The Grammar section of the Digital SAT is designed to test your understanding of standard written English conventions. This includes grammar rules, sentence structure, punctuation, and word usage. 

While these concepts may seem straightforward, the fastpaced nature of the test, combined with tricky question phrasing, can lead to common mistakes that impact your score. By understanding and avoiding these errors, you can perform more confidently and accurately.

In this guide, we’ll go over the most frequent grammar mistakes students make on the Digital SAT, along with strategies to help you avoid them. Let’s get started with actionable advice to help you succeed on test day.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Digital SAT Grammar

•  Misinterpreting subject verb agreement
•  Ignoring verb tense consistency
•  Misusing punctuation marks
•  Confusing pronoun references
•  Overlooking parallel structure
•  Misplacing modifiers
•  Failing to recognize idiomatic expressions
•  Ignoring sentence structure errors
•  Overusing passive voice
•  Neglecting vocabulary and word choice

1. Misinterpreting SubjectVerb Agreement

One of the most common errors students make is overlooking subject verb agreement. This occurs when the subject of a sentence doesn’t agree with the verb in number, leading to grammatical inconsistencies.

Solution: Practice identifying the subject in each sentence and ensuring it matches the verb in number. For example, “The team is playing” should be corrected to “The team is playing” since “team” is singular. Familiarize yourself with common patterns to help avoid these mistakes.

2. Ignoring Verb Tense Consistency

The Digital SAT often includes questions that test your ability to maintain consistent verb tenses. Switching tenses within a sentence or paragraph can confuse readers and disrupt the sentence's flow.

Solution: Keep an eye on the main tense used in each passage or sentence and make sure all verbs align with that tense. For instance, if a sentence starts in the past tense, maintain the past tense unless there’s a clear shift in time. Practicing with sample questions can improve your sense of tense consistency.

3. Misusing Punctuation Marks

Punctuation plays a crucial role in clarifying meaning, but many students misuse commas, semicolons, and apostrophes. Incorrect punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence or make it hard to understand.

Solution: Familiarize yourself with the most common punctuation rules:

•  Use commas to separate elements in a list or to offset nonessential information.
  
  
•  Semicolons can link related independent clauses, while apostrophes show possession or form contractions.
  
  
•  Avoid comma splices (joining two complete sentences with only a comma).

• By practicing these rules, you can confidently handle punctuation questions on the SAT.

4. Confusing Pronoun References

Pronouns should clearly refer to a specific noun in a sentence. Ambiguity in pronoun reference can confuse the reader and result in grammatical errors.

Solution: Identify the noun each pronoun refers to in a sentence. For example, “When Sarah met Emily, she was excited” could be ambiguous. Instead, “Sarah was excited when she met Emily” clarifies the pronoun reference. Practicing with ambiguous sentences can help you spot and correct unclear pronouns.

5. Overlooking Parallel Structure

Parallel structure means using consistent grammatical forms within a sentence. This includes matching verb forms or creating balanced lists, which many students overlook.

Solution: When listing items or connecting clauses, ensure that all elements have the same structure. For example, “She enjoys reading, swimming, and to jog” is incorrect due to the inconsistency. Correcting it to “She enjoys reading, swimming, and jogging” maintains a parallel structure, improving readability.

6. Misplacing Modifiers

Misplaced modifiers can create confusing or unintentionally humorous sentences by describing the wrong part of the sentence. This is a common error on the Digital SAT.

Solution: Place modifiers as close as possible to the word they modify. For instance, “Running through the park, the flowers looked beautiful” implies that the flowers are running. Revising to “Running through the park, I found the flowers beautiful” provides clarity. Practice placing modifiers correctly to avoid these pitfalls.

7. Failing to Recognize Idiomatic Expressions

The SAT often tests your knowledge of idiomatic expressions, which are phrases that follow specific preposition or verb pairings. Misusing idioms can make your response sound awkward or incorrect.

Solution: Familiarize yourself with common idiomatic expressions. For example, the phrase “interested in” is idiomatic, while “interested on” is incorrect. Make a list of common expressions and their correct forms to help you identify these during the test.

8. Ignoring Sentence Structure Errors

Sentence structure errors include issues like sentence fragments, runon sentences, and faulty parallelism. Ignoring these structural problems can lead to misunderstandings.

Solution: Learn to spot and correct sentence fragments (incomplete thoughts) and runons (two thoughts joined incorrectly). For example, “She went to the store, she bought milk” is a runon. Correct it to “She went to the store, and she bought milk” or separate it into two sentences. Practicing sentence restructuring can help you avoid these errors.

9. Overusing Passive Voice

While not always incorrect, the passive voice can make sentences sound indirect or vague. The SAT often prefers the active voice for clarity and conciseness.

Solution: Use the active voice whenever possible. For example, instead of “The test was completed by the students,” say “The students completed the test.” Practice converting passive sentences to active to build your confidence.

10. Neglecting Vocabulary and Word Choice

Choosing the wrong word due to misunderstanding meaning or context can weaken your response. Incorrect vocabulary often leads to confusion and can hurt your score.

Solution: Expand your vocabulary by reading and studying commonly tested words on the SAT. Pay attention to word choice questions and context clues within passages, as they’ll guide you to the most accurate option. Practicing vocabulary will help you avoid choosing the wrong word.

Conclusion

Mastering the Grammar section of the Digital SAT requires a solid understanding of grammatical rules, punctuation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. By learning to avoid common mistakes like misinterpreting subject verb agreement, misusing punctuation, and confusing pronouns, you can improve your performance and approach the test with confidence.

EdisonOS Tip: For a structured grammar review, try using EdisonOS. This platform provides targeted resources to help you practice grammar rules, sentence structure, and punctuation. EdisonOS is designed to support students preparing for the SAT with tools that enhance accuracy and efficiency.

By sharpening your grammar skills with these tips and leveraging resources like Edison OS, you’ll be well prepared to tackle the SAT Grammar section with clarity and precision.