Grammar Cheat Sheet
General Strategies
- LESS IS MORE- consider the shortest answer first. If it works, pick it! If not consider the next shortest answer.
- USE ANSWER CHOICES AS CLUES
- Avoid slang, expressions, and informal/conversational language. All the SATs are written in a formal language.
- Avoid he or she, one, and the word being.
How to Fix a Run On Sentence (CS= COMPLETE SENTENCE)
CS. CS
CS; CS
EX. I like ice cream; chocolate is my favorite.
CS, FANBOYS CS (For and nor but or yet so)
Ex. I like ice cream, and chocolate is my favorite.
CS: CS or ICS -Use a colon if the sentence or fragment following the complete sentence is a definition, example, or list of something
from the first sentence
Ex. I need to buy new sports equipment: stick, ball, and a jersey.
Ex. There was one factor that contributed to the end of the war: the weather was extremely cold.
CS- CS or ICS
● A dash is just like a colon. If you have a complete sentence with a definition following, use one dash.
***NEVER USE A COMMA BETWEEN TWO COMPLETE SENTENCES!!!****
2 Dashes- Used to set off a phrase in a sentence that could also be in parentheses.
Verbs-action
First ask, what is the subject? Once you find the subject, cross out all prepositional phrases (begin with prepositions such as for,
from, around, by, in, to, of, with, etc.)
Second ask, Is the subject singular or plural?
Third, ask, What is the tense?
Ex. A number of frogs in the pond (is/are) decreasing. Subject- Number bc frogs follows the preposition. The correct answer is IS.
Transition Words: If two words mean the same, cross them both out.
Continuing
Contrasting
Concluding
Moreover
However
As a result
Indeed
although
Therefore
Furthermore
conversely
Finally
In fact
nevertheless
Consequently
In addition
In contrast
thus
For example and for instance*
Alternately
To these ends
Even so
Subsequently
All the while
*must be before a specific example such as, “In 1925…”
Affect/Effect
Affect is a verb or ACTION. Effect is a noun and usually has a article in front of it such as a, an, the
Commas Use
1. Between two complete sentences with a ,FANBOYS
2. To show that a phrase in the middle of a sentence can be removed (appositive)
a. Ex. My doctor, who drives a jeep, will be in surgery today.
b. Ex. The apples, that fell from the tree, will be thrown away. *no commas bc the phrase is necessary
3. Interrupters: One word that falls in the middle of a sentence that can be removed. It should be surrounded by commas.
a. Ex. I did, indeed, study for the ACT.
4. Names
a. Ex. Dr. John Smith, a cardiologist at Hopkins, will operate on my heart.
b. ***If the name comes second, no commas.
i.
EX. A cardiologist at Hopkins John Smith will operate on my heart.
c. USE ANSWER CHOICES AS CLUES
5. After a prepositional phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
a. Ex. After school, I will go to work.
b. No commas when the phrase is at the end of the sentence. Ex. I will go to work after school.
6. After a complete sentence with a dependent clause
a. Ex. I studied for the test, which caused me to score above average.
b. Ex. I practiced for the soccer tournament, playing everyday with my friends.
Apostrophes- possession
1. Singular Example: Will’s backpack
2. Plural example: The boys’ backpacks
a. It’s- It is
b. Its- belonging to
c. Its’- NOT A WORD!
Pronouns
1. If there are 3 vague pronouns such as they, them, those and one specific noun such as the otter, then choose the specific
noun.
2. Who/whom- If you can replace who/whom with he, then use who. If you can replace it with him then, use whom. Whom, If you
can replace the answer with him, her or them (object pronouns) it’s whom. Whom also comes after prepositions (of, with, by,
from, to, in, on)
Parallel structure- All the verbs in a sentence should match
Ex. In the triathlon, I will run, bike, and swim.
Wrong ex. In the triathlon, I will run, bike, and go swimming.
Possessive Pronouns - No apostrophes ever!
*Find the noun that the pronoun is referring to.
My
Your
His
Her
Their
Its