A couple questions about Grammar

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<ol>
<li>Was vs. Were</li>
</ol>

<p>When do you use which?</p>

<p>"To those of us who had heard the principal of the high school talk about the budget, the news of the staff cuts (was) not surprising." Why is "was" used here, and not "were"?</p>

<ol>
<li>Prepositions/Idioms</li>
</ol>

<p>How are we supposed to study for prepositions/idioms? Is there any formal way of knowing them besides using your ear? Like this one: The 7 month old baby was considered precocious (to her family) because she was already able to..... </p>

<p>How are you supposed to know that "to" her family is wrong? What would be the replacement?</p>

2

<p>Bump
Bump
Bump</p>

3

<ol>
<li>Was is singular, “were” is plural
He was smart.
They were smart.</li>
<li>I think it should be “considered precocious by her family”</li>
</ol>

4

<p>^Yeah, you think it should be, and it probably is, but what grammar dictates that “to her family” is wrong?</p>

5

<p>Nothing really. It’s just incorrect idiom usage.
For example “arguing against her” is technically more correct but “arguing with her” is just the more proper expression in english</p>

6

<p>So how are you supposed to study that for the SAT? Why do they even include idioms/preposition errors on the test.</p>