Download PSAT/SAT Writing and Language Tips and more Exams Literature in PDF only on Docsity! PSAT/SAT Writing and Language Tips Steps for Writing and Language Questions - โ โ โ โ โ Answer questions as you read. When you see a number, stop reading and look at question. If you can answer it with what you've read so far, do so. Answering W/L Questions - โ โ โ โ โ Make sure the answer choice you select makes sense when read with the correction, is as short as possible while retaining the information in the text and relates well to the passage overall. Answer choices should not change the intended meaning of the original sentence/paragraph/passage W/L Questions Tips - โ โ โ โ โ Eliminate as much as you can and then guess-usually the shortest one. The PSAT rewards students who know how to be concise Commas - โ โ โ โ โ Used for separating independent clauses connected by a (For, and,nor,but,or,yet,so) conjunction, separating an introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence, or to set off three more items in a series or list Underlined Comma - โ โ โ โ โ When you see one of these, ask: Can the comma be replaced by a period or a semicolon? Semicolons - โ โ โ โ โ Join independent clauses when a FANBOYS conjunction is not present or to separate items in a series or list if those items already include commas Colons - โ โ โ โ โ Introduce and/or emphasize a short phrase, quotation, explanation, example or list Dashes - โ โ โ โ โ Used to indicate a hesitation or a break in thought Underlined colon/dash - โ โ โ โ โ Ask: Has the author shifted gears by introducing or explaining something or breaking his or her thought process Possessive Nouns/Pronouns - โ โ โ โ โ Indicate who or what possesses another noun or pronoun. Each follows different rules, PSAT will test both. Spotting Errors In Possessive Nouns/Pronouns - โ โ โ โ โ Look for: two nouns in a row, context clues, pronouns with apostrophes, words that sound alike Non-Uses of Commas - โ โ โ โ โ Do not use them to: Separate a subject from its predicate, separate a verb from its object or its subject, or a preposition from its object Unnecessary Information Tips - โ โ โ โ โ Parenthetical or nonrestrictive information includes words or phrases that aren't essential to the sentence structure or content. To determine if information is nonessential, read the sentence without the information; if the sentence still makes sense without the omitted words, then those words need to be set off punctuation Affect - โ โ โ โ โ To have an influence on something Effect - โ โ โ โ โ To bring something about or cause something to happen Afflict - โ โ โ โ โ To torment or distress someone or something Inflict - โ โ โ โ โ To impose punishment or suffering on someone or something Allusion - โ โ โ โ โ Indirect reference to something; a hint Illusion - โ โ โ โ โ A false, misleading or deceptive appearance Antecedent - โ โ โ โ โ The noun that the pronoun replaced or stands in for in another part of the sentence Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement - โ โ โ โ โ Pronouns must agree with their antecedent not only in person and number but also in gender. Only third person pronouns make a distinction based on gender Subjective Case (P-C Agreement) - โ โ โ โ โ The pronoun is used as the subject (I, you, she, he, it, we, you, they, who) Objective Case (P-C Agreement) - โ โ โ โ โ The pronoun is used as the object of a verb or a preposition (Me, you, her, him, it, us, you, them, whom) Possessive Case (P-C Agreement) - โ โ โ โ โ The pronoun expresses ownership (My, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs, whose)
