SAT Writing : Identifying Sentences That Contain No Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Haiti, which suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010, is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere, where nearly eighty percent of the population lives below the poverty line. No error

Possible Answers:

No error

lives

which

where

in

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as written. None of the SAT's "go-to" errors are present in the sentence. Both the subject and verb of the sentence agree; "which" is used correctly; and the prepositions in the sentence are properly used as well.

Example Question #42 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

The environmental activists successfully effected social change; the legislators decided to table the bill that would have allowed corporations to pollute local rivers with impunity. No error

Possible Answers:

would have allowed

No error

to table

with

effected

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

The difference between "effect" and "affect" is tested routinely on the SAT. "Effect" is a noun meaning the result of an action; "affect" is a verb meaning change. However, "effect" can also be used as a verb that means cause, so it is used correctly in the sentence. There are no errors in the sentence, so "No error" is the best option.

Example Question #43 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Lindsey, Krista, and Whitney pooled their allowances to buy a new game for them to share. No error

Possible Answers:

and Whitney

No error

for them to share

to buy

their

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence has no grammatical errors. It correctly utilizes the oxford comma to separate "Krista" from "Whitney" in the list of subjects, the plural pronoun "their," the infinitive "to buy," and the prepositional phrase "for them to share."

Example Question #44 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Charlie preferred tackling new and exciting challenges to repeating the same boring proceduresNo error

Possible Answers:

No error

new and exciting

to

preferred

the same boring procedures

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

The sentence is correct as written! "Preferred" is in the correct tense, "new and exciting" are adjectives modifying a noun, "to" is the correct word to make a comparison, and "the same boring procedures" is an appropriate noun phrase.

Example Question #45 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Joan always wanted to be a famous surgeon when she grew up, but my ambition was to be a landscape architect. No error

Possible Answers:

was to be a

famous

but

No error

she

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as written! "Famous" is an adjective describing a noun, "she" is a pronoun that agrees with its antecedent, "but" is the appropriate conjunction, and "was to be a" is a correct combination of verbs and an indefinite article.

Example Question #46 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Susan, a fabulous salsa dancer, is also a brilliant data analystNo error

Possible Answers:

a fabulous salsa dancer

brilliant

No error

analyst

is

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence contains no grammatical errors and needs to stylistic adjustments made to it.

Example Question #47 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Unfortunately, the organization suffered from poor governance at the national levelNo error

Possible Answers:

the national level

poor

Unfortunately

No error

suffered from

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as written. "Unfortunately" is an adverb modifying the sentence as a whole, "suffered from" uses the correct tense and preposition, "poor" is an adjective modifying a noun, and "the national level" is a correctly formed noun phrase.

Example Question #48 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Because of severe drought in the western half of the country, produce prices skyrocketedNo error

Possible Answers:

severe

western half

Because of

skyrocketed

No error

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as written! It's okay to start a sentence with "because" if you have a main clause after, "severe" is an adjective modifying a noun, "western half" is formatted correctly (no capitalization!), and "skyrocketed" is a verb in the correct tense.

Example Question #49 : Identifying No Error Questions

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Never one to turn down a challenge, Pablo decided that he was going to revolutionize the classic canvas tote bag. No error

Possible Answers:

one

that

was going to revolutionize

turn down

No error

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as written! "One" is the appropriate pronoun, "turn down" is a verb in the correct tense, "that" is the correct relative pronoun, and "was going to revolutionize" is a correctly formed verb phrase.

Example Question #51 : Identifying Other Errors Or No Error

Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.

Since he arrived in Minnesota two weeks ago, my uncle Ted has gone fishing at least ten times. No error

Possible Answers:

two weeks ago

my

has gone fishing

No error

arrived in

Correct answer:

No error

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as written. “Arrived in” is a conventional combination of verb and preposition, “two weeks ago” is a correctly formed adverbial phrase, “my” is a pronoun used correctly, and “has gone fishing” is in the appropriate tense.

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