Grammar and Usage
What this domain tests
Grammar and Usage questions ask you to spot errors in subject-verb agreement, pronoun case and reference, verb tense and form, modifier placement, and comparisons. You are usually choosing the version of a sentence that is grammatically clean, not the one that sounds fanciest.
Concepts to master
- Subject-verb agreement: find the true subject, ignoring prepositional phrases ("The box of tools is heavy"). Watch indefinite pronouns (each, everyone = singular) and compound subjects joined by and versus or.
- Pronoun reference and case: every pronoun needs one clear antecedent. "They" with no stated noun is a classic error. Know subject vs. object case ("between you and me").
- Verb tense and consistency: keep tenses logical within a passage; use past perfect only for an action finished before another past action.
- Modifier placement: a descriptive phrase must sit next to what it describes. "Walking to class, the rain soaked me" wrongly makes rain the walker.
- Comparisons: compare like with like ("her scores were higher than his," not "than him").
Traps to expect
Questions hide the subject behind long phrases, separate a pronoun from its antecedent, or offer a choice that is wordy but technically correct versus concise and correct. Do not choose an answer just because it is shorter if it creates an agreement or reference error.
Rule of thumb
When a sentence feels wrong but you cannot name why, check agreement first, then reference, then tense. Worked example: "Each of the players have a locker." Strip the phrase: the subject is Each (singular), so the verb must be has.
Practice habit
Read the full sentence, identify subject and verb, and confirm they match before comparing answer choices.