughout. Choice C is
incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the first item in a
list of three things. While colons can be used to introduce lists, they can’t be used to separate items within a
list.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 1724dac2 1.4

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 1724dac2
A subseasonal weather forecast attempts to predict weather conditions three to four weeks in ______ its
predictions are therefore more short-term than those of the seasonal forecast, which attempts to predict the
weather more than a month in advance.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. advance,
B. advance
C. advance;
D. advance and

ID: 1724dac2 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The clause “A subseasonal…advance” and the clause “its predictions…forecast” are
both independent clauses, so using a semicolon to separate them is grammatically correct.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “A subseasonal…advance” and
the clause “its predictions…forecast” are both independent clauses, so a comma is not enough to separate
them. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “A subseasonal…advance”
and the clause “its predictions…forecast” are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with
specific punctuation (a period, a semi-colon, a colon, a dash, or a comma + a coordinating conjunction). Choice
D is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “A subseasonal…advance” and the
clause “its predictions…forecast” are both independent clauses, so the word “and” by itself is not enough to
separate them. There would need to be a comma before “and” for this choice to work.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID a1e0c981 1.5

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: a1e0c981
In her book The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, author Maxine Hong Kingston examines
themes ______ childhood, womanhood, and Chinese American identity by intertwining autobiography and
mythology.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. of:
B. of
C. of—
D. of,

ID: a1e0c981 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. “Themes of childhood” is one noun phrase, with “themes of” implicitly carrying
over to the other items on the list (“themes of childhood, [themes of] womanhood, and [themes of] Chinese
American identity”).

Choice A is incorrect. This choice inappropriately breaks up the introduction of a list. Also, “In her book…
themes of” is not an independent clause, thanks to the dangling “of” at the end, so it can’t precede a
colon. Choice C is incorrect. This choice inappropriately breaks up the introduction of a list. Also, “In her
book…themes of” is not an independent clause, thanks to the dangling “of” at the end, so it can’t precede a
single dash. Choice D is incorrect. This choice inappropriately breaks up the introduction of a list. “Themes of”
implicitly carries over to each item on the list (“themes of childhood, [themes of] womanhood, and [themes of]
Chinese American identity”), so we don’t want to use a comma to separate it.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID b35cefb7 1.6

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: b35cefb7
The fine, powdery substance that covers the Moon’s surface is called regolith. Because regolith is both readily
available and high in oxygen ______ scientists have wondered whether it could be used as a potential source of
oxygen for future lunar settlements.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. content and
B. content,
C. content
D. content, and

ID: b35cefb7 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a subordinate clause and a
main clause. This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the subordinate clause
(“Because...content”) and the main clause (“scientists...settlements”).

Choice A is incorrect. Joining the subordinate clause (“Because...content”) and the clause that follows
(“scientists...settlements”) with the conjunction “and” results in an ungrammatical sentence that lacks a main
clause. Choice C is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the subordinate clause and the
main clause with appropriate punctuation. Choice D is incorrect. Joining the subordinate clause
(“Because...content”) and the clause that follows (“scientists...settlements”) with a comma and the conjunction
“and” results in an ungrammatical sentence that lacks a main clause.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID aab78b25 1.7

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: aab78b25
Psychophysicist Howard Moskowitz was hired by a soda company to determine how much artificial sweetener
______ After conducting consumer taste tests, he found that no such ideal existed: participants expressed a wide
range of preferences for different blends of sweetener, carbonization, and flavoring.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. do most people prefer in a diet drink?
B. do most people prefer in a diet drink.
C. most people prefer in a diet drink?
D. most people prefer in a diet drink.

ID: aab78b25 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. This sentence is a statement: “Moskowitz was hired by a soda company to
determine how much artificial sweetener most people prefer in a diet drink.” So a period is the most
appropriate punctuation mark.

Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard
English. This sentence is not a question—it’s a statement. So a question mark is not the appropriate
punctuation. Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of
Standard English. We already have the verbs “was hired…to determine” in this sentence. The verb “do” is not
needed and results in a confusing, ungrammatical sentence. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the
text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. This sentence is not a question—it’s a
statement. So a question mark is not the appropriate punctuation.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 26c8c88c 1.8

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 26c8c88c
About 70,000 meteorites have been found on Earth. Although most meteorites are fragments of ______ hundred
have been identified as being from the Moon or Mars.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. asteroids. Several
B. asteroids, several
C. asteroids; several
D. asteroids: several

ID: 26c8c88c Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice uses a comma to correctly separate the dependent clause "although…
asteroids" from the independent clause "several hundred have been…Mars."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. "Although…asteroids" is a dependent clause.
It can’t stand on its own as a sentence, which means it can’t end in a period. Choice C is incorrect. This choice
results in a punctuation error. "Although…asteroids" is a dependent clause and can’t be joined to the
independent clause "several hundred have been…Mars" with a semicolon. A semicolon can only join two
independent clauses. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. A colon can only come
after an independent clause, but "although…asteroids" is a dependent clause.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 89ab0d46 1.9

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 89ab0d46
After the printing press was introduced in 1440, handwritten manuscripts from Europe’s medieval period were
often destroyed and the paper used for other purposes. In one instance, pages ______ a collection of Norse tales
dating to 1270 were discovered lining a bishop’s miter (hat).
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. from:
B. from,
C. from
D. from—

ID: 89ab0d46 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The word “from” introduces a prepositional phrase that modifies the noun “pages”
and provides essential information about their origin. No additional punctuation is needed after “from” in this
context.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error, illogically separating the preposition “from”
from the rest of the prepositional phrase with a colon. Also, a colon can only follow an independent clause, but
what comes before the blank could not stand on its own as a complete sentence. Choice B is incorrect. This
choice results in a punctuation error, illogically separating the preposition “from” from the rest of the
prepositional phrase with a comma. Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error, illogically
separating the preposition “from” from the rest of the prepositional phrase with a dash.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID ea8f4658 1.10

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: ea8f4658
When particles are suspended in liquid (like pollen in a water glass), they will zigzag randomly through the liquid
and collide with one another in perpetuity. This type of random, continuous ______ is known as Brownian motion,
can be observed throughout the natural world.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. movement: which
B. movement, which
C. movement which
D. movement. Which

ID: ea8f4658 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice correctly uses commas to set off the nonessential relative clause
"which is known as Brownian motion" that provides extra information about the "random, continuous
movement" that isn’t necessary for the function of the sentence.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error. The relative clause "which is known as
Brownian motion" is a nonessential supplement. Nonessential supplements need to be set apart from the rest
of the sentence with a pair of commas, dashes, or parentheses, so we can’t use a colon here. Also, notice that
colons can only come after an independent clause, which isn’t the case here. Choice C is incorrect. This choice
results in a punctuation error. The relative clause "which is known as Brownian motion" is a nonessential
supplement, so it should be separated from the rest of the sentence by a pair of matching punctuation marks.
We already have a comma after "motion," so we need to add a comma before "which." This choice is missing
that comma. Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. "This type of random,
continuous movement" is not an independent clause and can’t stand alone as a full sentence, so we can’t put a
period here.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID c21df211 1.11

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: c21df211
In 1959, the film industry debuted Smell-O-Vision. Theaters were fitted with specialized vents that emitted odors
at specific points in a ______ as the scent of roses when roses appeared in a scene. Smell-O-Vision failed to
impress, however, with one reviewer declaring it “briefly weird and not very interesting.”
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. movie such
B. movie; such
C. movie. Such
D. movie, such

ID: c21df211 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The comma appropriately separates the nonessential descriptive aside "such as…
scene" from the independent clause "Theaters were…movie." Since the descriptive example of roses isn’t
necessary for the sentence to function, it needs to be set off with punctuation.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence. Since the example of roses isn’t necessary for
the sentence to function, the descriptive aside "such as…scene" needs to be separated from the preceding
independent clause with some sort of punctuation. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation
error. A semicolon can only be used to separate two independent clauses, but "such…scene" is not an
independent clause and couldn’t stand on its own as a sentence. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a
sentence fragment. The descriptive aside "Such…scene" is not an independent clause and can’t stand on its
own as a sentence.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 577b09fa 1.12

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 577b09fa
Robin Wall Kimmerer of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation is a bryologist, a plant scientist who specializes in mosses.
To Kimmerer, mosses are Earth’s most adaptable plants: they can clone ______ enter a dormant state in times of
drought, and grow in areas that don’t have soil.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. themselves;
B. themselves,
C. themselves. And
D. themselves

ID: 577b09fa Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of items in a series. The comma
after “themselves” is used conventionally to separate the first item (“they can clone themselves”) and the
second item (“enter a dormant state in times of drought”) in the series of things mosses can do.

Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to separate items in a simple series such
as this. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning
with “And enter.” Choice D is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the first and
second items in the series.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID a466679a 1.13

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: a466679a
In 1976, the Inuit rock group Sikumiut recorded the album People of the Ice. Though only their first record, it
shows a band already skilled at the difficult task of making music that sounds easy and fun. On songs like
“Utirumavunga,” Lucassie Koperqualuk’s guitar riffs effortlessly ______ Charlie Adams’s delightfully catchy vocal
melodies.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. blend, with
B. blend. With
C. blend; with
D. blend with

ID: a466679a Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a verb and a prepositional
phrase. No punctuation is needed between the verb “blend” and the prepositional phrase “with Charlie
Adams’s delightfully catchy vocal melodies.” The prepositional phrase completes the idea of the sentence,
explaining with what Koperqualuk’s guitar riffs blend.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and the prepositional phrase.
Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and the prepositional
phrase. Choice C is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and the prepositional
phrase.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 7b950fc2 1.14

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 7b950fc2
In 2000, Nora de Hoyos Comstock, herself an owner of a successful consulting firm, sought to increase Latina
representation in corporate ______ founded Las Comadres para las Americas, an international community that for
over two decades has served as a resource and information network for Latina business professionals.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. settings she
B. settings, she
C. settings and she
D. settings. She

ID: 7b950fc2 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. It appropriately uses a period to mark the end of one independent clause ("In
2000…settings") and the start of another ("She founded…professionals").

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence error. Both the clause before the blank ("In
2000…settings") and the clause after the blank ("she…professionals") are independent clauses, so they need to
be separated by punctuation. Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a comma splice error. It incorrectly
joins two independent clauses with just a comma. Linking two independent clauses with a comma also
requires the use of a coordinating conjunction (like for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so). Choice C is incorrect. This
choice results in a run-on sentence, an error caused when two independent clauses are joined without
punctuation or appropriate conjunctions. Since both the clause before the blank ("In 2000…settings") and the
clause after the blank ("she…professionals") are independent, a comma would be required in addition to the
coordinating conjunction "and."

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 96499989 1.15

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 96499989
Fans of science fiction will ______ multiple references to classic sci-fi stories in Janelle Monáe’s song lyrics,
including her recurring nods to the plot of the 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. appreciate the
B. appreciate. The
C. appreciate, the
D. appreciate: the

ID: 96499989 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested here is punctuation between a verb and object. No
punctuation is needed between the verb ("appreciate") and its object ("the multiple references..."). The object
helps complete the idea of the verb—in this case, it explains what fans of science fiction will appreciate—and
any punctuation between the two results in an ungrammatical sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and its object. Choice C is incorrect
because no punctuation is needed between the verb and its object. Choice D is incorrect because no
punctuation is needed between the verb and its object.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID b1e8b87f 1.16

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: b1e8b87f
Winding through the ice atop Norway’s Jotunheim Mountains is the Lendbreen pass, an ancient route that was
used by hunters, farmers, traders, and travelers in the Middle Ages before eventually falling into disuse. Recently,
archeologists have ______ knives, horseshoes, wool tunics, and thousands of other artifacts from the icy pass.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. unearthed:
B. unearthed,
C. unearthed—
D. unearthed

ID: b1e8b87f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. No punctuation should separate the verb "unearthed" and its objects (i.e, what was
"unearthed"): "knives, horseshoes, wool tunics, and thousands of other artifacts."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error, separating the verb "unearthed" from its objects
(i.e, what was "unearthed") with a colon. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error,
separating the verb "unearthed" from its objects (i.e, what was "unearthed") with a comma. Choice C is
incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error, separating the verb "unearthed" from its objects (i.e, what
was "unearthed") with a dash.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 603755a5 1.17

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 603755a5
In 1959, marine biologist Dr. Albert Jones founded the Underwater Adventure Seekers, a scuba diving ______ that
is the oldest club for Black divers in the United States and that has helped thousands of diving enthusiasts
become certified in the field.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. club
B. club,
C. club—
D. club, and

ID: 603755a5 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. “That is…field” is an essential supplement, so we should not use punctuation to
separate it from “scuba diving club.” .

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “That is…field” is an essential supplement, so we
should not use a comma (or any kind of punctuation) to separate it from “scuba diving club.” . Choice C is
incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “That is…field” is an essential supplement, so we should not
use a dash (or any kind of punctuation) to separate it from “scuba diving club.” . Choice D is incorrect. This
choice creates a run-on sentence. It makes “that is…United States” into an awkward independent clause, but it
also makes “that has…field” into its own awkward independent clause without the correct punctuation
separating it.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 1f39ab8b 1.18

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

Conventions

ID: 1f39ab8b
In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is a leader of Umuofia (a fictional Nigerian clan) and
takes pride in his culture’s traditions. However, when the arrival of European missionaries brings changes to
Umuofia, the novel asks a central question: How ______
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. Umuofia’s traditions will be affected.
B. will Umuofia’s traditions be affected.
C. Umuofia’s traditions will be affected?
D. will Umuofia’s traditions be affected?

ID: 1f39ab8b Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The clause before the colon tells us that the novel “asks a question,” so the clause
after the colon should be in the conventional form of a question: with the verb before the subject, and a
question mark at the end.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice ends the sentence with a period, which isn’t right. The clause before the
colon tells us that the novel “asks a question,” so the clause after the colon should be that question. Choice B is
incorrect. This choice ends the sentence with a period, which isn’t right. The clause before the colon tells us
that the novel “asks a question,” so the clause after the colon should be that question. In Standard English,
questions place the verb before the subject and end with a question mark. Choice C is incorrect. This choice
doesn’t conform to the conventions of Standard English. In Standard English, questions place the verb before
the subject.

Question Difficulty: Easy