The Dirty Dozen of the SAT

1. The Dirty Dozen of the SAT SAT/Keystone Exam Preparation

2. What is the “Dirty Dozen?” Twelve language skills and/or errors commonly tested on the SAT exam.

3. Which Skills are Included? The Run-on Sentence The Sentence Fragment Error in the Case of a Noun or Pronoun Subject / Verb Agreement Pronoun / Antecedent Agreement Verb Tense Subjunctive Mood Adjective Comparison (best vs. better) Adjective / Adverb Confusion Dangling Modifiers Parallel Structure Diction (word choice) Error (affect vs. effect)

4. Why do we study these?(…besides the fact that our brain thirsts for knowledge, Mr. Stadnycki) Introduction to some complex grammatical issues we’ll discuss later Awareness of possible testing questions Repeated exposure is best

5. Set One The Run On Sentence The Sentence Fragment Parallel Structure

6. Reviewing Independent Clauses …and coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS)

7. Review: What’s an independent clause? • A series of words that contains a subject and a verb. • It must also exist as a complete thought. • Iwent to the grocery store. • Ibought candy corn.

8. Linking Independent Clauses • Iwent to the grocery store. • Ibought candy corn. • Iwent to the grocery store, and Ibought some candy corn. • Related independent clauses can be linked by a comma and coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

9. F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.Coordinating Conjunctions • But • Or • Yet • So (sometimes) For And Nor

10. Run-on Sentences

11. Run-on Sentences • Example 1: • We went to see Prometheus in the theater I had some popcorn covered in delicious, greasy butter. • Problem: • We have two independent clauses linked in one sentence with no evidence of where one ends and the next begins. • Example 1: • We went to see Prometheus in the theaterI had some popcorn covered in delicious, greasy butter.

12. Run-on Sentences • Example 2: • The Avengers was a perfect mix of action and humor and we went back to see the movie again and again. • Problem: • We have two independent clauses linked by a conjunction with no comma • Example 2: • The Avengers was a perfect mix of action and humor and we went back to see the movie again and again.

13. Run-on Sentences • Explanation: • Run-ons are sentences that combine or “fuse” two independent thoughts together without necessary punctuation. • Why is this a problem? • Run-on Sentences confuse readers because they’re often unclear.

14. Fixing Run-on Sentences • Rule 1: • If the independent clauses are unrelated, place a period in between the independent clauses to create two sentences • We went to see Prometheus in the theater. I had some popcorn covered in delicious, greasy butter.

15. Fixing Run-on Sentences • Rule 2: • If the independent clauses are related, use a comma and coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) to link the two sentences together. • Example 2: • The Avengers was a perfect mix of action and humor,and we went back to see the movie again and again.

16. Fixing Run-on Sentences • Rule 3: • Semicolons are acceptable punctuation to join independent clauses. The semicolon means that both independent clauses are related. • However, comma and coordinating conjunction are a better form of connection because the semicolon is less clear about how the clauses are connected. • Example 2: • The Avengers was a perfect mix of action and humor; we went back to see the movie again and again.

17. Sentence Fragments

18. Subject/Verb Relationships Zachran faster than a speeding bullet. Ed’s funny jokes always make me laugh. When Kiana went to the store, sheforgot to buy milk.

19. Sentence Fragments • Explanation: • Fragments may be missing a subject/verb relationship. • Some fragments might have a S/V relationship, but they don’t form a complete thought. • Why are fragments a problem? • Language is essentially built of things and the actions those things are doing. • We need the thing, we need the action, and it must make sense.

20. Sentence Fragments • Examples: • Ran faster than a speeding bullet • Ed’s funny jokes. • When Kiana went to the store. • What is the problem with each of these examples above? • Examples: • Ran faster than a speeding bullet • Ed’s funny jokes. • When Kiana went to the store.

21. Fixing Sentence Fragments • Example #1: • Ran faster than a speeding bullet • Missing a subject. • Something/someone needs to be DOING the running. • Zach ran faster than a speeding bullet. • Now, the subject is attached to a verb. • Their relationship creates a complete thought.

22. Fixing Sentence Fragments • Example #2: • Ed’s funny jokes. • Missing a verb • What are Ed and his sense of humor doing? • Ed’s funny jokes always make me laugh.

23. Fixing Sentence Fragments • Examples #3: • When Kianawent to the store. • We have a noun and a verb, so what’s wrong? • This isn’t a complete thought. • Kianawent to the store. • When Kiana went to the store, sheforgot to buy milk.

24. Sentence Fragment Fixes • Rule for Fix: • Add a subject / predicate • AND / OR • Complete the thought

25. Parallel Structure

26. Correct Parallel Structure • Examples: • Jon brought salty chips, crunchy crackers, and tasty dip. • Nate always runs fast, jumps high, and slides low. • Emily loves to write, to read, and to reflect.

27. General Rule: Rule: Express parallel ideas in the same grammatical form.

28. Coordinate Ideas - Type 1 • Rule Explanation: • all of the items in a list (typically two or more) must be in the same grammatical format: • either verb, verb, verb; noun, noun, noun; or gerund, gerund, gerund. No mixing and matching!

29. Correct Parallel Structure • Examples: • Jonbroughtsaltychips, crunchycrackers, and tastydip. adj.nadj.nadj.n • Nate always runsfast, jumpshigh, and slideslow. vadv. vadv.vadv. • Emily loves to write, to read, and to reflect. inf. verbinf. verbinf. verb • Explanation: • Items in this list are the same grammatical format.

30. Incorrect Parallel Structure • Examples: • Jeremy brought saltychips, crunchycrackers, and ranhome. adj.nadj.nvn • Nate always runsfast, jumpshigh, and to slide. vadv.vadv.inf. verb • Emily loves to write, to read, and hamburgers. inf. verbinf. verbn

31. Non-List Parallel Structure Complication! Complication! The SAT loves testing two-part parallel structure because it deals with entire phrases. Most SAT prep books don’t cover this error!

32. Non-List Parallel Structure • Incorrect: • President Obama called for enforcement of tobacco regulations and investigating motivations for smoking. • President Obama called for enforcement of tobacco regulationsandinvestigating motivations for smoking.

33. President Obama called for… • Enforcementoftobaccoregulations noun + prep + adj. + noun • Investigatingmotivationsforsmoking. gerund + noun + prep+ noun • Issue: • These sides must begin grammatically paralleled. They don’t need to be entirely identical after that. • Think of this as balancing a mathematical equation.

34. President Obama called for… Enforcementoftobaccoregulations noun + prep + adj.+ noun Wrong: Investigatingmotivationsforsmoking. gerund + noun + prep+ noun Corrected: an investigation ofmotivationsfor smoking. noun+ prep + noun + prep+noun

35. Corrected Parallel Phrases • President Obama called for enforcement of tobacco regulations and an investigation of motivationsfor smoking.

36. Example Phrases Question(October '06 test, section 10, #14) Acquaintances of Alex have commented that he is at once annoying because of his unpredictability but his imagination is still a delight.(A) but his imagination is still a delight(B) although he is delightfully imaginative(C) and he is delightful in his imagination too(D) while being imaginative and they are delighted(E) and delightful because of his imagination

37. Example Phrases Question(October '06 test, section 10, #14) • Acquaintances of Alex have commented that he is at once annoying because of his unpredictability but his imagination is still a delight.(A) but his imagination is still a delight(B) although he is delightfully imaginative(C) and he is delightful in his imagination too(D) while being imaginative and they are delighted(E) and delightful because of his imagination • Steps for Solving: • Break down which phrases seem to be paralleled (look for a signal word to tell you where the first begins). • Look at the word directly past the signal word. • Decide its part of speech and which answer best mirrors the beginning of that phrase.

38. Example Phrases Question(October '06 test, section 10, #14) Acquaintances of Alex have commented that he is at onceannoying because of his unpredictabilitybut his imagination is still a delight.(A) but his imagination is still a delight(B) although he is delightfully imaginative(C) and he is delightful in his imagination too(D) while being imaginative and they are delighted(E) and delightful because of his imagination

39. Fixing Parallel Structure Issues • List-Style Fix: • Change all items in the series (list) so that they are in grammatically identical structures. • Balancing Phrases Fix: • Balance the beginning part of speech of each phrase.

40. Set Two Subjunctive Mood Subject-Verb Agreement Verb Tense

41. Subjunctive Mood

42. Subjunctive Mood • Example: • If I weregoing to Wawa, I’d get a blue-raspberry Icee because they are the bomb-diggity. • If I wasgoing to Wawa, I’d get a blue-raspberry Iceebecause they are the bomb-diggity. • Explanation: • The subjunctive mood “were” is used in contrary-to-fact statements (after if or as though) and in statements expressing a wish. • This is true because “was” implies past tense. Given that the subjunctive is a conditional statement (it may or may not happen), we can’t use the past tense. • Rule to Fix: • If “wish,” “if,” or “as though” is stated or implied, change “was” to “were.” • Statements contrary to fact. (if, as though) • Statements expressing a wish.

43. Subjunctive Examples Correct or incorrect? • I wish that was true. • Rule: This is a “wish” statement. • Was he my counselor, I’d have an easier time choosing a college. • Rule: What word is implied here? • If I were you , I’d save the money. • Rule: This is a “contrary to fact” statement. I am NOT you. • She talked as though she was my mother. • Why is this not correct? • Were he taller, he’d be a champion. • What word is implied?

44. Subject-Verb Agreement

45. Subject-Verb Agreement • Example: • Heruns to the store. • Theyrun to the store • Explanation: • A verb agrees with its subject in number. • Singular Subjects need Singular Verbs • Plural Subjects need Plural verbs. • IMPORTANT: The number of a subject is not changed by a phrase following the subject (think prep phrase). • The sound of the violins are/is deafening. • The soundof the violinsis deafening.

46. How to Fix: • Fix: • Identify the subject. • Decide plural or singular. • Match with the correct plural or singular verb. • Let’s practice

47. Singular Pronouns • The following pronouns are always singular: • Example: • Each (singular) of us is (singular) happy with the decision. • Helpful Tip: • Think: Use “one” to help you remember that these pronouns are singular. • Any(one)body. • Let’s Practice

48. Plural pronouns • The following pronouns are always plural: • Several • Few • Both • Many • Several (plural) of us are (plural) going to the movies. • A few (plural) of them jump (plural) into the pool. • Both (plural) groups run (plural) well. • Many (plural) of the dogs jump (plural) higher than the cats. • Let’s Practice

49. Singular/Plural Pronouns (Can be Both) • The following pronouns can be singular OR plural, depending on the meaning of the sentence. • Acronym: SAAMN • Some • Any • All • Most • None • These are plural if they refer to a plural word. • They are singular if they refer to a singular word. • That reference word often appears in a prepositional phrase that follows the pronoun.

50. S.A.A.M.N = Plural or Singular • Some: • Some (S or P) of the cargo (singular) was (singular) lost. • Depends on the word “cargo” • Some (S or P) of the books (plural) were (plural) damaged. • Depends on the word “books” • Any: • Has (Singular) any (S or P) of the paint (singular) been delivered? • Depends on the word “paint,” which is singular. • Have (Plural) any (S or P) of the guests (plural) arrived? • Depends on the word “guests,” which is plural.