PSAT Writing : Identifying Punctuation Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Anna, questioning her decision, looked to her brother, however he wouldn't meet her eye. No error
Anna, questioning
No error
wouldn't meet
decision, looked
brother, however
brother, however
The clause, "however, he wouldn't meet her eye," is an independent clause and must be separated by a semicolon or a coordinating conjunction.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The city’s youth take great pride in the local music scene, there are popular concerts every weekend. No error
No error
every
great pride in
city's youth
scene, there
scene, there
This sentence has a comma splice, which means that it has two independent clauses separated only by a comma. A semicolon is appropriate here. The corrected sentence reads, "The city’s youth take great pride in the local music scene; there are popular concerts every weekend."
Example Question #2 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
I stayed up late last night baking chocolate chip cookies, this morning when I woke up the house smelled so good that it made me hungry. No error
baking
cookies,
smelled so good
No error
stayed up late
cookies,
This is a run-on sentence. The two independent clauses need to be split into two separate sentences, or separated by a semicolon.
Example Question #21 : Identifying Punctuation Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Car, bicycle, and bus are the only means of transportation in this city, there is no metro system available yet. No error
city, there
No error
available yet
bus are
only
city, there
A comma should only be used to separate an independent clause from a dependent clause: here it is separating two independent clauses, so a period or semi-colon is more appropritate.
Example Question #4 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The kids at the pumpkin patch screeched and spun around in circles all day, they bothered their teacher tremendously. No error
tremendously
No error
screeched
in circles
day, they
day, they
This is an example of a comma splice. The two independent clauses should be separated by a period, a semi-colon, or a comma and a conjunction, not by just a comma, which is used to separate independent and dependent clauses.
Example Question #5 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Thomas had always struggled with trigonometry, he thought that circles should remain circles and let triangles and squiggles be their own shapes. No error
had always struggled
trigonometry, he
their
No error
should remain
trigonometry, he
This sentence is an example of a run-on or comma splice. It has two independent clauses separated only by a comma. One way to fix this is to change the comma to a semicolon; if this were to be done, the corrected sentence would read, "Thomas had always struggled with trigonometry; he thought that circles should remain circles and let triangles and squiggles be their own shapes."
Example Question #1 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Carlos, Jim, and their sister, decided not to visit the old shack by the beach; instead, they stayed home and shared ghost stories in the dark. No error
shared ghost stories
beach; instead,
in the dark
sister, decided
No error
sister, decided
A comma should never end a list: "Carlos, Jim, and their sister decided . . ."
Example Question #2 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Sarah wanted to arrive at the store in time to buy the fresh bread cereal, and chocolate sauce. No error
to arrive
in time
fresh bread
Sarah
No error
fresh bread
Without a comma to make the "fresh bread" an item on the list, the item is unclear: is "fresh bread cereal" an item, or "fresh bread?" We need a comma to clarify.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Punctuation Errors: Commas In Lists
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Bill, Jane and Jared went to the movies every Sunday afternoon; they liked to sit at the back of the movie theatre because it offered the best view. No error
it offered
afternoon; they
No error
Bill, Jane and Jared
every
Bill, Jane and Jared
The phrase “Bill, Jane and Jared” should be “Bill, Jane, and Jarred” because the friend’s names are presented as a list. Words, clauses, or phrases in a series should always be separated by a comma. The sentence “Bill and Jane went to the movies” does not require a comma, but adding the third name, Jared, requires a comma between the three names. Be sure to note that there is no comma after the last word or phrase in the sequence.
Example Question #1351 : Psat Writing Skills
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Mr. Williams has a number of diverse interests, including skateboarding, and playing video games. No error
playing
a number
skateboarding, and
No error
interests, including
skateboarding, and
There should not be a comma between the words “skateboarding” and “and.” In other words, the second part of the sentence should read “including skateboarding and playing video games.” This is because there are only two interests listed. A comma should only be used in lists containing three or more items.
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