SAT Verb Forms

​What are verb forms?

Verbs can take many different forms. They can have different tenses and aspects. They can also be finite or non-finite. There are modal verbs, auxiliary verbs, and a dozen other possible categories.

The grammar science behind these different verb forms is complex. Luckily, you don't need to actually do any of this tricky classification to succeed on the SAT.

You've already been exposed to all these different verb forms in your everyday studies, and you likely use them all the time without thinking about it. If you rely on your instincts and familiarity with Standard English, choosing the correct verb form should come pretty naturally.

​How to identify verb form questions

When approaching form, structure, and sense questions, it's important to identify which Standard English conventions are being tested. You'll know to look for verb form errors if different choices use different verb tenses (past/present/future) some choices add or remove helping verbs If you don't see one or both of these differences among the choices, then the question doesn't deal with verb forms.

​What can make verb form errors difficult to spot?

Complex sentence structures

Verb form errors in simple sentences tend to be pretty obvious. But as sentences get more complex, it becomes easier to miss those little context clues that tell us when and how the verb is taking place.

​Top tips
Conjugate in context
To determine if an action happens in the past, present, or future, we'll need to rely upon context clues in the sentence. The same goes for whether an action is completed or ongoing. Common context clues include dates, times, and other conjugated verbs.
Match other verbs
If you're not sure how to conjugate a verb, match the tense of other verbs in the same sentence or paragraph. Verb tense usually stays consistent unless some shift in time occurs within the passage.
Simple present tense for general facts
General statements of fact use simple present tense (e.g., "the sky is blue"). So, if there are no context clues that suggest a shift in tense or aspect, simple present tense is likely the best way to go.

​What is subject-modifier placement?
Subject-modifier placement refers to a convention of Standard English that requires a and its to be next to one another. Incorrect: Consumed in the form of sugars and starches, the human body uses carbohydrates as its primary source of energy. Correct: Consumed in the form of sugars and starches, carbohydrates serve as the primary source of energy for the human body.

​How to identify subject-modifier placement questions

When approaching form, structure, and sense questions, it's important to identify which Standard English conventions are being tested. You may want to look for subject-modifier placement errors if the blank is longer than a few words the choices rearrange words or phrases into different orders If you don't see one or both of these features, then the question likely doesn't deal with subject-modifier placement.

​Top tips
Double-check introductory modifiers
When modifying phrases come at the beginning of a sentence, our brains will often do the work of connecting the modifier to whichever noun it logically describes. But these modifying phrases don't apply to the whole sentence: they still need to be placed right next to their subjects. Any time you see a blank come after an introductory modifying phrase, double check the noun that follows to be sure it makes sense alongside the modifier.
Beware possessive nouns
When a noun phrase starts with a possessive noun, it can make modifier placement extra confusing. Remember that possessive nouns really function as adjectives: the noun that follows the possessive is the actual focus of the noun phrase. That's the noun the modifier needs to describe.