Must read http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/determiners/determiners.

htm
Awesome link for Idioms:
http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idioms_proverbs.html
Though the prepositions are small words, they are very important ones, and their correct
usage is a test of your mastery of the language. This article explains the correct usage of
some prepositions that often cause confusion.
Beside and besides
Students often get confused about the meaning and usage of these two words. Beside
means 'by the side of' and besides means 'in addition to'.
The house was beside the river. (= by the side of the river)
He stood beside me. (= by my side)
He plays tennis besides (in addition to) basketball and football.
Besides (in addition to) being a good speaker, he is also an excellent actor.
Since and for
This is another set of prepositions often confused by foreign students. Since refers to the
starting point of an action. It means 'from a particular point of time in the past' and it
should be used with the present perfect tense of the verb.
He has been absent since last Monday. (NOT He is absent since last Monday.)
It has been raining continuously since yesterday morning. (NOT It is raining since
yesterday morning.)
For is used to talk about duration. It refers to a period of time.
I have been waiting here for two hours.
We have been living here for three years.
A common mistake is to use since when referring to a period of time. You must not say
'He has been absent since two days' or 'I have been studying since two hours.'
Between and among
We use between to say that somebody or something is between two or more clearly
separate objects.
You have to choose between these two options.
I stood between John and Peter.
They marched up the aisle between the pillars.

He shared his money between his wife, his daughter and his son.
Among is used with more than two people or things.
The British were able to conquer India because the Indian princes quarreled among
themselves.
The United Nations tries to maintain peace among the nations of the world.
By and with
By is used to refer to the doer of an action; with is used to refer to the instrument with
which the action is done.
He was killed by his servant.
He was killed with an axe.
The tiger was shot by me with my new gun.
In and At
In is generally used to refer to large places - countries, districts, large cities etc. At is
generally used to refer to small and unimportant places like villages, small towns etc.
We shall meet them at the club this evening.
My brother lives at Mumbai.
This rule is not very rigidly followed now, and in is often used for small places too,
though at is seldom used for big places.
On, in, at and by (time)
While speaking about time at indicates an exact point of time, on a more general point of
time and in a period of time.
I shall be there at 4 pm.
We set out at dawn.
I was born on May 26.
The postman brought this letter in the morning.
I shall visit them in summer.
It is very hot in the day and quite cold at night.
Note that 'at night' is an exception to this rule.
By is used to show the latest time at which an action will be finished. So it is usually
used with the future tenses.

I shall be leaving by 6 o' clock.

I hope to finish the work by the end of this year.
On and upon
On is generally used to talk about things at rest and upon to talk about things in motion.
He sat on a chair.
He jumped upon his horse.
However, this rule is not rigidly followed now, and on is often used to talk about things in
motion too.
In and within (time)
In means at the end of a certain period; within means before the end of a certain period.
The spacecraft will reach the moon in three days. (= at the end of three days)
The spacecraft will reach the moon within three days. (= before the end of three days)
The loan should be repaid in a year.
The loan should be repaid within a year.
Note that this distinction too is not always kept and in is often used for within.

http://school.familyeducation.com/college-prep/sat/39911.html?
page=1&detoured=1
Category

Frequency

Difficulty

Pronoun Errors
Singular-Plural Errors
Idiom Errors
Comparison Errors
Parallel Structure Errors
Wordiness and Redundancy**
Modifier Errors*
Ambiguity**
Diction Errors
Adjective-Adverb Errors
Verb Tense Errors
Sentence Fragments or Run-ons*
Transition or Punctuation Errors*
Logic Errors**

Very High
Very High
High
Medium
High
High
Medium
Medium
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Very Low

Medium
Medium
High
Very High
Medium
Medium
High
High
Very High
Medium
Low
Low
Low
Very High

USE Pencil to spot erors

Pronoun Errors
Illustrative Sentences

Madeline is a better badminton player than me even though she learned the game only a few
months ago.
Between you and I, I'm not sure whether our gym teacher can tie his own shoes much less
lead us in calisthenics drills.

The enthusiastic participants in the state fair's pie-eating contest, which ranged in age from
seven to nearly seventy, all said that they had eaten nothing that morning.

A paradox is a situation when an apparently reasonable statement leads to contradictory or

inexplicable conclusions.

The first two illustrations are variations of subject-object pronoun errors. This error occurs when we
use a subject pronoun or object pronoun when the other was required.
Subject Pronouns

Object Pronouns

I
you
we
he
she
they
who

me
you
us
him
her
them
whom

We use subject pronouns when they do things (I hit the ball) and object pronouns when they receive
the action either of a verb (I hit the ball) or a preposition (the ball is under me). In certain sentence
constructions, these distinctions can be confusing.
In the first illustration, you wouldn't say Madeline is better than me is, would you? Of course not; you'd
say, Madeline is better than I am. So a longer, correct version of the sentence is Madeline is a better
badminton player than I am, which we can shorten to Madeline is a better badminton player than I.
The same distinction would have been apparent if we had reversed the order of the words without
changing the meaning. I am a worse badminton player than Madeline (not Me is a worse badminton
player than Madeline).
In the second illustration, the word "between" is a preposition. Objects of prepositions require
an object pronoun (me) not a subject pronoun (I). What's confusing the issue here is that the
phrase "you and I" is usually heard (correctly) as a subject (you and I are friends; let's you and I go to
the movie). The word "you" can also be an object (you hit the ball; the ball hit you), and in this
instance "you" is the object of the preposition, too.
Let's consider a different context in which the distinction will be more obvious. Would you say "Paul
stands by I" or "Paul stands by me?" The preposition "by" requires the object pronoun: me. If
you're a little shaky on identifying prepositions, a quick review of our discussion on page 5 of The SAT
Proofreading and Edition Section: Basic Principles would be a good idea. The second sentence
should begin, Between you and me, I'm not sure whether ...
Deleting, substituting, and reversing the order of certain words in a sentence are powerful techniques
to clear up grammatical confusion when you're uncertain about the correctness of a particular word or
phrase in a question.
Before we leave the topic of subject and object pronouns, the ever-popular is-it-who-or-whom
question has not yet been tested on the SAT. Explaining when to use "who" and when to use "whom"
can cause confusion, so let it suffice to say that the basic rule is that you'd use "who" whenever you'd
replyif it were a questionhe or she, and "whom" whenever you'd reply him or her.

The third sentence illustrates the use of one pronoun when the noun requires another. The
participants are people, so the pronoun "who" is required, not "which."
The fourth illustration is not strictly a pronoun error but it is closely analogous to the pronoun error we
just discussed. Be careful about the incorrect substituting of the words "when" or "where" for the
pronouns "who" or "which." Perhaps this error occurs because all these words are short and begin
with "w." In any event, the word "when" refers to a time, but the context of this sentence requires the
pronoun which: A paradox is a situation in which an apparently reasonable statement leads to
contradictory or inexplicable conclusions.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:

ambiguity
singular-plural errors

Category:
Singular-Plural Errors
Illustrative Sentences

A picture of the All-Star Team, composed of players from different leagues, were given to each
member.
The nature and consequences of the senator's alleged offense is serious, so unless he
addresses the charges soon he will face disciplinary action by his fellow senators, and
possible expulsion from the senate itself.

For all their size, elephants, a plant-eating animal indigenous to Asia as well as Africa, are
remarkably passive.

Lance Armstrong, winner of the Tour de France, recommended that every serious cyclist
invest in the best bicycle that they can afford.

Tim and Jack want to get an A in their ethics class, and each student is prepared to do
whatever it takes to achieve his goal.

Fire officials attributed the large amount of property damage to the fact that not one of the
hotel's more than two thousand rooms were equipped with the latest sprinklers or smoke
detectors.

Nobody ever achieved true successwhether in sports, business, or any other fieldall by
themselves.

Neither George nor Helene were able to decide who should drive to the dance, so they flipped
a coin.

We saw an example of this error in our discussion of the bracket technique in The SAT Proofreading
and Edition Section: Basic Principles. These errors occur when a singular word or phrase is not in
agreement with a plural word or phrase. Singular-plural errors can take a variety of forms, such as a
plural pronoun referring to a singular noun or a plural noun taking a singular verb.
The trick to catching these errors is to isolate the true subject of a sentence. Remember to use the
bracket technique to isolate the distracting phrases so that you can focus on the important elements
of each sentence.

In the first example, the subjectpictureis singular, but the verbwereis plural.
In the second example, the subjectnature and consequencesis plural, but, the verbisis
singular.
In the third example, the subject and verbelephants and areare both plural; the problem is the
singular modifying phrasea plant-eating animal. An acceptable revision of this sentence would be
the following: For all their size, elephants, plant-eating animals indigenous to Asia as well as Africa,
are remarkably passive. Yes, we could have revised the entire sentence with singular forms: For all its
size, the elephant, a plant-eating animal indigenous to Asia as well as Africa, is remarkably passive.
The plural pronoun they in the fourth example refers to a singular noun, cyclist. The correct pronoun
for this noun would have been he or she. An alternative solution would have been to make the
phrase every serious cyclist plural: serious cyclists.
In the fifth example, Tim and Jack want to get As, not a single A.
In the sixth example, the bracket technique would be useful in revealing that the plural verb were
equipped refers to one, a singular noun.
In the seventh example, the plural pronoun themselves refers to a singular pronoun, nobody.
In the eighth example, the subject of the sentenceneither George nor Heleneis singular, but the
verb were is plural. The expression neither-nor is also singular. In fact, all the following pronouns are
singular when they appear on the SAT (some rare, minor exceptions confuse most college English
professors, so we won't worry about them):
Singular pronouns:

anybody
anything

anyone

everybody

everything

everyone

somebody

something

someone

nobody

nothing

no one

none

each

either

neither

another

Notice that some of these singular pronouns seem plural. The word everybody is really shorthand for
"every single body," and so is singular. Everybody is present; everybody packed his or her lunch for
the school field trip. Everything and everyone are also singular pronouns.
You don't have to memorize this list, but do familiarize yourself with the principle that all these words
are singular.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following category:

pronoun errors

The Bracket Technique to spot errors

A powerful technique that allows us to read around potentially distracting phrases is to enclose them
in parentheses. As you read through a sentence for the first time, place parentheses around either of
the following:

any prepositional phrases (by far the most common prepositions are of and in, followed by to,
for, by, andwith)
any clauses set off by commas

Sometimes you'll find a prepositional phrase within a prepositional phrase, so to keep things simple
just open a set of parentheses when you get to the first preposition and close it when you get to the
end of the complete phrase. If you get to any other phrases or clauses, open a new set of
parentheses. In the sentence we just discussed, we'd have used two sets of parentheses:
The degree (of error in calculations done by ancient Mayan astronomers long before the
invention of telescopes) were, (even by modern standards), incredibly small. Notice that if we
read around the parentheses, ignoring the words within them, we're back to our original basic
sentence in which the agreement error was obvious. If we didn't find an error outside the
parentheses, our next step would be to examine the words within the parentheses.
Category:
Idiom Errors
Illustrative Sentences

Many teenagers feel a great deal of pressure to conform with the values, attitudes, and
behavior of their peers.
I was prohibited, by my conscience as well as the team dress code, to wear a dress to the
football scrimmage.
The labor dispute was caused by both long hours as well as unsafe working conditions.

This major grammatical category is one of the most important on the SAT Writing Test. The
proofreading questions on your SAT will include at least one and as many as three idiom errors.
Preposition idioms make up the majority of these errors. No rule governs which preposition is correct
for a given expression; idioms must be learned individually.
I am jealous of you; I am worried about you; I am grateful to you. Sometimes a different preposition
can be used with a certain word depending on meaning intended. A scientist can be a credit to her

university; a scientist can be credited with a discovery; a scientist can be given credit for her
discovery. A common idiom error is the expression "different than"; the correct expression is "different
from."
In the first example, the correct expression is "conform to"; the preposition "with" is incorrect. This
example was relatively straightforward because the two words in the expression appeared together.
When testing a prepositional idiom with both words together, the test writers will underline either both
words or just the preposition. If the preposition is wrong, the entire expression is wrong.
Sometimes the same word can take different prepositions depending on the context and the meaning
of the expression. When you write a letter to someone, you correspond with that person; when two
things serve similar functions in different contexts, we say that one thing corresponds to the other. On
the SAT Writing Test, the context will always be clear in such situations, so you'll always be able to
decide which preposition is required.
Idiom errors get tricky when the test writers sandwich a long phrase between the two halves of an
idiom to distract you from their connection. When the two halves are separated, the test writers
usually just underline the preposition. But because the preposition is now separated from its "other
half," it's easy to forget to look back to see whether the preposition is properly used. You have to train
yourself to anticipate the second half of these idiomsand look for itas soon as you encounter the
first half.
Once again, the bracket technique comes in handy. In the second example, bracketing the middle
phrase isolates the expression "prohibited to." The correct preposition to follow prohibited is "from."
Let's say that you weren't sure which preposition goes with prohibited and that your ear is no guide in
this case. You might ask yourself what preposition goes with a synonym for prohibited, like prevented.
If you're not sure which preposition goes with a particular word, try substituting a familiar synonym:
generally both words will take the same preposition.
The other type of idiom error you need to look out for involves linking expressions. Certain
expressions, a list of which follows, link two sets of words or phrases. These expressions are fixed
idioms, and they require both halves to be correct. Notice that the two parts of each linking expression
will be separated: when you see the first half, you must anticipate the second half. When one of these
expressions is being tested on the SAT, often only the second part will be underlined. You'll need to be
extremely careful and look back to see whether the underlined second half correctly goes with the first
half, which may not be underlined (and which may therefore escape easy notice).
The following common linking expressions, which we will also discuss under parallel errors,
all require both parts to be correct.

both . . . and
either . . . or

neither . . . nor

whether . . . or

not only . . . but also

In the third example, the phrase "as well as" incorrectly follows the word "both." Any of the following
would have been acceptable versions of this sentence:
The labor dispute was caused by both long hours and unsafe working conditions.
The labor dispute was caused by long hours and unsafe working conditions.

The labor dispute was caused by long hours as well as unsafe working conditions.

You don't have to memorize a long list of idioms. If you're on the lookouttwo or three will show up on
your testyou should have no difficulty spotting them. The following drill will give you additional
practice.
Prepositional Idiom Drill
For each of the following words, supply the correct preposition. You'll find the answers at the end of
this page.
1. able . . .
2. capable . . .
3. comply . . .
4. conscious . . .
5. equivalent . . .
6. identical . . .
7. method . . .
8. opposed . . .
9. preoccupied . . .
10. relevant . . .
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:
diction errors
parallel structure errors
Answers to the Prepositional Idiom Drill
1. able to
2. capable of
3. comply with
4. conscious of
5. equivalent to
6. identical to
7. method of
8. opposed to
9. preoccupied with
10. relevant to
If you missed more than a few of these, try to be more alert to idioms in your regular
classroom reading assignments. Now that you know to be on the lookout for prepositional
idioms, you'll quickly become familiar with the more common ones.

Category:
Parallel Structure Errors
Illustrative Sentences

A talented athlete just like his older brother, Harold enjoys biking, skiing, and to play
golf.
Sharon is a great dancer but, despite years of diligent practice, poor at singing.

The purpose of George Bernard Shaw's plays is more to instruct than providing
entertainment.

The short story contains not only comic elements but also it contains tragic elements.

When a sentence contains related concepts, it should express those concepts in the
same (or parallel) grammatical form. In the first example, the sports should be expressed
in the same form: biking, skiing, and golfing.
In the second example, the related concepts are Sharon's dancing and singing and should
take the same grammatical form, so either of the following versions is acceptable:
Sharon is a great dancer but, despite years of diligent practice, a poor singer.
Sharon is great at dancing but, despite years of diligent practice, is poor at singing.
On the SAT, either Sharon's singing or dancing would be underlined for correction. Notice
again that a non-underlined part of a sentence can affect an underlined part and that the two
parts can be widely separated.
In the third example, the sentence lists two purposes of Shaw's playsinstructing and
entertainingbut the two ideas are in different grammatical forms. The following would be
an acceptable version of this sentence:
The purpose of George Bernard Shaw's plays is more to instruct than to entertain.
Finally, certain expressions connect related ideas, and these ideas must be expressed in the
same grammatical form. We discussed these expressions under idiom errors, but they are
important enough to repeat here. Under idiom errors we were concerned that the two parts
of an expression both be included. Here we are concerned not with the two halves of the
expressions but with the ideas they connect.
The following expressions all require parallel forms of the phrases (the blanks) that they link:

both . . . and
either . . . or

neither . . . nor

whether . . . or

not only . . . but also

In the fourth example, what follows "not only" (comic elements) is not in the same form as
what follows "but also" (it contains tragic elements). The following would be an acceptable
version of this sentence:
The short story contains not only comic elements but also tragic elements.
The short story contains not only comic elements but also it contains tragic elements
(wrong).

Keep your eye out for these expressions; on average one of them will show up on an SAT.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:

idiom errors
comparison errors

Category:
Comparison Errors
Illustrative Sentences

In some regions of the state, May's average rainfall is greater than April.
The basic policies of the incumbent senator are no different from the candidate challenging
her in the upcoming election.

Like many other insects, the camouflage strategy of the viceroy butterfly is imitative: potential
predators have a hard time distinguishing the tasty viceroy butterfly from the toxic monarch
butterfly.

Comparison errors are a type of parallel structure error: the two things being compared must
have similar forms. These errors are easy to understand once you observe how a comparison error
innocently arises. Using the first illustration, let's write out fully the comparison the writer intended:
In some regions of the state, May's average rainfall is greater than April's average
rainfall. (Correct)
In some regions of the state, May's average rainfall is greater than April. (Wrong)
Okay, so far so good. The average rainfall in one month is being compared with the average rainfall in
another month; no problem, yet. Now let's omit a couple of words that would be implied by the
sentence structure:
In some regions of the state, May's average rainfall is greater than April's.(Correct)
Okay, this sentence is perfectly fine, too. Unfortunately, this version is different from the original
sentence: April is not the same as April's. It's easy to read right past this type of error because we
unconsciously realize what the sentence "really meant." Notice how carefully you must read this
sentence: a single letter and an apostrophechanging a noun into its possessive formmake all the
difference between a correct and an incorrect comparison.
In the second illustration, the basic policies of the senator are being compared with the challenger. A
proper comparison could have been the following:
The basic policies of the incumbent senator are no different from those of the
candidate challenging her in the upcoming election.
Notice that a mere two wordsthose ofmake all the difference.
In the third illustration, a strategy (the camouflage strategy of the viceroy butterfly) is being compared
with insects (other insects). A proper comparison would have been the following:
Like that of many other insects, the camouflage strategy of the viceroy butterfly is
imitative: potential predators have a hard time distinguishing the tasty viceroy butterfly
from the toxic monarch butterfly. (Correct)

Like many other insects, the camouflage strategy of the viceroy butterfly is imitative: potential
predators have a hard time distinguishing the tasty viceroy butterfly from the toxic monarch
butterfly. (Wrong)

If you're on your toes about this important error, it should not give you much trouble on the SAT.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:

ambiguity
parallel structure errors
Category:
Modifier Errors

Illustrative Sentences

While visiting the Statue of Liberty, Mr. Johnson's hat was blown into the harbour waters and
quickly sank beneath the turbulent waves.
Unaware the loudspeaker system's microphone was on, the entire school was treated to the
principal's musical humming.

Different variations of this error are referred to as "dangling modifiers" or "misplaced modifiers" or
"squinting modifiers," but the underlying principle is simple: modifying phrases should be next to
the nouns or pronouns that they re modifying. Whenever a sentence begins with a modifying
phrase followed by a comma, the subject of that modifier follows immediately after the comma.
In the first example, "Mr. Johnson's hat" is the subject being modified by the opening phrase, "while
visiting the Statue of Liberty." That's clearly not what the speaker really meant, but that's literally what
the sentence is saying. Modifier errors are easy to read right past if you're not on the lookout because
your brain subconsciously realizes the intended meaninghere that Mr. Johnson was visiting the
Statue of Libertyand so ignores the literal meaning.
So you can understand the logic of this important grammatical principle, let's reverse the
order of the sentence and put the modifying phrase at the end: Mr. Johnson's hat was blown
into the harbor waters and quickly sank beneath the turbulent waves while visiting the Statue
of Liberty. The sentence's meaning is now unclear: while who was visiting the Statue of Liberty? A
grammatically correct version of the sentence would be, while Mr. Johnson was visiting the Statue
of Liberty, his hat was blown into the harbor waters and quickly sank beneath the turbulent
waves.
The intended meaning of the second sentence was that the principal was unaware the microphone
was on, but that's not what the sentence says. The sentence says that the entire school was unaware
the microphone was on. A grammatically correct version of this sentence would be, Unaware the
loudspeaker system's microphone was on, the principal treated the entire school to his
musical humming.
Whenever a sentence begins with a phrase followed by a comma, make sure that what
immediately follows is the subject of that phrase! These phrases often include a word ending
in ing (like visiting, as in the first example), but not always (as in the second example).
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:

ambiguity
comparison errors

logic errors

Category:
Diction Errors
Illustrative Sentences

The space launch will take place next month, providing that the weather is good.
The range and sheer number of Thomas Edison's inventions are indicative of a uniquely
imaginary mind.

Because the elderly dog's physical condition rapidly decreased, the veterinarian decided at
long last to undertake the risky operation.

The amount of people who go to the library these days is far less now that so much research
is accessible on the Internet.

The latest version of the software has less flaws in it than does the previous version.

The third game of the series was delayed when the two referees disagreed among each other
about a critical play.

It was difficult to decide which of the two teachers wore the most outrageous costume to the
school Halloween Dance.

The cheering by the home team's fans in the stadium was so deafening as the buzzer went
off that the spectators could not hardly hear the announcement that the final play had been
disallowed.

A diction error is using the wrong word for the meaning intended. You have to be very careful to
spot this error because the word in the sentence is spelled almost exactly like the word that should
have been used. The word providing in the first example should have been provided;the
word imaginary in the second example should have been imaginative. A diction error is not a
spelling error, but rather the wrong word.
As I mentioned earlier, don't let a difficult or unfamiliar word intimidate you on the proofreading
questionsbut do be careful that the word is not a diction error. For example, the word
"incredulous" (which means disbelieving or highly skeptical) once appeared as a diction error
on an SAT when the word "incredible" should have been used.
In the first example, the word should have been provided (which means on the condition) rather
than providing (which means supplying). In the second example, the word should have been
imaginative (which means creative) rather than imaginary (which means unreal).
In the third example, the word "decreased" is incorrectly used. A condition can deteriorate but it
cannot decrease.
In the fourth example, the word "amount" is incorrectly used. Amount refers to quantities that cannot
be counted; countable quantities (like how many people) require the word number.
The fifth example contains a related diction error. The word less and more refer to quantities that
cannot be counted; countable quantities (like the number of flaws) require the wordsfewer or greater.
The sixth example uses the word "among" incorrectly. The word between is used when referring to
two items; among is used when referring to three or more items.

The seventh example contains a related error. When comparing two items, use words like more,
happier, better, colder; when comparing three or more items, use words like most, happiest, best,
coldest. The word most should have been more.
I've included the last example in this category because students who tend to miss diction errors also
tend to miss this error. The phrase could not hardly should be could hardly; the "not" is redundant.
The synonyms scarcely, barely, and hardly are already negative, and so should not be used with
words like not, no, or none (the correct expressions are scarcely any, barely any, or hardly any).
Don't go crazy second-guessing every word, hunting for suspected diction errors. Your SAT will
probably contain just oneusually among the last few usage questions. (Breaking news: the last
PSAT Writing Test had two consecutive diction errors; as predicted, they were among the last few
usage questions.)
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:

adjective-adverb errors
idiom errors
Category:
Adjective-Adverb Errors

Illustrative Sentences

The exacting editor looked extremely close at the young author's final manuscript, but could
find no typographical, grammatical, or other errors.
The team of surgeons worked slowly and steady during the most delicate phase of the
operation on the newborn infant's heart.

I'm sure you know the difference between an adjective and an adverb. Adjectives modify only
nouns or pronouns; adverbs modify primarily verbs , but also adjectives and other adverbs.
What's the big deal? What makes these errors so pesky is that the adjective and adverb forms of
many words look almost identical, with two or three letters making all the difference.
In the first example, the word "close" is supposed to modify the verb "looked" so it should take the
adverb form, "closely." It's easy to misread this sentence because of the expression "taking a close
look," in which the word "close" now modifies the noun, "a look," and so is in the correct adjective
form.
The exacting editor looked extremely closely at the young author's final manuscript, but could
find no typographical, grammatical, or other errors. (Correct)

In the second example, the adjective "steady" should be the adverb "steadily" because it modifies the
verb "worked." Here again, if you weren't on the lookout for this type of error, you can see how it
would be possible to miss it entirely (just like diction errors).
The team of surgeons worked slowly and steady during the most delicate phase of the operation on
the newborn infant's heart. (Correct).
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following category:

diction errors
Category:
Verb Tense Errors

Illustrative Sentences

After months of campaigning the councilmember finally had enough support for her proposal,
so she calls for an immediate vote.
The marathoner paused briefly in the race to drink a few sips of water after he had ran the
first half at a record-setting pace.
If both parties would have known how long and difficult the conflict was likely to be, the earlier
settlement talks might have been more fruitful.

We tend to think of tenses in terms of past, present, and future, but in fact variations of these tenses
arise depending on when the action takes place relative to other events. Consider the following
examples and you'll see that different situations would require different tenses.
Present Tenses

I clean up my room.
I am cleaning up my room.

I have cleaned up my room.

I have been cleaning up my room.

Past Tenses
I cleaned up my room.
I was cleaning up my room.
I had cleaned up my room.

I had been cleaning up my room.

Future Tenses
I will clean up my room.
I will be cleaning up my room.

I will have cleaned up my room.

I will have been cleaning up my room.

A sentence can contain more than one tense. (Because I was sick yesterday I am studying for a
make-up test that I will take tomorrow.) If so, however, these tenses must be consistent with each
other. In the first example, the past tense switches inconsistently with the present.
In the second example, the correct form of the past tense would be "had run." Occasionally the SAT
will include a tense of an "irregular" verb like "to run." There are too many irregular verbs to list here,
but usually your ear will be reliable detecting any such tense errors (a notable exception to our
general caution about relying on your ear on the proofreading questions).
The verb phrase "would have" in the third example is used to construct conditional forms, as in the
sentence, I would have called you if I hadn't lost your phone number. In this sentence, however, a
past tense is required. The correct version of this sentence would have been, If both parties had
known . . .

You don't have to memorize dozens of verb tenses. Just read carefully and realize that this error does
show up once or twice on a test.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following category:

sentence fragments or run-ons

Category:
Sentence Fragments or Run-ons

Illustrative Sentences

The supportive words of the teacher offering little consolation to the despondent athlete who
had been disqualified on a technicality.
Although the two poets wrote about similar themes and used similar techniques.

Since the migration patterns of many bird and other species were altered dramatically by
greatly increased sunspot activity.

The gymnastics coach told the audience of aspiring gymnasts that it takes ten years for
athletes to develop their full potential, they should start serious training as early as possible.

In informal writing a sentence fragment is sometimes used for emphasis, but on the SAT Writing Test
sentence fragments are always incorrect. The basic grammatical principle is that every sentence
requires a subject and a verb, and that sentence fragments lack one or both.
The tricky thing about sentence fragments is that if you read one too quickly, you may not
notice that it is indeed a fragment. In the first example, simply changing a single word"offering" to
"offered"would have transformed the fragment into a complete sentence.
The supportive words of the teacher offered little consolation to the despondent athlete who had been
disqualified on a technicality. (Correct)
The second and third examples are clauses that cannot stand on their own; they just hang there,
incomplete. Although the poets had some things in commonwhat? Since the migration patterns
were alteredwhat? Notice that deleting the first word of the second or third example would have
transformed either into a complete sentence.
The two poets wrote about similar themes and used similar techniques.
The migration patterns of many bird and other species were altered dramatically by
greatly increased sunspot activity.

A sentence fragment, then, is incomplete; it cannot stand on its own. A run-on sentence has the
opposite problem: it consists of two or more parts, either one of which could stand on its own.
The fourth example is a run-on sentence. If we replaced the comma with a period, the two clauses
could stand as complete sentences. We'll discuss how to repair run-on sentences in the next section.
Sentence fragments and run-ons should not be difficult to spot now that you know to be on the lookout
for them.

You know you shouldn't read proofreading and editing questions casually and that you need to break
them down word by word and phrase by phrase. Analyzing sentences in this way presents its own
danger, however: getting so caught up in the parts of the sentence that you lose sight of its meaning
as a whole.
You will usually need to read each proofreading sentence at least twice. The first time you chop the
sentence down, making your way through it word by word and phrase by phrase. The second time,
after you've analyzed all its parts, make sure you put them back together again and read through the
entire sentence as you would normally.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following categories:

transition or punctuation errors

verb tense errors

diction errors

Category:
Transition or Punctuation Errors
Illustrative Sentences

Many students are intimidated by math, they do not realize that solving problems is a lot like
following simple recipes.
Discount coupons are accepted at the store's Manhattan location, and they are not accepted
at the store's New Jersey locations.

The summer program offered intensive immersion sessions in the following languages,
French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and even Latin and
ancient Greek.

The principle is this , all contestants should be given an equal opportunity to prepare for the
science fair.

Sentence fragments and run-on sentences can be fixed with proper punctuation and by
transitional words or phrases. I've included punctuation and transitional words together because
they both serve the same function: indicating the transition between ideas and sentences.
You may have recognized after our previous discussion that the first example is a run-on sentence.
When two halves of a sentence can both stand on their own, a comma is not the correct
punctuation. The comma here should be replaced by either a period or a semicolon. Since most
of the proofreading questions involve single sentences, providing a semicolon is the typical solution to
this error. On the SAT Writing Test, the semicolon is used primarily to link two independent thoughts.
The second example illustrates a transition error. The word and should be but because the second
clause introduces an idea contrary to that in the first clause. We can revise this sentence in two
primary ways, so please examine the following sentences closely:
Discount coupons are accepted at the store's Manhattan location, and they are not accepted at the
store's New Jersey locations. (incorrect).
Discount coupons are accepted at the store's Manhattan location, but they are not
accepted at the store's New Jersey locations.

Discount coupons are accepted at the store's Manhattan location; they are not,
however, accepted at the store's New Jersey locations.
Notice that the subtle but important change from but to however requires that we switch from a
comma to a semicolon. The rationale for this grammatical point is too complicated for our purposes,
so just notice the difference. You will not be asked to choose between these two solutions; all you
need to do is recognize that both solutions are acceptable.
The third and fourth examples illustrate situations in which a colon is required. A colon is used to
introduce specific information discussed earlier in a sentence, or to clarify the first half of the
sentence. The correct versions of these sentences would be the following:
The summer program offered intensive immersion sessions in the following
languages: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and
even Latin and ancient Greek.
The principle is this: all contestants should be given an equal opportunity to prepare
for the science fair.
Errors requiring the use of a colon do not appear often on the proofreading questions, but it's an easy
concept, so it was worth covering quickly.
Related Errors
If this type of error tends to trip you up, you should also review the following category:

sentence fragments or run-ons

CAT - 08
Directions for questions 55 to 58: In each of the following questions there are sentences that form a
paragraph. Identify the sentence(s) or part(s) of sentence(s) that is/are correct in terms of grammar
and usage (including spelling, punctuation and logical consistency). Then, choose the most
appropriate option.
55.
A. In 1849, a poor Bavarian imigrant named Levi Strauss.
B. landed in San Francisco, California,
C. at the invitation of his brother-in-law David Stern
D. owner of dry goods business.
E. This dry goods business would later become known as Levi Strauss & Company.
(1) B only (2) B and C (3) A and B (4) A only (5) A, B and D
Solution: Statement A is incorrect because the word immigrant has been mis-spelt as imigrant (with
an m.missing). Options 3, 4 and 5 can be eliminated.
We are left with only options 1(B only) and 2(B and C).
Statement C should have a comma at the end, after David Stern.
Statement B is correct.
Statement D should be ,an owner of a dry goods business. (comma is missing before an)
Statement E can be corrected in at least two different ways. This dry goods business would later be
known as ... Or, This dry goods business later became known as ...(Omitted would.).
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
56.
A. In response to the allegations and condemnation pouring in,
B. Nike implemented comprehensive changes in their labour policy.
C. Perhaps sensing the rising tide of global labour concerns,
D. from the public would become a prominent media issue,
E. Nike sought to be a industry leader in employee relations.

(1) D and E (2) D only (3) A and E (4) A and D (5) B, C and E

Solution:
The sentence takes off correctly in statement A.
Statement B is incorrect because there is a pronoun agreement error. It should be, Nike
implemented comprehensive changes in its (not their) labour policy. The possessive pronoun its.
should replace their. as it refers to the antecedent Nike which is singular.
Statement C does not require the comma given at the end of the line. The sentence (C and D) can be
rephrased as, Perhaps sensing that the rising tide of global labour concerns from the public would
become a prominent media issue..
It can be seen from this sentence that part D can be left unaltered and can be taken as correct.
The word industry. begins with a vowel sound and hence the article an. should be used and not a..
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.
57.
A. Charges and counter charges mean nothing
B. to the few million who have lost their home.
C. The nightmare is far from over, for the government
D. is still unable to reach hundreds who are marooned.
E. The death count have just begun.
(1) A only (2) C only (3) A and C (4) A, C and D (5) D only
Solution:
Statements A and C are correct.
A million people (in B) would have lost their homes- not home. Therefore, statement B is incorrect.
Statements D does not logically continue the idea started in C. Therefore it is incorrect.(Logical
continuation is, hence, important)
Statement E is incorrect. There is a subject-verb agreement error here. In place of The death count
have just begun, it should be, The death count has just begun.. Death count., a singular subject,
should take a singular verb (has).
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
58.
A. I did not know what to make of you.
B. Because youd lived in India, I associate you more with my parents than with me.
C. And yet you were unlike my cousins in Calcutta, who seem so innocent and obedient when I visited
them.
D. You were not curious about me in the least.
E. Although you did make effort to meet me.
(1) A only (2) A and B (3) A and E (4) D only (5) A and D
Statement B has tense inconsistency. Lived is in past tense, hence, associate in the same
sentence should be associated. (In simple past as well).
Statement C again has tense inconsistency. The word seem should become seemed to go with ere.
and visited in the same sentence.
Statement E is incorrect and we need to rephrase it. We may either change effort to efforts or
change it to an effort.
Statements A and D are correct.
Hence, the correct answer is option 5.
CAT-07

Directions for Questions 63 to 65: In each question, there are five sentences or parts of sentences
that form a paragraph. Identify the sentence(s) or part(s) of sentence(s) that is/are correct in terms of
grammar and usage. Then, choose the most appropriate option.

63.
A. When I returned to home, I began to read
B. everything I could get my hand on about Israel.
C. That same year Israels Jewish Agency sent
D. a Shaliach a sort of recruiter to Minneapolis.
E. I became one of his most active devotees.
(1) C & E
(2) C only
(3) E only
(4) B, C & E
(5) C, D & E
Solution: Statement A is incorrect because of the phrase, returned to home. The correct usage is
returned home. Statement B is incorrect because the idiom is get ones hands on and not hand on.
(Idiom error)
Statement C is correct. Statement D is incorrect because there should be a hyphen or a comma after
a Shaliach. (a Shaliach a sort of recruiter to Minnepolis.) a sort of though rather informal, is correct
usage. Statement E is correct.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
64.
A. So once an economy is actually in recession,
B. The authorities can, in principle, move the economy
C. Out of slump - assuming hypothetically
D. That they know how to - by a temporary stimuli.
E. In the longer term, however, such policies have no affect on the overall behaviour of
the economy.
(1) A, B & E
(2) B, C & E
(3) C & D
(4) E only
(5) B only
Solution: Statement A is incorrect The use of the word, so is redundant and inappropriate.
(So and once, in the context are adverbs one of them is enough).
Statement B is correct.
Statement C is incorrect because the use of assuming hypothetically makes it redundant. One can
either assume or hypothesize, but assuming hypothetically is meaningless. Statement D is incorrect
in the plural use of stimuli instead of stimulus.
Hence, the correct answer is option 5.
65.
A. It is sometimes told that democratic
B. government originated in the city-states
C. of ancient Greece. Democratic ideals have been handed to us from that time.
D. In truth, however, this is an unhelpful assertion.
E. The Greeks gave us the word, hence did not provide us with a model.
(1) A, B & D
(2) B, C & D
(3) B & D
(4) B only
(5) D only
Solution Statement A is incorrect because the verb told is incorrectly used. The verb
said should be used instead.

There is no error in statement B.

Statement C contains the incorrect idiom handed to us instead of handed down to
us.
Statement D is correct.
Statement E is incorrect because the word, hence is used as a conjunction, whereas
it is an adverb. The use of a proper conjunction (e.g. and / but) will improve the
sentence.
Hence the correct answer is option 3.
So we need to look into IDIOMs as well.
CAT 06 nothing from this
CAT 05
Directions for Questions 53 to 56: Each question consists of four sentences on a topic.
Some sentences are grammatically incorrect or inappropriate. Select the option that
indicates the grammatically correct and appropriate sentence(s).
53.
A. When virtuoso teams begin their work, individuals are in and group consensus is
out.
B. As project progresses, however, the individual stars harness themselves to the
product of the group.
C. Sooner or later, the members break through their own egocentrism and become
a plurality with single-minded focus on the goal.
D. In short, they morph into a powerful team with a shared identity.
(1) A & C
(2) A & D
(3) B & D
(4) A, C & D
Solution. Statements B and C are incorrect.
Statement B is incorrect because As project progresses should be corrected to
As the project progresses The (definite or indefinite) article is required as a
determiner.
Statement C is incorrect in the phrase a plurality with single-minded focus
should be corrected to a plurality with a single-minded focus... The noun focus
needs a determiner (definite/indefinite article) a focus is correct. An adjective
(single-minded) breaks this order. A single-minded focus like a beautiful car is
correct.
Since statements B and C are incorrect, options 1, 3 and 4 are eliminated.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.
54.
A. Large reductions in the ozone layer, which sits about 15-30 km above the Earth,
take place each- winter over the Polar regions, especially the Antarctic, as low
temperatures allow the formation of stratospheric clouds that assist chemical
reactions breaking down ozone.
B. Industrial chemicals containing chlorine and bromine have been blamed for
thinning the layer
C. because they attack the ozone molecules, making them to break apart.
D. Many an offending chemicals have now been banned.
E. It will still take several decades before these substances have disappeared from
the atmosphere.
(1) D only
(2) B & D
(3) A & D
(4) A & C

Sol: Statements B and C are incorrect. Statement B is incorrect because to break

apart is incorrect idiom. It should be making them break apart- the verb make
is not followed by an infinitive (to+verb). E.g. It makes me cry and not It makes
me to cry.
Statement C is incorrect in many an offending chemicals. The correct versions
will be many offending chemicals (have) or many an offending chemical (has).
This eliminates options 2 and 4. Statements A and D are both correct.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
55.
A. The balance of power will shift to the East as China and India evolve.
B. Rarely the economic ascent of two still relatively poor nations has been watched
with such a mixture of awe, opportunism, and trepidation.
C. Postwar era witnessed economic miracles in Japan and South Korea, but neither
was populous enough to power worldwide growth or change the game in a
complete spectrum of industries.
D. China and India, by contrast, possess the weight and dynamism to transform the
21st-century global economy.
(1) A, B & C
(2) A & D
(3) C
(4) C & D
Sol: B and C are incorrect.
B has to be corrected to Rarely has the economic .. been watched.
C is incorrect. Post war era has to be corrected to The post war era era
(noun needs a determiner).
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.
56.
A. People have good reason to care about the welfare of animals.
B. Ever since Enlightenment, their treatment has been seen as a measure of
mankind's humanity.
C. It is no coincidence that William Wilberforce and Sir Thomas Foxwell Buxton,
two leaders of the movement to abolish the slave trade, helped found the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1820s.
D. An increasing number of people go further: mankind has a duty not to cause pain
to animals that have the capacity to suffer.
(1) A & D
(2) B
(3) A & C
(4) C & D
Sol: Statements B and C are incorrect.
Statement B should read Ever since the Enlightenment (the Enlightenment: a philosophical
movement of the 18th century, characterized by belief in the power of human reason and by
innovations in political, religious, and educational doctrine).
Statement C should read as ". in the 1820s"
Options 2, 3 and 4 are eliminated.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Some more gyan

Common Errors with Prepositions

Incorrect: He is ill since last week.
Correct: He has been ill since last week.
Incorrect: He has been working since two hours.
Correct: He has been working for two hours.
Incorrect: I have not played cricket since a long time.
Correct: I have not played cricket for a long time.
Explanation
When reckoning from a particular date we use since. Examples are since last Friday, since May, since morning,
since July 8th. But note that we always use for for a period. Examples are: for a week, for a long time, for two
hours etc.
Incorrect: This paper is inferior than that.
Correct: This paper is inferior to that.
Incorrect: He is junior than me.
Correct: He is junior to me.
Incorrect: He is superior than you in strength.
Correct: He is superior to you in strength.
Explanations
The comparatives senior, junior, superior, inferior etc., are followed by to, and not than.
Incorrect: He rides in a cycle.
Correct: He rides on a cycle.
Incorrect: He rides on a car.
Correct: He rides in a car.
Incorrect: He sat in a table.
Correct: He sat on a table.
Incorrect: The cat is in the roof.
Correct: The cat is on the roof.
Explanation
Use on when the meaning is clearly on top of. For example, on a horse, on a bicycle, on a table, on the
roof etc. Use in when on top of is not appropriate. For example, in a car, in an airplane etc.
Incorrect: There was a match between team A against team B.
Correct: There was a match between team A and team B.
Incorrect: The meeting will be held between 4 pm to 6 pm.
Correct: The meeting will be held between 4 pm and 6 pm.
Explanation
Between is followed by and, not to or against.
Incorrect: The First World War was fought during 1914 18.
Correct: The First World War was fought between 1914 and 1918.
Incorrect: There was a fight with John and Peter.
Correct: There was a fight between John and Peter.

Incorrect: England grew prosperous between Queen Victorias reign.

Correct: England grew prosperous during Queen Victorias reign.
Explanation
Two events or people should be mentioned if you want to use between.