March 9, 2009
Today’s style is one to remember for the test. Even when you learn these exact directions for how to do these questions and answers, use the strategy of reading the directions on the test before each question.
Knowing the directions ahead of time will help you to move smoothly into the format of the question. Reading the directions and then the short passage makes a smooth transition for your brain to follow logically. You ‘try on’ each substitution (in full) for the underlined portion of the sentence.
Again, you will need to read the entire sentence each time you substitute the possible answers below. (A is the answer to use if the sentence is correct as written.)
Note: A is not always the answer to choose when there is nothing to change.
Part of your ‘aptitude’ measured on the SAT is your ability to read the directions each time to keep organized about the possible answers, even if you practice this style of question again and again.
One ironic disadvantage for students who are avid readers is the urge to choose the completion of sentences like this because it ‘looks right’ or ‘sounds right.’ The disadvantage to readers is the extremely large number of errors in published writing. Often these common errors are exactly what you are being asked to find on the SAT.
I started reading a book today by a lawyer who was formerly a law clerk to a Supreme Court Justice. The first paragraph of her book has a series of complete sentences connected with commas. The author is an interesting writer; and by page five of this particular book, I could give at least five examples to the SAT writers to use. The sentences look ‘correct’ because they are published in a nice, expensive book with a lovely hardcover and illustrated dust jacket.
Today’s question has a section underlined that is followed by a comma.
Clara Barton founded the American branch of the Red Cross, a nurse who was sometimes called “the angel of the battlefield.”
Note: Here is where it would be good if you are noticing that comma after Cross, knowing it is staying; but that underlined portion is not correct because “a nurse …” is modifying American branch of Red Cross rather than ‘Sue Barton.’
As we gaze at the possible answers below, we are looking for some way to keep that comma because it is not underlined to replace. BEFORE the comma, we need a way to indicate that Clara Barton is the nurse.
What are our options? We know we don’t want A. That’s the same way the sentence is now.
Let’s look at B-E. We need to put them into the sentence quickly. We will base a choice upon something other than how the substitute portion appears.
Not a—Needs correction for modifiers.
Read each sentence with the substitution—with the ENTIRE sentence.
B. The founder of the American branch of the Red Cross was Clara Barton, a nurse who was sometimes called “the angel of the battlefield.”
(Note: If you are feeling the pace of the test, you can stop with this answer. It is correct. The apposition is smooth to read: Clara Barton, a nurse who was…)
If you recognize that B. fits well and takes care of the glaring error, you can fill in “B” on your answer sheet, and you can keep moving with a flag here to use if you have extra time to eliminate the other answers.
When/if you do have time to come back to it:
CHECK
Capture the correct question.
Hit the answer that fits.
Eliminate the other answers. (This Q&A is a good example of modifying the elimination. B is correct. Use later time to do eliminations, when pacing is working well for you.)
Check the ones you know the most!
Kiss the answer goodbye with the circle filled in on the answer sheet only when the answer is safe and sliding into home!
Additional Elimination:
C. It was Clara Barton founding the American branch of the Red Cross, a nurse who was sometimes called “the angel of the battlefield.”
Note: This one has a similar error to ‘A’—More punctuation is necessary to make this correct.
D. Clara Barton, who founded the American branch of the Red Cross, she was, a nurse who was sometimes called “the angel of the battlefield.”
D. has too many words (she ) and too many commas.
E. In founding the American Branch of the Red Cross, Clara Barton was a nurse who was sometimes called “the angel of the battlefield.”
E looks pretty good, but B is correct. E starts with an awkward prepositional phrase.
For now, when you get the right answer at A or B, stop. This is the right thing to do. Go back if you have time. Put together a strategy to find the ones to check. Leave only one or two months in question.
Judiethcarol&rocketMarch2010c.
