PSAT Writing

PSAT Writing teaches students to master grammar, punctuation, and effective writing skills needed for the PSAT and beyond.

Basic Concepts

Punctuation & Sentence Structure

Punctuation Power

Punctuation marks like commas, semicolons, and dashes help organize ideas and clarify meaning.

Common Marks

  • Comma (,): Separates items or clauses.
  • Semicolon (;): Joins two related sentences.
  • Dash (—): Adds emphasis or extra detail.

Sentence Structure

Sentences can be simple, compound, or complex. Using a mix makes writing interesting!

  • Simple: One idea. "She smiled."
  • Compound: Two ideas joined. "She smiled, and he waved."
  • Complex: Main idea with extra info. "She smiled because she was happy."

Why It Matters

Using punctuation correctly makes your writing easier to read and understand—helpful for essays, texts, and work emails.

Examples

  • I bought apples, oranges, and bananas. (Correct comma use)

  • He was late; the bus broke down. (Correct semicolon use)

In a Nutshell

Punctuation and sentence variety make writing clear and engaging.

Punctuation & Sentence Structure - PSAT Writing Content | Practice Hub