Conventions of Standard English
Grammar, usage, and punctuation — sentence boundaries, agreement, verb tense, and punctuating clauses and lists.
Approach
- Read the whole sentence (and the one before it) with each option in place — the fix must work in context, not in isolation.
- When choices differ only in punctuation, decide what's being joined: two independent clauses need a period/semicolon (or comma + and/but), not a lone comma.
- When options are all grammatical, the most concise one is usually right.
- Verify subject–verb and pronoun–antecedent agreement, verb tense, and modifier placement.
Common traps
- Choosing what 'sounds right' over what is grammatically correct.
- A comma splice — two independent clauses joined by only a comma.
Production of Writing
Rhetorical skills: topic development, organization, and cohesion — whether a sentence belongs, where it goes, and whether it meets the writer's goal.
Approach
- For add/delete questions, re-read the stated purpose and keep only what serves it — relevance beats 'interesting'.
- For placement or ordering, follow the logical/chronological thread; transitions and pronouns point to what must come before.
- For opening and closing sentences, match the paragraph's focus and the passage's overall goal.
Common traps
- Keeping a sentence because it's true or interesting when it doesn't serve the stated goal.
- An option that fits locally but breaks the paragraph's flow.
Knowledge of Language
Style and word choice: concision, precise diction, consistent tone, and avoiding redundancy.
Approach
- Cut redundancy — if two words say the same thing, keep one.
- Match the passage's tone and register; avoid options that are too casual or too ornate.
- Prefer the precise, idiomatic word over a vague or wordy phrase.
Common traps
- Wordy or redundant options that are grammatical but not concise.
- A word that subtly shifts the tone or the intended meaning.