Verbal - Writing

Punctuation
HALF-
STOP STOP GO
Period Colon Comma
Long No
Semicolon dash punctuation
STOP punctuation can link only complete
Comma +
FANBOYS     ideas.
Question
mark     Samantha studied for the SAT.
Exclamation
Mark     She ended up doing really well on the test.
Samantha studied for the SAT. She ended up
doing really well on the test.
Samantha studied for the SAT; she ended up doing really well on the test.

HALF-STOP punctuation must be preceded by a complete idea.

Samantha studied for the SAT: she ended up doing really well on the test.
or
Samantha studied for the SAT—she ended up doing really well on the test.

Samantha studied for the SAT: all three sections of it.

or
Samantha studied for the SAT: the silliest test in all the land.

When you are not linking two complete ideas, you can use GO punctuation.
So you could say, for instance,
Samantha studied for the SAT, the ACT, and every AP test in between.
or
Samantha studied for the SAT, all three sections of it.

RULE: Whenever you see a STOP or a HALF STOP punctuation changing in

the answers use vertical line test.

Approach –

1. Read the line

2. check what’s changing in the answer choices
3. apply rules

Q1
A semicolon normally joins two independent clauses to signal a close
connection between them.

Q2

A colon introduces an element or series of elements that illustrates or

amplifies the information that preceded the colon.  A colon does the job of
directing you to the information following it.
Q3

Q4

Q5
Q6

Uses of COMMAS
On the SAT, there are only four reasons to use a comma:
A. in STOP punctuation, with one of the FANBOYS
B. in GO punctuation, to separate incomplete ideas from other ideas
C. in a list of three or more things
D. in a sentence containing unnecessary information
LIST

Q1

His top-choice schools were Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

A) NO CHANGE
B) Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.
C) Harvard, Yale, and, Princeton.
D) Harvard Yale and Princeton.

Before and after unnecessary information

Q2
Jonah, about whom everyone seemed fairly certain, was going to get into one of those
schools.
A) NO CHANGE
B) Jonah about whom everyone seemed fairly certain
C) Jonah, about whom everyone seemed fairly certain
D) Jonah about whom everyone seemed fairly certain,

Examples
 Edward wants to go to Pomona College, which is a really good school.
.
Charles Chesnutt, who wrote a lot of great stories, was also a lawyer.

The car that was painted red drove off at a hundred miles an hour

in STOP punctuation, with one of the FANBOYS

, For

, And

, Nor

, But

, Or

, Yet

,So

More and more of our lives are mechanized, and at some point, we have to start wondering,
what's the limit of that mechanization? Many factory workers in the 19th century thought their
jobs 13  were safe but we know now that they were wrong. Many people in today's world
believe there jobs are safe, but how safe are those jobs really?

Q3

 A. NO CHANGE

 B. were safe, but we know

 C. were safe; but we know

 D. were safe. But we know

Are there too many commas in a sentence? Check if there is any reason. If
you cannot cite any reason go with answer choice with no commas!

Q4

Everyone hoped, he would get in, after his brother and two sisters had gone to their first-
choice schools.
A) NO CHANGE
B) hoped, he would get in, after his brother, and two sisters had
C) hoped, he would get in after his brother, and, two sisters had
D) hoped he would get in after his brother and two sisters had
Q5

Q6

Q7

Q8
While the battle of man against machine rages 8 on. The questions will persist. No matter
who wins, though, humans will almost assuredly find ways to adapt: that's something we've
been doing for thousands of years, which is something that no computer can say.

Studies abound that ask whether man or machine is better at particular tasks, and the
results are not always so obvious. Sure, a machine is obviously 9 better at say,
welding huge pieces of steel together, but what would you say if someone told you people
are more likely to open up to a machine than to a psychologist? Or that a machine could
write a quicker, more efficient news story than an experienced reporter could?

Q9

Q10

On the other side of the discussion, however, there's some evidence that humans may have
the upper hand. In some of the more basic 10 tasks those learned before the age of about
10 humans have a huge upper hand. 

On the SAT, there are only four reasons to use a comma:

A. in STOP punctuation, with one of the FANBOYS
B. in GO punctuation, to separate incomplete ideas from other ideas
C. in a list of three or more things
D. in a sentence containing unnecessary information

Q11
Q12

Q13
Q14

Q15

Commas should be used between a dependent clause and an independent

clause when the dependent clause comes first.
Dependent clauses are clauses that cannot stand on their own as full sentences.
They begin with subordinating conjunctions such
as because, when, until, unless, since, before, and after.
Dependent Clauses:
 Because I went home
 After we returned from the movie
 When we visited Chicago
Punctuation Practice

Q1

Thus, on the one hand, the Oxfordian’s denial of Shakespeare’s literacy makes arguments
from lack of 1 information, on the other, the Stratfordian’s argument rests on the reports of
people who knew Shakespeare personally.

A) NO CHANGE

B) information on the other,

C) information; on the other,

D) information: on the other

"How could such a sheltered man have written so well about these matters of high culture
and other lands?" The 2 true author, they suggest, must have been one of the most wealthy
people in England.

Q2

A. No Change
B. true author: they suggest, must have been
C. true author; they suggest, must have been
D. true author they suggest must have been

Q3
Q4

Q5
Q6

Q7

Q8

Q9
Q11
Q12

Q13
Q14

Q15
Q16

Q17
Q18

Q19
Q20

Q21
Q22

Last week, Theodore—who is an extremely conscientious student, won a $10,000

scholarship; his parents are incredibly proud.

A. NO CHANGE
B. student—won
C. student won
D. student: won

Q23

Julie was thoroughly confused: she couldn’t figure out where she put her car keys.

 A. NO CHANGE
B. confused, she
C. confused she,
D. confused she

Q24

Paul was overcome with joy when he saw actor, Keanu Reeves, in the parking lot of
a McDonald’s restaurant.

A. NO CHANGE
B. actor, Keanu Reeves
C. actor: Keanu Reeves
D. actor Keanu Reeves

Q25

I hurried home from school to find Max, my dog that I’ve had for five years
chewing on my favorite pair of shoes.
A. NO CHANGE
B. had, for five years chewing
C. had for five years, chewing
D. had, for five, years chewing