Boundaries Punctuation and Grammar Flashcards
6 cards from real Bluebook SAT Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Boundaries Punctuation and Grammar flashcards as text
Which version of the underlined portion best completes the sentence? "The committee's proposal—that all new construction adhere to stricter environmental codes __ was tabled indefinitely after the vote failed."
Answer: —was tabled
The sentence opens a parenthetical em dash after 'proposal' to set off the clause 'that all new construction adhere to stricter environmental codes.' A closing em dash is required to complete the pair before resuming the main clause. Commas, semicolons, and periods cannot close an opening em dash in this construction.
Which choice correctly punctuates the sentence below? "Dr. Vasquez argued that the data were inconclusive her colleagues, however, insisted on publishing the findings immediately."
Answer: inconclusive; her colleagues, however, insisted
Two independent clauses joined by the conjunctive adverb 'however' require a semicolon before 'however' and a comma after it. A comma alone (choice B) creates a comma splice. A colon (choice C) would imply the second clause elaborates on the first rather than contrasts it, and choice D misplaces the semicolon inside the second clause.
A student writes: "The architect who redesigned the harbor district, received a national award." What is the error, and how should it be corrected?
Answer: Remove the comma after 'district'; the relative clause is restrictive and cannot be set off.
The clause 'who redesigned the harbor district' is restrictive — it identifies which architect. Restrictive clauses must NOT be set off by commas. Inserting a single comma between a restrictive clause and the main verb incorrectly implies the clause is non-essential and disrupts the subject-verb relationship.
Which of the following is punctuated correctly?
Answer: The explorers' journals, donated by their descendants, are housed in three separate archives: one in Oslo, one in Reykjavik, and one in Edinburgh.
Choice A is correct on three counts: (1) 'explorers'' uses the plural possessive correctly (multiple explorers); (2) the non-restrictive participial phrase 'donated by their descendants' is properly set off by commas; (3) a colon correctly introduces the list of three locations. Choice B incorrectly uses a semicolon before a list. Choice C uses 'explorer's' (singular possessive) illogically with plural journals from multiple people. Choice D uses inconsistent punctuation—mixing a comma with semicolons in a simple list.
Read the following passage: "Mariela had three main concerns about the merger. First, the timeline was unrealistic. Second, the valuation seemed inflated. Third, the regulatory hurdles, which no one had fully mapped, could delay implementation by years." A classmate suggests replacing the period after 'merger' with a colon. Is this revision an improvement?
Answer: Yes, because a colon can introduce a series of elaborating items that fulfill the promise of 'three main concerns.'
A colon after 'merger' is grammatically appropriate and rhetorically effective: the independent clause before it ('Mariela had three main concerns about the merger') sets up the list that follows. Colons can introduce multiple items, not just one (eliminating B). Choice C is incorrect because the items here are written as separate sentences, not list elements requiring semicolons. Choice D is wrong because transitional words like 'First' do not replace punctuation marks.
Which sentence correctly uses a dash or dashes?
Answer: The treaty—signed under considerable political pressure and later disputed by two of the signatory nations—reshaped the region's borders for decades.
Choice A correctly uses a pair of em dashes to enclose the non-essential appositive phrase 'signed under considerable political pressure and later disputed by two of the signatory nations.' The dashes open and close symmetrically, and the main clause ('The treaty … reshaped the region's borders') reads cleanly without the interruption. Choice B splits the non-essential information illogically across the two dashes. Choice C mixes an opening comma with a closing em dash pair—an inconsistent construction. Choice D leaves an unmatched opening em dash.