Grammar Rules That Appear Frequently on the SAT (What to Know and How to Master Them)

Grammar Rules That Appear Frequently on the SAT

If the SAT were a language, grammar would be its backbone. The Writing and Language section tests your ability to spot errors, improve clarity, and choose the most effective phrasing. But not all grammar topics show up equally. A handful of rules cover a large fraction of the questions you’ll see. This guide walks you through those high-yield rules with readable explanations, clear examples, and practical strategies you can use during study sessions and on test day.

Why focus on these rules?

Time is limited on the SAT, and the Writing and Language section rewards pattern recognition. When you know which errors appear most often, you can diagnose choices faster. These rules also carry over to the Reading and Essay skills—clear writing reflects clear thinking. As you prepare, mix solo practice with targeted guidance: many students find faster progress when they supplement practice tests with 1-on-1 guidance and tailored study plans from tutors who explain why an answer works. Sparkl’s personalized tutoring, for instance, can help translate these rules into a study schedule specific to your weaknesses.

Top grammar rules to master

Below are the rules that recur again and again. For each, you’ll find a short rule summary, typical traps on the SAT, and quick strategies for spotting the right answer.

1. Subject-verb agreement

Rule: Subjects and verbs must agree in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.

What makes SAT questions tricky: intervening phrases, collective nouns, and subjects joined by “or” or “nor.” The exam loves to hide the true subject with extra words.

• Tip: Always find the main subject and ignore words in between. The verb must agree with the main subject, not with a nearby noun in a prepositional phrase.

Examples:

• Incorrect: The bouquet of roses were beautiful. (The subject is “bouquet” — singular.)
• Correct: The bouquet of roses was beautiful.
• When subjects are joined by “or”/”nor”: Either the student or the teacher is responsible. (Verb agrees with the nearer subject.)

2. Pronoun agreement and pronoun case

Rule: Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender. Use the correct pronoun case—subjective (I, he, she, they), objective (me, him, her, them), and possessive (my, his, her, their).

What to watch for: Ambiguous antecedents and shifts in person (mixing “you” with “one” or switching from “he” to “they”). Also, compound subjects that include the pronoun can change which case to use.

• Tip: Replace the compound phrase mentally with a single pronoun to check correctness (e.g., “between you and me” not “between you and I”).

Examples:

• Incorrect: Each student must hand in their homework. (“Each student” is singular; “their” is plural.)
• Correct: Each student must hand in his or her homework. Or: All students must hand in their homework. (Recast to plural to use “their”.)
• Pronoun case: The teacher gave the homework to Sam and me. (Not “Sam and I”)

3. Parallelism

Rule: Items in a series or items joined by coordinating conjunctions should use the same grammatical form.

Parallelism makes lists and comparisons clear. The SAT tests this often because a nonparallel structure interferes with flow and clarity.

• Tip: Read the elements side by side. If one begins with a verb, all should begin with the same verb form.

Examples:

• Incorrect: She likes running, to swim, and biking.
• Correct: She likes running, swimming, and biking. (All gerunds.)
• Incorrect: The job requires skill, patience, and to be quick.
• Correct: The job requires skill, patience, and speed. Or: The job requires skilled workers, patience, and quick thinking.

4. Misplaced and dangling modifiers

Rule: Modifiers must be placed next to the word they describe. Dangling modifiers happen when the word being modified is missing from the sentence.

What catches students: Opening phrases that seem to modify the subject but actually attach to the wrong noun.

• Tip: Ask “which word is doing the action?” and make sure the modifier is right next to it.

Examples:

• Incorrect: Walking down the street, the museum appeared. (This wrongly implies the museum was walking.)
• Correct: Walking down the street, I saw the museum.
• Incorrect: To improve her test scores, practice tests were recommended. (Who is practicing?)
• Correct: To improve her test scores, she took practice tests. Or: To improve her test scores, the counselor recommended practice tests.

5. Verb tense and aspect consistency

Rule: Keep verb tense consistent unless a clear time shift justifies a change.

On the SAT, sudden tense shifts often mark errors because they confuse the sequence of events or the intended timeframe.

• Tip: Identify the timeline of events in the sentence. If everything happens at the same time, stick to one tense.

Examples:

• Incorrect: She finished the experiment and writes her report. (Mixed past and present when both are part of the same past sequence.)
• Correct: She finished the experiment and wrote her report.

6. Commas with dependent clauses and introductory elements

Rule: Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase. Don’t insert a comma between a subject and its verb unless required by a parenthetical element.

Common traps: Students sometimes omit needed commas after long introductory phrases, or insert commas unnecessarily between subject and verb.

• Tip: If the phrase at the start describes time, reason, or condition (e.g., “After the storm,” “Because she studied,”), put a comma after it.

Examples:

• Correct: After a long day of practice, the team rested.
• Incorrect: The winner, of the contest was announced. (Comma separates subject and verb incorrectly.)

7. Commas with coordinate adjectives

Rule: When two adjectives independently describe the same noun, use a comma between them (or reverse them and the phrase should still make sense).

• Tip: Try inserting “and” between the adjectives; if it works, a comma is usually needed.

Examples:

• Correct: It was a long, exhausting day. (“long and exhausting” works.)
• Incorrect: The bright red car (no comma) — here “bright” modifies “red car” as a combined idea, so no comma.

8. Apostrophes: possessive vs. plural

Rule: Use apostrophes to show possession, not plurals. Add ’s for singular possession, and s’ for plural possessors that end in s.

• Tip: If you’re showing ownership, use an apostrophe. If you’re talking about more than one of something, just add s.

Examples:

• Correct: The student’s paper (one student’s). The students’ lounge (lounge for multiple students).
• Incorrect: The teachers lounge. (Should be “teachers’ lounge” if it’s the lounge for the teachers.)

9. Semicolons, colons, and strong punctuation choices

Rule: Use a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction. Use a colon to introduce a list, explanation, or quotation that follows an independent clause.

On the SAT, punctuation choices are often about clarity and the relationship between clauses.

• Tip: If each side of the punctuation could stand alone as a sentence, a semicolon or period is usually appropriate. If the second part explains or lists what came before, consider a colon.

Examples:

• Correct: She wanted to study more; she set aside two hours each night.
• Correct: He brought three things: a notebook, a pencil, and patience.
• Incorrect: She likes reading; and she writes often. (Use a comma + conjunction, or drop the conjunction.)

10. Clear comparisons and parallel comparisons

Rule: Comparisons must be logical and complete. Avoid comparing two unlike things or leaving comparisons dangling.

• Tip: If you see “than” or “as” on the SAT, check that the things being compared are comparable and parallel.

Examples:

• Incorrect: Our new software is better than products. (Better than what?)
• Correct: Our new software is better than the products of our competitors. Or: Our new software is better than those products.
• Incorrect: She is more capable and reliable than John. (This implies she is both more capable and reliable than John; if intended to compare only one quality, rewrite.)

Quick-reference table: common errors and fixes

How to practice efficiently (so you don’t waste time)

More practice is good, but smart practice is better. Here are study habits that turn effort into results:

1. Spot the rule, not just the answer

When you get a question wrong, write down which rule was tested. Revisit errors a week later to see if the same mistake pops up. That pattern is where tutoring and tailored plans help most—an experienced tutor can identify repeating weaknesses and give targeted drills. Sparkl’s personalized tutoring, with expert tutors and AI-driven insights, can speed this process by creating a study plan based on your error patterns.

2. Read the sentence both ways

For many SAT grammar questions, switching between the underlined version and a paraphrase clarifies meaning. Say the sentence out loud slowly; your ear will often catch awkward phrasing or nonparallel lists.

3. Use focused drills for high-yield rules

Work through blocks of questions that isolate a single rule—10 subject-verb agreement questions in a row, then 10 parallelism questions. Focused repetition builds the mental shortcuts you’ll need under time pressure.

4. Timed practice with review

Do full sections under timed conditions, then spend more time reviewing each question than you did answering it. Understand why the wrong answers are wrong; the SAT loves attractive distractors that contain half-truths.

Common traps and how to avoid them

The SAT writers are good at creating choices that seem right at first glance. Here are traps to watch for and quick strategies to escape them.

Trap: Thinking a long noun phrase makes the subject plural

Strategy: Circle the subject and verb. Ignore intervening phrases like “along with,” “as well as,” or “including.”

Trap: Choosing a pronoun that sounds formal but is incorrect in case

Strategy: Replace the compound subject with just the pronoun to test case. Ask “who” for subjective and “whom” for objective if unsure.

Trap: Fixing awkward phrasing with extra words that create new errors

Strategy: Prefer the shortest clear answer that preserves meaning. SAT favored answers are concise and direct unless clarity demands more.

Practice mini-quiz (try these on your own)

Pick the correct version for each. Read each pair carefully and apply the rules above.

• A: Either the teacher or the students is bringing the snacks. B: Either the teacher or the students are bringing the snacks.
• A: The committee, along with the city officials, meets on Fridays. B: The committee, along with the city officials, meet on Fridays.
• A: Having finished the book, the review was written by the student. B: Having finished the book, the student wrote the review.
• A: The quick brown fox, and the lively cat, were startled. B: The quick brown fox and the lively cat were startled.

Answers: 1 — B (verb agrees with nearer subject “students”); 2 — A (main subject “committee” is singular); 3 — B (fixes the dangling modifier); 4 — B (no comma needed between two subjects joined by “and”).

Putting it all together on test day

During the exam, use a consistent process: first read the entire sentence for meaning, then identify the underlined portion and the rule it tests, and finally eliminate choices that break grammar, logic, or clarity. If you split between two choices and time is tight, prefer the answer that is concise and direct while preserving meaning—SAT writers favor precision and economy over florid phrasing.

Time-management tip

If a sentence looks messy because of unfamiliar content (science, history, or economics), bracket out the details and focus on grammar. The meaning behind the content rarely matters for the grammar questions; clarity and structure do.

A final word on confidence and resources

Grammar on the SAT isn’t about memorizing every rule in a dusty handbook; it’s about recognizing patterns and practicing them until they become second nature. Mix practice tests with targeted drills and occasional tutoring checks. Personalized tutoring can accelerate learning—whether it’s checking your reasoning, giving immediate explanations, or building tailored study plans that focus on recurring mistakes.

Remember: steady practice beats frantic cramming. Learn the big rules above, drill them in focused blocks, and review mistakes thoughtfully. Over time your ear for correct English will sharpen and the Writing and Language section will feel less like a puzzle and more like another place to show how clearly you can think and write.

Good luck—treat each practice sentence like a small victory. With clarity, pattern recognition, and a few targeted sessions with a knowledgeable tutor, you’ll see steady improvement. Keep at it, and the grammar questions that once stumped you will start to feel familiar and manageable.