SAT® Grammar Skills Quiz — 10 Questions and Analysis

The video introduces a 10-question grammar quiz, similar to one given to private tutoring students to gauge their grammar instincts and skills. Although the questions are not in the exact SAT style, they cover key SAT grammar rules. Viewers are encouraged to follow their first instincts for each question, pausing if more than 15 seconds are needed. After the quiz, each question will be analyzed to provide feedback on grammar strengths and weaknesses, and how current grammar understanding aligns with SAT expectations. The presenter emphasizes that SAT grammar is the most predictable part of the reading section and a key area for score improvement.

The first question focuses on identifying plural nouns. The choices 'cats' and 'pencils' are both plural, meaning there are multiple of each. This question serves as a warm-up to familiarize viewers with the quiz format and the concept of singular vs. plural, specifically for nouns.

This question introduces the concept of singular and plural verbs. While 'dog' (Choice A) is a singular noun, 'were' (Choice B) is a plural verb. The analysis explains that verbs, like nouns, can be singular or plural, though it's less intuitive. A general rule is provided: singular verbs often end in 's' (e.g., 'runs', 'is', 'has', 'was'), while plural verbs do not ('run', 'are', 'have', 'were'). The advice is to test verbs with simple subjects like 'he' (singular) and 'they' (plural) to determine their form.

Question 3 tests the correct use of apostrophes for possession and contractions. 'Man's' (Choice A) correctly shows possession. The common confusion with 'its' vs. 'it's' is highlighted: 'its' without an apostrophe indicates possession for a pronoun, while 'it's' is a contraction for 'it is'. The presenter stresses the importance of distinguishing between these quickly and accurately, especially in academic writing and on the SAT, as making this mistake is considered a significant error.

This question addresses pronoun agreement, specifically using 'their'. 'Their' is a plural possessive pronoun. In Choice A, 'their' correctly refers to 'the people' (plural). However, in Choice B, 'their' incorrectly refers to 'the school' (singular), even though a school consists of many individuals. The analysis points out that the SAT often tests this type of mistake because it's a common error in everyday language, where people often use plural pronouns informally for singular collective nouns. This is presented as an example where instincts can lead to incorrect answers on the SAT, emphasizing the need to apply grammatical rules strictly.

Question 5 delves deeper into subject-verb agreement, particularly with complex subjects. In Choice A, 'the number of book sales' needs a singular verb because 'number' (singular) is the true subject, not 'book sales' (plural). Prepositional phrases like 'of book sales' are identified as extra information that can obscure the true subject. Thus, 'have increased' is incorrect, and 'has increased' would be correct. In Choice B, 'diet and exercise' is a plural subject requiring a plural verb, but 'helps' (singular) is used. The example illustrates how combining two singular nouns with 'and' makes a plural subject. This rule is highlighted as one of the hardest on the SAT, requiring careful application of rules over intuition.

This question tests the understanding of semicolons. The key takeaway is that, in 98% of cases, a semicolon is functionally equivalent to a period. Both are used to separate two complete, independent sentences. If an SAT question offers two choices with identical wording, differing only by a period or a semicolon, both are incorrect because they perform the same function, and the SAT does not test stylistic preference. This provides a valuable test-taking strategy for quickly eliminating answer choices.

Question 7 examines the proper use of colons. A common misconception that colons are primarily for lists is debunked. The fundamental rule for a colon is that it must be preceded by a complete sentence. What follows the colon can be a list, another complete sentence, or even a short phrase, but the preceding clause must be independent. Choice A is incorrect because 'I love outdoor activities including' is not a complete sentence. Choice B is correct because 'Scientists have a theory' is a complete sentence, and the clause after the colon elaborates on the theory. This reinforces that colon usage relies on strict structural rules rather than informal association with lists.

This question assesses the ability to identify complete sentences and use appropriate punctuation. Choice A is correct, using a comma to separate a dependent clause ('because of the accident') from an independent clause ('Jacob was late'). Choice B demonstrates a comma splice, where two independent clauses ('There was an accident' and 'Jacob will be late') are incorrectly joined by only a comma. The analysis emphasizes that a comma alone is too weak to join two full sentences, requiring either a semicolon, a period, or a comma with a coordinating conjunction (like 'and'). The importance of developing an 'ear' for complete thoughts and independent clauses is highlighted.

Question 9 further explores identifying independent and dependent clauses. Choice A, 'Emphasizing the newest data to strengthen the argument,' is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone, despite its length, because it lacks a clear subject performing the action. Choice B, 'Starting can help,' is identified as a complete sentence (independent clause), even though it's very short and lacks context. This illustrates that sentence length does not determine its completeness, and 'ing' words can sometimes act as nouns (gerunds) to form a subject. The video stresses the need to discern the 'core' of a sentence and recognize whether a clause is truly independent.

The final question focuses on the connection of independent clauses within a compound sentence. The video explains that two independent clauses must be joined by a semicolon, or a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction. Choice A is nearly correct, but it mistakenly omits the necessary comma before 'and' when joining two independent clauses. Choice B wrongly combines two dependent clauses, resulting in an incomplete thought. The discussion reiterates that proper punctuation is crucial, and although grammar instincts are important, they must be refined with specific rules for SAT success. The ability to identify clauses and their types is crucial for correct punctuation.