Common SAT Writing Errors

Of all the things you can do to improve your multiple choice writing score, none is more important than learning to recognize and correct common error types. There are 14 grammar errors that represent over 95% of the errors that will appear on the Multiple Choice Grammar sections of the SAT. Here are the top five.

1. Pronouns

The energy company is cutting payroll in order to increase (their/its) profits.

Incorrect: According to the governor's son, he had not yet decided to run for re-election.
Correct: According to the governor's son, the governor had not yet decided to run for re-election.

The scientist (that/who) discovered the cause is famous around the world.

Nothing prepared Juanita for the moment when (she/her) and her mother were presented with the awards.

If you decide that you're not going to apply to graduate school, then (one/you) need not take an entrance exam.

2. Parallelism

Incorrect: The greatest basketball games demonstrate the skills of the players, their abilities to work as a team, and how they react to the coach.
Correct: The greatest basketball games demonstrate the skills of the players, their abilities to work as a team, and their reactions to the coach.

Incorrect: To leave now is worse than betraying your country.
Correct: To leave now is worse than to betray your country.

Incorrect: The guide not only provides you with a brief overview of common accounting mistakes but also suggesting ways to correct them.
Correct: The guide not only provides you with a brief overview of common accounting mistake but also suggests ways to correct them.

3. Verb Tense

For the past 100 years or more, the town of Concord, Massachusetts (stands/is standing/was standing/has stood/stood/will have stood) for the American patriotism which New Englanders embrace so strongly.

4. Idioms

Part of the reason we have been left with a weakened environment stems (to/from) the fact that for a long time it was assumed that we would never run out of resources.

5. Subject-Verb Agreement

Neither the police nor the zookeeper (were/was) able to find the missing boa constrictor.

The list of books, authors, and publishers (were/was) sitting on the table.

Sometimes, strong wind and freezing rain (cause/causes) power failures.

Opposite the train station (is/are) a large shopping mall and a playground for children.