Digital SAT Grammar Rules Lecture

Introduction

• Presented by Mr. Tuy, creator of SAT crash course series.
• Grammar rules needed for the digital SAT and digital PSAT (from spring 2024 onward).
• Fewer rules than the old version (6 rules instead of 10).
• Emphasis on punctuation.

Key Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Punctuation

Periods

• Use to separate standalone statements.

Commas

• Use for brief pauses; if not needed, leave it out.
• Should not connect two standalone thoughts; use a period or semicolon instead.
• Avoid using commas to break up full titles (e.g., "Spanish painter Pablo Picasso").
• Use commas after parentheses if the comma is needed without the parentheses.

Semicolons

• Connect two related statements that can stand alone as complete sentences.
• Use for lists of items that have commas within each item (e.g., "Austin, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana").

Colons

• Introduce an explanation, description, or list (can be a list of one item).
• Must follow the structure: the thing to be explained -> colon -> explanation.

M Dash

• Can substitute for a colon in introducing an explanation or list.
• Use double m dash for lists or explanations in the middle of a sentence.

Question Marks

• Use only when asking a specific question.

Rule 2: Possessives

• Apostrophes: Determines if word is singular or plural.
  • Singular: before 's' (e.g., "girl's").
  • Plural: after 's' (e.g., "boys'").
• Be cautious with commonly confused possessive pronouns without apostrophes (
  • Its (possessive) vs. it’s (it is).
  • Your (possessive) vs. you’re (you are).
  • Their (possessive) vs. they’re (they are).

Rule 3: Make It Match

Subject-Verb Agreement

• Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs.
• Test singular with "it" and plural with "they".

Pronouns

• Use a singular pronoun (it) for singular subjects and plural pronoun (they) for plural subjects.

Verb Tense

• Match verb tense to the timing of events.
  • Past events: past tense.
  • Present events: present tense.
  • Future events: future tense.

Parallel Structure

• Ensure matching structure in the sentence (look for patterns).

Rule 4: Misplaced Modifiers

• Descriptive phrases must come immediately before or after the word being modified.

Rule 5: Transition Words

• Identify the relationship between two ideas.
• Choose transition word that matches the relationship:
  • Similarity: furthermore, likewise, moreover.
  • Contrast: although, however, nevertheless.
  • Cause and Effect: because, therefore, thus.
  • Providing Examples: for example, for instance.
  • Sequence: before, after, then.

Rule 6: Trust Your Ear and Instincts

• When in doubt, trust your first instinct on what sounds correct.
• Practice applying rules for confidence.

Conclusion

• Practice by applying these rules to actual test questions.
• Trusting instinct is important when rules are not obvious.
• Best way to improve is through repetitive practice and familiarity with the rules.