The SAT Writing and Language section is, at its core, a test of grammar. Mastering the most commonly tested rules is the key to boosting your score. Here are some of the most critical concepts to know.

Contents

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb must agree with its subject in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

• Incorrect: The dog run fast.
• Correct: The dog runs fast. The SAT will try to trick you by putting extra phrases between the subject and the verb.

2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it refers to) in number.

• Incorrect: Each student must bring their own book.
• Correct: Each student must bring his or her own book. (Or rephrase: Students must bring their own books.)

3. Parallelism

Items in a list or comparison must be in the same grammatical form.

• Incorrect: She likes running, to swim, and to ride a bike.
• Correct: She likes running, swimming, and riding a bike.

4. Verb Tense

Ensure that the verb tense is consistent throughout a sentence or passage, unless there’s a logical reason for a shift.

• Incorrect: She walks into the room and saw a ghost.
• Correct: She walked into the room and saw a ghost.

5. Dangling Modifiers

A modifying phrase must be placed right next to the noun it is describing.

• Incorrect: Running for the bus, the backpack fell off my shoulder.
• Correct: Running for the bus, I dropped my backpack.

Knowing these rules is half the battle. The other half is practice. Use the Panchi app to drill these specific grammar concepts with hundreds of practice questions. Our app’s targeted approach will help you master the rules of the game.