Rewriting a Sentence Fragment - SAT Writing

Card 0 of 12

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

Since the underlined portion above joins two complete sentences with a similar topic, the semicolon would be most appropriate here to avoid a run-on sentence.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion in the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

Since there are two complete sentences joined by the conjunction, "and," either a semicolon or a comma before the "and" would be appropriate here. Starting a complete sentence with "and," while not technically an error, is often frowned upon. The semicolon is better.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

The comma after "manner" is not needed, but one is needed after "slavery" since this is the end of the "if" clause in a traditional "if/then" statement.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of this sentence with a version that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

The original punctuation, using the semicolon to combine two complete but related sentences, would be most appropriate here.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

Since the underlined portion above joins two complete sentences with a similar topic, the semicolon would be most appropriate here to avoid a run-on sentence.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion in the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

Since there are two complete sentences joined by the conjunction, "and," either a semicolon or a comma before the "and" would be appropriate here. Starting a complete sentence with "and," while not technically an error, is often frowned upon. The semicolon is better.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

The comma after "manner" is not needed, but one is needed after "slavery" since this is the end of the "if" clause in a traditional "if/then" statement.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of this sentence with a version that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

The original punctuation, using the semicolon to combine two complete but related sentences, would be most appropriate here.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

Since the underlined portion above joins two complete sentences with a similar topic, the semicolon would be most appropriate here to avoid a run-on sentence.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion in the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

Since there are two complete sentences joined by the conjunction, "and," either a semicolon or a comma before the "and" would be appropriate here. Starting a complete sentence with "and," while not technically an error, is often frowned upon. The semicolon is better.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

The comma after "manner" is not needed, but one is needed after "slavery" since this is the end of the "if" clause in a traditional "if/then" statement.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

Question

Adapted from "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine (1776)

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is expense only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. And it would be strange indeed if so heavenly an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, than is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is sacrilegious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Replace the underlined portion of this sentence with a version that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English.

Answer

The original punctuation, using the semicolon to combine two complete but related sentences, would be most appropriate here.

Compare your answer with the correct one above

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