Three Grammar Questions

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>1.) Many home owners in the northern states use a window sealant, ((for it will prevent)) heat loss in the winter.
(A) for it will prevent
(B) in which it will prevent
(C) that will prevent
(D) for the prevention of
(E) being able to prevent</p>

<p>Answer: C
My Question: As written, according to Kaplan, the sentence is unnecessarily wordy. I chose A, though. Why is answer C correct? I thought adding "that" does not require a comma, while "which" is the one that typically comes with a comma?</p>

<p>2.) This year's high school tennis championships, held in Nebraska, were won by a Michigan team from Grand Rapids, which had six triumphs and no losses. </p>

<p>Answer: No Error
My Question: the clause after the last comma ("which had six triumphs...") is supposed to modify the word immediately before the comma, but in this sentence the clause modifies Grand Rapids instead of the correct Michigan team. Also, is "by a Michigan team" a prepositional phrase, like "from Grand Rapids"?</p>

<p>3.) People who are not highly motivated or at least moderately intelligent are not likely to make it as international journalist.</p>

<p>Answer: No Error
My Question: This sentence confuses me. Is the "not" used in both "highly motivated" and "at least moderately intelligent"? If so, how can we tell whether the not is meant to be used for both descriptive adjectives or just the first?</p>

2

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<p>I read this, and decided to stop viewing the questions.</p>

<p>Never do practice tests using non-CollegeBoard material. Especially in Writing.</p>

3

<p>All three questions are imprecise and unlikely to appear on the SAT.</p>

<p>For the first perhaps there’s a typo in your transcription. If not then the “comma” that follows sealant casts doubt on (C).</p>

<p>With (2) the “which” is acceptable, at least in spoken English. I agree that it would be much better if “team” preceded the comma. In any case it’s a poor example.</p>

<p>(3) is badly phrased – confusing at best. In addition to the possible confusion regarding the scope of “not” I also found the phrase “to make it” a poor choice for written English – to succeed would have been better.</p>