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

Question ID 1c65db8f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 1c65db8f
A species of Byropsis algae produces toxins to avoid being eaten by predators. However, in some cases, the toxins the
organism uses to protect itself from predation actually ______ its attractiveness to predators. The Hawaiian sea slug, for
example, not only tolerates Byropsis toxins but actually uses them for protection in the same way the algae does.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is increasing

B. increase

C. increases

D. has increased

ID: 1c65db8f Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "increase" agrees in
number with the plural subject "toxins."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "is increasing" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins."
Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "increases" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins." Choice D
is incorrect because the singular verb "has increased" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "toxins."

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 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 5fd86f4b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 5fd86f4b
The ghazal, a poetic form originating in seventh-century Arabic poetry, has an intricate structure. The twentieth-century
Kashmiri American poet Agha Shahid Ali explains that each one of a ghazal’s couplets, while adhering to the patterns of
rhyme (qafia) and refrain (radif) established in the poem’s opening lines (matla), ______ thematically and logically
autonomous, resulting in a poem with “a stringently formal disunity.”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is

B. were

C. have been

D. are

ID: 5fd86f4b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The singular verb "is"
agrees in number with the singular subject "each one of a ghazal’s couplets." While the prepositional phrase "of a ghazal’s
couplets" within the subject contains a plural noun, the head of the subject ("each one") is singular, indicating that each
individual couplet (not the couplets as a group) is "thematically and logically autonomous," or self-standing.

Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each one of a ghazal’s
couplets." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "have been" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each
one of a ghazal’s couplets." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular
subject "each one of a ghazal’s couplets."

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 a14eef71
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: a14eef71
In 2015, a team led by materials scientists Anirudha Sumant and Diana Berman succeeded in reducing the coefficient of
friction (COF) between two surfaces to the lowest possible level—superlubricity. A nearly frictionless (and, as its name
suggests, extremely slippery) state, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. when their COF drops below 0.01, two surfaces reach superlubricity.

B. two surfaces, when their COF drops below 0.01, reach superlubricity.

C. reaching superlubricity occurs when two surfaces’ COF drops below 0.01.

D. superlubricity is reached when two surfaces’ COF drops below 0.01.

ID: a14eef71 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject of the modifier “a nearly frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier
placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another, so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the
missing clause.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly
frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another,
so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier
placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement
requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another, so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause.
Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a subject-modifier placement error. The subject of the modifier “a nearly
frictionless state” is “superlubricity.” Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to one another,
so “superlubricity” must be the first word in the missing clause.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 50801257
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 50801257
In 1994, almost 200 years after the death of Wang Zhenyi, the International Astronomical ______ the contributions of the
barrier-breaking 18th-century astronomer and author of “Dispute of the Procession of the Equinoxes,” naming a crater on
Venus after her.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Union would finally acknowledge

B. Union to finally acknowledge

C. Union, having finally acknowledged

D. Union, finally acknowledging

ID: 50801257 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. It’s the only choice that offers a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject
“International Astronomical Union” to make a complete sentence. This might seem like an odd use of “would,” but when
speaking from a point of view in the past, we can actually use “would” to express something that happened later. That’s the
case here: 200 years after Wang Zhenyi’s death, the IAU would finally acknowledge her contributions.

Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need
a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main
verb. “To acknowledge” can’t do that. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb
elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge” that can go with the subject “the International
Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. “Having acknowledged” can’t do that. Choice D is incorrect. This choice
creates a sentence fragment. There’s no main verb elsewhere in the sentence, so we need a form of the verb “acknowledge”
that can go with the subject “the International Astronomical Union” and serve as that main verb. The “-ing” form can’t do that.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b32eab9f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: b32eab9f
Increased gender diversity is revitalizing the field of economics, according to Harvard’s Claudia Goldin. The trailblazing
accomplishments of Goldin, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics for her work on women in the labor force, ______ to
the value of scholars of diverse backgrounds in spurring research into previously unexplored, but vitally important, topics.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. attests

B. has attested

C. is attesting

D. attest

ID: b32eab9f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "attest" agrees in
number with the plural subject "trailblazing accomplishments."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "attests" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "trailblazing
accomplishments." Choice B is incorrect because the singular verb "has attested" doesn’t agree in number with the plural
subject "trailblazing accomplishments." Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "is attesting" doesn’t agree in number
with the plural subject "trailblazing accomplishments."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID aa443c4b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: aa443c4b
Recent pollen analyses of the Aran Islands have led some researchers to propose that the now treeless islands were once
wooded. This hypothesis ______ that certain trees, such as P. sylvestris, survived without interruption or human intervention
throughout the Holocene cannot stand, researchers Michael O’Connell and Karen Molloy counter, unless other explanations
can first be ruled out.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. suggesting

B. suggested

C. suggests

D. has suggested

ID: aa443c4b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The nonfinite present
participle "suggesting" is correctly used to form a restrictive participial phrase ("suggesting...Holocene") within the main
clause ("This hypothesis...cannot stand..."). This participial phrase functions as part of the sentence’s subject
("This...Holocene"), providing essential identifying information about what the hypothesis states—namely, that certain trees
survived without interruption or human intervention throughout the Holocene.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite verb "suggested" can’t be used in this way
within the subject of the sentence. Choice C is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite verb
"suggests" can’t be used in this way within the subject of the sentence. Choice D is incorrect because it results in an
ungrammatical sentence. The finite verb "has suggested" can’t be used in this way within the subject of the sentence.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 329255db
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 329255db
Bengali author Toru Dutt’s A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields (1876), a volume of English translations of French poems, ______
scholars’ understanding of the transnational and multilingual contexts in which Dutt lived and worked.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has enhanced

B. are enhancing

C. have enhanced

D. enhance

ID: 329255db Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb “has enhanced”
agrees in number with the singular subject “A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields,” which is the title of a book of poems.

Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb “are enhancing” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “A Sheaf
Gleaned in French Fields.” Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb “have enhanced” doesn’t agree in number with the
singular subject “A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields.” Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb “enhance” doesn’t agree in
number with the singular subject “A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields.”

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 2b6e1c06
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 2b6e1c06
A government body officially known as the Althing, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. the world’s oldest parliaments include one which first met in 930 CE, Iceland’s.

B. Iceland’s parliament is one of the oldest in the world, first meeting in 930 CE.

C. the first meeting of one of the oldest parliaments in the world, Iceland’s, was in 930 CE.

D. 930 CE was the year when Iceland’s parliament, one of the oldest parliaments in the world, first met.

ID: 2b6e1c06 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
"Iceland’s parliament" the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase "a government body
officially known as the Althing." In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that Iceland’s parliament—and not another noun in
the sentence—is the government body known as the Althing.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase "the world’s oldest
parliaments" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the world’s oldest parliaments are a
government body known as the Althing. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the
noun phrase "the first meeting" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the first meeting of Iceland’s
parliament was a government body known as the Althing. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The
placement of the noun phrase "930 CE" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the year 930 CE is a
government body known as the Althing.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d46ac7e7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: d46ac7e7
A second-generation Japanese American, Wataru Misaka ______ in World War II (1941-45) and won two amateur national
basketball championships at the University of Utah when he joined the New York Knicks for the 1947-48 season, becoming
the first non-white basketball player in the US’s top professional league.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. already served

B. was already serving

C. already serves

D. had already served

ID: d46ac7e7 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the New York Knicks in 1947. To show that a
past occurrence took place before another past occurrence, we need to use “had” + the past tense form of the verb. This is
called the past perfect tense.

Choice A is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the Knicks. Both events are in the past, but his service
in World War II happened earlier, so we need a verb that makes it clear that his service (and the two national championships)
had ended by the time he joined the Knicks. Choice B is incorrect. “Was already serving” forms the continuous past tense,
which we use when we’re showing a past action that was ongoing. Misaka served in World War II before he joined the
Knicks. Both events are in the past, but they’re not happening at the same time, so we shouldn’t use the continuous past
tense here. Choice C is incorrect. Misaka served in World War II in the past, so we shouldn’t use the present tense “serves.”

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 61160f0a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 61160f0a
Author Madeline L’Engle, ______ to create a suspenseful tone that draws the reader in, begins her novel A Wrinkle in Time with
descriptions of “wraithlike shadows” and “the frenzied lashing of the wind.”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. looked

B. looks

C. is looking

D. looking

ID: 61160f0a Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The nonfinite present
participle verb “looking” is correctly used to form a subordinate clause that describes the intent behind how L’Engle begins
her novel.

Choice A is incorrect because the finite past tense verb “looked” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause.
Choice B is incorrect because the finite present tense verb “looks” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause.
Choice C is incorrect because the finite present progressive tense verb “is looking” can’t be used in this way to form a
subordinate clause.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c88ba1b7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: c88ba1b7
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, automobiles were commonly referred to as horseless carriages after the
older technology they still resembled. Known as the Brass Era, this period in automotive design is remembered for its
grandeur and artistry, its vehicles ______ by collectors for their ornate detailing and gleaming brass fittings.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are highly prized

B. had been highly prized

C. highly prized

D. were highly prized

ID: c88ba1b7 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms in a sentence. The nonfinite past participle
phrase "highly prized" is correctly used to form a supplementary element that modifies the main clause "this…artistry,"
describing memorable features of Brass Era automotive design.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Using the finite present tense verb phrase "are highly prized"
creates a second main clause in the sentence, and two main clauses can’t be joined in this way with only a comma after
"artistry." Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Using the finite past perfect tense verb phrase "had
been highly prized" creates a second main clause in the sentence, and two main clauses can’t be joined in this way with only
a comma after "artistry." Choice D is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Using the finite past tense verb phrase
"were highly prized" creates a second main clause in the sentence, and two main clauses can’t be joined in this way with only
a comma after "artistry."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 188f7e3c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 188f7e3c
In 2016, engineer Vanessa Galvez oversaw the installation of 164 bioswales, vegetated channels designed to absorb and
divert stormwater, along the streets of Queens, New York. By reducing the runoff flowing into city sewers, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. the mitigation of both street flooding and the resulting pollution of nearby waterways has been achieved by bioswales.

B. the bioswales have mitigated both street flooding and the resulting pollution of nearby waterways.

C. the bioswales’ mitigation of both street flooding and the resulting pollution of nearby waterways has been achieved.

D. both street flooding and the resulting pollution of nearby waterways have been mitigated by bioswales.

ID: 188f7e3c Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
“the bioswales” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “By reducing…sewers.” In
doing so, this choice clearly establishes that the bioswales—and not another noun in the sentence—are reducing runoff
flowing into city sewers.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “the mitigation…
waterways” immediately after the modifying phrase results in unclear modification. The resulting sentence makes it hard to
determine what is responsible for “reducing the runoff”: the bioswales or some other noun in the sentence. Choice C is
incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “the bioswales’ mitigation…waterways”
immediately after the modifying phrase results in unclear modification. The resulting sentence makes it hard to determine
what is responsible for “reducing the runoff”: the bioswales or some other noun in the sentence. Choice D is incorrect
because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “street flooding and the resulting pollution”
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “flooding and pollution” are reducing runoff flowing into
city sewers.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 2dd1b8bf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 2dd1b8bf
Compared to that of alumina glass, ______ silica glass atoms are so far apart that they are unable to re-form bonds after
being separated.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. silica glass is at a significant disadvantage due to its more dispersed atomic arrangement:

B. silica glass has a more dispersed atomic arrangement, resulting in a significant disadvantage:

C. a significant disadvantage of silica glass is that its atomic arrangement is more dispersed:

D. silica glass’s atomic arrangement is more dispersed, resulting in a significant disadvantage:

ID: 2dd1b8bf Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes “silica glass’s
atomic arrangement” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “compared to that of
alumina glass.” In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that silica glass’s atomic arrangement—and not another noun in
the sentence—is being compared to the atomic arrangement (“that”) of alumina glass.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “silica glass” immediately
after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that silica glass itself (rather than its atomic arrangement) is being compared
to alumina glass’s atomic arrangement. Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the
noun phrase “silica glass” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that silica glass itself (rather than its
atomic arrangement) is being compared to alumina glass’s atomic arrangement. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a
dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “a significant disadvantage” immediately after the modifying phrase
illogically suggests that “a significant disadvantage” is being compared to alumina glass’s atomic arrangement.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ecba68b5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: ecba68b5
Mathematician Grigori Perelman, sometimes in conjunction with mathematicians Richard S. Hamilton and Shing-Tung Yau,
______ credited with proving the Poincaré conjecture. Having built on Hamilton’s previous work to solve the proof, Perelman
has insisted that Hamilton receive credit. Yau later found and closed gaps in Perelman’s proof, persuading some
mathematicians that he deserves credit as well.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are

B. have been

C. are being

D. is

ID: ecba68b5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "is credited" agrees in
number with the singular subject "mathematician Grigori Perelman."

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "are credited" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "mathematician
Grigori Perelman." Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "have been credited" doesn’t agree in number with the
singular subject "mathematician Grigori Perelman." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "are being credited" doesn’t
agree in number with the singular subject "mathematician Grigori Perelman."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID de3dd17d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: de3dd17d
Planetary scientist Briony Horgan and her colleagues have determined that as much as 25 percent of the sand on Mars is
composed of impact spherules. These spherical bits of glass form when asteroids collide with the planet, ejecting bits of
molten rock into the atmosphere that, after cooling and solidifying into glass, ______ back onto Mars’s surface.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to rain

B. raining

C. having rained

D. rain

ID: de3dd17d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. "That…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface" is a relative clause that describes the "bits of molten
rock." Forming the clause requires a conjugated, finite verb, and this is the only choice that provides that.

Choice A is incorrect. "To rain" is an infinitive and can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated verb is needed here
to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the "bits of molten rock."
Choice B is incorrect. "Raining" is a present participle and, on its own, can’t serve as the main verb of a clause. A conjugated
verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface," which describes the
"bits of molten rock." Choice C is incorrect. "Having rained" is a perfect participle and can’t serve as the main verb of a
clause. A conjugated verb is needed here to form the main verb of the relative clause "that…[rain] back onto Mars’s surface,"
which describes the "bits of molten rock."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 5b8f9cf2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 5b8f9cf2
In the canon of North African literature, Moroccan author Driss Chraïbi’s 1954 novel The Simple Past (Le Passé simple)
looms large. A coming-of-age story, a social meditation, and a sober gaze into the dark maw of French colonialism, ______
interrogates systemic power with memorable intensity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Morocco gained its independence two years before the publication of Chraïbi’s debut novel, which

B. Chraïbi’s debut novel, published two years before Morocco gained its independence,

C. Chraïbi wrote a debut novel that, published two years before Morocco gained its independence,

D. published two years before Morocco gained its independence, Chraïbi wrote a debut novel that

ID: 5b8f9cf2 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to each other. The
subject of the modifier "a coming-of-age story…colonialism" is Chraïbi’s novel The Simple Past, so the subject "Chraïbi’s debut
novel" fits perfectly after this introductory modifying phrase.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The introductory modifier "a coming-of-age
story…colonialism" is describing Chraïbi’s novel, not Morocco. However, this choice places Morocco directly next to that
modifier. Choice C is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The introductory modifier "a coming-
of-age story…colonialism" all describes Chraïbi’s novel, not Chraïbi himself. However, this choice places Chraïbi directly next
to that modifier. Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier "a coming-of-
age story…" is describing Chraïbi’s novel, so that needs to be the subject immediately after the modifier. This choice adds
another modifier that describes Chraïbi’s novel, but then puts "Chraïbi" himself—not the novel—right after that modifier, which
doesn’t make sense. Chraïbi wasn’t "published two years before" Moroccan independence; his novel The Simple Past was.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f768090a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: f768090a
Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass first appeared in 1855 as a slim collection of twelve poems, but Whitman would revise and
expand it substantially over the next four decades. These extensive ______ the addition of hundreds of new poems, the
removal of some existing ones, and the insertion of prefatory material, reflected the poet’s evolving literary perspective and
experience of the US Civil War.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. changes, including

B. changes would include

C. changes included

D. changes, include

ID: f768090a Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The nonfinite present
participle "including" is correctly used to form a supplementary element that interrupts the main clause "These extensive
changes…reflected the poet’s evolving literary perspective and experience of the US Civil War." This supplementary element,
offset by commas after "changes" and "material," provides examples of the changes Whitman made to Leaves of Grass.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite modal verb "would include" can’t be used in
this way to form a supplementary element within the main clause. Choice C is incorrect because it results in an
ungrammatical sentence. The finite past tense verb "included" can’t be used in this way to form a supplementary element
within the main clause. Choice D is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present tense verb
"include" can’t be used in this way to form a supplementary element within the main clause.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0fe5ce68
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 0fe5ce68
Ten of William Shakespeare’s plays are classified as histories. Although each one of these plays, which include Henry V and
Richard III, ______ on a single historical figure (specifically, an English king), some, such as Henry VI Part One and Henry VI
Part Two, feature different episodes from the same monarch’s life.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. focuses

B. focus

C. are focused

D. were focused

ID: 0fe5ce68 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "focuses" agrees in
number with the singular subject "each one of these plays," which refers to each play individually.

Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "focus" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each one of these
plays." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "are focused" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "each
one of these plays." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "were focused" doesn’t agree in number with the singular
subject "each one of these plays."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID b369d54c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: b369d54c
Woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted using a carpet weaving technique passed down by the artist’s Turkish
grandmother, ______ so lush and tactilely inviting that you are tempted to reach out and touch them.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. the topological tapestries of Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou are

B. the Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou creates topological tapestries that are

C. when she creates her topological tapestries, Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou makes them

D. Alexandra Kehayoglou is an Argentine textile artist whose topological tapestries are

ID: b369d54c Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
"topological tapestries" the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase "woven…
grandmother." In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that the topological tapestries—and not another noun in the
sentence—are being described as woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase "Argentine textile artist
Alexandra Kehayoglou" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that Kehayoglou is woven from recycled
yarn and hand tufted. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the pronoun "she" and
the noun phrase "Argentine textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou" after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that
Kehayoglou is woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The
placement of the noun "Alexandra Kehayoglou" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that Kehayoglou
is woven from recycled yarn and hand tufted.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a75d5984
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: a75d5984
Several advantages—the ability to react strongly with chip components, to avoid interference from other waves, and to be
confined within tiny circuits—______ acoustic waves as a promising alternative to electrical waves for transmitting data on
computer chips; as a result, researchers are invested in developing more acoustic wave–based chips.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. have positioned

B. positioning

C. by positioning

D. having positioned

ID: a75d5984 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. A main clause requires
a finite (tensed) verb to perform the action of the subject. In this case, the subject is "several advantages," and the present
perfect tense verb "have positioned" supplies the finite verb to indicate what has made acoustic waves a promising
alternative to electrical waves.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite participle "positioning" doesn’t supply
the main clause with a finite verb. Choice C is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The prepositional
phrase "by positioning" doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb. Choice D is incorrect because it results in an
ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite participle "having positioned" doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dab8b8ee
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: dab8b8ee
Known as Earth’s “living skin,” biocrusts are thin layers of soil held together by surface-dwelling microorganisms such as
fungi, lichens, and cyanobacteria. Fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. a recent study’s estimate is that these crusts reduce global dust emissions by 60 percent each year.

B. an estimated 60 percent reduction in global dust emissions each year is due to these crusts, according to a recent study.

C. these crusts reduce global dust emissions by an estimated 60 percent each year, according to a recent study.

D. a recent study has estimated that these crusts reduce global dust emissions by 60 percent each year.

ID: dab8b8ee Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts."
Subject-modifier placement requires a modifier and its subject to be next to each other, so "biocrusts" or some variant
meaning "biocrusts" (in this case, "these crusts") must begin the missing clause.

Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in
arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts," not "a recent study’s estimate." Choice B is incorrect. Modifiers and their
subjects must go next to each other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is
"biocrusts," not "an estimated 60 percent reduction." Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each
other. The subject of the modifier "fortifying soil in arid ecosystems against erosion" is "biocrusts," not "a recent study."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 3bceeb93
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 3bceeb93
When they were first discovered in Australia in 1798, duck-billed, beaver-tailed platypuses so defied categorization that one
scientist assigned them the name Ornithorhynchus paradoxus: “paradoxical bird-snout.” The animal, which lays eggs but also
nurses ______ young with milk, has since been classified as belonging to the monotremes group.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they’re

B. their

C. its

D. it’s

ID: 3bceeb93 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The singular possessive pronoun "its" agrees with the singular antecedent "the animal" and
indicates that the "young" belong to it.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "They’re" is a contraction of "they are," a
plural pronoun and verb, but the antecedent "the animal" is singular. Also, we don’t need the extra verb "are" — we already
have a main verb in this clause, so adding "are" would be confusing and ungrammatical. Choice B is incorrect. This choice
creates a pronoun-antecedent agreement error. "Their" is a plural pronoun, but the subject of the sentence is "the animal," a
singular noun. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a confusing and ungrammatical sentence. "It’s" is a contraction for
"it is." We already have the verb "nurses" in this clause, so we shouldn’t add the verb "is."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 1a61e2ae
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 1a61e2ae
English poet and Shakespeare contemporary John Donne’s ______ much admired during his lifetime (1572–1631) and in the
decades that followed, had, at the time of their enthusiastic rediscovery by the early twentieth-century modernists, been
essentially gathering dust for the intervening 250 years.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. works were

B. works, were

C. works,

D. works had been

ID: 1a61e2ae Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation and verb forms within a sentence. This
choice leaves the verb "admired" in its nonfinite past participle form to function within a supplementary element ("much…
followed"). Offset by commas after "works" and "followed," this supplementary element interrupts the main clause ("English
poet and Shakespeare contemporary John Donne’s works…had…been essentially gathering dust…") with additional
information about the works’ reception during Donne’s lifetime.

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to offset the supplementary element ("much…followed") with appropriate punctuation,
and using the finite verb "were much admired" results in an ungrammatical sentence. Choice B is incorrect because using the
finite verb "were much admired" results in an ungrammatical sentence. Choice D is incorrect because it fails to offset the
supplementary element ("much…followed") with appropriate punctuation, and using the finite verb "had been much admired"
results in an ungrammatical sentence.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID d2b81427
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: d2b81427
In assessing the films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, ______ have missed his equally deep engagement with Japanese
artistic traditions such as Noh theater.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. many critics have focused on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources but

B. Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources has been the focus of many critics, who

C. there are many critics who have focused on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources, but they

D. the focus of many critics has been on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources; they

ID: d2b81427 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
“many critics” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “in assessing…Kurosawa.” In
doing so, this choice clearly establishes that it is the critics—and not another noun in the sentence—who assess Kurosawa’s
films.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “Kurosawa’s…sources”
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that his use of Western literary sources is what assesses
Kurosawa’s films. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the function word “there”
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that “there” is what assesses Kurosawa’s films. Choice D is
incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “the focus…critics” immediately after
the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the critics’ focus is what assesses Kurosawa’s films.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dc645172
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: dc645172
The artistic talents of Barbara Chase-Riboud, most known for her 1979 historical novel Sally Hemings and the conversation it
inspired, ______ limited to the realm of prose: she first excelled in sculpture, where her affinity for bronze—a material she
described as “timeless” due to its use across eras and cultures—became part of her artistic identity.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. hasn’t been

B. wasn’t

C. isn’t

D. aren’t

ID: dc645172 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject "talents" is plural, and so is the verb "aren’t": "the artistic talents…aren’t limited."

Choice A is incorrect. The subject "talents" is plural, but the verb "hasn’t been" is singular. Choice B is incorrect. The subject
"talents" is plural, but the verb "wasn’t" is singular. Choice C is incorrect. The subject "talents" is plural, but the verb "isn’t" is
singular.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 512f0ac9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 512f0ac9
Working from an earlier discovery of Charpentier’s, chemists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna—winners of the
2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry—re-created and then reprogrammed the so-called “genetic scissors” of a species of DNA-
cleaving bacteria ______ a tool that is revolutionizing the field of gene technology.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to forge

B. forging

C. forged

D. and forging

ID: 512f0ac9 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of finite and nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. The
nonfinite to-infinitive “to forge” is correctly used to form a nonfinite (infinitive) clause that explains why the chemists re-
created and reprogrammed the DNA-cleaving bacteria.

Choice B is incorrect. Without a comma separating the main clause (“chemists...bacteria”) from the participle “forging,” this
choice illogically suggests that the bacteria are forging a tool, which doesn’t make sense. Choice C is incorrect. Without a
coordinating conjunction such as “and” placed before it, the finite past tense verb “forged” can’t be used in this way to
describe the chemists’ actions. Choice D is incorrect. If read as a finite verb, the present progressive verb “forging” isn’t
consistent with the past tense verbs used in this sentence to describe the actions of the chemists. If read as a nonfinite verb,
the participle “forging” can’t be used in this way because there is no following main clause for it to modify.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ea0aa676
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: ea0aa676
In the 1970s, Janaki Ammal, a prominent botanist, emerged as a powerful voice in India’s environmental conservation
movement. Her exhaustive chromosomal survey of plants in Silent Valley, a pristine tropical forest in Kerala, India, that is
home to nearly 1,000 species of native flora (many of which are endangered), ______ instrumental in the government’s
decision to preserve the forest.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are

B. were

C. have been

D. was

ID: ea0aa676 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The subject "survey" is singular, and so is the verb "was."

Choice A is incorrect. The subject "survey" is singular, but the verb "are" is plural. Choice B is incorrect. The subject "survey" is
singular, but the verb "were" is plural. Choice C is incorrect. The subject "survey" is singular, but the verb "have been" is plural.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID c91ef0f0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: c91ef0f0
During the American Civil War, Thomas Morris Chester braved the front lines as a war correspondent for the Philadelphia
Press. Amplifying the voices and experiences of Black soldiers ______ of particular importance to Chester, who later became
an activist and lawyer during the postwar Reconstruction period.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. were

B. have been

C. are

D. was

ID: c91ef0f0 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "was" agrees in
number with the singular subject "amplifying." Gerunds such as "amplifying" are always singular.

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice B
is incorrect because the plural verb "have been" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying." Choice C is
incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "amplifying."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID f0864217
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: f0864217
Rabinal Achí is a precolonial Maya dance drama performed annually in Rabinal, a town in the Guatemalan highlands. Based
on events that occurred when Rabinal was a city-state ruled by a king, ______ had once been an ally of the king but was later
captured while leading an invading force against him.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Rabinal Achí tells the story of K’iche’ Achí, a military leader who

B. K’iche’ Achí, the military leader in the story of Rabinal Achí,

C. the military leader whose story is told in Rabinal Achí, K’iche’ Achí,

D. there was a military leader, K’iche’ Achí, who in Rabinal Achí

ID: f0864217 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers
need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The
modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they
describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text
in a way that conforms to the conventions of Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the
drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word
after the comma. Choice D is incorrect. This doesn’t complete the text in a way that conforms to the conventions of
Standard English. The modifier “Based on events…by a king,” is describing the drama “Rabinal Achí.” Modifiers need to be
next to the subjects they describe, so “Rabinal Achí” needs to be the first word after the comma.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ae439895
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: ae439895
In her 1983 book The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling, sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild first
explored at length her conception of a “sociology of emotions”—the idea that the various cultural and ideological frameworks
a person has internalized (class, gender, political affiliation, etc.) ______ each emotional reaction that person has within a
situation.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. underlies

B. is underlying

C. underlie

D. has been underlying

ID: ae439895 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "underlie" agrees in
number with the plural subject "frameworks."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "underlies" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "frameworks."
Choice B is incorrect because the singular verb "is underlying" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "frameworks."
Choice D is incorrect because the singular verb "has been underlying" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject
"frameworks."

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 9df6da04
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 9df6da04
Entomologists Yash Sondhi and Samuel Fabian have tried to explain why moths fly erratically around light sources at night.
Knowing that flying insects keep their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day, ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

the researchers theorize that moths, mistaking nighttime lights for the Sun, continually try to reorient their bodies while
A. flying near such lights.

the researchers’ theory is that moths mistake nighttime lights for the Sun, continually trying to reorient their bodies while
B. flying near such lights.

moths mistake nighttime lights for the Sun and continually try to reorient their bodies while flying near such lights, the
C. researchers theorize.

moths continually try to reorient their bodies while flying near nighttime lights, the researchers theorize, mistaking such
D. lights for the Sun.

ID: 9df6da04 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
"the researchers" the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase "knowing…day." In doing
so, this choice clearly establishes that the researchers—and not another noun in the sentence—know that flying insects keep
their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase "the researchers’ theory"
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the researchers’ theory knows that flying insects keep their
backs pointed toward sunlight during the day. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement
of the noun "moths" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that moths know that flying insects keep
their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The
placement of the noun "moths" immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that moths know that flying
insects keep their backs pointed toward sunlight during the day.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 908a76b8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 908a76b8
When a given industry—water and electricity are two well-known examples—carries high infrastructural start-up costs and
other barriers that discourage competition, ______ of just one or two suppliers per municipality. Such industries are known as
natural monopolies.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. these often consist

B. they often consist

C. it often consists

D. this often consists

ID: 908a76b8 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The singular pronoun "it" agrees
in number with the singular antecedent "industry" and clearly indicates that the industry consists of just one or two suppliers
per municipality.

Choice A is incorrect. The plural pronoun "these" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "industry" nor clearly
indicates that the industry—not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "start-up costs" or "barriers"—consists of just
one or two suppliers per municipality. Choice B is incorrect because the plural pronoun "they" doesn’t agree in number with
the singular antecedent "industry." Choice D is incorrect because the singular pronoun "this" is ambiguous in this context; the
resulting sentence leaves unclear what consists of just one or two suppliers per municipality.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a2816c7f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: a2816c7f
American abstract artist Richard ______ his installations to make passersby keenly aware of how one’s movements are
affected by the physical features of one’s environment, assembles large-scale steel plates into sculptures that dominate the
outdoor spaces they occupy.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Serra is intending

B. Serra, intends

C. Serra, intending

D. Serra intends

ID: a2816c7f Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. This choice pairs the
comma after "Serra" with the comma after "environment" and uses the nonfinite present participle "intending" to correctly
form a supplementary phrase describing the reaction Serra intends his sculptures to provoke. This supplementary phrase
appears between the noun phrase that it modifies ("American abstract artist Richard Serra") and the finite present tense verb
("assembles"), which functions as the sentence’s main verb and describes what Serra does.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present continuous tense verb "is
intending" can’t be used in this way in conjunction with the finite present tense verb "assembles," which already functions as
the main verb in the sentence. Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present
tense verb "intends" can’t be used in this way to supplement the noun phrase "American abstract artist Richard Serra." Choice
D is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite present tense verb "intends" can’t be used in this
way in conjunction with the finite present tense verb "assembles," which already functions as the main verb in the sentence.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 37e5c794
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

SAT Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure, and

Conventions Sense

ID: 37e5c794
Despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce, ______ they are made from nonrenewable petroleum, and most do not
biodegrade in landfills.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. there are two problems associated with commercial plastics:

B. two problems are associated with commercial plastics:

C. commercial plastics’ two associated problems are that

D. commercial plastics have two associated problems:

ID: 37e5c794 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice ensures that the
modifying phrase “despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce” appears immediately before the noun it modifies,
“commercial plastics,” clearly establishing that the commercial plastics—and not another noun in the sentence—are being
described as cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the function word “there” immediately after
the modifying phrase illogically and confusingly suggests that “there” is cheap, versatile, and easy to produce. Choice B is
incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun “two problems” immediately after the
modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “problems” are cheap, versatile, and easy to produce. Choice C is incorrect
because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “commercial plastics’ two associated problems”
immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “problems” are cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Question Difficulty: Hard