PSAT Writing : PSAT Writing Skills
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for PSAT Writing
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Example Questions
Example Question #641 : 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.
The cafeteria that was serving "seafood surprise" for lunch and subsequently not attracting many customers. No error
not attracting many customers
that
No error
"seafood surprise"
subsequently
that
This sentence is a fragment; read it out loud and you will hear that it sounds incomplete. This happened because the "that" turned the main part of the sentence into a modifying phrase. Take this out to fix the fragment: "The cafeteria was serving "seafood surprise" for lunch and subsequently not attracting many customers."
Example Question #642 : 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.
Virtue is, in many ways, a foreign idea to him, every kind gesture he thinks he knows is proven false. No error
false.
him, every
Virtue
, in many ways,
No error
him, every
In this sentence, the independent clauses "Virtue is, in many ways, a foreign idea to him" and "every kind gesture he thinks he knows is proven false" are linked with a comma. This is called a comma splice and should be avoided. Replacing the comma with a semicolon fixes the error.
Example Question #643 : 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.
Rodrigo will always be wealthy. Even if he were to unknowingly live out the prophecy. No error
Always
wealthy.
No error
unknowingly
prophecy.
wealthy.
"Even if he were to unknowingly live out the prophecy," is a dependent clause. It could be combined with the sentence before it, if a comma were placed after "wealthy," the period after "wealthy" is incorrect.
Example Question #809 : Identifying Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The old, faded rug ran the course of the entire empty room, it having been left untouched for fifty years. No error
No error
it having been
old, faded
untouched for
ran
it having been
This sentence has some unnecessary words thrown in it. “It having been” is clunky and not needed. The corrected sentence reads: The old, faded rug ran the course of the entire empty room, left untouched for fifty years.
Example Question #1 : Identifying Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The downtrodden wrestlers all put away their uniforms and tried to silently forget the crushing defeat of that day. No error
No error
their
crushing
downtrodden
to silently forget
to silently forget
The error in this sentence is a split infinitive. Conventional grammar rules tell us that an infinitive verb, such as “to forget,” should not be interrupted by an adverb, like “silently.” It would be more correct to say "tried silently to forget.”
Example Question #2 : Identifying Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Every Wednesday, I go to the dry cleaner, where I pick up my shirts, and to the grocery store, where I bought milk and bread. No error
I go
Every Wednesday,
No error
I bought
store, where
I bought
The error in the sentence is "I bought." The fact that I go to the store "every Wednesday" indicates that my actions, from going to the store to buying milk, are recurring actions. Using "I bought" makes the action a past action, when it should be "I buy."
Example Question #1 : Identifying Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Statistical evidence supports the claim that a majority of middle-aged men do not never use deodorant. No error.
never use deodorant
majority of
Statistical
the claim that
No error.
never use deodorant
This sentence has a double negative, which is redundant. The corrected sentence reads: "Statistical evidence supports the claim that a majority of middle-aged men do not use deodorant."
Example Question #2 : Identifying Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
The overbearing manager demanded that his employees make hourly progress reports every sixty minutes. No error.
make
No error.
every sixty minutes
overbearing
his
every sixty minutes
This sentence contains redundancy. As the reports are "hourly," we already know they are to be made every sixty minutes. This phrase should be omitted.
Example Question #3 : Identifying Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Despite the company’s supposed emphasis on customer service, I have only talked to grouchy support personnel however. No error
however
the company's
No error
have only talked
supposed emphasis on
however
Since this sentence opens with a “despite,” the word “however” is redundant. They both express the same relationship between parts of the sentence. Omit “however” to fix this problem: "Despite the company’s supposed emphasis on customer service, I have only talked to grouchy support personnel."
Example Question #4 : Identifying Ambiguity And Redundancy Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Our physics teacher is famous for distributing papers to students while at the same time chewing his gum quite loudly. No error
physics
No error
distributing
loudly
at the same time
at the same time
“At the same time” means the same thing as “while.” Therefore, it is redundant, and doesn't need to be included in the sentence.
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