SAT Writing : Identifying Sentences That Contain No Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #61 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Stooping down to tie her shoe, Margaret saw a tiny note scribbled onto the wall only a few inches above the floor. No error
Stooping down
above the floor
No error
saw
Stooping down
saw
above the floor
scribbled
scribbled
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Stooping down” uses a conventional combination of verb and preposition, “saw” is in the correct tense, “scribbled” is also in the correct tense, and “above the floor” is an appropriate prepositional phrase.
Example Question #62 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Despite her insistence that Halloween was her favorite holiday, Melanie could never remember whether it was the 30th or 31st. No error
was
could never remember
it
No error
her
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Her” is a pronoun that agrees with “Melanie,” “was” is a verb in the correct tense, “could never remember” is an appropriate combination of verb and adverb, and “it” is a pronoun that agrees with “Halloween.”
Example Question #881 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Upon the discovery that she couldn’t completely open her right eye, Joanna decided it was finally time to visit a doctor. No error
eye, Joanna
was
completely
No error
Upon the discovery
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Upon the discovery” is an appropriate idiomatic use of a preposition, “completely” is an adverb that modifies a verb, the comma between “eye” and “Joanna” is grammatical, and “was” is a verb in the correct tense.
Example Question #85 : Psat Writing Skills
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Seeking radical change in the way his second grade classroom was run, Joey tried to mobilize the students and motivate them to form a student union. No error
in the way
No error
them
Seeking
was run
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Seeking” is a gerund verb that starts a correct modifying phrase, “in the way” is a conventional prepositional phrase, “was run” is an appropriate use of the passive voice, and “them” is a pronoun that agrees with its antecedent “the students.”
Example Question #86 : Psat Writing Skills
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Margaret was full of nagging doubts; she couldn’t remember if Wednesday or Thursday was the last time she had seen her pet tarantula. No error
had seen
Wednesday or Thursday
doubts; she
full of
No error
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Full of” is a conventional combination of adjective and preposition, the semi-colon between “doubts” and “she” is grammatical, “Wednesday or Thursday” is coordinated correctly, and “had seen” is in the correct tense.
Example Question #41 : Identifying Sentences That Contain No Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
She found the cheerful, busy atmosphere of the café to be energizing, but her favorite place to spend time remained the reading room of the library. No error
remained
but
to be
cheerful, busy
No error
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “Cheerful, busy” is a correct combination of adjectives modifying a noun, “to be” is a conventional way to follow the very “found,” “but” is a logical conjunction, and “remained” is a verb in the correct tense.
Example Question #42 : Identifying Sentences That Contain No Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
She wrote all day and all night, and she only stopped when she had run out of words. No error
all day and all night
she
No error
had run out
stopped
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “All day and all night” are correctly coordinated adverbial phrases, “she” is a pronoun that agrees with the previous pronoun, “stopped” is a verb in the correct tense, and “had run out” is a correct combination of verb and preposition.
Example Question #89 : Psat Writing Skills
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Joey chose to eat ice cream for every meal for a week, and now he is complaining that he feels ill. No error
he
for every meal
feels
week, and
No error
No error
This sentence is correct as written. “For every meal” is an appropriate prepositional phrase, the comma between “week” and “and” is grammatical, “he” is a pronoun that agrees with “Joey,” and “feels” is a verb in the correct tense.
Example Question #71 : 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.
"Don't speak to me like that ever again," Connie warned. "I'll tell on you next time." The boy, once so antogonistic, backed off immediately. No error
tell on you
No error
boy, once
antagonistic
,"
No error
There are no errors in the sentence, all the subjects agree with their verbs, and the tenses line up. The commas are in their correct places as well.
Example Question #41 : Identifying Sentences That Contain No Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
She leapt over tables, wiggled through corridors, sprinted around three, tall tree trunks, and finally sat down in a heap to catch her breath. No error
sat down
No error
leapt
through corridors
three, tall
three, tall
Normally you'd want to separate a list with commas, but that's not the case here. To know why, imagine that each comma in a list is the word "and." You'd never say "three and tall tree trunks" here.
Numbers will commonly do this in English; thus "I saw four red birds," etc.
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