{"id":2040,"date":"2022-11-22T13:46:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-22T13:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=2040"},"modified":"2022-12-01T01:00:03","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T01:00:03","slug":"psat-writing-and-language-sentence-structure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/psat\/psat-writing-and-language-sentence-structure\/","title":{"rendered":"PSAT Writing and Language: Sentence Structure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On the PSAT, you will be need to be able to recognize and correct grammatically incomplete or substandard sentences. Additionally, you&#8217;ll have to recognize and correct inappropriate grammatical shifts in the construction of <a title=\"PSAT Writing and Language: Verbs and Pronouns\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-writing-and-language-verbs-and-pronouns\/\">verb and pronoun phrases<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >PSAT Writing and Language: Run-ons and Fragments<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nRun-ons and fragments create grammatically incorrect sentences. The PSAT requires that you know the specific rules governing sentence construction.<\/p>\n<p>A complete sentence must have a subject and a predicate verb in an independent clause that expresses a complete thought. If any one of these elements is missing, the sentence is a fragment. You can recognize a fragment because the sentence will not make sense as written.<\/p>\n<p>A fragment lacks one of the three components.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>Seth running down the street.<\/em> (The fragment lacks a predicate verb.)<\/li>\n<li><i><\/i><em>Because Michaela led the team in assists. <\/em>(The fragment is a dependent clause and does not express a complete thought.)<\/li>\n<li><i><\/i><em>Practiced the piano every day.<\/em> (The fragment needs a subject.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><div   class='hr hr-short hr-center   avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_icon_box '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<article  class=\"iconbox iconbox_left_content    avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr  \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class=\"iconbox_icon heading-color\" aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue84f' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'  ><\/div><div class=\"iconbox_content\"><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h3 class='iconbox_content_title  '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Definition<\/h3><\/header><div class='iconbox_content_container  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>A\u00a0<strong>predicate<\/strong> is the part of the sentence that describes what the <strong>subject <em>does<\/em><\/strong> (action), <strong><em>is<\/em><\/strong> (being), or <em><strong>has<\/strong><\/em> (condition); the <strong>predicate verb<\/strong> is the main verb in the sentence.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><br \/>\n<div   class='hr hr-short hr-center   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_icon_box  el_before_av_heading '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\nIf a sentence has more than one independent clause, the clauses must be properly joined. Otherwise, the sentence is a run-on.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>My friends and I usually walk home from school together, we ride the bus if the weather isn&#8217;t nice.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>To Correct a Run-On<\/b><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Example<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Use a semicolon.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>My friends and I usually walk home from school together<strong>;<\/strong> we ride the bus if the weather isn&#8217;t nice.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Make one clause dependent.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><strong>Although<\/strong> my friends and I usually walk home from school together, we ride the bus if the weather isn&#8217;t nice.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Add a FANBOYS conjunction: <i>For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So<\/i>.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>My friends and I usually walk home from school together, <strong>but<\/strong>\u00a0we ride the bus if the weather isn&#8217;t nice.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >PSAT Writing and Language: Coordination and Subordination<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nCoordination and subordination questions focus on the relationship between clauses. On the PSAT, you will be asked to determine the best way to link clauses to most effectively express the writer\u2019s intent.<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h6    avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h6 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Coordinate Clauses<\/h6><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nCoordinate clauses are independent clauses that can stand on their own and express a complete thought. When two or more independent clauses are properly joined, they form a compound sentence.<\/p>\n<p>Two independent clauses are coordinated by using a comma and the conjunction <i>and<\/i>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>The class was interesting, and we prepared thoroughly for each session.<\/em> (Equal emphasis on the two ideas suggests that the class would have been interesting whether or not we prepared, and it suggests that we would have prepared whether or not the class was interesting.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h6    avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h6 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Subordinate Clauses<\/h6><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nA subordinate clause cannot stand on its own and still make sense. Combining a subordinate clause with an independent clause by using a connecting word forms a complex sentence in which the independent clause expresses the central idea of the sentence and the subordinate clause provides additional support that modifies or clarifies the central idea.<\/p>\n<p>The central idea of the sentence is changed depending upon which clause is subordinated:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>Because the class was interesting,<\/em> we prepared thoroughly for each session<i>.<\/i> (The main emphasis is on our preparation. The subordinate clause gives the reason for our thoroughness.)<\/li>\n<li>The class was interesting <em>because we prepared thoroughly for each session.<\/em> (The main emphasis is on the class. The subordinate clause explains why it was interesting.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >PSAT Writing and Language: Parallelism<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nParallelism questions on the PSAT test your ability to <a title=\"PSAT Writing and Language: Organization\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-writing-and-language-organization\/\">revise sentences<\/a> to create parallel structure. Items in a series, list, or compound must be parallel in form. Series, lists, and compounds may contain nouns, adjectives, adverbs, or verb forms.<br \/>\nCheck for parallelism if the sentence contains:<\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Feature<\/b><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Example<\/b><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Parallel Form<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">A list<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>Before you leave, you should <b>charge your phone<\/b>, <b>clean your room<\/b>, and <b>find your bus pass<\/b>.<\/em><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">3 verb phrases<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">A compound<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><b>Swimming<\/b> and <b>biking<\/b> provide aerobic exercise.<\/em><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">2 gerund verb forms<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">A correlative<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>The debate coach encouraged the students<b>\u00a0to listen\u00a0<\/b>carefully and\u00a0<b>to speak\u00a0<\/b>clearly.<\/em><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">2 infinitive verb forms<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">A comparison<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>Your <b>practice test sessions<\/b>\u00a0are just as important as your <b>class sessions<\/b>.<\/em><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">2 nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Related nouns<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><b>Students<\/b> who complete all of their <b>homework assignments<\/b> are more likely to earn\u00a0<b>higher test scores<\/b>.<\/em><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">3 related plural nouns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_hr  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >PSAT Writing and Language: Modifiers<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nA modifier is a word or a group of words that describes, clarifies, or provides additional information about another part of the sentence. Modifier questions on the PSAT Writing &amp; Language Test require you to identify the part of a sentence being modified and use the appropriate modifier in the proper place.<br \/>\n<div   class='hr hr-short hr-center   avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_icon_box '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<article  class=\"iconbox iconbox_left_content    avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr  \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class=\"iconbox_icon heading-color\" aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue812' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'  ><\/div><div class=\"iconbox_content\"><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h3 class='iconbox_content_title  '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Expert Tip<\/h3><\/header><div class='iconbox_content_container  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>On the PSAT, modifiers should be close to the words they modify.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><br \/>\n<div   class='hr hr-short hr-center   avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_icon_box  avia-builder-el-last '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Modifier<\/b><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Function<\/b><\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><b>Example<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Adjective<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">An adjective is a single word modifier that describes a noun or pronoun.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>Asara bought a <b>blue\u00a0<\/b>backpack from the <b>thrift\u00a0<\/b>shop.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Adverb<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">An adverb is a single word modifier that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em>Ian <b>carefully<\/b> walked over the <b>rapidly<\/b> melting ice.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Modifying phrase<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\">Modifying phrases and clauses must be properly placed to correctly modify another part of the sentence.<\/td>\n<td valign=\"middle\"><em><b>Wanting to do well at the competition<\/b>, Sasha devoted extra time to her practice sessions.<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Use context clues in the passage to identify the correct placement of a modifier; a misplaced modifier can cause confusion:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>The restaurant provides carryout meals to its diners <b>in recyclable containers<\/b>.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Who or what is in the containers? The context of the sentence suggests that the meals are in the containers; however, because modifiers should be placed near what they modify, the sentence can be grammatically interpreted to suggest that the diners are in the containers! When the modifier is correctly placed near what it modifies, the meaning is clarified:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>The restaurant provides carryout meals <b>in recyclable containers <\/b>to its diners.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Modifier placement can change the meaning of a sentence:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><\/i><em>The waiter <b>just<\/b> described the dinner specials. <\/em>(The sentence is about <b>when<\/b> the action took place.)<\/li>\n<li><b><i><\/i><\/b><em><b>Just<\/b> the waiter described the dinner specials.<\/em> (The sentence is about<b> who<\/b> completed the action.)<\/li>\n<li><i><\/i><em>The waiter described <b>just<\/b> the dinner specials.<\/em> (The sentence is about<b> what<\/b> was acted upon.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Previous:<\/strong> <a title=\"PSAT Writing and Language: Organization\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-writing-and-language-organization\/\">PSAT Writing and Language: Organization<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Next:<\/strong> <a title=\"PSAT Writing and Language: Verbs and Pronouns\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-writing-and-language-verbs-and-pronouns\/\">PSAT Writing and Language: Verbs and Pronouns<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On the PSAT, you will be need to be able to recognize and correct grammatically incomplete or substandard sentences. Additionally, you&#8217;ll have to recognize and correct inappropriate grammatical shifts in the construction of verb and pronoun phrases. Run-ons and fragments create grammatically incorrect sentences. The PSAT requires that you know the specific rules governing sentence [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41968,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[240],"tags":[195,329],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2040"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41666,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2040\/revisions\/41666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}