CB 2026 User Manual

Question ID: 707461d8

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

In 2021, Mexican biologist Martha Lydia Macías-Rubalcava led a review of the scientific literature related to endophytic fungi (i.e., fungi that live

inside a host ______ researching 120 endophytic fungi–produced compounds, she found that their phytotoxicity can make them viable

alternatives to chemical herbicides for controlling weeds.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. plant). By

B. plant), by

C. plant) and by

D. plant) by

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period is used correctly to

mark the boundary between one sentence ("In…plant") and another ("By…weeds"). The prepositional phrase beginning with "by" modifies the

subject of the next sentence, "she," which refers to Macías-Rubalcava.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to join two sentences. Choice C is incorrect.

Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction "and" can’t be used in this way to join two sentences. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a

run-on sentence. The two sentences are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Question ID: 333b2b65

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. not aerobic

B. not. Aerobic

C. not, aerobic

D. not; aerobic

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 ID: 626a1642

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

As a behavioral economist, Katy Milkman of the University of Pennsylvania recognizes that people sometimes make irrational economic

decisions. Milkman’s research can thus address anomalies that neoclassical economic ______ assume that people are consistently rational

decision-makers—cannot explain.



Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. models—which



B. models, which

C. models which

D. models which

—

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation within a sentence. The dashes after "models" and "decision-

makers" correctly separate the supplementary element "which assume that people are consistently rational decision-makers" from the rest of the

sentence. This punctuation indicates that this element could be removed without affecting the grammatical coherence of the sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because a comma can’t be paired with a dash in this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the

sentence. Choice C is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the

sentence. Choice D is incorrect because it interrupts the sentence at an illogical and grammatically incoherent point. The dash should be placed

before "which," not after it, to mark the beginning of the supplementary element.

Question ID: f78997cf

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Recent analysis of 32532 Thereus—an outer solar system object orbiting the Sun between Jupiter and Saturn—has determined its color to be

gray, suggesting an icy composition. Such interpretations are ultimately ______ the object’s gray coloration may be an incidental effect of

radiation, solar wind, or collisions with other objects rather than evidence of its physical makeup.



Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. speculative, though



B. speculative, though;

C. speculative; though



D. speculative, though,

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation in a sentence. This choice correctly uses a comma to

separate the supplementary adverb "though" from the preceding main clause ("Such interpretations are ultimately speculative") and uses a

semicolon to join the next main clause ("the object’s...makeup") to the rest of the sentence. Further, placing the semicolon after "though"

indicates that the information in the preceding main clause (interpretations of an outer solar system object’s composition based on its color are

ultimately speculative) is a qualification of the information in the previous sentence (the composition of an outer solar system object is

suggested by its color).

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the two main clauses with appropriate punctuation. Choice C is incorrect

because placing the semicolon after "speculative" illogically indicates that the information in the next main clause ("the object’s...makeup") is a

qualification of the information in the previous clause ("Such...speculative"). Choice D is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Commas

can’t be used in this way to punctuate a supplementary word or phrase between two main clauses.

Question ID: ac5536c1

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Beatrix Potter is perhaps best known for writing and illustrating children’s books such as

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

(1902), but she also dedicated

herself to mycology, the study of ______ more than 350 paintings of the fungal species she observed in nature and submitting her research on

spore germination to the Linnean Society of London.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. fungi; producing

B. fungi. Producing

C. fungi producing

D. fungi, producing

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between two supplementary phrases following the coordinate

clause (“but she…mycology”). This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the supplementary noun phrase (“the study of

fungi”) that defines the term “mycology” and the supplementary participial phrase (“producing...London”) that provides additional information

about the extent to which Potter dedicated herself to mycology.

Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join two supplementary phrases following a coordinate clause. Choice B

is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “producing.” Choice C is incorrect. The lack of

punctuation results in a sentence that illogically suggests that the study of fungi is producing more than 350 paintings.

Question ID: 5bed774c

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Philosopher Peter Kivy was a leading figure in musical ______ evidenced by his belief that instead of evoking particular emotions, such as

sadness or joy, compositions elicit a listener’s emotional response to the structure and artistry of the music itself, Kivy’s approach to the study of

music was decidedly formalist.



Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. aesthetics as

B. aesthetics and as

C. aesthetics, as

D. aesthetics. As

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period is used correctly to

mark the boundary between one sentence ("Philosopher...aesthetics") and another ("As...formalist"). The long adverbial element "as

evidenced...itself" modifies the content in the following clause to support the claim that Kivy’s approach was formalist.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The sentences ("Philosopher...aesthetics" and "As…formalist") are fused without

punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice B is incorrect. Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction "and" can’t be used in this way to join

sentences. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between

sentences.

Question ID: fba5d8d1

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

In a 2016 study, Eastern Washington University psychologist Amani El-Alayli found that, among the study participants who experienced frisson (a

physiological response akin to goosebumps or getting the chills) while listening to music, there was one personality trait that they scored

particularly ______ openness to experience.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. high. On

B. high on;

C. high on

D. high on:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a supplementary phrase. In this choice,

a colon is correctly used to mark the boundary between the main clause ("there...on") and the supplementary phrase ("openness to experience")

and to introduce the information that identifies which personality trait participants scored especially high on.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with "on" and separates a necessary

preposition from the clause beginning with "there." Choice B is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the main clause

("there...on") and the supplementary phrase ("openness to experience"). A semicolon is conventionally used to join two main clauses, whereas a

colon is conventionally used to introduce an element that explains or amplifies the information in the preceding clause, making the colon the

better choice in this context. Choice C is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause ("there...on") and the

supplementary phrase ("openness to experience").

Question ID: 6fece68e

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. life

B. life;

C. life:

D. life,

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 ID: 6ea8c23f

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

In 2018, a team of researchers led by Dr. Caitlin Whalen compiled every available measurement of ocean mixing rates from the past two

decades. With this novel data set, the team was able to determine how current-driven mixing varies across ______ and what impact it has on the

distribution of heat and nutrients in the ocean.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. regions,

B. regions:

C. regions;

D. regions

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between coordinates in a sentence. The two elements "how…regions"

and "what…ocean" work together as coordinates to complete the description of what the team was able to determine. Because there are only two

coordinates in this case (as opposed to a series of three or more), no punctuation is needed between them.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the coordinates "how…regions" and "what…ocean." Choice B is incorrect

because no punctuation is needed between the coordinates "how…regions" and "what…ocean." Choice C is incorrect because no punctuation is

needed between the coordinates "how…regions" and "what…ocean."

Question ID: aab74a3b

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Researcher Lin Zhi developed a process for increasing the tensile strength—measured in gigapascals, or GPa—of silkworm ______ dissolving and

reweaving the silk in a solution of iron metal ions, zinc, and sugar, Zhi increased the amount of force required to stretch it from approximately 0.5

GPa to 2 GPa.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. silk, by

B. silk by

C. silk and by

D. silk. By

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The independent clauses "researcher Lin Zhi…silk" and "by dissolving…2 GPa" can be grammatically separated by a

period. They can stand alone as sentences, and this is the only choice that lets them do that.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error called a comma splice. "Researcher Lin Zhi…silk" and "by dissolving…2 GPa" are both

independent clauses. They need to either be separated with punctuation like a period or a semicolon, or they need to be connected by a comma

and a coordinating conjunction like "and." A comma alone isn’t enough. Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error called a run-

on sentence. "Researcher Lin Zhi…silk" and "by dissolving…2 GPa" are both independent clauses. They need to either be separated with

punctuation like a period or a semicolon, or they need to be connected by a comma and a coordinating conjunction like "and." Choice C is

incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error called a run-on sentence. "Researcher Lin Zhi…silk" and "by dissolving…2 GPa" are both

independent clauses. The coordinating conjunction "and" isn’t enough to link them by itself. We need a comma, too.

Question ID: 1724dac2

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. advance,

B. advance

C. advance;

D. advance and

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 ID: 1aa3f174

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

The Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan featured a uniquely egalitarian urban housing infrastructure. Built between the first and seventh centuries

CE, Teotihuacan housed its residents (as many as 200,000, by some ______ in a complex of comfortable apartments of comparable size.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. estimates)

B. estimates),

C. estimates

—

D. estimates

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation within a sentence. This choice correctly completes the

parenthetical element "as many as 200,000, by some estimates" with a closing parenthesis, pairing with the opening parenthesis that appears

earlier in the sentence. This parenthetical element functions to specify the number of residents, and the use of parentheses indicates that this

element could be removed without affecting the grammatical coherence of the sentence.

Choice B is incorrect. While this choice completes the parenthetical element with a closing parenthesis, no comma is needed before the

prepositional phrases ("in...size") that provide essential information about where the residents were housed. Choice C is incorrect because a

dash can’t be paired with an opening parenthesis in this way to separate the parenthetical element from the rest of the sentence. Choice D is

incorrect because it doesn’t close the parenthetical element that was opened earlier in the sentence.

Question ID: a9e5b788

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

In discussing Mary Shelley’s 1818 epistolary novel

Frankenstein

, literary theorist Gayatri Spivak directs the reader’s attention to the character of

Margaret Saville. As Spivak points out, Saville is not the protagonist of Shelley’s ______ as the recipient of the letters that frame the book’s

narrative, she’s the “occasion” of it.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. novel

B. novel,

C. novel; rather,

D. novel, rather,

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses within a sentence. This choice correctly uses a

semicolon to join a main clause (“Saville...novel”) and a second main clause (“she’s...it”) preceded by supplementary elements

(“rather...narrative”).

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice

B 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 D is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, the comma after “novel” can’t be used in

this way to join the two main clauses.

Question ID: a1e0c981

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. of:

B. of

C. of

—

D. of,

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 ID: aab78b25

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

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.

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 ID: 145d5ca7

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Gathering accurate data on water flow in the United States is challenging because of the country’s millions of miles of ______ the volume and

speed of water at any given location can vary drastically over time.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. waterways and the fact that,

B. waterways, and the fact that,

C. waterways, and, the fact that

D. waterways and the fact that

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation within two coordinated noun phrases. When, as in this case, a noun

phrase (“the country’s millions of miles of waterways”) is coordinated with another noun phrase (“the fact”) followed by an integrated relative

clause (“that the volume...time”), no punctuation is needed.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed. Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed. Choice C is incorrect because

no punctuation is needed.

Question ID: be34a3df

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

In 2008, two years after the death of science fiction writer Octavia Butler, the Huntington Library in ______ received a collection of more than

8,000 items, including Butler’s private notes, research materials, manuscripts, photos, and drawings. Today, the Octavia E. Butler Collection is one

of the most researched archives at the library.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. California,

B. California:

C. California

—

D. California

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. No punctuation should separate the subject of the sentence (“the Huntington Library in California”) from its verb

(“received”).

Choice A is incorrect. No punctuation should separate the subject of the sentence (“the Huntington Library in California”) from its verb

(“received”). Choice B is incorrect. No punctuation should separate the subject of the sentence (“the Huntington Library in California”) from its

verb (“received”). Choice C is incorrect. No punctuation should separate the subject of the sentence (“the Huntington Library in California”) from

its verb (“received”).

Question ID: aecdb820

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Featuring works by the photographers Lola Álvarez Bravo and Else “Yva” Neuländer-Simon, the 2021 exhibition

The New Woman Behind the

Camera

set out to provide a wide-ranging overview of photography by women in the 1920s through the ______ given the collection’s breadth of

more than 120 photos, its efforts were largely successful.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. 1950s, and

B. 1950s and

C. 1950s

D. 1950s,

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A 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 "and" to join the first main clause ("Featuring...1950s") and the second main clause

("given...successful").

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. Choice D 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.

Question ID: 8f6d6ae6

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Archaeologists have estimated that the pre-Columbian Native American city of Cahokia, located across the Mississippi River from modern-day

St. Louis, Missouri, had as many as 20,000 inhabitants in the year 1150 ______ it one of the largest cities in North America at the time.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. CE making

B. CE. Making

C. CE, making

D. CE; making

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The phrase “making…at the time” provides additional information about Cahokia that’s not required for the sentence

to make sense or function grammatically. As a nonessential supplement, this phrase should be separated from the rest of the sentence with a

comma.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence. The nonessential descriptive aside “making…at the time” needs to be separated

from the rest of the sentence with a comma. Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. “Making…at the time” doesn’t have

a subject and can’t stand on its own as a sentence. Thus, it can’t be separated from the rest of the sentence with a period. Choice D is incorrect.

This choice results in a punctuation error. “Making…at the time” doesn’t have a subject and can’t stand on its own as an independent clause.

Since a semicolon can only link two independent clauses, using one here creates an error.

Question ID: 26c8c88c

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. asteroids. Several

B. asteroids, several

C. asteroids; several

D. asteroids: several

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 ID: 870ae7ec

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Detroit natives Timothy Paule and Nicole Lindsey have combined their two passions, Detroit and beekeeping, to improve the health of their city’s

flowers and other vegetation. In 2017, the couple converted a vacant lot in the city into an ______ in the years that followed they acquired nine

additional lots and established more than 35 hives.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. apiary,

B. apiary, and

C. apiary and

D. apiary



Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. Both clauses in this sentence could stand alone as complete sentences, which means they are both independent

clauses. This choice uses a comma plus a coordinating conjunction to link them together, which is one of the correct ways to link two

independent clauses.



Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence error. Both clauses in this sentence could stand alone as complete sentences,

which means they are both independent clauses. A comma by itself is not enough punctuation to link two independent clauses.Choice C is

incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence error. Both clauses in this sentence could stand alone as complete sentences, which means

they are both independent clauses. Independent clauses can only be linked in a few ways, including with a comma plus a coordinating

conjunction. This choice uses the coordinating conjunction “and,” but it is missing the comma beforehand.Choice D is incorrect. This choice

results in a run-on sentence error. Both clauses in this sentence could stand alone as complete sentences, which means they are both

independent clauses. Independent clauses need to have certain kinds of punctuation marks between them. This choice doesn’t use any

punctuation between the two clauses.



Question ID: 790fc366

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Using satellite remote sensing, Dr. Catherine Nakalembe, director of NASA’s Harvest Africa initiative, gathers important data on crop health.

Nakalembe doesn’t just compile the ______ she also shares her findings with African farmers, enabling them to make data-driven decisions about

managing critical food crops.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. information, though;

B. information, though,

C. information; though

D. information though,

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. This choice uses a semicolon to join two independent clauses ("Nakalembe doesn’t just…though" and "she also

shares..."). This choice also appropriately includes "though" in the first clause, where it logically belongs.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error called a comma splice. It incorrectly joins two independent clauses with only a

comma instead of a comma and a coordinating conjunction like "and" or "but." "Though" is a transition word, but it’s not a coordinating

conjunction. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error. A semicolon can only be used to link two independent clauses.

However, if "though" is included in the second clause, it turns the second clause into a dependent clause, so a semicolon can’t be used after

"information." Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error called a comma splice. It incorrectly joins two independent clauses

with only a comma instead of a comma and a coordinating conjunction like "and" or "but."

Question ID: 62120607

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

From afar, African American fiber artist Bisa Butler’s portraits look like paintings, their depictions of human faces, bodies, and clothing so

intricate that it seems only a fine brush could have rendered them. When viewed up close, however, the portraits reveal themselves to be ______

stitching barely visible among the thousands of pieces of printed, microcut fabric.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. quilts, and the

B. quilts, the

C. quilts; the

D. quilts. The

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a supplementary phrase. This choice

correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the main clause (“the portraits...quilts”) and the supplementary noun phrase (“the

stitching...fabric”) that provides a further description of how the portraits can be identified as quilts.

Choice A is incorrect. A comma and the conjunction “and” can’t be used in this way to join a main clause and a supplementary noun phrase.

Choice C is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join a main clause and a supplementary noun phrase. Choice D is

incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “the stitching.

”

Question ID: 2bb7416a

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

In paleontology, the term “Elvis taxon” gets applied to a newly identified living species that was once presumed to be extinct. Like an Elvis

impersonator who might bear a striking resemblance to the late musical icon Elvis Presley himself, an Elvis taxon is not the real thing, ______ is a

misidentified look-alike.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. however but it

B. however it

C. however, it

D. however. It

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The clause “Like an Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-alike” are both independent clauses, so

making them into two separate sentences is grammatically correct.



Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “Like an Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-

alike” are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with at least a comma + a coordinating conjunction. This choice provides the

coordinating conjunction “but,” but it’s missing a comma. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause “Like an

Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-alike” are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with a semicolon, a

colon, a dash, a period, or a comma + a coordinating conjunction. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. The clause

“

Like an Elvis impersonator…real thing” and the clause “it is…look-alike” are both independent clauses, so they need to be separated with at least

a comma + a coordinating conjunction. This choice provides a comma, but it’s missing a coordinating conjunction.

Question ID: 89ab0d46

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. from:

B. from,

C. from

D. from

—

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 ID: b0a525be

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Santa Clara Pueblo artist Roxanne Swentzell’s sculpture

Mud Woman Rolls On

consists of five human figures made of clay and plant fiber and

arranged in descending size; each figure holds the smaller one in front of it. The arrangement of the figures, according to ______ represents her

idea that “we all come from the Earth, generation after generation.

”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. Swentzell

B. Swentzell,

C. Swentzell:

D. Swentzell

—

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The phrase “according to Swentzell” is an aside that interrupts the flow of the sentence, so it needs to be separated

from the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks: two commas, two dashes, or a pair of parentheses. We already have a comma

before “according,” so we must add a comma after “Swentzell.”

.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. The phrase “according to Swentzell” is an aside that interrupts the flow of the

sentence, so it needs to be separated from the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks: one before and one after the phrase. Choice

C is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “The arrangement of the figures, according to Swentzell” is not an independent clause, so

it can’t come before a colon.Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. The phrase “according to Swentzell” is an aside that

interrupts the flow of the sentence, so it needs to be separated from the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a

comma at the beginning, so we have to use another comma here to match. We can’t just switch to a dash!.

Question ID: eef91a50

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Nine months before Rosa Parks made history by refusing to comply with the segregated seating policy on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus, a

fifteen-year-old Montgomery girl named Claudette Colvin was arrested for the same ______ to some historians, Colvin’s arrest led to Parks’s

action and eventually to the desegregation of Montgomery’s bus system.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. offense. According

B. offense, according

C. offense according

D. offense and according

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. “Nine months…offense” and “according to…system” are both independent clauses. Separating them with a period

and turning them into their own sentences is the only grammatically correct choice among the provided options.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a comma splice error, which is a punctuation error that occurs when two independent clauses are

joined by only a comma. “Nine months…offense” and “according to…system” are both independent clauses, so they need to be either joined by a

semicolon, joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, or separated by a period. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on

sentence, which occurs when two independent clauses are joined without punctuation. “Nine months…offense” and “according to…system” are

both independent clauses, so they need to be either joined by a semicolon, joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, or separated by a

period. Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence, which occurs when two independent clauses are joined without

punctuation. “Nine months…offense” and “according to…system” are independent clauses, so we would need to put a comma before the

coordinating conjunction “and” to join them properly.

Question ID: 01a32c84

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

The first computerized spreadsheet, Dan Bricklin’s

VisiCalc

, improved financial recordkeeping not only by providing users with an easy means of

adjusting data in spreadsheets but also by automatically updating all calculations that were dependent on these ______ to VisiCalc’s release,

changing a paper spreadsheet often required redoing the entire sheet by hand, a process that could take days.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. adjustments prior

B. adjustments, prior



C. adjustments. Prior

D. adjustments and prior

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period is used correctly to

mark the boundary between the first sentence (“The...adjustments”) and the second sentence (“Prior...days”). Because the adverbial phrase

beginning with “prior” indicates when changing a spreadsheet required redoing the sheet by hand, that phrase belongs with the second

sentence.



Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. Two sentences are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice B is

incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences. Choice D is

incorrect. Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction “and” can’t be used in this way to join the sentences.

Question ID: 67667d72

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Humans were long thought to have begun occupying the Peruvian settlement of Machu Picchu between 1440 and 1450 CE. However, a team led

by anthropologist Dr. Richard Burger used accelerator mass spectrometry to uncover evidence that it was occupied ______ 1420 CE, according to

Burger, humans were likely inhabiting the area.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. earlier. In

B. earlier, in

C. earlier, which in

D. earlier in

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period is used correctly to

mark the boundary between one sentence (“However...earlier”) and another (“In...area”). The supplementary phrase “in 1420 CE” modifies

“

humans,” the subject of the third sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences. Choice

C is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences. Moreover, the

subordinating conjunction “which” creates a confusing and illogical sentence that suggests that the supplementary phrase beginning with “in

”

modifies the previous information (“However...earlier”) rather than the information that follows.Choice D is incorrect because it results in a run-

on sentence. The sentences (“However...earlier” and “in...area”) are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Question ID: 80aa7690

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

The Austronesian language family includes Tagalog, Malagasy, and some 1,200 other languages throughout the Pacific, making it one of the

largest language families in the world and of keen interest to ______ of the University of Toronto.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. linguist, Diane Massam,

B. linguist, Diane Massam

C. linguist Diane Massam

D. linguist: Diane Massam

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation between titles and proper nouns. No punctuation is needed to

set off the proper noun "Diane Massam" from the title that describes Massam, "linguist." Because "Diane Massam" is essential information

identifying the "linguist," no punctuation is necessary.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed before or after the proper noun "Diane Massam." Setting the linguist’s name off with

commas suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case. Choice B is incorrect because

no punctuation is needed. Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.

Question ID: ea8f4658

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. movement: which

B. movement, which

C. movement which

D. movement. Which

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 ID: 5670a657

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

During the decades-long movement to codify the rights of Latinos in the US, certain events were pivotal: the founding of social justice group the

League of United Latin American Citizens in ______

Katzenbach v. Morgan

court decision in 1966, which affirmed the rights of Latino voters, is

another such event.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. 1929. For one, the

B. 1929, for one, the

C. 1929 for one, the

D. 1929, for one. The

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The conventions being tested are punctuation use between sentences and the punctuation of a supplementary

element. This choice correctly uses a period to mark the boundary between one sentence ("During...one") and another ("The

Katzenbach

...event")

and uses a comma to separate the supplementary phrase "for one" from the preceding main clause. Further, placing the period after "for one"

correctly indicates that the information in the preceding main clause ("the founding...1929") is the first example provided of a pivotal event in the

Latino rights movement.

Choice A is incorrect because placing the period after "1929" illogically indicates that the information in the next main clause (describing the

Katzenbach v. Morgan

court decision) is the first example provided of a pivotal event in the Latino rights movement; rather, it’s a second example.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses. Choice C is incorrect

because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses. Moreover, it fails to use appropriate

punctuation to separate the supplementary element "for one" from the preceding main clause.

Question ID: b6560e5a

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Materials scientist Marie-Agathe Charpagne and her colleagues believed they could improve on the multicomponent alloy NiCoCr, an equal-

proportions mixture of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and chromium (Cr), by replacing chromium with ruthenium ______ the alloy that resulted, NiCoRu,

turned out to be an unsuitable replacement for NiCoCr.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. (Ru)

B. (Ru) but

C. (Ru),

D. (Ru), but

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses. This choice correctly uses a comma and the

coordinating conjunction “but” to join the first main clause (“Materials…Ru”) and the second main clause (“the alloy…NiCoCr”).

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.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 comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in this way to

join two main clauses.



Question ID: c21df211

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. movie such

B. movie; such

C. movie. Such

D. movie, such

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 ID: 403d7bb5

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

Question

Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

“

”

’

’

“

”



’

“

”

’

’

“

”



’

“

”

’

’

“

”



’

“

”

’

’

“

”



Question ID: 6b49f5f1

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

In 1727, dramatist Lewis Theobald presented a new play,

Double Falsehood

, at a London theater. Theobald claimed that his drama was based on

a little-known play by William Shakespeare,

Cardenio

. Many, including poet Alexander Pope, were ______ historians have determined that

Shakespeare’s company did perform a play called

Cardenio

in 1613.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. skeptical but

B. skeptical, but

C. skeptical,

D. skeptical

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. There are two independent clauses in the sentence, each with a subject and a verb: "many...were skeptical" and

"historians have determined…." These clauses can be grammatically joined by a comma and the coordinating conjunction "but."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence, which occurs when two independent clauses are joined without punctuation. Two

independent clauses can’t be joined by just the coordinating conjunction "but." A comma would also be required. Choice C is incorrect. This

choice creates a punctuation error called a comma splice. This sentence contains two independent clauses ("Many…were skeptical" and

"historians have determined…"). A comma alone can’t join two independent clauses. That requires a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence, which occurs when two independent clauses are joined without punctuation. This

sentence contains two independent clauses ("Many…were skeptical" and "historians have determined…"), which need to be either joined by a

semicolon, joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, or separated by a period.

Question ID: 59094d87

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

The Tantaquidgeon Museum in Uncasville, Connecticut, was founded in 1931 with the goal of showcasing the culture and history of the

Mohegan ______ today, nearly a century later, it is the oldest Native-owned and -operated museum in the country.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. Tribe, and

B. Tribe

C. Tribe and

D. Tribe,

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. This choice uses a comma and a coordinating conjunction (“and”) to join two independent clauses (“The

Tantaquidgeon…Tribe” and “Today…country”).

Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error known as a run-on sentence. The clauses before and after “Tribe” are both

independent, so they need to be separated with some sort of punctuation. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error known as

a run-on sentence. The clauses before and after “and” are both independent, so they can’t be linked with just a conjunction. A comma would also

be required. Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a grammar error called a comma splice. The clauses before and after “Tribe” are both

independent, so they can’t be linked with just a comma. A coordinating conjunction like “and” or “but” would also be required.

Question ID: 5cc85f01

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

A conceptual artist and designer embraced by both the art world and the fashion ______ Mary Ping was chosen to curate the exhibition

Front Row:

Chinese American Designers

for the Museum of Chinese in America.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. world

B. world:

C. world;

D. world,

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a supplementary phrase and a main clause. This choice

correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase (“A conceptual artist…world”), which describes Mary Ping, and

the main clause (“Mary…America”).

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase (“A conceptual artist…world”) and the main clause

(“Mary…America”) with appropriate punctuation. Choice B is incorrect because a colon can’t be used in this way to join the supplementary phrase

(“A conceptual artist…world”) and the main clause (“Mary…America”). In this context, the colon incorrectly suggests that the information in the

supplementary phrase is an explanation or amplification of the information in the main clause (Mary Ping being chosen to curate the exhibition),

which isn’t the case. Choice C is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the supplementary phrase (“A conceptual artist

…

world”) and the main clause (“Mary…America”). Semicolons are conventionally used to separate two main clauses or to separate items in a

complex series.

Question ID: 7b950fc2

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. settings she

B. settings, she

C. settings and she

D. settings. She

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 ID: 40c3589d

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Luci Tapahonso is the inaugural poet laureate of the Navajo Nation. Her book Sá

anii Dahataal/The Women Are Singing—a combination of fiction

and memoir, poetry and ______ serves as a testament to her versatility as a writer.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. prose;

B. prose

C. prose,

D. prose

—

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. “A combination of fiction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it needs to be set off from

the rest of the sentence with a pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we need to

add a dash at the end of the supplement to match.



Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. “A combination of fiction

and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence with a pair of matching

punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we need to add a dash at the end of the supplement to

match.Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. “A combination of

fiction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence with a pair of

matching punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we need to add a dash at the end of the

supplement to match.Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. “A

combination of fiction and memoir, poetry and prose” is a nonessential supplement, so it needs to be set off from the rest of the sentence with a

pair of matching punctuation marks. We already have a dash at the beginning of the supplement, so we need to add a dash at the end of the

supplement to match.



Question ID: b15724fc

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

American writer Edwidge Danticat, who emigrated from Haiti in 1981, has won acclaim for her powerful short stories, novels, and ______ her

lyrical yet unflinching depictions of her native country’s turbulent history, writer Robert Antoni has compared Danticat to Nobel Prize–winning

novelist Toni Morrison.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?



Answer

A. essays, praising

B. essays and praising

C. essays praising

D. essays. Praising

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period after “essays” is used

correctly to mark the boundary between one sentence (“American…essays”) and another (“praising…Morrison”). The participial phrase beginning

with “Praising” modifies the subject of the second sentence, “writer Robert Antoni.

”

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences. Choice

B is incorrect. Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction “and” can’t be used in this way to join sentences. Choice C is incorrect because it

results in a run-on sentence. The sentences (“American…essays” and “Praising…Morrison”) are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Question ID: a872c60a

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

The pedagogy of the Suzuki method is rooted in several central ______ by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki, who sought to parallel the linguistic

learning environment, the method emphasizes playing instruments from a very young age and teaches students as young as three to play simple

classical pieces such as “March in G.

”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. tenets. Developed

B. tenets developed

C. tenets that, developed

D. tenets, developed

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. This choice correctly uses a period to mark the

boundary between one sentence ("The pedagogy...tenets") and another ("Developed...‘March in G’"). The participial phrase "developed by

Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki" modifies the subject of the next sentence, "the method."

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The sentences ("The pedagogy...tenets" and "Developed...‘March in G’") are fused

without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it creates a confusing and illogical sentence structure. The relative

pronoun "that" followed by a comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences. Choice D is incorrect because it results

in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences.

Question ID: 594b4a94

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

The field of geological oceanography owes much to American ______ Marie Tharp, a pioneering oceanographic cartographer whose detailed

topographical maps of the ocean floor and its multiple rift valleys helped garner acceptance for the theories of plate tectonics and continental

drift.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. geologist,

B. geologist

C. geologist;

D. geologist:

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. “Marie tharp” is essential information that completes the first clause — the first clause doesn’t function without it.

So we don’t want to separate it with punctuation.



Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “The field of geological oceanography owes much to American geologist” is

unclear: which geologist are we talking about? We need the “Marie Tharp” for clarity, which means it’s essential information and should not be

separated by a comma.Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “The field of geological oceanography owes much to

American geologist” is unclear: which geologist are we talking about? We need the “Marie Tharp” for clarity, which means it’s essential

information and should not be separated by a semicolon.Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “The field of geological

oceanography owes much to American geologist” is unclear: which geologist are we talking about? We need the “Marie Tharp” for clarity, which

means it’s essential information and should not be separated by a colon.



Question ID: c8540a5b

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

Swedish scientists Eva Engvall and Peter Perlmann developed a method for measuring the concentration of different proteins in a biological

sample. Their ______ ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), is used to detect and measure proteins that indicate the presence of certain

diseases.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. method (called

B. method—called

C. method, called

D. method called

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary element within a sentence. The comma after

“

method” pairs with the comma after the closing parenthesis to separate the supplementary element “called ELISA (enzyme-linked

immunosorbent assay)” from the rest of the sentence. This supplementary element functions to identify the name of Engvall and Perlmann’s

method, and the pair of commas indicates that this element could be removed without affecting the grammatical coherence of the sentence.

Choice A is incorrect because an opening parenthesis can’t be paired with a comma to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the

sentence. Choice B is incorrect because a dash can’t be paired with a comma to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the

sentence. Choice D is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the

sentence.

Question ID: fdb16e20

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Quantum particles of light—photons—provide an unhackable means of transmitting encryption keys over networks, as attempts to observe

particles in quantum states will invariably alter the particles ______ dismantle any information they transmit.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. and in the process,

B. and, in the process,

C. and in the process

—

D. and, in the process

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice uses paired punctuation in the form of two commas to set off the nonessential phrase "in the process."

Choice A is incorrect. The phrase "in the process" is a nonessential element and needs to be set off with paired punctuation. We need a comma

after "and" to match the one after "process." Choice C is incorrect. The phrase "in the process" is a nonessential element and needs to be set off

with paired punctuation, so we would need a dash after "and" to match the one following "process." Choice D is incorrect. The phrase "in the

process" is a nonessential element and needs to be set off with paired punctuation. We would need a comma after "process" to match the one

following "and."

Question ID: b1e8b87f

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

A. unearthed:

B. unearthed,

C. unearthed

—

D. unearthed

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 ID: 667a0587

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

In early 1700s England, it was legal for shops to sell prints of artists’ engravings without the artists’ permission. This changed in 1735 with the

passage of the Engravers’ Copyright ______ gave engravers control over the distribution and sale of all prints made from their designs.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. Act, which

B. Act; which

C. Act. Which

D. Act



Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation between a main clause and a supplementary element. In this

choice, the comma is used correctly to mark the boundary between the main clause ("This...Act") and the supplementary relative clause

("which...designs") that provides additional information about the Engravers’ Copyright Act.

Choice B is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between a main clause and a supplementary relative

clause. A semicolon is conventionally used to join two main clauses, and "which...designs" isn’t a main clause. Choice C is incorrect because it

results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment. Choice D is incorrect. Joining the main clause and the additional information about the

Engravers’ Copyright Act ("gave...designs") without the comma and relative pronoun "which" results in a confusing and ungrammatical sentence.

Question ID: c101fc44

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

How do scientists determine what foods were eaten by extinct hominins such as Neanderthals? In the past, researchers were limited to studying

the marks found on the fossilized teeth of skeletons, but in 2017 a team led by Laura Weyrich of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA tried

something ______ the DNA found in Neanderthals’ fossilized dental plaque.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. new: sequencing

B. new; sequencing

C. new, sequencing:

D. new. Sequencing

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. “A team…tried something new” is an independent clause leading to an explanation of what the new thing was. A

colon can only be used at the end of an independent clause, and typically introduces further explanation that expands upon the first clause,

which makes a colon the perfect choice here.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error. “Sequencing…dental plaque” can’t stand on its own as a sentence, and so it can’t

be linked to the independent clause “a team…tried something new” with a semicolon. Only two independent clauses can be connected in this

way. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error. If “sequencing” is included in the first clause, it can no longer stand on its

own as a complete idea. Since a colon can only come at the end of an independent clause, using one in this way creates an error. Choice D is

incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. “Sequencing…dental plaque” can’t stand on its own as a sentence.

Question ID: b6de636f

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

At 1,377 meters, the Tsing Ma Bridge in China is one of the longest suspension bridges in the ______ the Golden Gate Bridge in the United States,

at 1,280 meters, is even longer.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. world but

B. world, but,

C. world,

D. world, but

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 ("At...world") and the second main clause ("the...longer").

Choice A is incorrect because when coordinating two main clauses such as these, it’s conventional to use a comma before the coordinating

conjunction. Choice B is incorrect because a comma isn’t needed after the conjunction "but." Choice C 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.

Question ID: 603755a5

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

In 1959, marine biologist Dr. Alber t 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?

Answer

A. club

B. club,

C. club

—

D. club, and

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 ID: 5aa1fffd

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

Where ______ Interestingly, it was invented by an author. It first appears in the novel

Through the Looking Glass

by English author Lewis Carroll.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. did the word “chortle” come from.

B. the word “chortle” did come from?

C. did the word “chortle” come from?

D. the word “chortle” come from.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is end-of-sentence punctuation. This choice correctly uses a question mark to

punctuate the interrogative sentence "where did the word ‘chortle’ come from," which asks a direct question.

Choice A is incorrect because a period can’t be used in this way to punctuate an interrogative sentence, such as "where did the word ‘chortle

’

come from." Choice B is incorrect because "where the word ‘chortle’ did come from" does not follow the conventional structure of a direct

question in Standard English. It’s conventional in Standard English to follow the interrogative word "where" with an auxiliary verb (such as "did")

when asking a direct question. Choice D is incorrect because "where the word ‘chortle’ come from" does not follow the conventional structure of

a direct question in Standard English. It’s conventional in Standard English to follow the interrogative word "where" with an auxiliary verb (such as

"did") when asking a direct question. Fur thermore, a period can’t be used in this way to punctuate an interrogative sentence.

Question ID: 1f39ab8b

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Easy

Question

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?

Answer

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?

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 ID: 6d4b2e1e

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

The 1977 play

And the Soul Shall Dance

depicts two Japanese American farming families in Depression-era Southern California. Critics have

noted the way pioneering ______ compares the experiences of

issei

(Japanese nationals who emigrated to America) and

nisei

(their American-

born children).

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. playwright, Wakako Yamauchi,

B. playwright, Wakako Yamauchi

C. playwright Wakako Yamauchi,

D. playwright Wakako Yamauchi

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation between titles and proper nouns. No punctuation is needed to

set off the proper noun "Wakako Yamauchi" from the title that describes Yamauchi, "pioneering playwright." Because "Wakako Yamauchi" is

essential information identifying the "pioneering playwright," no punctuation is necessary.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed before or after the proper noun "Wakako Yamauchi." Setting the playwright’s name off

with commas suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case. Choice B is incorrect

because no punctuation is needed between the title "pioneering playwright" and the proper noun "Wakako Yamauchi." Choice C is incorrect

because no punctuation is needed between the proper noun "Wakako Yamauchi" and the verb "compares."

Question ID: 109d5bbb

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

With some 16,000 in attendance, the Second World Black and African Festival of Ar ts and ______ or FESTAC ‘77, as the event was more

commonly known—became the largest pan-African event on record. FESTAC drew people from around the world to Lagos, Nigeria, for a

monthlong celebration of Black and African art, scholarship, and activism.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. Culture:

B. Culture

—

C. Culture,

D. Culture

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The text uses a dash to introduce a nonessential element that explains the acronym FESTAC. The dash matches the

dash that comes after “known,” ending the descriptive aside.

Choice A is incorrect. A colon can only come after an independent clause, which isn’t the case here. Choice C is incorrect. While punctuation is

required to set off “or FESTAC…known” from the rest of the sentence, nonessential elements must be separated from the sentence with

matching punctuation. Since a dash appears on the other side of the element, we can’t use a comma here. Choice D is incorrect. The descriptive

aside “or FESTAC…known” is a nonessential element that must be separated with punctuation from the rest of the sentence. This choice fails to

add the necessary punctuation before the nonessential element.

Question ID: c468db1c

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

A group of ecologists led by Axel Mithöfer at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany examined the defensive responses of

two varieties of the sweet potato ______ TN57, which is known for its insect resistance, and TN66, which is much more susceptible to pests.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. plant.



B. plant;

C. plant



D. plant:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a supplementary phrase. In this choice,

a colon is correctly used to mark the boundary between the main clause (“A group…plant”) and the supplementary element (“TN57…pests”) and

to introduce the following elaboration on the specific varieties of sweet potato plants that were examined.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “TN57.”

Choice B is incorrect because a

semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the main clause (“A group…plant”) and the supplementary element (“TN57…pests”). A semicolon is

conventionally used to join two main clauses, whereas a colon is conventionally used to introduce an element that explains or amplifies the

information in the preceding clause. Choice C is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause (“A group...plant”) and

the supplementary element (“TN57...pests”) with appropriate punctuation.

Question ID: 78e978b5

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) tracks comparative price list data for its thirty-eight member countries.

For instance, in July 2021, a hypothetical basket of goods priced at 100 US dollars (USD) in the United States would have cost 62 USD and 110

USD in fellow OECD ______ and Luxembourg, respectively.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. nations, Chile

B. nations; Chile

C. nations: Chile

D. nations Chile

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation between titles and proper nouns. No punctuation is needed to

set off the coordinated noun phrase "Chile and Luxembourg" from the title that describes the two countries, "fellow OECD nations." Because the

proper nouns "Chile and Luxembourg" are essential information identifying the "fellow OECD nations," no punctuation is necessary.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the country names ("Chile and Luxembourg") and the title ("fellow OECD

nations") describing them. Further, setting the countries’ names off with commas suggests that they could be removed without affecting the

coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case. Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the country names ("Chile and

Luxembourg") and the title ("fellow OECD nations") describing them. Choice C is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the

country names ("Chile and Luxembourg") and the title ("fellow OECD nations") describing them. Placing a colon after "nations" would confusingly

suggest that these were the costs of the basket of goods for "fellow OECD nations" in general, not for Chile and Luxembourg specifically.

Question ID: a427a52c

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

The Lion Light system, developed by Kenyan inventor Richard Turere, consists of LED lights installed around the perimeter of livestock pastures.

Powered with ______ the blinking LEDs keep lions away at night, thus protecting the livestock without risking harm to the endangered lions.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. energy collected, by solar panels, during the day

B. energy collected by solar panels during the day

C. energy collected by solar panels during the day,

D. energy, collected by solar panels during the day,

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a supplementary phrase and a main clause. This choice

correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase (“powered…day”), which describes how the LEDs are powered,

and the main clause (“the blinking…night”).

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase and the main clause with appropriate

punctuation. Furthermore, placing commas around the phrase “by solar panels” suggests that it could be removed without affecting the

coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case. Choice B is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase

and the main clause with appropriate punctuation. Choice D is incorrect. Placing commas around the phrase “collected by solar panels during

the day″ suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case.

Question ID: c04e9136

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three pioneers in the field of click chemistry: two-time Nobel laureate Barry Sharpless, who

coined the term “click chemistry” in 1998; Carolyn Bertozzi, founder of the Bertozzi Group at ______ and Morten Meldal, a professor at the

University of Copenhagen in Denmark.



Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. Stanford

B. Stanford,

C. Stanford:

D. Stanford;

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. This choice correctly uses a semicolon to punctuate a complex list (which is made up of items that have commas in

them).

Choice A is incorrect. This is a complex list, indicated by the semicolon between "1998" and "Carolyn Bertozzi." What comes after the blank is a

separate list item, so punctuation is needed after "Stanford." Choice B is incorrect. This is a complex list, indicated by the semicolon between

"1998" and "Carolyn Bertozzi." The items in this list have internal punctuation in the form of commas and must therefore be separated by

semicolons to avoid confusion. Choice C is incorrect. This is a complex list, indicated by the semicolon between "1998" and "Carolyn Bertozzi."

Colons aren’t used to separate items in a list.

Question ID: fe41f258

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

In ancient Greece, an Epicurean was a follower of Epicurus, a philosopher whose beliefs revolved around the pursuit of pleasure. Epicurus

defined pleasure as “the absence of pain in the body and of trouble in the ______ that all life’s virtues derived from this absence.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. soul,” positing

B. soul”: positing



C. soul”; positing

D. soul.” Positing



Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a participial phrase. This choice

correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the main clause (“Epicurus…‘soul’”) and the participial phrase (“positing…absence”) that

provides additional information about how Epicurus defined pleasure.

Choice B is incorrect because a colon can’t be used in this way to join a main clause and a participial phrase. Choice C is incorrect because a

semicolon can’t be used in this way to join a main clause and a participial phrase. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically

unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “positing.

”

Question ID: 3ed5ebb4

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Medium

Question

In her analysis of Edith Wharton’s

The House of Mirth

(1905), scholar Candace Waid observes that the novel depicts the upper classes of New

York society as “consumed by the appetite of a soulless ______ an apt assessment given that

The House of Mirth

is set during the Gilded Age, a

period marked by rapid industrialization, economic greed, and widening wealth disparities.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. materialism”; and

B. materialism” and



C. materialism,

”

D. materialism

”

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a main clause and a supplementary noun phrase. This choice

correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the main clause (“scholar…materialism”) and the supplementary noun phrase (“an apt

assessment”) that describes Waid’s observation about how

The House of Mirth

depicts the upper classes of New York society.

Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon and the conjunction “and” can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between a main clause and

a supplementary noun phrase. Choice B is incorrect. Joining the main clause (“scholar…materialism”) and the following noun phrase with the

conjunction “and” results in a confusing and illogical sentence that suggests that the novel depicts the upper classes of New York society as “an

apt assessment,” which doesn’t make sense in this context. Choice D is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause

and the supplementary noun phrase with appropriate punctuation.

Question ID: 78b88c04

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English

Conventions

Boundaries Hard

Question

Joshua Hinson, director of the language revitalization program of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, helped produce the world’s first

Indigenous-language instructional app, Chickasaw ______ Chickasaw TV, in 2010; and a Rosetta Stone language course in Chickasaw, in 2015.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer

A. Basic; in 2009, an online television network;

B. Basic; in 2009, an online television network,

C. Basic, in 2009; an online television network,

D. Basic, in 2009, an online television network,



Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of items in a complex series. It’s conventional to use a semicolon to

separate items in a complex series with internal punctuation, and in this choice, the semicolon after “2009” is conventionally used to separate

the first item (“the world’s…2009”) and the second item (“an online…2010”) in the series of things that Hinson helped create. Further, the comma

after “Basic” correctly pairs with the comma after “app,” and the comma after “network” correctly pairs with the comma after “TV” to set off the

supplemental elements (“Chickasaw Basic” and “Chickasaw TV”) that provide the names of the app and the TV network, respectively. Altogether,

the punctuation in this choice results in a sentence that clearly indicates that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network

in 2010, and a language course in 2015.



Choice A is incorrect because it fails to punctuate the complex series in a way that makes clear that Hinson helped make a language app in

2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015. Choice B is incorrect because it fails to punctuate the complex series in a

way that makes clear that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.Choice D

is incorrect because the comma after “2009” doesn’t match the semicolon used to separate the second and third items in the complex series.