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 Question ID 59b92ac2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 59b92ac2
In 1990, California native and researcher Ellen Ochoa left her position as chief of the Intelligent Systems Technology
Branch at a NASA research center ______ the space agency’s astronaut training program.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to join

B. is joining

C. joined

D. joins

ID: 59b92ac2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of nonfinite verb forms in a sentence. The nonfinite
to-infinitive verb "to join" is correctly used to form a subordinate clause that expresses why Ochoa left her position (to
join the training program).

Choice B is incorrect because the finite verb "is joining" can’t be used in this way to indicate Ochoa’s action of joining
the training program. A conjunction such as "and" would be needed to coordinate "is joining" with the previous finite
verb, "left." Choice C is incorrect because the finite verb "joined" can’t be used in this way to indicate Ochoa’s action of
joining the training program. A conjunction such as "and" would be needed to coordinate "joined" with the previous
finite verb, "left." Choice D is incorrect because the finite verb "joins" can’t be used in this way to indicate Ochoa’s action
of joining the training program. A conjunction such as "and" would be needed to coordinate "joins" with the previous
finite verb, "left."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 9621804c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 9621804c
Emperor Ashoka ruled the Maurya Empire in South Asia from roughly 270 to 232 BCE. He is known for enforcing a
moral code called the Law of Piety, which established the sanctity of animal ______ the just treatment of the elderly, and
the abolition of the slave trade.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. life

B. life;

C. life:

D. life,

ID: 9621804c Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the first item in a list of three things. We must
use a comma to separate the first two items in the list, just as a comma is used to separate "the just treatment of the
elderly" and "the abolition of the slave trade."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the first item in
a list of three things. To appropriately format the list, we need punctuation to separate each item. Choice B is incorrect.
This choice creates a punctuation error. Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the first item in a list of three things.
While semicolons are sometimes used to separate list items, this list uses commas to separate the other list items,
and lists must use the same punctuation throughout. Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error.
Notice that "the sanctity of animal life" is the first item in a list of three things. While colons can be used to introduce
lists, they can’t be used to separate items within a list.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID d52601c6
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: d52601c6
Earth is not a perfect sphere. Due to the ______ gravitational pull, Earth bulges out on the sides closest to and farthest
from the Moon. This distorting pull is known as a tidal force, and it is responsible for the changes in water levels that
are called high and low tides.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Moon’s

B. Moons

C. Moons’

D. Moon

ID: d52601c6 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of possessive nouns. The singular possessive
noun "Moon’s" correctly indicates that there is only one Moon, and it has a gravitational pull.

Choice B is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "Moon’s," not the plural noun "Moons."
Choice C is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "Moon’s," not the plural possessive
noun "Moons’." Choice D is incorrect because the context requires the singular possessive noun "Moon’s," not the
singular noun "Moon."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 1bc66123
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 1bc66123
Farouk El-Baz, a geologist and space scientist, ______ part of the team that selected the lunar landing sites for the
Apollo program during the 1960s and 1970s.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are

B. was

C. have been

D. were

ID: 1bc66123 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "was" agrees in
number with the singular subject "Farouk El-Baz."

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "are" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "Farouk El-Baz."
Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "have been" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "Farouk El-
Baz." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "were" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "Farouk El-
Baz."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID ad1825e8
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: ad1825e8
In 1976, the Inuit rock group Sikumiut recorded the album People of the Ice. Though only their first record, it shows a
band already skilled at the difficult task of making music that sounds easy and fun. On songs like “Utirumavunga,”
Lucassie Koperqualuk’s guitar riffs effortlessly ______ Charlie Adams’s delightfully catchy vocal melodies.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. blend, with

B. blend. With

C. blend; with

D. blend with

ID: ad1825e8 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a verb and a prepositional phrase. No
punctuation is needed between the verb “blend” and the prepositional phrase “with Charlie Adams’s delightfully catchy
vocal melodies.” The prepositional phrase completes the idea of the sentence, explaining with what Koperqualuk’s
guitar riffs blend.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and the prepositional phrase. Choice B is
incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and the prepositional phrase. Choice C is incorrect
because no punctuation is needed between the verb and the prepositional phrase.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID c814e8b5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: c814e8b5
In 1881, French chemist Camille Faure redesigned the rechargeable lead-acid battery. Faure’s design greatly increased
the amount of electricity that the original battery, which the French physicist Gaston Planté ______ fifteen years earlier,
could hold.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is inventing

B. will invent

C. invents

D. had invented

ID: c814e8b5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. Faure redesigned the battery in 1881, and the original battery was invented “fifteen years
earlier.” Notice that this is the only choice in the past tense. To indicate that a past occurrence took place before
another past occurrence, we need to use “had” + the past tense form of the verb. This is called the “past perfect” tense.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a tense error. Planté invented the original battery in the past, so we shouldn’t
use the present tense “is inventing.” Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a tense error. Planté invented the original
battery in the past, so we shouldn’t use the future tense “will invent.” Choice C is incorrect. This choice creates a tense
error. Planté invented the original battery in the past, so we shouldn’t use the present tense “invents.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 7fe1b853
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 7fe1b853
A member of the Cherokee Nation, Mary Golda Ross is renowned for her contributions to NASA’s Planetary Flight
Handbook, which ______ detailed mathematical guidance for missions to Mars and Venus.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. provided

B. having provided

C. to provide

D. providing

ID: 7fe1b853 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of finite verbs in a relative clause. Relative clauses,
such as the one beginning with “which,” require a finite verb, a verb that can function as the main verb of a clause. This
choice correctly supplies the clause with the finite past tense verb “provided.”

Choice B is incorrect because the non-finite participle “having provided” doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb.
Choice C is incorrect because the non-finite to-infinitive “to provide” doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb. Choice
D is incorrect because the non-finite participle “providing” doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 12cd60b9
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 12cd60b9
Richard Spikes was a prolific African American inventor known for his contributions to automotive engineering.
Between 1907 and 1946, he patented many inventions, ______ an automobile turn signal, a safety brake, and—most
famously—the first automatic gearshift.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. included

B. includes

C. including

D. will include

ID: 12cd60b9 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. The
nonfinite present participle "including" is correctly used to form a participial phrase that supplements the main clause
"he patented many inventions," listing several of Spikes’s patented inventions.

Choice A is incorrect because the finite past tense verb "included" can’t be used in this way to supplement the main
clause "he patented many inventions." Choice B is incorrect because the finite present tense verb "includes" can’t be
used in this way to supplement the main clause "he patented many inventions." Choice D is incorrect because the finite
future tense verb "will include" can’t be used in this way to supplement the main clause "he patented many inventions."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 4a6c2336
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 4a6c2336
In her two major series “Memory Test” and “Autobiography,” painter Howardena Pindell explored themes ______ healing,
self-discovery, and memory by cutting and sewing back together pieces of canvas and inserting personal artifacts,
such as postcards, into some of the paintings.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. of

B. of,

C. of—

D. of:

ID: 4a6c2336 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a preposition and its complement.
No punctuation is needed between the preposition “of” and its complement, the noun phrase “healing, self-discovery,
and memory.”

Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between a preposition and its complement. Choice C is
incorrect because no punctuation is needed between a preposition and its complement. Choice D is incorrect because
no punctuation is needed between a preposition and its complement.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID e9739feb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: e9739feb
Why are Rome’s famous concrete structures, such as the Colosseum, still standing after 2,000-plus years, when
modern concrete may not even last for fifty? Scientists ______ that the secret to Roman concrete’s durability was its
unique blend of ingredients, which included volcanic ash and seawater.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. explain

B. having explained

C. explaining

D. to explain

ID: e9739feb Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The main clause
of a sentence requires a finite (tensed) verb, and this choice supplies the finite present tense verb “explain” to indicate
what the scientists do.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite participle “having explained”
doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb. Choice C is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical
sentence. The nonfinite participle “explaining” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb. Choice D is incorrect
because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite to-infinitive “to explain” doesn’t supply the main clause
with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID b17585b1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: b17585b1
Public-awareness campaigns about the need to reduce single-use plastics can be successful, says researcher Kim
Borg of Monash University in Australia, when these campaigns give consumers a choice: for example, Japan achieved
a 40 percent reduction in plastic-bag use after cashiers were instructed to ask customers whether ______ wanted a bag.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they

B. one

C. you

D. it

ID: b17585b1 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun–antecedent agreement. The plural pronoun “they”
agrees in number with the plural antecedent “customers.”

Choice B is incorrect because the singular pronoun “one” doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent
“customers.” Choice C is incorrect because the second person pronoun “you” isn’t conventional as a substitute for
“customers.” It suggests that the audience (“you”) is the customer. Choice D is incorrect because the singular pronoun
“it” doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent “customers.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 79920251
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 79920251
With its towering, six-spired exterior of granitelike quartz monzonite, the Salt Lake Temple is one of the most instantly
recognizable structures in the state of Utah. However, many people do not know that ______ built over the course of
forty years, with construction beginning in 1853 and ending in 1893.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. it was

B. one was

C. they were

D. both were

ID: 79920251 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The singular pronoun "it"
agrees in number with the singular antecedent "the Salt Lake Temple."

Choice B is incorrect because the singular pronoun "one" is ambiguous in this context; the resulting sentence leaves
unclear whether there is only one Salt Lake temple or multiple. Choice C is incorrect because the plural pronoun "they"
doesn’t agree in number with the singular antecedent "the Salt Lake Temple." Choice D is incorrect because the plural
pronoun "both" doesn’t agree in number with the singular antecedent "the Salt Lake Temple."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 76d0d8f1
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 76d0d8f1
In the 2011 documentary The Barber of Birmingham, civil rights activist James Armstrong recounts how his barbershop
in Birmingham, Alabama, ______ as a political hub for members of the Black community during the 1950s.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. serving

B. having served

C. served

D. to serve

ID: 76d0d8f1 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. Relative clauses,
such as the one beginning with "how," require a finite (tensed) verb, a verb that can function as the main verb of a
clause. This choice correctly supplies the clause with the finite past tense verb "served."

Choice A is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite participle "serving" doesn’t supply
the clause with a finite verb. Choice B is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite
participle "having served" doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb. Choice D is incorrect because it results in an
ungrammatical sentence. The nonfinite to-infinitive "to serve" doesn’t supply the clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 0ba6d65d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 0ba6d65d
Fans of science fiction will ______ multiple references to classic sci-fi stories in Janelle Monáe’s song lyrics, including
her recurring nods to the plot of the 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. appreciate the

B. appreciate. The

C. appreciate, the

D. appreciate: the

ID: 0ba6d65d Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested here is punctuation between a verb and object. No
punctuation is needed between the verb ("appreciate") and its object ("the multiple references..."). The object helps
complete the idea of the verb—in this case, it explains what fans of science fiction will appreciate—and any punctuation
between the two results in an ungrammatical sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the verb and its object. Choice C is incorrect because
no punctuation is needed between the verb and its object. Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is needed
between the verb and its object.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 62200e28
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 62200e28
Dr. Rocío Paola Caballero-Gill is a paleoceanographer. This means that Dr. Caballero-Gill doesn’t just study oceans as
they are today. She uses chemistry and fossil evidence ______ oceans as they were in the past.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has studied

B. to study

C. studied

D. studies

ID: 62200e28 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verb forms within a sentence. The nonfinite to-
infinitive verb “to study” is correctly used to form a subordinate clause that indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses
chemistry and fossil evidence for (to study oceans as they were in the past).

Choice A is incorrect because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite verb “has studied” can’t be used in
this way to form a subordinate clause that indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses the evidence for. Choice C is incorrect
because it results in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite verb “studied” can’t be used in this way to form a
subordinate clause that indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses the evidence for. Choice D is incorrect because it results
in an ungrammatical sentence. The finite verb “studies” can’t be used in this way to form a subordinate clause that
indicates what Dr. Caballero-Gill uses the evidence for.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 6f4a9e8c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 6f4a9e8c
In her book The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, author Maxine Hong Kingston examines themes
______ childhood, womanhood, and Chinese American identity by intertwining autobiography and mythology.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. of:

B. of

C. of—

D. of,

ID: 6f4a9e8c Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. “Themes of childhood” is one noun phrase, with “themes of” implicitly carrying over to the
other items on the list (“themes of childhood, [themes of] womanhood, and [themes of] Chinese American identity”).

Choice A is incorrect. This choice inappropriately breaks up the introduction of a list. Also, “In her book…themes of” is
not an independent clause, thanks to the dangling “of” at the end, so it can’t precede a colon. Choice C is incorrect. This
choice inappropriately breaks up the introduction of a list. Also, “In her book…themes of” is not an independent clause,
thanks to the dangling “of” at the end, so it can’t precede a single dash. Choice D is incorrect. This choice
inappropriately breaks up the introduction of a list. “Themes of” implicitly carries over to each item on the list (“themes
of childhood, [themes of] womanhood, and [themes of] Chinese American identity”), so we don’t want to use a comma
to separate it.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 4f06deb0
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 4f06deb0
Photographer Ansel Adams’s landscape portraits are iconic pieces of American art. However, many of the ______ of
landscapes were intended not as art but as marketing; a concessions company at Yosemite National Park had hired
Adams to take pictures of the park for restaurant menus and brochures.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. photographer’s early photo’s

B. photographers early photo’s

C. photographer’s early photos

D. photographers early photos

ID: 4f06deb0 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. There’s only one photographer (Adams), and the photos are his, so the singular possessive
"photographer’s" is correct. There’s more than one photo, and nothing belongs to the photos, so the simple plural
"photos" is correct.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice uses the singular possessive "photo’s," which isn’t correct. There’s more than one
photo, and they don’t possess anything, so the noun should be the simple plural "photos." Choice B is incorrect. This
choice uses the simple plural "photographers" and the singular possessive "photo’s," which aren’t correct. There’s only
one photographer (Adams) and there’s more than one photo. Choice D is incorrect. This choice uses the simple plural
"photographers," which isn’t correct. There’s only one photographer (Adams).

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID f4d86ecd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: f4d86ecd
When writing The Other Black Girl (2021), novelist Zakiya Dalila Harris drew on her own experiences working at a
publishing office. The award-winning book is Harris’s first novel, but her writing ______ honored before. At the age of
twelve, she entered a contest to have a story published in American Girl magazine—and won.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. were

B. have been

C. has been

D. are

ID: f4d86ecd Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb “has been”
agrees in number with the singular subject “writing.”

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb “were” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “writing.” Choice
B is incorrect because the plural verb “have been” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “writing.” Choice D
is incorrect because the plural verb “are” doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject “writing.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 9ed077ff
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 9ed077ff
The radiation that ______ during the decay of radioactive atomic nuclei is known as gamma radiation.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. occurs

B. have occurred

C. occur

D. are occurring

ID: 9ed077ff Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "occurs" agrees
in number with the singular subject "radiation."

Choice B is incorrect because the plural verb "have occurred" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject
"radiation." Choice C is incorrect because the plural verb "occur" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject
"radiation." Choice D is incorrect because the plural verb "are occurring" doesn’t agree in number with the singular
subject "radiation."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID bff697dd
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: bff697dd
The alga species Chlorella vulgaris is very efficient at making oxygen. For this reason, scientists are currently exploring
ways to use this species in space. C. vulgaris might be used, for example, to build future biological air exchange
systems that ______ oxygen for astronauts.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. are producing

B. produced

C. produce

D. have produced

ID: bff697dd Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense. Simple present tense
verbs can be used to describe actions that tend to occur, including in a hypothetical or future scenario. In this case, the
simple present tense verb “produce” indicates what the air exchange systems might be able to do in the future
(produce oxygen for astronauts).

Choice A is incorrect. The present progressive tense verb “are producing” suggests that the oxygen is currently being
produced, not that it might be produced in the future. Choice B is incorrect because the past tense verb “produced”
suggests that the oxygen was produced in the past, not that it might be produced in the future. Choice D is incorrect
because the present perfect tense verb “have produced” suggests that the oxygen has been produced from a point in
the past up to the present, not that it might be produced in the future.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID fa99e172
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: fa99e172
While one requires oxygen and one does ______ and anaerobic respiration are both forms of cellular respiration—that is,
they are processes by which cells break down glucose to use as energy.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. not aerobic

B. not. Aerobic

C. not, aerobic

D. not; aerobic

ID: fa99e172 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. A comma is the appropriate way to link the dependent clause “While...not” and the
independent clause that follows.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice creates a run-on sentence error. “While...not” is a dependent clause, which must be
separated from the independent clause that follows with some sort of punctuation. Choice B is incorrect. This choice
creates a sentence fragment. “While one requires oxygen and one does not” isn’t an independent clause, so it can’t
stand alone as a complete sentence. Choice D is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. “While one requires
oxygen and one does not” isn’t an independent clause, so it can’t be linked to the clause that follows with a semicolon.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 3282352e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 3282352e
American poet Emily Dickinson wrote many of her poems on scraps of paper, but she also took steps to collect these
works. From 1858 to around 1864, for example, she copied more than 800 of ______ into forty homemade booklets
(known as fascicles).

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. them

B. this

C. that

D. it

ID: 3282352e Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The pronoun "them" agrees with the plural antecedents "poems" and "works."

Choice B is incorrect. "This" is a singular pronoun, but its antecedents, "poems" and "works," are plural. Choice C is
incorrect. "That" is a singular pronoun, but its antecedents, "poems" and "works," are plural. Choice D is incorrect. "It" is
a singular pronoun, but its antecedents, "poems" and "works," are plural.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 088f0914
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 088f0914
If you try on one of artist Nick Cave’s signature Soundsuits, you can expect to swish, rustle, or clang every time you
move. Cave makes his suits out of found objects, everything from ceramic birds to broken record players. He carefully
considers the sound an object makes before using ______ in a suit.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. this

B. that

C. these

D. it

ID: 088f0914 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested here is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The singular pronoun
"it" agrees in number with the singular antecedent "object."

Choice A is incorrect. The singular pronoun "this" is used to refer to a specific thing, but here there is no specific object
being referred to. Instead, the sentence is referring back to a hypothetical object that Cave might use in a Soundsuit.
Choice B is incorrect. The singular pronoun "that" is used to refer to a specific thing, but here there is no specific object
being referred to. Instead, the sentence is referring back to a hypothetical object that Cave might use in a Soundsuit.
Choice C is incorrect because the plural pronoun "these" doesn’t agree in number with the singular antecedent "object."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 7238af74
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 7238af74
In 2000, Nora de Hoyos Comstock, herself an owner of a successful consulting firm, sought to increase Latina
representation in corporate ______ founded Las Comadres para las Americas, an international community that for over
two decades has served as a resource and information network for Latina business professionals.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. settings she

B. settings, she

C. settings and she

D. settings. She

ID: 7238af74 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. It appropriately uses a period to mark the end of one independent clause ("In 2000…
settings") and the start of another ("She founded…professionals").

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence error. Both the clause before the blank ("In 2000…
settings") and the clause after the blank ("she…professionals") are independent clauses, so they need to be separated
by punctuation. Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a comma splice error. It incorrectly joins two independent
clauses with just a comma. Linking two independent clauses with a comma also requires the use of a coordinating
conjunction (like for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so). Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence, an error
caused when two independent clauses are joined without punctuation or appropriate conjunctions. Since both the
clause before the blank ("In 2000…settings") and the clause after the blank ("she…professionals") are independent, a
comma would be required in addition to the coordinating conjunction "and."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID f102f1be
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: f102f1be
Atoms in a synchrotron, a type of circular particle accelerator, travel faster and faster until they ______ a desired energy
level, at which point they are diverted to collide with a target, smashing the atoms.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. will reach

B. reach

C. had reached

D. are reaching

ID: f102f1be Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this
choice, the present tense verb “reach” is consistent with the present tense verbs “travel” and “are diverted” used to
describe how atoms move through the synchrotron.

Choice A is incorrect because the future tense verb “will reach” is inconsistent with the present tense verbs used to
describe how atoms move through the synchrotron. Though the atoms’ movement is a recurring action and “will reach”
can also be used to indicate a habitual or recurring action, it creates a logical inconsistency in this sentence when
paired with the present tense verbs “travel” and “are diverted.” Choice C is incorrect because the past perfect tense verb
“had reached” is inconsistent with the present tense verbs used to describe how atoms move through the synchrotron.
Choice D is incorrect because the present progressive tense verb “are reaching” is inconsistent with the present tense
verbs used to describe how atoms move through the synchrotron. While both verbs occur in the present, the present
progressive tense suggests that the action is currently in progress. This creates a logical inconsistency when paired
with the present tense verbs “travel” and “are diverted,” which offer a general description of the tendencies of the
atoms’ movement, rather than a description of an action that is currently in progress.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 55c8d2b2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 55c8d2b2
After the printing press was introduced in 1440, handwritten manuscripts from Europe’s medieval period were often
destroyed and the paper used for other purposes. In one instance, pages ______ a collection of Norse tales dating to
1270 were discovered lining a bishop’s miter (hat).

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. from:

B. from,

C. from

D. from—

ID: 55c8d2b2 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The word “from” introduces a prepositional phrase that modifies the noun “pages” and
provides essential information about their origin. No additional punctuation is needed after “from” in this context.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error, illogically separating the preposition “from” from the
rest of the prepositional phrase with a colon. Also, a colon can only follow an independent clause, but what comes
before the blank could not stand on its own as a complete sentence. Choice B is incorrect. This choice results in a
punctuation error, illogically separating the preposition “from” from the rest of the prepositional phrase with a comma.
Choice D is incorrect. This choice results in a punctuation error, illogically separating the preposition “from” from the
rest of the prepositional phrase with a dash.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 1b1fd9d2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 1b1fd9d2
To survive when water is scarce, embryos inside African turquoise killifish eggs ______ a dormant state known as
diapause. In this state, embryonic development is paused for as long as two years—longer than the life span of an adult
killifish.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. enter

B. to enter

C. having entered

D. entering

ID: 1b1fd9d2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is finite and nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. A main
clause requires a finite verb to perform the action of the subject (in this case, “embryos”), and this choice supplies the
clause with the finite present tense verb “enter” to indicate how the embryos achieve diapause.

Choice B is incorrect because the nonfinite to-infinitive “to enter” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.
Choice C is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “having entered” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.
Choice D is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “entering” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 405401eb
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 405401eb
For thousands of years, people in the Americas ______ the bottle gourd, a large bitter fruit with a thick rind, to make
bottles, other types of containers, and even musical instruments. Oddly, there is no evidence that any type of bottle
gourd is native to the Western Hemisphere; either the fruit or its seeds must have somehow been carried from Asia or
Africa.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to use

B. have used

C. having used

D. using

ID: 405401eb Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is finite and nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. A main
clause requires a finite verb to perform the action of the subject (in this case, “people in the Americas”), and this choice
supplies the finite past perfect tense verb “have used” to indicate what people in the Americas used the gourd for.

Choice A is incorrect because the nonfinite to-infinitive “to use” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.
Choice C is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “having used” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.
Choice D is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “using” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID eca749e2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: eca749e2
In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is a leader of Umuofia (a fictional Nigerian clan) and takes
pride in his culture’s traditions. However, when the arrival of European missionaries brings changes to Umuofia, the
novel asks a central question: How ______

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Umuofia’s traditions will be affected.

B. will Umuofia’s traditions be affected.

C. Umuofia’s traditions will be affected?

D. will Umuofia’s traditions be affected?

ID: eca749e2 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The clause before the colon tells us that the novel “asks a question,” so the clause after
the colon should be in the conventional form of a question: with the verb before the subject, and a question mark at the
end.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice ends the sentence with a period, which isn’t right. The clause before the colon tells us
that the novel “asks a question,” so the clause after the colon should be that question. Choice B is incorrect. This
choice ends the sentence with a period, which isn’t right. The clause before the colon tells us that the novel “asks a
question,” so the clause after the colon should be that question. In Standard English, questions place the verb before
the subject and end with a question mark. Choice C is incorrect. This choice doesn’t conform to the conventions of
Standard English. In Standard English, questions place the verb before the subject.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 18ccb79a
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 18ccb79a
About 70,000 meteorites have been found on Earth. Although most meteorites are fragments of ______ hundred have
been identified as being from the Moon or Mars.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. asteroids. Several

B. asteroids, several

C. asteroids; several

D. asteroids: several

ID: 18ccb79a Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. This choice uses a comma to correctly separate the dependent clause "although…
asteroids" from the independent clause "several hundred have been…Mars."

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. "Although…asteroids" is a dependent clause. It can’t
stand on its own as a sentence, which means it can’t end in a period. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a
punctuation error. "Although…asteroids" is a dependent clause and can’t be joined to the independent clause "several
hundred have been…Mars" with a semicolon. A semicolon can only join two independent clauses. Choice D is incorrect.
This choice creates a punctuation error. A colon can only come after an independent clause, but "although…asteroids"
is a dependent clause.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID f460370e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: f460370e
Before the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, transporting goods by wagon between New York City and the Midwest
took up to forty-five days and cost one hundred dollars per ton. By linking the Hudson River to Lake ______ canal
reduced transport time to nine days and cut costs to six dollars per ton.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. Erie; the

B. Erie (the

C. Erie, the

D. Erie: the

ID: f460370e Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a supplementary phrase and a main
clause. This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the introductory supplementary phrase (“By
linking the Hudson River to Lake Erie”), which identifies how the canal reduced transport time, and the main clause
(“the canal reduced transport time to nine days and cut costs to six dollars per ton”).

Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between a supplementary
phrase (“By…Erie”) and the main clause (“the canal...ton”). Choice B is incorrect because an open parenthesis can’t be
used in this way to mark the boundary between a supplementary phrase (“By…Erie”) and the main clause (“the
canal...ton”). Choice D is incorrect because a colon can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between an
introductory supplementary phrase (“By…Erie”) and the main clause (“the canal...ton”).

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 559624fe
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 559624fe
Midway through her 1968 jazz album A Monastic Trio, Alice Coltrane switches instruments, swapping the piano for the
harp. With the same fluid style that Coltrane was famous for on piano, she ______ her fingers across the harp strings
and creates a radiant sound.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. sweep

B. are sweeping

C. were sweeping

D. sweeps

ID: 559624fe Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The singular verb "sweeps" agrees
in number with the singular subject "she," which refers to Alice Coltrane.

Choice A is incorrect because the plural verb "sweep" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "she." Choice B
is incorrect because the plural verb "are sweeping" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "she." Choice C is
incorrect because the plural verb "were sweeping" doesn’t agree in number with the singular subject "she."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID b818ba13
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: b818ba13
In 1637, the price of tulips skyrocketed in Amsterdam, with single bulbs of rare varieties selling for up to the equivalent
of $200,000 in today’s US dollars. Some historians ______ that this “tulip mania” was the first historical instance of an
asset bubble, which occurs when investors drive prices to highs not supported by actual demand.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. claiming

B. claim

C. having claimed

D. to claim

ID: b818ba13 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of finite and nonfinite verb forms within a
sentence. A main clause requires a finite verb to perform the action of the subject (in this case, “some historians”), and
this choice supplies the finite present tense verb “claim” to indicate what some historians do.

Choice A is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “claiming” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.
Choice C is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “having claimed” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.
Choice D is incorrect because the nonfinite to-infinitive “to claim” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 3953002d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 3953002d
Generations of mystery and horror ______ have been influenced by the dark, gothic stories of celebrated American
author Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849).

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. writers

B. writers,

C. writers—

D. writers;

ID: 3953002d Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation between a subject and a verb. When, as in this
case, a subject (“Generations of mystery and horror writers”) is immediately followed by a verb (“have been
influenced”), no punctuation is needed.

Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed between the subject and the verb. Choice C is incorrect
because no punctuation is needed between the subject and the verb. Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is
needed between the subject and the verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 9553394d
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 9553394d
In 1959, the film industry debuted Smell-O-Vision. Theaters were fitted with specialized vents that emitted odors at
specific points in a ______ as the scent of roses when roses appeared in a scene. Smell-O-Vision failed to impress,
however, with one reviewer declaring it “briefly weird and not very interesting.”

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. movie such

B. movie; such

C. movie. Such

D. movie, such

ID: 9553394d Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The comma appropriately separates the nonessential descriptive aside "such as…scene"
from the independent clause "Theaters were…movie." Since the descriptive example of roses isn’t necessary for the
sentence to function, it needs to be set off with punctuation.

Choice A is incorrect. This choice results in a run-on sentence. Since the example of roses isn’t necessary for the
sentence to function, the descriptive aside "such as…scene" needs to be separated from the preceding independent
clause with some sort of punctuation. Choice B is incorrect. This choice creates a punctuation error. A semicolon can
only be used to separate two independent clauses, but "such…scene" is not an independent clause and couldn’t stand
on its own as a sentence. Choice C is incorrect. This choice results in a sentence fragment. The descriptive aside
"Such…scene" is not an independent clause and can’t stand on its own as a sentence.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 2ed74e51
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 2ed74e51
Smaller than poppy seeds, tardigrades are tiny, but they are tough. These minuscule animals can survive for thirty years
without food or water, and ______ can withstand extreme temperatures as low as minus 328 degrees and as high as
304 degrees Fahrenheit.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. that

B. it

C. they

D. he

ID: 2ed74e51 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The plural pronoun "they"
agrees in number with the plural antecedent "animals," which refers to tardigrades.

Choice A is incorrect because the singular pronoun "that" doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent "animals."
Choice B is incorrect because the singular pronoun "it" doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent "animals."
Choice D is incorrect because the singular pronoun "he" doesn’t agree in number with the plural antecedent "animals."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID a1e6e266
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: a1e6e266
The Alvarez theory, developed in 1980 by physicist Luis Walter Alvarez and his geologist son Walter Alvarez, maintained
that the secondary effects of an asteroid impact caused many dinosaurs and other animals to die ______ it left
unexplored the question of whether unrelated volcanic activity might have also contributed to the mass extinctions.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. out but

B. out, but

C. out

D. out,

ID: a1e6e266 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses within a sentence. This
choice correctly uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction “but” to join the first main clause (“the Alvarez…out”)
and the second main clause (“it left…extinctions”).

Choice A is incorrect because when coordinating two longer main clauses such as these, it’s conventional to use a
comma before the coordinating conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The two
main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction. Choice D is incorrect because it results in a comma
splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 41f2da4f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 41f2da4f
The US Geological Survey wants to map every human-made structure in the United States, and it is asking volunteers to
help. Cassie Tammy Wang and Ashish D’Souza are just two of the many volunteer map editors who ______ to the
project since it began in 2012.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. contribute

B. will contribute

C. have contributed

D. will be contributing

ID: 41f2da4f Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this
choice, the present perfect tense verb “have contributed,” used in conjunction with the phrase “since it began in 2012,”
correctly indicates that map editors have contributed in the past and continue to do so in the present.

Choice A is incorrect because the present tense verb “contribute” is inconsistent with the phrase “since it began in
2012,” which suggests that the contributions occurred in the past and continue into the present. Choice B is incorrect
because the future tense verb “will contribute” is inconsistent with the phrase “since it began in 2012,” which suggests
that the contributions occurred in the past and continue into the present. Choice D is incorrect because the future tense
verb “will be contributing” is inconsistent with the phrase “since it began in 2012,” which suggests that the
contributions occurred in the past and continue into the present.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID fc7ebf09
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: fc7ebf09
Even though bats prefer very sweet nectar, the plants that attract them have evolved to produce nectar that is only
moderately sweet. A recent study ______ why: making sugar is energy-intensive, and it is more advantageous for plants
to make a large amount of low-sugar nectar than a small amount of high-sugar nectar.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. explains

B. explaining

C. having explained

D. to explain

ID: fc7ebf09 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of finite and nonfinite verb forms within a
sentence. A main clause requires a finite verb to perform the action of the subject (in this case, “a recent study”), and
this choice supplies the finite present tense verb “explains” to indicate that the study explains why plants that attract
bats have evolved to produce moderately sweet nectar.

Choice B is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “explaining” doesn’t supply the main clause with a finite
verb. Choice C is incorrect because the nonfinite participle “having explained” doesn’t supply the main clause with a
finite verb. Choice D is incorrect because the nonfinite to-infinitive “to explain” doesn’t supply the main clause with a
finite verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID ac384264
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: ac384264
Wanda Diaz-Merced is an astrophysicist who lost her sight when she was young. Diaz-Merced’s condition inspired her
to develop software that can translate scientific data into sound. Sound-based tools ______ scientists to detect subtle
patterns in data. Such patterns may not be evident in traditional graphs.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. has enabled

B. enable

C. is enabling

D. enables

ID: ac384264 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-verb agreement. The plural verb "enable" agrees in
number with the plural subject "sound-based tools."

Choice A is incorrect because the singular verb "has enabled" doesn’t agree in number with the plural subject "sound-
based tools." Choice C is incorrect because the singular verb "is enabling" doesn’t agree in number with the plural
subject "sound-based tools." Choice D is incorrect because the singular verb "enables" doesn’t agree in number with the
plural subject "sound-based tools."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 764b7545
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 764b7545
British scientists James Watson and Francis Crick won the Nobel Prize in part for their 1953 paper announcing the
double helix structure of DNA, but it is misleading to say that Watson and Crick discovered the double helix. ______
findings were based on a famous X-ray image of DNA fibers, “Photo 51,” developed by X-ray crystallographer Rosalind
Franklin and her graduate student Raymond Gosling.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. They’re

B. It’s

C. Their

D. Its

ID: 764b7545 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of possessive determiners. The plural possessive
determiner “their” agrees in number with the plural conjoined noun phrase “Watson and Crick” and thus indicates that
the findings were those of Watson and Crick.

Choice A is incorrect because “they’re” is the contraction for “they are,” not a possessive determiner. Choice B is
incorrect because “it’s” is the contraction for “it is” or “it has,” not a possessive determiner. Choice D is incorrect
because the singular possessive determiner “its” doesn’t agree in number with the plural conjoined noun phrase
“Watson and Crick.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 6b030cfe
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 6b030cfe
In the late 1960s, inspired in part by the sight of laundry hanging on a clothesline, African American abstract painter
Sam Gilliam began to create his iconic “Drape” paintings. He applied bold, saturated hues to large canvases and ______
them from ceilings or walls, causing the drooping fabric to cascade in dramatic loops and curves.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. to have suspended

B. suspending

C. to suspend

D. suspended

ID: 6b030cfe Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The past tense of "suspended" matches the past tense of "applied," which has the same
subject ("he") and takes place in the same context: "He applied…and [he] suspended."

Choice A is incorrect. The perfect infinitive "to have suspended" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it can’t
serve as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no need to
shift tenses. Choice B is incorrect. The present participle "suspending" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it
can’t serve as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no
need to shift tenses. Choice C is incorrect. The infinitive "to suspend" doesn’t match the past tense of "applied," and it
can’t serve as a verb on its own. These are both verbs with the same subject and in the same context, so there’s no
need to shift tenses.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 355670a5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: 355670a5
Emperor penguins don’t waddle out of the ocean. They launch themselves at such a high speed that they travel up to
two meters before landing. How ______ A layer of microbubbles on their plumage reduces friction as the penguins
speed to the surface.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. they are able to move so fast!

B. are they able to move so fast.

C. they are able to move so fast.

D. are they able to move so fast?

ID: 355670a5 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is end-of-sentence punctuation. This choice correctly uses a
question mark to punctuate the interrogative sentence “how are they able to move so fast?” The interrogative sentence
asks a direct question, and the next sentence answers it.

Choice A is incorrect because the context requires an interrogative sentence. The exclamative sentence “how they are
able to move so fast!” emphasizes the penguin’s high rate of speed, but it doesn’t set up the next sentence’s
explanation of how the penguins achieve such speeds. Choice B is incorrect because a period can’t be used in this way
to punctuate an interrogative sentence. Choice C is incorrect because the context requires an interrogative sentence.
The exclamative sentence “how they are able to move so fast” emphasizes the penguin’s high rate of speed, but it
doesn’t set up the next sentence’s explanation of how the penguins achieve such speeds.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID ac4b2c70
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: ac4b2c70
Obsidian is a kind of volcanic glass formed when lava cools so quickly that the atoms inside it cannot arrange
themselves in a crystalline structure. You ______ more about obsidian’s structure, which is classified as amorphous, in a
later chapter.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. had learned

B. had been learning

C. will learn

D. have learned

ID: ac4b2c70 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this
choice, the future tense verb “will learn,” used in conjunction with the phrase “in a later chapter,” correctly indicates that
“you” (the reader) are going to learn about obsidian’s structure at some point in the future.

Choice A is incorrect because the past perfect verb “had learned” doesn’t indicate that the subject is going to learn
about obsidian’s structure in the future. Choice B is incorrect because the past perfect progressive verb “had been
learning” doesn’t indicate that the subject is going to learn about obsidian’s structure in the future. Choice D is incorrect
because the present perfect verb “have learned” doesn’t indicate that the subject is going to learn about obsidian’s
structure in the future.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 558700f2
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 558700f2
In recent years, economists around the world have created new tools that quantify the overall well-being of a country’s
citizens. Economists in India, for example, use an Ease of Living Index. This tool ______ economic potential,
sustainability, and citizens’ quality of life.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. measures

B. had measured

C. would have measured

D. will have been measuring

ID: 558700f2 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale

Choice A is the best answer. The previous sentence tells us how economists in India "use" a certain tool, while this
sentence describes general facts about that tool. To express general facts (and also to match the simple present tense
of "use"), we should use the simple present tense form "measures."

Choice B is incorrect. This choice uses the past perfect tense, but the previous sentence tells us that the tool is
currently used to measure things, so the past tense doesn’t make sense for this verb. Choice C is incorrect. This choice
uses the future perfect conditional tense, but the previous sentence tells us that the tool is currently used to measure
things, so the future tense doesn’t make sense for this verb. Choice D is incorrect. This choice uses the future perfect
continuous tense, but the previous sentence tells us that the tool is currently used to measure things, so the future
tense doesn’t make sense for this verb.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID b64dbd3f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Boundaries

PSAT 10 Conventions

ID: b64dbd3f
Human-made (synthetic) fibers used in clothes and many other consumer products are more durable than most natural
plant ______ the manufacture of synthetic fibers requires toxic chemical solvents that can pollute air and water.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. fibers,

B. fibers but

C. fibers

D. fibers, but

ID: b64dbd3f Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the coordination of main clauses within a sentence. This
choice correctly uses a comma and the coordinating conjunction “but” to join the first main clause (“Human-
made...fibers”) and the second main clause (“the manufacture...water”).

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. Without a conjunction following it, a comma can’t be used in
this way to join two main clauses. Choice B is incorrect because when coordinating two longer main clauses such as
these, it’s conventional to use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Choice C is incorrect because it results in
a run-on sentence. The two main clauses are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID cefb265e
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: cefb265e
In 1903, environmentalist John Muir guided President Theodore Roosevelt on a scenic, sprawling trip through
California’s Yosemite Valley. Upon returning from the three-day excursion, Roosevelt ______ to conserve the nation’s
wilderness areas, a vow he upheld for his remaining six years in office.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. is vowing

B. vowed

C. will vow

D. vows

ID: cefb265e Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of verbs to express tense in a sentence. In this
choice, the past tense verb “vowed” is consistent with the other past tense verbs (“guided” and “upheld”) used to
narrate the events surrounding President Roosevelt’s decision to conserve the nation’s wilderness areas.

Choice A is incorrect because the present progressive tense verb “is vowing” isn’t consistent with the past tense verbs
used to narrate the events surrounding President Roosevelt’s decision to conserve the nation’s wilderness areas.
Choice C is incorrect because the future tense verb “will vow” isn’t consistent with the past tense verbs used to
narrate the events surrounding President Roosevelt’s decision to conserve the nation’s wilderness areas. Choice D is
incorrect because the simple present tense verb “vows” isn’t consistent with the past tense verbs used to narrate the
events surrounding President Roosevelt’s decision to conserve the nation’s wilderness areas.

Question Difficulty: Easy

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 Question ID 67f2e137
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT/NMSQT & Reading and Writing Standard English Form, Structure,

PSAT 10 Conventions and Sense

ID: 67f2e137
The sun never sets during the Arctic summer in the Far North. In response, reindeer in this region must change their
sleep habits. Instead of resting when it gets dark, they rest when they need ______ their food.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. digest

B. will digest

C. to digest

D. digesting

ID: 67f2e137 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of nonfinite verb forms within a sentence. Working
together with the finite verb "need," the nonfinite to-infinitive verb "to digest" is correctly used to form a subordinate
clause that describes what the reindeer need.

Choice A is incorrect because the verb "digest" (in either its finite or nonfinite form) can’t be used in this way with the
finite verb "need." Choice B is incorrect because the finite verb "will digest" can’t be used in this way with the finite verb
"need." Choice D is incorrect because the nonfinite participle "digesting" can’t be used in this way with the finite verb
"need."

Question Difficulty: Easy

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