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The SAT Writing and Language section is one of the most score-boosting sections on the entire exam and the good news is that grammar rules are 100% learnable. Unlike the Reading section, where your interpretation can differ, grammar questions have one objectively correct answer.
This complete guide covers every major grammar rule tested on the SAT, with worked examples, 100+ practice questions with detailed explanations, a full mock quiz, and expert strategies used by top scorers.
SAT grammar questions fall into two broad categories:
1. Standard English Conventions (20 questions) – Pure grammar and punctuation: subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, verb tense, modifiers, parallel structure, and punctuation marks.
2. Expression of Ideas (24 questions) – Style and logic: word choice, conciseness, transitions, sentence combining, and logical sequence of ideas.
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This set of 100 SAT grammar practice questions covers key topics such as punctuation, subject–verb agreement, sentence structure, and transitions. If you want to strengthen your basics first, you can also read our guide on SAT grammar rules to understand the concepts before solving these practice questions.
Download 100 Grammer Practice Questions PDF
This SAT study guide has already been downloaded by over 3,000 students to help them better prepare and learn how to answer SAT questions. This e-book teaches students tried-and-true methods to speed up, steer clear of typical blunders, and approach each section with assurance. Additionally, it offers a clear road map for students aiming to attend American institutions, outlining what to concentrate on while preparing for the SAT and what to keep in mind when preparing for entrance to American universities.
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A singular subject takes a singular verb. A plural subject takes a plural verb. The SAT tricks you by inserting long phrases between the subject and the verb to disguise the real subject.
Examples:
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The list of requirements are long. | The list of requirements is long. |
| There is many reasons to study. | There are many reasons to study. |
| Everyone have a ticket. | Everyone has a ticket. |
| The team are playing well. | The team is playing well. |
Strategy: Cross out all prepositional phrases (e.g., “of the students,” “in the building”) -they are never the subject. Make the verb agree with what remains.
Singular indefinite pronouns (always take singular verbs): each, every, anyone, everyone, someone, no one, either, neither
Plural indefinite pronouns (always take plural verbs): both, few, many, several, others
Practice Question 1: The collection of ancient artifacts (was/were) donated to the museum last year.
Answer: was – “Collection” is the subject (singular). “Of ancient artifacts” is just a modifier.
Practice Question 2: Neither the principal nor the teachers (has/have) reviewed the new policy.
Answer: have – With “neither…nor,” the verb agrees with the closest subject. “Teachers” is plural → use “have.”
Practice Question 3: Each of the 30 students (is/are) required to submit a permission form. Answer: is “Each” is always singular, regardless of the noun that follows it.
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents (the nouns they replace) in number and person. This rule trips up even native speakers because everyday speech is more relaxed than formal grammar.
Examples:
| Error Type | Incorrect | Correct |
| Singular antecedent with plural pronoun | Everyone packed their bag. | Everyone packed his or her bag. |
| Ambiguous pronoun | When Anna called Maria, she was nervous. | When Anna called Maria, Anna was nervous. |
| Pronoun case – subject | Her and I went to the store. | She and I went to the store. |
| Pronoun case – object | Give the forms to Jess and I. | Give the forms to Jess and me. |
Strategy – The Pronoun Case Trick: If you’re unsure whether to use “I” or “me,” remove the other person and test it alone. “Give it to Tom and (I/me)?” → “Give it to me” (not “Give it to I”). So: “Give it to Tom and me.”
Practice Question 4: The committee will announce (its/their) decision on Friday.
Answer: its “Committee” is a collective noun treated as singular in American English.
Practice Question 5: Between you and (I/me), I think she made the wrong choice.
Answer: me – After a preposition (“between”), always use the object pronoun “me,” never “I.”
Keep verb tenses consistent within a passage. Unnecessary shifts from past to present (or vice versa) are errors. However, tense shifts are sometimes correct when the timeline of events genuinely changes.
Examples:
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She walked in, sits down, and ordered coffee. | She walked in, sat down, and ordered coffee. |
| In 1969, Neil Armstrong steps onto the moon. | In 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon. |
Past Perfect tip: Use “had + past participle” when one past action happened before another past action. “By the time the guests arrived, the chef had prepared a four-course meal.”
Practice Question 6: By the time the guests arrived, the chef (prepared/had prepared) a four-course meal.
Answer: had prepared Past perfect shows an action completed before another past action (“arrived”).
Grammar Rule #4: Parallel Structure
Items in a list, comparison, or paired construction must use the same grammatical form. This applies when items are joined by “and,” “or,” “but,” “not only…but also,” “both…and,” and “either…or.”
Examples:
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She enjoys swimming, to hike, and bikes. | She enjoys swimming, hiking, and biking. |
| He not only cooks but also is baking. | He not only cooks but also bakes. |
| Both the design and how it performs matter. | Both the design and the performance matter. |
| Running is harder than to swim. | Running is harder than swimming. |
Strategy: Identify the grammatical form of the first item in a list. Every other item must match that form exactly.
Practice Question 7: The job requires candidates who can write clearly, (to think/think) critically, and communicate professionally.
Answer: think The list uses base verbs (“write,” “communicate”). “Think” must match not the infinitive “to think.”
A modifier must be placed immediately next to the word it modifies. A dangling modifier occurs when the noun being modified is missing from the sentence entirely.
Examples:
| Error Type | Incorrect | Correct |
| Dangling participial phrase | Running late, the bus was missed. | Running late, she missed the bus. |
| Dangling infinitive phrase | To improve your score, practice is essential. | To improve your score, you must practice daily. |
| Misplaced “only” | She only eats vegetables on Tuesdays. | She eats only vegetables on Tuesdays. |
Strategy: When a sentence starts with a participial phrase (e.g., “Running late,…” / “Frustrated by the delay,…”), the very next noun after the comma must be the person or thing performing that action.
Practice Question 8: Exhausted after the marathon, (the medal was accepted by the runner / the runner accepted the medal).
Answer: the runner accepted the medal – The runner was exhausted, not the medal.
Comma (,) – Use it to:
Semicolon (;) – Use it to:
Colon (:) – Use it to:
Dash (—) – Use it to:
Practice Question 9: The scientist made a groundbreaking discovery (, however, / ; however,) she kept her findings private for years.
Answer: ; however, – “However” is a conjunctive adverb. Use a semicolon before it and a comma after it.
Practice Question 10: The conference covered three topics (:/ no punctuation) artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology.
Answer: colon (:) – “The conference covered three topics” is a complete sentence introducing a list. Use a colon.
Every complete sentence needs a subject, a verb, and a complete thought. The SAT tests your ability to spot fragments (incomplete sentences) and run-ons (improperly joined sentences).
Examples:
| Error Type | Incorrect | Correct |
| Fragment (no subject) | Studied for hours before the exam. | She studied for hours before the exam. |
| Fragment (subordinate clause) | Because she was nervous. | Because she was nervous, she arrived early. |
| Run-on | It was raining we stayed inside. | It was raining, so we stayed inside. |
| Comma splice | I was tired, I went to bed. | I was tired; I went to bed. |
Practice Question 11: Although the study was promising. — Is this a complete sentence?
Answer: No – it is a fragment. “Although” makes the clause subordinate. Fix: “Although the study was promising, more research is needed.”
If a word or phrase can be removed without changing the meaning, remove it. The SAT almost always rewards the most concise correct option.
Examples:
| Wordy (Incorrect) | Concise (Correct) |
| She returned back to her hometown. | She returned to her hometown. |
| The end result was surprising. | The result was surprising. |
| Due to the fact that it was raining… | Because it was raining… |
| They collaborated together as a team. | They collaborated. |
| It is important to note that prices rose. | Prices rose. |
Strategy The Conciseness Test: For any answer that adds words, ask: “Does this add new, necessary information, or is it just padding?” If it’s just padding, cut it.
Practice Question 12: The new policy was (completely and totally unprecedented / unprecedented).
Answer: unprecedented – “Unprecedented” already means “never happened before.” Adding “completely and totally” is triple redundancy.
Transition questions ask you to choose the best connecting word between two ideas. These test logical relationships, not just grammar.
| Relationship | Transition Words |
| Addition | furthermore, moreover, additionally, also |
| Contrast | however, nevertheless, although, despite, yet |
| Cause & Effect | therefore, thus, consequently, as a result |
| Example | for example, for instance, specifically |
| Sequence | first, next, then, subsequently, finally |
| Concession | admittedly, granted, even though |
Strategy:
Practice Question 13: Scientists have studied this phenomenon for decades. _____, a definitive explanation remains elusive. (However / Furthermore)
Answer: However — The first sentence is positive (decades of study); the second is negative (no explanation). This is a contrast → “However.”
| Word Pair | Rule | Example |
| its / it’s | “Its” = possessive; “it’s” = it is | The dog wagged its tail. It’s a hot day. |
| fewer / less | “Fewer” = countable; “less” = uncountable | Fewer students; less water. |
| who / whom | “Who” = subject; “whom” = object | Who called? Whom did she call? |
| affect / effect | “Affect” = verb; “effect” = noun | The cold affected her. The effect was severe. |
| that / which | “That” = essential clause; “which” = non-essential | The book that I read. The book, which is old, belongs to her. |
| between / among | “Between” = two; “among” = three or more | Between you and me. Among the five contestants. |
| imply / infer | Data “implies”; people “infer” | The results imply a link. I infer from the data. |
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Work through all 30 questions before checking the answers. Aim to complete this in under 25 minutes.
Q1. The number of applications (has/have) increased significantly this year.
Q2. Neither the CEO nor the board members (was/were) informed of the merger.
Q3. Everyone in the three advanced classes (need/needs) to submit their final portfolio.
Q4. The data from the three studies (suggest/suggests) a strong correlation.
Q5. The committee released (its/their) report after months of deliberation.
Q6. The experiment failed ( , as a result, / ; as a result,) the team had to start over.
Q7. The researchers identified three key obstacles (:/ ) funding, time, and equipment.
Q8. He planned to study all weekend (, however, / ; however,) his friends convinced him to go out.
Q9. Having finished the report, (the meeting was canceled / the manager canceled the meeting).
Q10. She likes to read, (writing / to write), and researching for her blog.
Q11. The architect (designed / had designed) the building before the new code was enacted.
Q12. Walking into the interview room, (nerves overwhelmed me / I felt overwhelmed by nerves).
Q13. The software update improved speed, (to fix / fixed) several bugs, and enhanced security.
Q14. By 2030, scientists (will complete / will have completed) the genome mapping project. Q15. The student spoke confidently (despite of / despite) her stage fright.
Q16. The policy not only reduced costs (but also / and also) improved employee morale.
Q17. The CEO, (who / whom) the board elected unanimously, resigned within three months.
Q18. The reason the project failed was (because / that) the team lacked resources.
Q19. She has (less / fewer) years of experience than her colleague.
Q20. The proposal, (which / that) was rejected by the board, was later implemented by the new leadership.
Q21. The new exhibit (affected / effected) visitors profoundly, leaving many in tears.
Q22. The scientist’s findings were (completely unique / unique).
Q23. Sales improved in Q3. _____, the company still missed its annual target. (Therefore / Nevertheless)
Q24. The memoir was praised for (its / it’s) candid portrayal of grief.
Q25. The team agreed (among / between) themselves to postpone the launch.
Q26. The results of the experiment (imply / infer) that the hypothesis was correct.
Q27. The article argued that technology (will / would) eventually replace manual labor.
Q28. (Frustrated / Having been frustrated) by the traffic, she decided to take the subway.
Q29. The cake needs (fewer / less) sugar to taste right.
Q30. She is the person (who / whom) I respect the most.
| Answer Keys | ||
| Question No | Answers | Rule Tested |
| 1 | has | Subject-verb agreement (“the number” = singular) |
| 2 | were | Neither…nor — agree with closest subject (“members”) |
| 3 | needs | “Everyone” is always singular |
| 4 | suggests | “Data” treated as singular on the SAT |
| 5 | its | Collective noun = singular |
| 6 | ; as a result, | Conjunctive adverb needs semicolon before it |
| 7 | : (colon) | Complete sentence introducing a list |
| 8 | ; however, | “However” requires semicolon before, comma after |
| 9 | the manager canceled the meeting | Dangling modifier — manager finished the report |
| 10 | to write | Parallel infinitives: to read, to write, to research |
| 11 | had designed | Past perfect — action before another past action |
| 12 | I felt overwhelmed by nerves | Dangling modifier — I walked in, not nerves |
| 13 | fixed | Parallel past tense: improved, fixed, enhanced |
| 14 | will have completed | Future perfect — completed before 2030 |
| 15 | despite | “Despite” never takes “of” |
| 16 | but also | “Not only” must pair with “but also” |
| 17 | whom | Object of “elected” → use “whom” |
| 18 | that | “The reason was that” — not “because” |
| 19 | fewer | “Years” are countable |
| 20 | which | Non-essential clause with commas → “which” |
| 21 | affected | “Affect” = verb (to influence) |
| 22 | unique | “Unique” cannot be modified by degree words |
| 23 | Nevertheless | Contrast between Q3 improvement and missed target |
| 24 | its | Possessive pronoun, not “it is” |
| 25 | among | Three or more people |
| 26 | imply | Data implies; people infer |
| 27 | would | Reported speech after past tense “argued” |
| 28 | Frustrated | More concise than “Having been frustrated” |
| 29 | less | “Sugar” is uncountable |
| 30 | whom | Object of “respect” → use “whom” |
SAT Online Prep Course Details
1. Read the Whole Sentence First Never read just the underlined portion. Always read the full sentence, sometimes even the sentences before and after, to understand the context.
2. Trust Your Ear, But Verify the Rule Sometimes your instinct about what “sounds wrong” is correct. But always verify it against the actual grammar rule. The SAT makes incorrect options sound natural to catch students off guard.
3. “NO CHANGE” Is Correct About 25% of the Time Do not assume the underlined portion is always wrong. Evaluate it against the relevant rule, and if it’s correct, choose “NO CHANGE” confidently.
4. Eliminate, Don’t Guess Blindly Even if you’re unsure, you can often identify 1–2 obviously wrong options. Eliminating down to 2 choices gives you a 50% chance instead of 25%.
5. Shortest Is Usually Best for Conciseness Questions When a question tests wordiness, the most concise grammatically correct option is almost always the answer.
6. Don’t Stall Move On and Come Back You have about 48 seconds per question. If you’ve spent more than 60 seconds on a question, mark it and come back. Every question is worth exactly 1 point.
The SAT Writing and Language section tests your ability to edit and improve written passages not to write from scratch. You’ll read four passages and answer 11 questions about each one, fixing grammar errors, improving clarity, and restructuring sentences for better flow.
| Feature | Details |
| Total Questions | 44 multiple-choice |
| Time Allowed | 35 minutes (48 seconds per question) |
| Format | Passage-based (4 passages, 11 questions each) |
| Passage Topics | Careers, history, humanities, science, social studies |
| Skills Tested | Grammar, punctuation, style, clarity, organization |
| Wrong Answer Penalty | None – always guess if unsure |
| Score Range | 200–800 (combined with Reading) |
Key Insight: You do NOT need to memorize rare grammar rules. The SAT tests practical editing skills the same ones professional editors use every day. Master the 10 core rules in this guide and you can answer 90%+ of questions correctly.
Our SAT study materials at TestPrepKart are created by qualified teachers that focus on the Digital SAT Reading and Writing part. To determine the grammatical rules and tactics that are most commonly used on the SAT, our staff examines both official practice exams and actual exam patterns. This guide’s explanations and practice questions are intended to help students improve their editing abilities, solidify their grasp of grammar principles, and boost their confidence in preparation for the SAT Writing and Language part.
| Week | Focus | Daily Activity |
| Week 1 | Rules 1–3: Subject-Verb, Pronoun, Verb Tense | 50 targeted questions per day. Review all mistakes. |
| Week 2 | Rules 4–6: Parallel Structure, Modifiers, Punctuation | One 11-question passage daily. Understand why wrong answers are wrong. |
| Week 3 | Rules 7–10: Structure, Conciseness, Transitions, Word Choice | Two full Writing & Language sections under timed conditions. |
| Week 4 | Full simulations | Full practice test every other day. Focus on speed and completion. |
Ques 1: How many grammar questions are on the SAT?
Ans: There are 44 questions in the Writing and Language section roughly 20 testing Standard English Conventions and 24 testing Expression of Ideas.
Ques 2: Do I need to memorize obscure grammar rules?
Ans: No. The 10 rules in this guide cover the vast majority of what the SAT tests. Focus on mastering these rather than chasing rare edge cases.
Ques 3: Is there a penalty for wrong answers?
Ans: No. The current SAT has no wrong-answer penalty. Always answer every question, even if you’re guessing.
Ques4: How long should I spend on each question?
Ans: Target 48 seconds per question. Easy questions take 20–30 seconds, leaving extra time for harder ones. Mark and skip anything taking more than 75 seconds.
Ques 5: How do I stop making the same mistakes?
Ans: Create a personal error log categorized by rule type. Every time you get a question wrong, write down the rule you missed. Review your log weekly. Recognizing your own error patterns is the fastest way to improve.
He is a Digital SAT mentor with 10+ years of experience, working primarily with SAT students all Over worldwide. Their students have consistently progressed toward 1520+ scores by improving timing, accuracy, and trap-answer control through official-style practice, detailed mistake analysis, and clear weekly action plans.
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