Mastering Semicolons in SAT Writing

The video tutorial focuses on a punctuation question from a passage about the Thorn Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago. It discusses the correct use of commas and semicolons to join independent clauses, avoiding comma splice errors, and setting off non-essential elements. The tutorial provides tips for identifying independent clauses and choosing the right punctuation. It evaluates different punctuation choices for a given sentence, ultimately selecting the correct option that fixes the comma splice error. The video concludes with a review of punctuation strategies and encourages practice in recognizing common errors.

What is the main topic of the passage discussed in the video?

• The use of velvet in furniture

• The style of the time period

• The Thorn Miniature Rooms

• The history of the Art Institute of Chicago

Which punctuation mark is used to link two independent clauses?

• Dash

• Semicolon

• Comma

• Colon

What is a comma splice error?

• Using a comma to link two independent clauses without a conjunction

• Using a comma to set off non-essential elements

• Using a period to separate two independent clauses

• Using a semicolon to link two independent clauses

What is an independent clause?

• A clause that needs a conjunction to be complete

• A clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence

• A clause that can stand alone as a sentence

• A clause that is always non-essential

Which of the following is an example of a comma splice?

• I like bananas, but I'll only eat them with ice cream.

• Bananas, which grow on trees, are technically a kind of berry.

• Teddy likes bears, he has 32 in his collection.

• I like bananas; they're full of potassium.

What is the subject in the clause 'The couch and chairs are in keeping with the style of the time'?

• The time

• The couch and chairs

• In keeping

• The style

What is the verb phrase in the clause 'They are characterized by elegantly curved arms and legs'?

• Arms and legs

• Elegantly curved

• Are characterized

• They

Why is choice A incorrect in the given question?

• It uses a semicolon incorrectly

• It introduces a comma splice error

• It uses a period incorrectly

• It does not set off a non-essential element

Why is choice D incorrect in the given question?

• It does not use a semicolon

• It introduces a new error

• It lacks a necessary comma

• It uses a period incorrectly

What is the correct answer to the given question?

• Choice B

• Choice D

• Choice C

• Choice A