Question ID 109d5bbb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries
Conventions
ID: 109d5bbb
With some 16,000 in attendance, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and ______ or FESTAC ‘77, as the event
was more commonly known—became the largest pan-African event on record. FESTAC drew people from around the world
to Lagos, Nigeria, for a monthlong celebration of Black and African art, scholarship, and activism.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. Culture:
B. Culture—
C. Culture,
D. Culture
ID: 109d5bbb Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The text uses a dash to introduce a nonessential element that explains the acronym FESTAC.
The dash matches the dash that comes after “known,” ending the descriptive aside.
Choice A is incorrect. A colon can only come after an independent clause, which isn’t the case here. Choice C is incorrect.
While punctuation is required to set off “or FESTAC…known” from the rest of the sentence, nonessential elements must be
separated from the sentence with matching punctuation. Since a dash appears on the other side of the element, we can’t use
a comma here. Choice D is incorrect. The descriptive aside “or FESTAC…known” is a nonessential element that must be
separated with punctuation from the rest of the sentence. This choice fails to add the necessary punctuation before the
nonessential element.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 18382e67
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and
Conventions Sense
ID: 18382e67
In Marisol’s 1968 sculpture Mi Mama y Yo, gone are the types of pop culture references that made the Parisian-born
Venezuelan American artist a star at the height of the pop art movement. In ______ place is a far more personal subject: a
sculptural depiction of the artist as a young girl with her mother.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. its
B. they’re
C. their
D. it’s
ID: 18382e67 Answer
Correct Answer: C
Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of possessive determiners. The plural possessive
determiner "their" agrees in number with the plural noun "types" and thus indicates that the more personal subject matter of
Marisol’s 1968 sculpture takes the place of those types of pop culture references that made Marisol a star.
Choice A is incorrect because the singular possessive determiner "its" doesn’t agree in number with the plural noun "types."
Choice B is incorrect because "they’re" is the contraction for "they are," not a possessive determiner. Choice D is incorrect
because "it’s" is the contraction for "it is" or "it has," not a possessive determiner.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 3fee46f2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries
Conventions
ID: 3fee46f2
Sociologist Todd Gitlin co-opted the term “recombinant,” normally used in reference to genetic engineering, to describe
serialized television shows of the 1980s. Gitlin’s use of the term referenced TV studios’ practice of repackaging successful
narrative formulas as new ______ even shows that varied only slightly from other shows still attracted sizeable audiences.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. content, in that era
B. content; in that era,
C. content in that era,
D. content, in that era,
ID: 3fee46f2 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation within a sentence. This choice uses a
semicolon in a conventional way to join the first main clause ("Gitlin’s…content") and the second main clause beginning with
a supplementary phrase ("in…audiences"). Further, placing a comma after "era" separates the supplementary phrase "in that
era" from the rest of the main clause that follows ("even…audiences").
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in this
way to join two main clauses. Further, this choice fails to mark the boundary between the supplementary phrase "in that era"
and the rest of the main clause that follows ("even…audiences"). Choice C is incorrect because it results in a run-on
sentence. The two main clauses ("Gitlin’s…content" and "in…audiences") are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.
Choice D is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in this
way to join two main clauses.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID c468db1c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries
Conventions
ID: c468db1c
A group of ecologists led by Axel Mithöfer at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany examined the
defensive responses of two varieties of the sweet potato ______ TN57, which is known for its insect resistance, and TN66,
which is much more susceptible to pests.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. plant.
B. plant;
C. plant
D. plant:
ID: c468db1c Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a supplementary
phrase. In this choice, a colon is correctly used to mark the boundary between the main clause (“A group…plant”) and the
supplementary element (“TN57…pests”) and to introduce the following elaboration on the specific varieties of sweet potato
plants that were examined.
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “TN57.” Choice B is
incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the main clause (“A group…plant”) and the supplementary
element (“TN57…pests”). A semicolon is conventionally used to join two main clauses, whereas a colon is conventionally
used to introduce an element that explains or amplifies the information in the preceding clause. Choice C is incorrect
because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause (“A group...plant”) and the supplementary element
(“TN57...pests”) with appropriate punctuation.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 8a9d2f4e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and
Conventions Sense
ID: 8a9d2f4e
Researchers studying the “terra-cotta army,” the thousands of life-size statues of warriors found interred near the tomb of
Emperor Qin Shi Huang of China, were shocked to realize that the shape of each statue’s ears, like the shape of each
person’s ears, ______ unique.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. are
B. is
C. were
D. have been
ID: 8a9d2f4e Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "is" agrees in number
with the singular subject "the shape."
Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "the shape." Choice C is
incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "the shape." Choice D is incorrect
because the plural verb "have been" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "the shape."
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID d4fe8f03
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries
Conventions
ID: d4fe8f03
Paintings by the renowned twentieth-century US ______ were featured in Artist to Artist, an exhibition at the Smithsonian Art
Museum that paired the works of artists whose career trajectories intersected in meaningful ways.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. artists: Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock,
B. artists Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock
C. artists Thomas Hart Benton, and Jackson Pollock,
D. artists, Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock
ID: d4fe8f03 Answer
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation around noun phrases. No punctuation is
needed because the coordinated noun phrase "Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock" is a restrictive appositive,
meaning that it provides essential identifying information about the noun phrase before it, "the renowned twentieth-century
US artists."
Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the noun phrase "the renowned twentieth-century US
artists" and the restrictive appositive "Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock." Additionally, no punctuation is needed
between the sentence’s subject ("paintings by the renowned twentieth-century US artists Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson
Pollock") and the main verb ("were featured"). Choice C is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the
coordinated elements "Thomas Hart Benton" and "Jackson Pollock." Additionally, no punctuation is needed between the
sentence’s subject ("paintings by the renowned twentieth-century US artists Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock") and
the main verb ("were featured"). Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the noun phrase "the
renowned twentieth-century US artists" and the restrictive appositive "Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock."
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID dfbf5d33
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and
Conventions Sense
ID: dfbf5d33
In 1453, English King Henry VI became unfit to rule after falling gravely ill. As a result, Parliament appointed Richard, Third
Duke of York, who had a strong claim to the English throne, to rule as Lord Protector. Upon recovering two years later, ______
forcing an angered Richard from the royal court and precipitating a series of battles later known as the Wars of the Roses.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. Henry resumed his reign,
B. the reign of Henry resumed,
C. Henry’s reign resumed,
D. it was Henry who resumed his reign,
ID: dfbf5d33 Answer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice ensures that the
introductory phrase “upon recovering two years later” appears immediately before the noun it modifies (“Henry”), clearly
establishing that Henry recovered two years later.
Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “the reign of Henry”
immediately after the introductory phrase illogically suggests that the reign of Henry recovered two years later. Choice C is
incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “Henry’s reign” immediately after the
introductory phrase illogically suggests that Henry’s reign recovered two years later. Choice D is incorrect because it results
in a dangling modifier. The placement of the function word “it” immediately after the introductory phrase illogically suggests
that “it” recovered two years later.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID bb4557cf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries
Conventions
ID: bb4557cf
The relationship between genomes and epigenomes reveals how cells with identical DNA develop different ______ whereas
the genome in each cell contains a complete DNA sequence, the epigenome consists of chemical compounds that
determine which traits in the sequence will be expressed.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. functions
B. functions,
C. functions and,
D. functions:
ID: bb4557cf Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of a colon within a sentence. In this choice, the colon
correctly introduces the following explanation of the different functions of genomes and epigenomes.
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two main clauses ("The relationship…functions" and
"whereas…expressed") are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice B is incorrect because it results in a
comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses ("The relationship…functions" and "whereas…
expressed"). Choice C is incorrect. Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction "and" can’t be used in this way to join two
main clauses. Furthermore, "and" fails to indicate that what follows is an explanation of how cells with identical DNA develop
different functions.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 0b005ae2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries
Conventions
ID: 0b005ae2
Recently unearthed Neronian tools in France dating to 54,000 years ago and attributed to Homo sapiens may provide
evidence that interactions between Neanderthals and modern humans occurred 10,000 years earlier than was previously
______ finding that, if true, would overturn current theories about H. sapiens migration during the Upper Paleolithic.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. supposed; a
B. supposed. A
C. supposed a
D. supposed, a
ID: 0b005ae2 Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation within a sentence. This choice correctly
uses a comma to mark the boundary between the main clause ("Recently...supposed") and the supplementary element ("a
finding...Paleolithic") that provides additional information about the implications of the Neronian tool discovery.
Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the main clause ("Recently...supposed") and the
supplementary element ("a finding...Paleolithic"). Choice B is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable
sentence fragment beginning with "a finding." Choice C is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The main clause
("Recently...supposed") and the supplementary element ("a finding...Paleolithic") are fused without punctuation and/or a
conjunction.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID 3daf126e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty
SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and
Conventions Sense
ID: 3daf126e
A model created by biologist Luis Valente predicts that the rate of speciation—the rate at which new species form—on an
isolated island located approximately 5,000 kilometers from the nearest mainland ______ triple the rate of speciation on an
island only 500 kilometers from the mainland.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. being
B. to be
C. to have been
D. will be
ID: 3daf126e Answer
Correct Answer: D
Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is finite and nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. Relative
clauses, such as the one beginning with “that,” require a finite verb, a verb that can function as the main verb of a clause. This
choice correctly supplies the clause with the finite future tense verb “will be.”
Choice A is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “being” doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb. Choice B is
incorrect because the nonfinite to-infinitive “to be” doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb. Choice C is incorrect because
the nonfinite to-infinitive “to have been” doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb.
Question Difficulty: Hard
