PSAT Writing : Identifying Sentence Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 :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.
Liam told his study group that"he needed to take a break from studying,"sothe group's membersall decided to get sandwiches在开始做笔记the textbook'snext chapter.No error
在开始做笔记
the group's members
the textbook's
"he needed to take a break from studying,"
No error
"he needed to take a break from studying,"
这句话不正确使用引号set off an indirect quotation from the sentence when no quotation marks are needed. If the sentence said "Liam told his study group, 'I need to take a break from studying,'" then quotation marks would be necessary. However, because the sentence is indirectly telling us what Liam said, and not giving us his exact words, no quotation marks are needed. Removing the quotation marks around "he needed to take a break from studying" would correct the sentence's error.
Example Question #1 :Identifying Quotation Mark Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
"Helpmeliftthis", shewhispered, knowing the requestwould beher last if shewereoverheard.No error
me
were
this", she
No error
would be
this", she
Punctuation always goes inside the quotation marks in American English.
Example Question #1 :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.
Isvanilla, chocolate, or strawberryyour favorite flavor of ice cream, ordo you preferanother flavor.No error
do you prefer
another flavor.
your favorite flavor of ice cream
vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry
No error
another flavor.
The issue here has to do with punctuation. This sentence needs to end with a question mark because it is a question. The corrected sentence reads, "Is vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry your favorite flavor of ice cream, or do you prefer another flavor?"
Example Question #1 :Identifying Punctuation Errors: Other Punctuation
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
How did Bosco the chihuahua get hername.Thestory begins with an act of heroism, a great surprise, anda feast oftamales.No error
The
, and
name.
tamales.
No error
name.
”黄宗泽吉娃娃得到她的名字如何?”是一个rhetorical question and must be punctuated with a question mark. The rest of the sentence is correct as written.
Example Question #1 :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.
The movementto builda community gardenin the empty lotwas slowly gaining momentum, and Mrs. Higginswasalreadyexcitedlyasking nurseries to donate plants.No error.
excitedly
to build
No error.
in the empty lot
was
No error.
This sentence is correct as written! The verb “to build” is correct in the infinitive, “in the empty lot” is an appropriate prepositional phrase, “was” is a verb in the correct tense, and “excitedly” is an adverb that modifies a verb.
Example Question #1 :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.
Thebright redof a matador’s capedoes not incitebulls to charge; cattle do notperceiveredas a bright color.No error.
No error.
as a bright color
perceive
bright red
does not incite
No error.
This sentence is correct as written! “Bright red” works here as a noun, “does not incite” is a verb that matches its subject, “perceive” is a verb that is correctly formed, and “as a bright color” is an appropriate prepositional phrase.
Example Question #3 :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.
The generalblatantlyignored the lessons of historyand commandedhis armyto invadeRussia在冬天.No error.
blatantly
No error.
and commanded
在冬天
to invade
No error.
This sentence is correct as written! “Blatantly” is an adverb that modifies a verb, “and commanded” uses parallel structure, “to invade” is correct as an infinitive, and “in the winter” is a correctly formed prepositional phrase.
Example Question #1 :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.
Asglobalizingforcesreach out toremote corners of the globe,someworry that wewill becomea homogenous universal culture.No error.
will become
some
globalizing
reach out to
No error.
No error.
This sentence is correct as written! “Globalizing” can be used as an adjective, “reach out to” uses the correct prepositions following the verb, “some” is an appropriate pronoun, and “will become” correctly uses future tense.
Example Question #2 :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.
Thefirst landingof a man on the moon, a featthatmany peopleconsidered impossible, was ahistoricalhighlight of the 1960s.No error.
historical
that
No error.
first landing
considered impossible
No error.
This sentence is correct as written! “First landing” is an appropriate adjective-noun combination, “that” is the correct relative pronoun, “considered impossible” is an appropriate verb-adjective combination, and “historical” is an adjective that correctly modifies a noun.
Example Question #1 :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.
A born performer, Mariawouldmuch rather sing and danceon stageall daythan work in her isolated cubicle.No error.
on stage
No error.
than work in her isolated cubicle
A born performer
would
No error.
This sentence is correct as written! “A born performer” is a correctly placed phrase modifying “Maria,” “would” is appropriate use of the conditional voice, “on stage” is the correct idiom, and “than work in her isolated cubicle” is a correctly-formed comparison.
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