The Semicolon (; )

On the SAT, the Semicolon ( ; ) is used to connect two related independent clauses. The
semicolon indicates a pause that is longer than that suggested by a comma ( , ), but shorter than
the full stop of a period ( . ).

What is an independent clause?

An independent clause is a string of words that could stand alone as a sentence. It must have a
subject and a verb.
Examples:

Teddy loves stuffed bears.

Alex cooks his brownies with lard.
His collection includes 54 specimens.
They taste great!

Using semicolons to separate independent clauses

In the above examples, a semicolon may be placed between the two related independent clauses.

Teddy loves stuffed bears; his collection includes 54 specimens.

Alex cooks his brownies with lard; they taste great!

The Before and After Test for Semicolons

On the SAT, a semicolon is only correct if it is separating two independent clauses. So, if both
the first and the second parts of the sentence could stand alone as their own sentences, then the
semicolon is correct!
1) Check the part before the semicolon could it be a solo sentence?
2) Check the part after the semicolon could it be a solo sentence?
3) If the answers to 1 and 2 are YES, then the semicolon is good to go.

Beware the COMMA SPLICE

WARNING: When you try to connect two independent clauses using just a comma, you create
an error known as a comma splice.
WRONG: Teddy loves stuffed bears, his collection includes 54 specimens.
WRONG: Alex cooks his brownies with lard, they taste great!
WRONG: Depp is a versatile actor, Clooney is more hunky.
How to fix a COMMA SPLICE ERROR
Option 1: Change the comma into a period ( . ) or a semicolon ( ; )
Option 2: Add a conjunction When a conjunction is present such as, and, or, because, while
or but one of the two clauses is converted to a dependent or subordinate clause. (Dont
worry, you dont need to know these terms on the SAT, but you do need to know your options
for correcting a comma splice).
RIGHT: Teddy loves stuffed bears, and his collection includes 54 specimens.
RIGHT: Because Alex cooks his brownies with lard, they taste great!
RIGHT: Depp is a versatile actor, but Clooney is more hunky.

The Colon ( : )
A Colon ( : ) is sometimes used after a statement that introduces a list, a quotation, an
explanation or an example.
Examples:

Lincolns Gettysburg Address began with the following preamble: Four score and
thirteen years ago
The English language abounds with irregular verbs: drink drank drunk, break broke
broken, swim swam swum, shrink shrank shrunken, fall fell fallen, blow blew blown.
The conscious brain controls only some of the bodys functions: while we can exert some
control over our breathing rate, we have less control over our heart rate, and, except via
lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, we cannot consciously influence the processes of
our digestive or immune systems at all.

TOP TIP: What comes before the colon must be an independent clause: it must be able to read
as a complete sentence all on its own.
WRONG: Snape advised them to: stay up all night, practice spells, and eat bonbons. (Snape
advised them to is not a full sentence)
RIGHT: Snape advised them to stay up all night, practice spells, and eat bonbons.
RIGHT: Snape gave them the best advice he could muster: stay up all night, practice spells, and
eat bonbons.

The Dash ( )
One dash ( ) = Colon ( : )
Just like the rule for colons, what comes before the single dash ( ) must be an independent
clause: it must be able to read as a complete sentence all on its own. (See what we did there? We
could have used a long dash instead of that colon)
NOTE: The dash ( ) is not to be confused with the hyphen ( - ), which has its own rules that
are not tested on the SAT.
Examples:
 You were right he did eat the whole thing.
Learning to ride a unicycle is easy if you dont mind a few bumps and bruises.

Two dashes ( ) = open/close parentheses ( )

In order for two dashes to be correct, the sentence that surrounds the clause that is being set off
be it a descriptive flourish or a prepositional aside must be grammatically complete. This rule
holds true for evaluating the correctness of parenthetical statements as well as Comma
Clumps. We can set off non-essential clauses with two commas, whether you like it or not, but
we cannot do so with just one.
TOP TIP: Think of the two dashes, two commas or two parentheses as chopping tools that can
slice out the non-essential clause. Remove the clause in question and read the sentence again if
the sentence reads through without the clause, then the double punctuation was ok!
Examples:

Sitting at dinner that night, Finn usually a talkative chap refused to answer a single
question about his day.
Thriller represented, by most standards of the day, a gigantic leap forward in cinematic
storytelling via music video.
Learning to ride a unicycle a time-consuming endeavor is easy if you dont mind a
few bumps and bruises.
Mr. Ed was, however, quite insulted by the implication that he was nothing more than a
dumb animal.

TOP TIP: Look out for choices that offer you a comma before or a comma after a non-essential
clause, but not both. You need both!
WRONG: He learned, consequently that humans were not to be trusted.
WRONG: He learned consequently, that humans were not to be trusted.
RIGHT: He learned, consequently, that humans were not to be trusted.
TOP TIP: If the SAT gives you a choice between commas on both sides of a clause and commas
on neither side of a clause, the chances are very good that the NO COMMA choice is correct.
TOP COMMA TIP: Exaggerate the pause If youre wondering if a comma is correct, read
the sentence through and emphasize the pause the comma creates if it sounds really weird to
your ear, its probably wrong.

Apostrophes
We use an apostrophe ( ' ) to indicate possession (e.g. Spots spots), or to substitute for one or
more letters in a contraction (e.g. dont, theyre).

What is a contraction?
Contractions are words that are created by combining two other words - we add an apostrophe
to stand in for the letters we take out.
Examples:
 they're (they are)
don't (do not)
didn't (did not)
can't (can not)
shouldn't (should not)
couldn't (could not)
wouldn't (would not)
he's (he has or he is)
she's (she has or she is)
I'll (I will)
you'll (you will)
he'll (he will)
she'll (she will)
we'll (we will)
they'll (they will)
let's (let us)
won't (will not)

and a fun one:

fo'c's'le (forecastle the room where the crew is housed in front of the mast of a sailing
ship)

Note: When writing an expository essay for school, avoid using contractions. They create an
informal style that is inappropriate for an academic setting.

Possessive Pronouns
The Rule: Possessive pronouns never use apostrophes!
Wrong: your's, her's, our's, their's
Right: yours, hers, ours, theirs, its

The Trouble with Its

Its is a possessive pronoun think of it just as you think of yours, ours, hers and theirs - none of
these have apostrophes - ever!
It's is a contraction for "it is"

Singular Possessive
The Rule: to make a singular noun possessive, add an apostrophe and an s ( 's )
Examples:

sister's smartphone
cat's collar
 Justin's moves
nurse's uniform
horse's hooves

Plural Possessive
The Rule: to make most plural nouns possessive, just add an apostrophe ( ' )
Examples:

my friends' playlists (for more than one friend)

the dogs' barking (for more than one dog)
The Beatles' third album
the nurses' uniforms (for more than one nurse)
horses' hooves (for more than one horse)

Plural Possessive: The Tricky Ones

The Rule: When the plural noun you want to make possessive doesn't already end with an s,
then just add an apostrophe and an s ( 's )
Examples:

children's toys
women's clothing
men's room
mice's whiskers
dice's spots