RN SR WRITING AND LANGUAGE TEST ee i et ‘the Writing and Language Test on both the PSAT an answer 44 questions Ml SAT gives 35 minutes to ‘On both tests: 4+ ‘There are four passages with 11 questions each, + The questions cover a limited range of pice tion, and style. 1 of topics on grammar, punctus «+ There is no oner of difficulty in the the questions + One or more of he passages will aut chart o raph, placement ofthe passages or of WRITING AND LANGUAGE: A PROOFREADER AND AN EDITOR ‘Te College Board has a numberof subcategories and subscores for its tess, but those don't mean much. Most ofthe questions you see on the SAT or PSAT Wen ing and Language Test will fill into one of two categorcs: Expression of Sundar English Consenions tegoris: Expression of Ideas and ‘But we call hing ike we see them. On the Writing and Language Te < Language Test, you have cssetially two responsibilities: you need ro bea proofreder and an ediee {A proofreader looks for errors. profreader should lok for mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and English usage. ‘An editor reviews and improves the writing. An ecitor should look for ways to improve the continuity and precision of the writing sWRITING AND LANGUA\ GE STRATEGIES Proofreader Questions Wor The Writing and Lan} panic: while there ate most questions focus 0” j rds will ask a varity of questions about words, ge ee gles at work in he English wundreds of gramn and those fi ino the ators, oni, language oie (ons lent with thers ofthe sentence +s Paste pice Features words and phrases that areas eit as possible. Fre rect choice fie of any errors wll be the most (oause Consistency “he Callege Board loves ots some specific concepts when ic comes being cy, stent within sentences and passages Tramp udents of English nd the language frustrating because there areso A). NOCHANGE many rules If However, most of the 8) By contrast, rules have exceptions which make them) In other words, even harder to ear. ©) Moreover, When you see transitions changing inthe answers: 1. Check direction: look at whether the ideas being connected agree or disagree. Eliminate answers that indicate the wrong direction. 2. Use POE: choose the transition word that's mast consistent with the ideas being connected.Verbs he reason English spellingisso ample hs 0d WH IHERSOEY SE A) NO. CHaNge seanguag. Mistorians of English 3) isdvided Bins the development of the (G divide Tagange ito three periods OK English) ape iyiggg (4-100), Mile English (1100-1500), nd modern English (1500-present) When ou see verbs changing inthe answers: |, Find the subject: choose the vero that is consistent with its subject. Check the tense: choose the answer that is consistent in tense withthe other verbs in the sentence, unless a tine indicator word tells you to change tense Pronouns When Julius Caesars armieslanded MT on British shores in 55 BCE, neither /) No CHANGE there language nor that ofthe local B) their inhabitants bore any relation to what ©) I. Contra gt ‘would eventually become English Dis, SMB kur Precision ‘The Writing and Language rest also likes to make sue you recognize the most pre ie possible answer. You'll often see pronouns inthis type of question. Caesar's armies spoke Latin, and the BD British natives spoke Celtic; Old English A) NOCHANGE eee eal Dg bee vin 2 cepa resent | 17FANBOYS st And, Nor Whon you see pronouns changing in the ans pronoun that is mos Sto hoose the noun of other pronoun itr ar what a pronoun refers t 1. Find the original: consistent with 2. Make it precisé use a noun instead. i's uncle Concision ¢ too wordy. When muli Finally, che College Board will empe you to b ly pe ny are grammacially acceptable and do not change the meaning of the sentence shonter is beter on the Weitng and Language Test Modern English maybe 26 percent IE Germanic, but a much larger postion of itcomes from the [highly infuntal ‘Normans, who invaded England in the A) NOCHANGE B) influence of the ©) impact onthe language of he () DELETE the underines 1th century portion. Punctuation STOP AND GO ‘When you are linking ideas. STOP HALE-STOP co + Petod + Colon + Comma + Semicolon + Long dash * No punctuation + Comma + FANBOYS © Question mark + Exclamation Mark STOP punctuation can lnk ONLY complete ideas HALF-STOP punctuation must be tyac mplete idea GO punctuation can link anything EXCEPT two complete ideas.