Clauses and phrases — Digital SAT Reading & Writing practice
The building blocks every boundary and agreement question depends on.
Key ideas to know
Independent vs Dependent Clauses
Identify whether each group is an independent or dependent clause: (A) She finished the report. (B) Because she finished the report.
(A) Independent clause; it has a subject, finite verb, and complete thought. (B) Dependent clause; starts with subordinating conjunction because and cannot stand alone.
Watch out: Assuming any group with a subject and verb can stand alone as a sentence.
Isolating the Core Subject and Verb
When analyzing a long sentence, what is the fastest way to locate the true subject and finite verb?
Cross out all prepositional phrases, appositives, and nonessential modifiers. The remaining core will contain the main subject paired with its finite verb.
Watch out: Mistaking the object of a preposition for the sentence subject, which causes subject-verb agreement errors.
Finite vs Nonfinite Verbs
Which option correctly completes the sentence without creating a verb error? The committee _______ to approve the budget before the deadline. (A) meeting (B) meets (C) to meet
(B) meets. Only finite verbs function as the main predicate. Meeting and to meet are nonfinite participles/infinitives that cannot stand alone as the main verb.
Watch out: Using a participle or infinitive as the sole predicate, which creates a sentence fragment or run-on.
Prepositional Phrases Hiding the Subject
What is wrong with this sentence? The list of required supplies are on the desk.
Subject-verb agreement error. List is the subject, not supplies. The prepositional phrase of required supplies must be ignored when matching the verb. Correct: The list... is on the desk.
Watch out: Letting a noun inside a prepositional phrase dictate verb number, causing agreement mistakes on every boundary question.