SAT WRITING MUL-TIPLE CHOICE IM-

PROVING SEN-TENCES

Practice Problems and Explanations

Approaching IS Strategies

Don’t keep rereading A

Shortest is USUALLY the best

Longest is USUALLY the worst

Pay attention to underlines

Stuck? Look at selections B – E

○ Whatever part of speech is changing could be a clue

Directions Print out the (download) Take 20 minutes to complete

Though one of the most feared breeds of dog in

the world, actually the pitbull often bred to be quite

friendly.

A. actually the pitbull often bred to be quite friendly.

B. the pitbull, which can actually often be bred to be quite friendly.

C. the pitbull can actually often be bred to be quite friendly.

D. the pitbull actually was often bred to be quite friendly.

E. the pitbull actually having often been bred to be quite friendly.

DM

Inf/Gerund At the turn of the 20th century, community leader Booker T.

Washington envisioned an African-American community rooted

in entrepreneurship and encouraged African-Americans at the

time to seek success through enterprise.

A. to seek success

B. that success was sought

C. seek success

D. they sought success

E. they were seeking success

Redundant/Wordy For some reason, the singer, after having received permission

to spray paint graffiti on one building, decided to vandalize an-

other.

A. after having received permission to spray paint graffiti on one building,

B. as soon as he received permission to spray paint graffiti on one building,

C. having received permission to spray paint graffiti on one building,

D. after he received permission to spray paint graffiti on one building,

E. when he received permission to spray paint graffiti on one building,

Pro-Ant The general made his strategies too hastily, without putting

enough thought behind it.

A. too hastily, without putting enough thought behind it.

B. too hasty, without putting enough thought behind them.

C. too hasty, and there was not enough thought behind them.

D. too hastily, without putting enough thought behind them

E. too hastily, and there is not enough thought behind them.

Mod/ProIn Minecraft, a griefer is when a player purposefully harasses other play-

ers within the game, using aspects of the game in unintended ways.

A. when a player purposefully harasses other players within the game

B. a player who purposefully harasses other players within the game

C. purposeful harassment of a player against other players within the

game

D. if a player purposefully harasses other players within the game

E. harassment of other players within the game by another player

Pro Neither Melissa nor Jackie had their library cards

with them.

A. Neither Melissa nor Jackie had their library cards with them.

B. Neither Melissa nor Jackie had their library cards with them.

C. Neither Melissa nor Jackie had her library cards with her.

D. Neither girl had her library card with her.

E. Neither Melissa nor Jackie had her library card with her.

Pro-Amb/FC (gerund-clause) Riding a skateboard down a hill is in some ways

like when you are snowboarding down a moun-

tain.

A. is in some ways like when you are snowboarding

B. in some ways is in the same class as snowboarding

C. is in some ways similar to when you are riding a snowboard

D. is in some ways like snowboarding

E. is in some ways like riding a snowboard

Pro - # At the conference, you will have a chance to meet the president and manager of

the institution, who will be glad to share with you some experiences about his work.

A. you will have a chance to meet the president and manager of the institution, who will be glad to

share with you some experiences about his work.

B. you will have a chance to meet the president, who is also manager of the institution, and who

will be glad to share with you some experiences about his work.

C. you will have a chance to meet the president and manager of the institution, who will be glad to

share with you something about experiencing his work.

D. you will have a chance to meet the president and manager of the institution, who gladly share

experiences with you as to his work.

E. you will have a chance to meet the president and the manager of the institution, who will be

gladly sharing with you some experiences about his work.

Pl/# As an expert in the field of martial arts,

Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan were able to popularize Asian fighting techniques around the world.

A. As an expert in the field of martial artsB. An expert in the field of martial artsC. Experts and studying martial artsD. As experts in the field of martial artsE. Since being experts in the field of martial arts

F-Coord French fries originated in America, and many peo-

ple think it was France.

A. and many people think it was

B. many people thinking it was

C. and many people thinking

D. not, as many people think,

E. but many people think it to be

F-Coord By starting it at noon, the meal would be

ready to eat by dinner.

A. By starting it

B. If it were to start

C. Were it to be started

D. After starting it

E. It would be started

F-Coord Since failed investments bankrupted the company,

and so the CEO must decide whether to close a

branch office or take a pay cut.

A. company, and so

B. company is a matter

C. company,

D. company; then

E. company; this is a problem

F-Coord No sooner had he left the airport when the disguised

celebrity was noticed and everyone began to scream.

A. when the disguised celebrity was noticed

B. then the disguised celebrity was noticed

C. than the disguised celebrity was noticed

D. but the disguised celebrity was noticed

E. the disguised celebrity was noticed

MM Some houses continue to smell of cigarette smoke

even after the furniture has been moved out into the

street, which can be absorbed by the wallpaper or car-

pet.

A. street, which can be absorbed by the wallpaper or carpet.

B. Street that can be absorbed by the wallpaper or carpet.

C. street, it can be absorbed by the wallpaper or carpet.

D. street, while it is absorbed by the wallpaper or carpet.

E. Street; the smoke can be absorbed by the wallpaper or carpet.

DM Often regarded as a legend in martial arts, a golden statue

of Bruce Lee erected by local residents can be found in

Mostar, a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A. a golden statue of Bruce Lee erected by local residents can be found in

B. Bruce Lee’s statue erected by local residents can be found in

C. Bruce Lee is honored with a golden statue erected by local residents in

D. local residents made a golden statue of Bruce Lee can be found in

E. a golden statue honoring Bruce Lee erected by local residents can be

found in

MM Mr. Park, who enjoys introducing Westerners to

Korean culture, teaches hangeul to them dressed

like King Sejong.A. teaches hangeul to them dressed like King Sejong.

B. teaches hangeul to them while he dresses as King Sejong.

C. dresses as King Sejong and teaches them hangeul.

D. teaches hangeul dressed like King Sejong to them.

E. teaches them hangeul while dressed like King Sejong.

No errorIn War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy presented his theories on his-

tory and illustrated them with a slanted account of actual

historical events.

A. Illustrated them

B. Also illustrating them

C. He also was illustrating these ideas

D. Then illustrated the theories also

E. Then he went about illustrating them

No errorCongress was in no doubt about who would take

credit for winning the war on inflation.

A. About who would take credit

B. About who takes credit

C. About whom would take credit

D. Of who would take credit

E. Over who would take credit

F-CoordOne cause of digestion problems is when patients take too many an-

tibiotics and end up killing the good bacteria in their stomachs.

A. One cause of digestion problems is when patients take too many

B. One cause of digestion problems is that patients take too many

C. Most digestive problems arise when patients take too much

D. Most digestive problems occur as a result of taking too many

E. Most digestion problems occur due to the fact that

FCLast year, more college graduates entered into

graduate school programs than the job force.

A. the job force

B. The job force did

C. Those compared to the job force

D. Job force people

E. Into the job force

ROBefore an important match, Angela listens to heavy metal music, Jenny stays up all night

playing games.

A. Before an important match, Angela listens to heavy metal music, Jenny spends all night

playing games.

B. Angela listens to heavy metal music before an important match, and Jenny, she plays

games all night.

C. Before an important match, Angela listens to heavy metal music; Jenny stays up all night

playing games.

D. Jenny stays up all night playing video games with Angela listening to heavy metal music

before an important match.

E. Before an important match, Angela listens to heavy metal music, while Angela stays up

all night playing games.

Privatization of a nation’s water supply will certainly

lead to lower prices, which some economists are

warning that this may lead to a lower level of cleanli-

ness.

A. which some economists are warning

B. however, some economists have warned

C. but some economists warn

D. although some economists are warning

E. and some economists who warn

F-Coord

Both criminals and Batman come out at twilight,

and the criminals would look for victims and Bat-

man would look for criminals.

A. and the criminals would look for victims and Batman would look

for

B. and the criminals would look for victims while Batman look for

C. the criminals look for victims and Batman is looking for

D. the criminals looking for victims while Batman looks for

E. the criminals to look for victims and Batman to look for

F-SUB

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