SAT GRAMMAR

1. Periods & Semicolons

Semicolon = period
A. Used only between two complete sentences
B. Used before conjunctive adverbs such as moreover, however, or therefore at
the beginning of a clause

2. Colons & Dashes

A colon or dash must always follow a full-complete sentence that makes sense.
A. Used before a list. (can never come after preposition or such as)
B. Used before an explanation

3. Comma + FANBOYS
A semi-colon CANNOT come before FANBOYS.
comma + FANBOYS = period = semicolon

A. Comma can never come before pronouns (it, he, she ,they, one, I)
B. Always check if the placement of comma + FANBOYS is correct by replacing it
with a period and seeing if it makes sense.

4. Dependent Clauses
They begin with subordinating conjunctions, e.g. although, because, when, untill,
since, before and after.
A. It can come before or after an independent clause, but a comma is used when
it comes before the independent clause.

5. Transitional Words & Phrases

Continuers - in addition, moreover, in fact, for example, and then [add
new/similar ideas, emphasize previous ideas and convey events]

SAT GRAMMAR 1
 Cause-and-effect words - therefore, cosequently, and thus [indicate that an
event is the result of a previous action/event]
Contradictors - however, nevertheless, and in contrast [signal opposing ideas]

6. Non-Essential Information
Usually are started with wh- words or a.
A comma before/after an open parenthesis is always incorrect.

7. Names & Titles

No commas (essential name)
Two commas, one before and one after (non-essential name)

8. Commas
Commas should NOT be used:
A. Before or after a preposition.
B. Between subject and verbs. ( ,is ❌)
C. Before or after the word that.

9. Subject-verbs agreement
Identify the subject of the sentence and use the correct verb

-Singular end in -s (he works)

-Plural do not end in -s (they work)

A. Compund subject (noun and noun = plural)

B. Always keep verb tense consistent with that of other verbs in the paragraph.

10. Question Marks

Question marks are only used for direct questions (questions that are separate
from the main body of a sentence)

When questions are asked directly, a period is used.

SAT GRAMMAR 2
 Grammar:
1. Read the full passage, not just the portion surrounding the blank, and always
plug your answer back into the passage to double-check it.

2. Transition questions: determine the relationship between the two sentences

(continue, cause-and-effect, contradict) before you look at the answer
choices. (Ch. 1)

3. A conjunctive adverb (e.g., however, therefore, moreover) at the start of a

sentence follows a period, semicolon, colon, or dash. A conjunctive adverb in
the middle of a sentence is surrounded by commas (Ch. 1)

4. "Student Notes": identify the key word/ phrase in the question (what the
"student" wants to emphasize, present, or introduce), and find the answer that
rewords it. Avoid looking at the bullet points . .(Ch. 2)

5. A transition in the middle or at the end of a sentence= relationship to the

12revious sentence. (Ch 4)

6. Period= Semicolon= Comma+ and/but. (Ch. 4)

7. Comma+ it, this, s/he, they usually (but not always) = comma splice =
WRONG. (Ch. 4)

8. Joining/ separating sentences: check answers with a period or colon first. (Ch.
4)

9. Colon= Single Dash= Explanation or List. A full sentence is required before but
not after. (Ch. 5)

10. 2 Commas= 2 Dashes= 2 Parentheses= Non-Essential Clause. If the

information between these punctuation marks is crossed out, the sentence will
still make sense. BUT commas, dashes, and parentheses cannot be mixed and
matched. (Ch. 6)

11. Singular verbs end in -s; plural verbs do not end in -s, e.g., it suggests, they
suggest. Remember that the noun right before a verb may not be the subject.
(Ch. 8)

SAT GRAMMAR 3
 12. Subject-verb agreement questions may "pose" as tense questions. If the
answers include singular vs. plural verbs, focus on agreement. (Ch. 8)

13. Keep verb tense/ form consistent. An underlined verb should stay parallel to
the surrounding verbs unless there is a clear reason for the tense to change.
Check other verbs for context. (Ch. 8)

14. Pronoun agreement: singular nouns= it (things); plural nouns= they. (Ch. 9)

15. Dangling modifier: a descriptive phrase set off by a comma must be followed
by the noun described (Ch. 11)

Transitions Questions:
1. Reread both sentences or parts of sentences.

2. Identify the relationship between them (continuer, cause-and-effect,

contradict) and predict the answer.

3. Check the answers and pick the one that matches.

Shortcut: If two or more answers contain grammatically identical synonyms,

those answers can be automatically eliminated because no question can have
more than one right answer.

SAT GRAMMAR 4
 Punctuation:
1. Pronoun + (of them) = independent sentence.

2. Pronoun + which/whom = dependent sentence.

SAT GRAMMAR 5
 3. Adverbs have no effect of the grammar of the sentence, a sentence will still be
complete whether it has an adverb or not.

4. A sentence that has a non-essential sentence at the end of it becomes an

incomplete or dependent sentence and therefore cannot end with a period or
semi-colon.

5. Non-essential sentences usually start with wh- words or nouns.

6. Answer choices that contain “being” are wrong.

7. Sentences that contain gerunds (verbs ending in -ing) are incomplete

sentences.

8. When “however, therefore, thus, consequently, moreover, and nevertheless”

are used to begin a clause, these transitions must follow a period or
semicolon, never a comma.

9. There can never be two subordinating conjunctions (although etc) in two

sentences that are being joined.

10. Any answer that places a colon before “such as” or “including” is almost
certainly incorrect.

11. Two commas do not equal non-essential sentence.

12. NON-ESSENTIAL SENTENCES: If a single, logical sentence remains, the word

or phrase is non-essential and must be set off by commas.

13. Essential and Non-essential Transitions:

• If there are two sentences, the transition is being used to start a new
sentence or clause and must come after a
period, semicolon, or colon.
• If a transition is used non-essentially at the end of a sentence, it connects
that sentence to the
previous section of the passage. It must come after a comma and can be
followed by a period,
semicolon, or colon.

Two independent sentences must have transitions starting with period (.) or
semi-colon (;) and end with comma. It will be surrounded by commas if in
middle and will have comma at the end if in the beginning of the sentence.

SAT GRAMMAR 6
 14. There can never be comma before or after “that”.

15. If a name is present in the middle of the sentence, it can have no commas (if
it’s essential) or commas before and after (if it’s non-essential).

1. Independent Clause
A complete sentence: subject + verb + complete idea. (SVO)

e.g. She runs every morning.

2. Dependent Clause
Starts with a subordinating word (e.g. because, although, when)

Cannot stand alone.

e.g. Although she was tired

3. Run-Ons & Comma Splices (GRAMMATICAL ERRORS)

Run-on = two independent clauses with no punctuation.
❌ The cat sat on the mat it was very comfortable.
Comma splice = two independent clauses joined only with a comma. (COMMA
CAN NEVER BE USED TO JOIN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES)

❌ The cat sat on the mat, it was very comfortable.

✅ The cat sat on the mat. it was very comfortable. (Using Period)
✅ The cat sat on the mat; it was very comfortable. (Using Semi-colon)
✅ The cat sat on the mat, and it was very comfortable. (Using comma +
Fanboys)

4. Punctuation Between Two Independent Clauses

Only acceptable punctuation:

Period (.)

Semicolon (;)

Comma + FANBOYS (, and), (, but), etc.

SAT GRAMMAR 7
 ⚠️ Semicolon (;) = Period (.)
If both are answer choices, eliminate both – only one can be
right.

5. FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

Periods and semi-colons can never come before fanboys.

If FANBOYS connects two independent clauses, a comma must come before

it.
✅ I was tired, but I kept working.
When the subject is same in the second sentence, no comma is used.
comma + FANBOYS = (.) = (;)

6. Subject-Verb Agreement
Verb must match subject in number.

✅ The list of items is long.

❌ The list of items are long.
⚠️ Don’t be tricked by prepositional phrases.
7. Verb Tense Consistency
The same tense of Verbs is used in a sentence.
✅ She studies and learns quickly.
8. Pronoun Clarity
Pronoun must clearly refer to one noun.

❌ When John met Alex, he was late.

✅ When John met Alex, John was late.
9. Reflexive Pronouns
Use only when subject = object.

SAT GRAMMAR 8
 ✅ She made it herself.
❌ Give the paper to myself. → should be me
10. Modifiers
Modifier must be next to what it describes.

❌ Running fast, the finish line was reached.

✅ Running fast, he reached the finish line.
11. Non-essential Elements
THEY START WITH “a” or “wh-” words.

Two commas does not equal non-essential info.

THEY DESCRIBE NOUNS and are extra info, that if removed from a sentence,
the sentence still makes sense.
e.g. My brother, who is tall, runs fast.

Only dashes (—), commas (,) or parentheses () can be used to separate non-
essential element.

⚠️ If a dash is used in the beginning of the non-essential

element, it will also end in it.

⚠️ An independent clause can NEVER be a non-essential

element.

12. Commas ( , )
✅ Use a comma to:
Separate items in a list: apples, bananas, and pears

Before FANBOYS when joining two independent clauses.

Around non-essential elements.

🚫 Never use a comma to join two independent clauses alone.

SAT GRAMMAR 9
 13. Semicolon ( ; )
Joins two closely related independent clauses.
e.g. He studied hard; he passed the test.

Also used before conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore):

e.g. She was late; however, she finished early.

⚠️ A semicolon = a period. Both are used only between

independent clauses.

14. Colon ( : )
Colon is only used when the second sentence talks about the same thing as
the first one.

Must follow a complete & independent sentence, then introduce:

List

Explanation

Quotation

Cliffhanger

✅ He brought three tools: a wrench, a hammer, and a saw.

✅ There’s one rule: never lie.
15. Apostrophes ( ’ )
Possession:

Singular: the cat’s tail

Plural: the dogs’ owner

Its = possessive

It’s = it is

❌ The dog lost it’s bone.

✅ The dog lost its bone.

SAT GRAMMAR 10
 16. Questions (?)
Use a question mark when:
✅ The sentence is a direct question — it asks something directly.
e.g. What time is the meeting?
e.g. Did she call you yesterday?
e.g. Where are you going?

❌ It’s an indirect question (a statement that contains a question word but

doesn't ask directly).

e.g. She asked where the nearest station was.

18. Dash (-)

A complete or independent sentence must come before it and can be used in
place of colon (:).

SAT GRAMMAR 11