{"id":3540,"date":"2022-02-03T19:24:24","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T19:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.testgeek.com\/blog\/?p=3540"},"modified":"2022-02-15T19:53:31","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T19:53:31","slug":"guide-to-idiom-questions-on-the-sat-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.testgeek.com\/blog\/guide-to-idiom-questions-on-the-sat-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Idiom Questions on the SAT Writing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The SAT Writing test will challenge your revising and editing skills in thirty-five questions about short passages. These passages cover topics related to careers, science, humanities, and history, and you will be asked to strengthen sentences and paragraphs within these passages. Some questions will ask you to improve the argument of the passage by rearranging or removing phrases and sentences. Other questions will require you to apply particular English grammar rules and knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In preparing for the SAT writing test, you should plan to study rules related to colons, semicolons, apostrophes, and dashes. You should also spend some time studying idioms. Idioms are unique because they are not governed by any grammar rules like semicolons or apostrophes. However, like other grammar questions on the SAT writing, questions about idioms can be answered quickly if you spend just a few minutes studying them. If you memorize the most common SAT idioms, you will likely have more time to spend on more complex writing questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kickstart Your SAT Prep with Test Geek’s Free SAT Study Guide.<\/a> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

What are idioms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may know idioms as phrases that do not make sense literally but are commonly used by fluent speakers of English to express ideas. For example, \u201cit\u2019s raining cats and dogs\u201d in English can express the idea that it\u2019s raining very hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are not <\/em>the kind of idioms that are tested on the SAT. Instead, idioms on the SAT are phrases known as prepositional idioms, infinitive idioms, and gerund idioms. See the full list of prepositional, infinitive, and gerund idioms at the end of this blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You won’t see idioms like this on the SAT!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prepositional Idioms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Prepositional idioms<\/strong> refer to the standard practice of using one particular preposition with certain words and phrases, and other prepositions with other words and phrases. Prepositions are connecting words that indicate position (to, for, in, on, at, about, by, with). As mentioned above, there are no rules that govern why certain words take certain prepositions, while other words and phrases take different prepositions. These pairings simply must be memorized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CORRECT: The children were fascinated by<\/strong> the entertaining story.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INCORRECT: The children were fascinated with<\/strong> the entertaining story.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no rule indicating that the preposition \u201cby\u201d should be used with the verb \u201cfascinated\u201d rather than \u201cwith\u201d or any other preposition. These prepositional idioms become recognizable, primarily, through reading and speaking in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infinitive Idioms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Infinitive idioms<\/strong> refer to verbs that are always followed by another verb in its infinitive form. The infinitive forms of verbs are the \u201cto form,\u201d such as \u201cto eat,\u201d \u201cto read,\u201d \u201cto be,\u201d etc. Some verbs should be followed by other verbs in their infinitive forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CORRECT: Molly agreed to sort <\/strong>the beads.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INCORRECT: Molly agreed to sorting<\/strong> the beads.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CORRECT: Sally attempted to outpace <\/strong>her competitors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INCORRECT: Sally attempted outpacing<\/strong> her competitors.<\/em> Both of these examples pair verbs that require infinitive verb forms to follow them. It is not correct to have gerunds (\u201csorting\u201d and \u201coutpacing\u201d) following these verbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gerund Idioms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gerund Idioms: <\/strong>Finally, some verbs are always followed by gerunds. Gerunds are verbs that function as nouns and usually end in \u201cing.\u201d In the example, \u201cI like running and swimming,\u201d running and swimming are gerunds\u2014verbs that in this sentence are acting as nouns. Running and swimming are the direct objects of the verb \u201clike.\u201d What do I like? Running and swimming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CORRECT: His accomplice accused him of cooperating<\/strong> with law enforcement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INCORRECT: His accomplice accused him of cooperated<\/strong> with law enforcement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The verb accused (and other verbs in the full list below) do not always need to be followed by verbs. But, if they are followed by verbs, they must be verbs in the gerund form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CORRECT: The accomplice confessed to driving<\/strong> the getaway car.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

INCORRECT: The accomplice confessed to drove<\/strong> the getaway car.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The verb confessed, when followed by a verb, should be followed by a verb in the gerund form.  <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar to understanding idioms like \u201cit\u2019s raining cats and dogs,\u201d native English speakers will likely not have any problems answering prepositional idiom questions on the SAT. Errors in prepositional idioms \u201csound wrong\u201d to native English speakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling Overwhelmed? Get 1-on-1 SAT Help from a Test Geek Tuto<\/a><\/strong>r.<\/strong><\/a> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Those who learned English as a second language do not have this advantage, however, and may find it helpful to familiarize themselves with a list of common prepositional idioms in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, questions on the SAT won’t be labeled, but questions about short phrases that include prepositions, gerunds, or infinitives are likely idiom questions. Keep an eye out for those questions and spend a few minutes looking over the list below, and you’ll be confident when approaching idioms on the SAT!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Common SAT Idioms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prepositional Idioms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Prepositional Idioms with \u201cabout\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These words might be incorrectly used with \u201con\u201d or \u201cto\u201d (incorrect: ask on, talk on, bring to).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n