Help me understand these SAT mistakes please :)

Test Preparation
1

<p>Growing up in a family where music was a daily part of life, Steve and Rick shared a determination <b> to become singing duos </b> known nationwide. </p>

<p>I have it down to : B to become a singing duo
and
E of becoming a singing duo. </p>

<p>Contrasting with most other fifteenth-century rulers, Portuguese kings could count on the support of the aristocracy in a any overseas ventures.
Is the error either in: A. Contrastng with
B. most other
C. could count on
D. in any
E. no error</p>

<p>Surely one of the most far-reaching changes in the nineteenth century will be the change from working at home to working in the factory.
Is the error either in: A. Surely
B. will be
C. at home
D. to working in
E. No error
I have it down between B and E. The answer is B, but even though the sentence is in the future tense and we know now whether or not this is true, isn't the sentence still grammatically correct? </p>

<p>I have a feeling these are all idioms... Just wondering, is there an almost exhaustive list of these somewhere? Like the Barron's 3500 for vocabulary, which has most of the words you need to know. Is there something like that for idioms? They seem to be my biggest mistake in the writing section.</p>

2

<ol>
<li>Of becoming a sing duo is awkward and wordy compared to becoming a singing duo.</li>
</ol>

<p>This also pertains to unidiomatic/wordy expression: I think it is an idiom for saying determination to…</p>

<ol>
<li>Contrasting with is clearly wrong, because the Portuguese kings are not contrasting anything, instead the sentence should start with (In contrast with)…</li>
</ol>

<p>P.S. In contrast with is an IDIOM.</p>

<ol>
<li>B is wrong because it is in the 19th century making it past tense. (would be)…</li>
</ol>

3

<p>Thank you!</p>

4

<ol>
<li><p>B. You are determined TO DO something. you have the determination TO succeed. “Of” Simply doesn’t make any sense at all. Think about it.</p></li>
<li><p>A. Should be “In contrast with.” </p></li>
<li><p>B. should be “was.” The change occurred in the 19th century, which means that this sentence is in the past tense.</p></li>
</ol>

5

<p>A better explanation to the number 1 is you NEED a verbal phrase in order to create a complete sentence:</p>

<p>…Steve and Rick shared a determination of becoming…</p>

<p>Grammatically, if you drop the prepositional phrase (of becoming singing duo), you should still have a complete sentence.</p>

<p>However, Steve and Rick shared a determination. Shared a determination of what??? You have got to complete the sentence by introducing a verbal phrase to connect the transition of them becoming a singing duo. :slight_smile: Hope that helps.</p>

6

<p>“Determination of” is used when the sense of the word “determine” is related to ‘assess’ or ‘ascertain’ or ‘figure out’. As in: “Before we announce a diagnosis, we must first have an accurate determination of all the relevant symptoms.”</p>

<p>"Determination to’ is used when the sense of ‘determine’ is to ‘intend’ or to ‘commit to an action’. As in: “Since the accident she has had an unshakable determination to walk again no matter what the doctors say.”</p>

<p>in the first sentence, Steve and Rick have formed an intention to do an act, therefore “determination to” is the preferred form.</p>