Language Arts – Writing
Concepts to master
Writing questions test standard English conventions and clear organization. Know sentence boundaries, subject-verb agreement, pronoun reference and case, verb tense consistency, parallel structure, and modifier placement. Punctuation matters: commas with introductory phrases and lists, semicolons between independent clauses, apostrophes for possession, and colons before lists. For the essay, build a clear thesis, one main idea per paragraph, specific evidence, and transitions.
Common traps
Comma splices and run-ons are frequent: two complete sentences joined by only a comma. Fragments lack a subject or verb. A dangling modifier at the start of a sentence must describe the noun that follows. Ambiguous pronouns (they, it, this) can confuse. Also watch redundancy ("return back"), unnecessary passive voice, wrong homophones (their/there/they're; affect/effect), and faulty comparisons.
Worked example and rule
Read this: "Walking to the store, the rain soaked Maya." The opening phrase seems to describe the rain, which was not walking. Fix it by naming the doer right after the phrase: "Walking to the store, Maya was soaked by the rain." Rule of thumb: the noun immediately after an introductory modifier must be the one performing the action. For the essay, state your claim in the introduction, support it with examples, and avoid sweeping statements you cannot prove.