SAT Punctuation

Sentence: A word group with a subject, verb and complete meaning.

Subject: part of the sentence that does the action or that gets described

Tim plays the piano. (Tim does the action of playing)

Tim is a pianist. (Tim is being described as a pianist)

The students are taking the test. (The students do the taking)
The students are test takers. (The students are being described as test takers)

Clause: A word group that has a subject and verb together.

Independent Clause: I am allergic to peanuts. (complete meaning)

Dependent Clause: Since I am allergic to peanuts (incomplete meaning)

Subordinating conjunctions make clauses dependent. Commonly used subordinating

conjunctions are as follows:

after, although, as, as if, because, before, how, if, since, though, unless, until

1. After the rain stopped, we went for a walk.

2. Although it was late, he continued working.
3. She sang as if she were on stage at a concert.
4. Because the car broke down, they had to take a taxi.
5. Before I left, I double-checked the doors.
6. He explained how the machine operates.
7. If you study hard, you'll do well on the test.
8. Since it's raining, we should take umbrellas.
9. Though it was expensive, I bought the new phone.
10. Unless you finish your homework, you can't watch TV.
11. We'll wait here until the bus arrives.

The word groups in bold are dependent clauses because they lack complete meaning.

Phrase: A word group that doesn't have a subject and verb together

Noun phrases:

1. A bright blue sky

2. The old oak tree
3. A cozy reading nook
4. Freshly baked bread

sky, tree, nook, and bread are the heads of the phrases.

Verb phrases (heads in bold):

1. danced gracefully
2. explored the mysterious cave
3. painted a beautiful landscape
4. Solved the challenging puzzle
5. am being
6. have been thinking

Prepositional phrases (heads in bold):

1. In the heart of the city

2. Underneath the starry night sky
3. Along the sandy beach
4. Among the bustling crowd
5. Atop the mountain peak
6. Of the school

Fragments: words, phrases, and dependent clauses incorrectly punctuated as sentences.

❌
✅
Tim plays the piano. Beautifully.
Tim plays the piano beautifully.

Tim has garnered praise for his piano skills. Being a talented musician.
Tim has garnered praise for his piano skills, being a talented musician. ✅❌
Because Tim is a talented musician. He has garnered praise for his piano skills.
Because Tim is a talented musician, he has garnered praise for his piano skills.
❌
✅
The Period

1. Use the period to join two independent clauses.

Alex loves cats. She has a kitten named Emily.

I wanted to attend the lecture. However, I had a previous commitment.

The Semicolon

1. Use the semicolon to join two independent clauses.

Alex loves cats; she has a kitten named Emily.

I wanted to attend the lecture; however, I had a previous commitment.
 2. Use the semicolon to separate items with internal punctuation / long items

I need the weather statistics for the following cities: London, England; London, Ontario; Paris,
France; Paris, Ontario; and Perth, Scotland.

Item 1: London, England

Item 2: London, Ontario

Item 3: Paris, France

Item 4: Paris, Ontario

Item 5: Perth, Scotland

My plan included taking my friend to a nice lunch; going to the park to look at the trees; and
jamming to our favorite songs on our way back home.

Item 1: taking my friend to a nice lunch

Item 2: going to the park to look at the trees

Item 3: jamming to our favorite songs on our way back home

The Colon

1. Use the colon to introduce a list.

A) I need the weather statistics for the following cities: London, England; London,
Ontario; Paris, France; Paris, Ontario; and Perth, Scotland.

❌
B) I need several things from the store: eggs, milk, and bread. ✅
C) I need: eggs, milk, and bread.
D) I need eggs, milk, and bread. ( the colon is not required) ✅
Use the colon to introduce an explanation.

A) I have a few favorite classes at college: literature, psychology, and art.

B) Sara studied hard for one purpose: to succeed in her college courses.

C) The weapon to defeat the beast was something nobody expected: love.
 D) My dad told me something I will never forget: pineapple on pizza is an abomination.

E) Me and my sisters are really excited: we're going to Disneyland!

In both constructions,1 and 2 , always keep the word group before the colon a full,
stand-alone sentence. What comes after the colon in this case need not necessarily be a full
sentence. It can be a word, a phrase or even a clause.

The Dash

1. Use the dash to introduce a list.

A) I need the weather statistics for the following cities—London, England; London,
Ontario; Paris, France; Paris, Ontario; and Perth, Scotland.

❌
B) I need several things from the store—eggs, milk, and bread.
C) I need— eggs, milk, and bread.
✅

2. Use the dash to introduce an explanation.

A) I have a few favorite classes at college—literature, psychology, and art.

B) Sara studied hard for one purpose—to succeed in her college courses.

C) The weapon to defeat the beast was something nobody expected—love.

D) My dad told me something I will never forget— pineapple on pizza is an abomination.

E) Me and my sisters are really excited: we're going to Disneyland!

In both constructions,1 and 2, always keep the word group before the dash a full, stand-alone
sentence. What comes after the dash in this case need not necessarily be a full sentence. It
can be a word, a phrase or even a clause.

3. Use the dash to separate non-essential elements.

Mooney also writes for The Irish Independent —the country’s second largest broadsheet—
and provides weekly film coverage for radio station Q102.

The genre —of course—typically caters to younger people.

The sandhill crane— a large bird native to North America— has the longest fossil history of
any extant bird at ten million years.
Saint Lucia— which is a sovereign island in the Caribbean— is the only country in the world
named after a historical woman.

Non-Essential Elements

the country’s second largest broadsheet (phrase)

of course (phrase)

a large bird native to Native America (phrase)

which is a sovereign island in the Caribbean (clause)

4. Use the dash to make an interruption.

if the sentence continues after the interruption, use a pair of dashes.

She was extraordinarily tall— the tallest woman I'd ever seen.
She walked in— the tallest woman I'd ever seen—and took a seat at the counter.

The Parentheses

1. Use the parentheses to separate non-essential elements

Mooney also writes for The Irish Independent (the country’s second largest broadsheet) and
provides weekly film coverage for radio station Q102.

The genre (of course) typically caters to younger people.

The sandhill crane (a large bird native to North America) has the longest fossil history of any
extant bird at ten million years.

Saint Lucia ( which is a sovereign island in the Caribbean) is the only country in the world
named after a historical woman.

The Comma

1. Use the comma and the coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses.

Alex loves cats, and she has a kitten named Emily.

My favorite band is in town, and they are performing now.

These horror series have become high-profile and hugely profitable brands unto themselves,
so they adhere to the same internal logic of any other major franchise.
Coordinating conjunctions, the FANBOYS, are as follows:

for
and
nor
but
or
yet
so

2. Use the comma to separate three or more items on a list. The comma before the “and”
(oxford comma) is compulsory.

The original Scream was postmodern, ironic, and self-aware.

Item 1: postmodern

Item 2: ironic

Item 3: self-aware

Darren Mooney is a pop culture critic who writes the twice-weekly In the Frame column, writes
and voices the In the Frame videos, and provides film reviews and writes the weekly Out of
Focus column.

Item 1: writes the twice-weekly In the Frame column

Item 2: writes and voices the In the Frame videos

Item 3: provides film reviews and writes the weekly Out of Focus column
 3. Use the comma after introductory elements

1) Honestly, I'm sick of the arduous four-hour commute.

2) In so many modern feature films, everything is a joke and nothing has any real stakes.

3) For well over a decade, the box office has been dominated by the Marvel Cinematic
Universe.

4) Although her stepbrother views Cher as an airhead, she turns the tables on him and
everyone else.

Introductory elements

1) Honestly (word)

2) In so many modern feature films (phrase)

3) For well over a decade (phrase)

4) Although her stepbrother views Cher as an airhead

(clause)

4. Use the comma to separate non-essential elements

Mooney also writes for The Irish Independent, the country’s second largest broadsheet, and
provides weekly film coverage for radio station Q102.

The genre, of course, typically caters to younger people.

The sandhill crane, a large bird native to North America, has the longest fossil history of any
extant bird at ten million years.

Saint Lucia, which is a sovereign island in the Caribbean, is the only country in the world
named after a historical woman.

5. Use the comma between a dependent clause and an independent clause when the
independent clause comes after

A) While Jennifer put a new washer in the bathroom faucet, Mai figured out how to fix the
garbage disposal.

B) Although directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett craft effective individual set
pieces that generate suspense, there’s never any real tension within the movie itself.
 A)

Independent Clause: Mai figured out how to fix the garbage disposal.

Dependent Clause: While Jennifer put a new washer in the bathroom faucet

B)

Independent Clause: there’s never any real tension within the movie itself.

Dependent Clause : Although directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett craft effective
individual set pieces that generate suspense

6. Use the comma to separate adjectives whose order could be reversed.

I bought a shiny, bright truck.

I bought a bright, shiny truck.
✅✅
I swallowed the bitter, chalky pill.
I swallowed the chalky, bitter pill.
✅✅
7. Use the comma after a close parenthesis where a comma would normally be necessary

Mooney also writes for The Irish Independent (the country’s second largest broadsheet), and
he provides weekly film coverage for radio station Q102.

Commas should NOT be used:

Between two independent clauses

I drink coffee every morning. It helps me wake up. ✅

✅
I drink coffee every morning; it helps me wake up.
I drink coffee every morning, it helps me wake up. ❌ (comma splice)
Additionally, they can address more realistic psychological fears. ✅
Horror stories can feature supernatural elements such as ghosts, witches, or vampires.
 ✅
Horror stories can feature supernatural elements such as ghosts, witches, or vampires;
additionally, they can address more realistic psychological fears.

❌
Horror stories can feature supernatural elements such as ghosts, witches, or vampire,
additionally, they can address more realistic psychological fears. (comma splice)

Between an independent clause and a dependent clause coming after

✅
❌
We'll wait here until the bus arrives.
We'll wait here, until the bus arrives.

Between two items:

I enjoy drinking coffee and sitting outside.✅

❌
I enjoy drinking coffee, and sitting outside.

Item 1: drinking coffee

Item 2: sitting outside

Clueless is a snappy and clever film about a privileged Beverly Hills teenager.✅❌
Clueless is a snappy, and clever film about a privileged Beverly Hills teenager.

Item 1: snappy

Item 2: clever

Between subjects and verbs:

Coffee keeps me awake at night. ✅ ✅

❌
Coffee, my favorite beverage, keeps me awake at night.
Coffee, keeps me awake at night.

✅
New York University professor and researcher Joshua Grossman claims that his research is
definitive and trustworthy.

❌
New York University professor and researcher Joshua Grossman, claims that his research is
definitive and trustworthy.

Before or after a preposition:

I take my coffee with cream and sugar.

I take my coffee, with cream and sugar.
✅❌
Mario dodges turtles with hammers.
Mario dodges turtles, with hammers.
✅❌
 ✅
Many feminist critics focus on the degree of triumph at the end of the short story The Yellow
Wallpaper.

❌
Many feminist critics focus on the degree of triumph, at the end of the short story The Yellow
Wallpaper.

Before or after the word "that":

✅
❌
I believe that coffee is delicious.
I believe, that coffee is delicious.

Ron had mentioned that the place on the corner had really good strawberry ice cream.
Ron had mentioned, that the place on the corner had really good strawberry ice cream.
✅❌
Between two adjectives whose order cannot be reversed:

I prefer strong black coffee.

I prefer strong, black coffee.
✅❌
She sat on the soft velvet couch.
She sat on the soft, velvet couch.
✅❌
I swallowed the bitter migraine pill. ✅
I swallowed the bitter, migraine pill. ❌

Between adjectives and nouns:

I bought a large mug.

I bought a large, mug.
✅
❌
✅
Many feminist critics focus on the degree of triumph at the end of the short story The
Yellow Wallpaper.

❌
Many feminist, critics focus on the degree of triumph at the end of the short story The
Yellow Wallpaper.

Around emphatic pronouns:

I myself made the coffee.

I, myself, made the coffee.
✅❌
Between two adjectives separated by "but" or "yet":

I prefer strong but smooth coffee.

I prefer strong, but smooth coffee.
✅
❌
The coffee is hot yet refreshing.✅
The coffee is hot, yet refreshing.❌