SAT — Scholastic Assessment Test (Digital SAT)

SAT Reading and Writing — Conventions and Expression of Ideas, Set 1

Take the SAT Reading and Writing — Conventions and Expression of Ideas, Set 1: 20 multiple-choice questions (30 minutes) with instant scoring and a full…

What this test covers

20 SAT Reading and Writing

Sample questions with answers

The first 5 questions of this test, with the correct answer and explanation.

Q1. The team of researchers ______ published its findings last week. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. have
- B. were
- C. has ✓
- D. are
Answer: C. has
Explanation: The subject is "team" (singular), confirmed by "its", so the verb is "has".
Q2. Each of the students ______ a laptop to class. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. bring
- B. have brought
- C. are bringing
- D. brings ✓
Answer: D. brings
Explanation: "Each" is singular, so it takes "brings".
Q3. The recipe needs three ______ flour, sugar and butter. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. ingredients;
- B. ingredients: ✓
- C. ingredients,
- D. ingredients
Answer: B. ingredients:
Explanation: A colon introduces a list after a complete clause.
Q4. The rain stopped by ______ match began on time. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. noon the
- B. noon: and the
- C. noon; the ✓
- D. noon, the
Answer: C. noon; the
Explanation: Two independent clauses can be joined with a semicolon. A comma alone would be a comma splice.
Q5. Sara finished her essay early, ______ spent the evening revising it. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. therefore she
- B. however she
- C. she
- D. so she ✓
Answer: D. so she
Explanation: A comma plus a coordinating conjunction ("so") joins two independent clauses. "However" and "therefore" would need a semicolon.

The other 15 questions

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Q6. The ______ nests were built high in the trees, far from predators. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. birds
- B. birds'
- C. bird's
- D. birds's
Q7. The company changed ______ logo last year. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. its'
- B. its
- C. their
- D. it's
Q8. When students finish the test, ______ should hand in their answer sheets. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. they
- B. you
- C. he
- D. it
Q9. Walking to school that morning, ______. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. the bridge had been repaired
- B. Ali noticed that the bridge had been repaired
- C. the repairs to the bridge were noticed by Ali
- D. it was noticed that the bridge had been repaired
Q10. By the time the guests arrived, the chef ______ the meal. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. finishes
- B. has finished
- C. will finish
- D. had finished
Q11. The new park offers places to walk, to cycle and ______. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. to picnic
- B. people picnic
- C. for picnics
- D. picnicking
Q12. Many desert plants store water in their stems. ______ cacti can survive months without rain. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
- A. Nevertheless,
- B. In contrast,
- C. However,
- D. As a result,
Q13. Electric cars produce no exhaust while driving. ______ the electricity that charges them may come from fossil fuels. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
- A. For example,
- B. However,
- C. Similarly,
- D. Therefore,
Q14. Some animals use tools. ______ crows have been observed bending wire into hooks to reach food. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
- A. In conclusion,
- B. However,
- C. For example,
- D. Instead,
Q15. The library offers free study rooms. ______ it lends laptops to students for up to two weeks. Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
- A. In addition,
- B. As a result,
- C. Even so,
- D. In contrast,
Q16. A student has taken these notes: • China's Grand Canal is about 1,800 km long. • Work on it began in the 5th century BCE. • It is the longest canal in the world. The student wants to emphasise the canal's length. Which choice best uses the notes to do this?
- A. China's Grand Canal is very old.
- B. Work on China's Grand Canal began in the 5th century BCE.
- C. At about 1,800 km, China's Grand Canal is the longest canal in the world.
- D. The Grand Canal is in China.
Q17. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the morning. Which revision removes the redundancy?
- A. The meeting will begin in the morning at 9 a.m. in the morning.
- B. At 9 a.m. in the morning, the meeting will begin.
- C. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m.
- D. The meeting, in the morning, will begin at 9 a.m. in the morning.
Q18. The ______ results surprised even the scientists who designed it. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. experiments
- B. experiment
- C. experiments'
- D. experiment's
Q19. She had one goal for the ______ win the national title. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. season: to
- B. season; to
- C. season to
- D. season. To
Q20. The box of old letters ______ found in the attic last spring. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. was
- B. were
- C. are
- D. have been