Common Problems in the SAT Writing Section

The SAT is one of the most important aspects of a student's application for college. SAT scores not only can tip the balance of one candidate over another in the admissions process, but they also are widely used to determine the amount of scholarship money a student receives. Studying for the SAT is important for each college essay writer, but it doesn't have to be time-consuming. Below are three of the most common errors found in the sentence correction portion of the SAT writing section, how to spot them, and how to correct them.

Picture 1 of Common Problems in the SAT Writing Section

Check for Subject-Verb Agreement

This is probably the most common mistake found on the SAT. A question testing student knowledge of the rules of subject-verb agreement often looks like this:

The principal of the school, together with several teachers and coaches, is planning this year's prom.

The mistake here is in subject-verb agreement. The subject of this sentence is the principal. The verb should therefore be is, not are. Together with several teachers and coaches is a prepositional phrase that modifies the subject, but it is not a part of the subject, itself. The easiest way to spot this type of sentence is to find the verb and work backward. If there are many words between the first word in the sentence and the verb, be suspicious. Look for prepositions such as together with, along with, or except; also, check for commas, which are a dead giveaway that there is a phrase modifying the subject.

Also look for the reverse situation, in which the verb is singular but should be plural: Maria and her dog is going for a walk. (In this instance, is should be are; the subject is a compound one, linked by the conjunction and, so both Maria and the dog are both walking.)

In addition, look for sentences containing a nonspecific subject: Everyone except Michael are going to the movies. (Everyone...is going to the movies.)

The Gerund Takes the Possessive

This is a common mistake in everyday, colloquial language usage, and is frequently found on the SAT. Most people know the "ing" form when it is used as a present participle (I am running, he is sitting). The gerund, however, is used as follows:

Marie's complaints led to our being angry with her.

In this case, "being" is the gerund form of the verb. Someone or something in the sentence needs to act as this verb, and therefore the word directly preceding it should always be in the possessive form (either in the form of a possessive adjective or through the presence of an 's). Following are two examples of sentences using the gerund, first incorrectly, and then corrected:

Wrong: Our careful research on Orca whales led to them being placed on the endangered list.

Right: Our careful research on Orca whales led to their being placed on the endangered list.

Wrong: Being caught cheating led to Maria getting into trouble at school.

Right: Being caught cheating led to Maria's getting into trouble at school.

Never Start a Sentence With Due to

Although it is commonly used in news reports and other forms of media, the phrase "due to" cannot begin a sentence in standard American edited English. If a sentence begins with "due to" on the SAT, there is no need to continue looking for an error – choose that answer and move on. This is a "gimme" question, in that if a student knows this rule, then s/he can gain some time for other questions by spotting this error right away.

There are many other errors to be on the lookout for during the sentence correction portion of the SAT, but these are three of the most commonly found types of problems. Knowing ahead of time what types of errors to look for can boost his or her overall confidence, as well as save a student valuable time during the examination.

Micah Soto

Update 05 March 2022