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SAT (Fall 2023)
Course: SAT (Fall 2023) > Unit 11
Lesson 3: Writing: Grammar- Writing: Setting Up Ideas — Video Lesson
- Setting up ideas | Quick guide
- Writing: Strong Support — Video lesson
- Strong support | Quick guide
- Writing: Relevant Information — Video lesson
- Relevant information | Quick guide
- Writing: Sequencing sentences — Video lesson
- Sequencing sentences | Quick guide
- Writing: Transition Words — Video lesson
- Transition words and phrases | Quick guide
- Writing: Transition Sentences — Video Lesson
- Transition sentences | Quick guide
- Writing: Introductions — Video lesson
- Writing: Conclusions — Video lesson
- Introductions and conclusions | Quick guide
- Writing: Interpreting Graphs and Data — Video lesson
- Interpreting graphs and data | Quick guide
- Writing: Precision — Video Lesson
- Precise word choice | Quick guide
- Writing: Concision — Video lesson
- Concision | Quick guide
- Writing: Formal and Informal Language — Video Lesson
- Writing: Formal vs. casual language — Example
- Formal vs. casual language | Quick guide
- Writing: Syntax — Example
- Writing: Sentence Fragments — Video Lesson
- Writing: Sentence Boundaries — Example 1
- Writing: Sentence boundaries — Example 2
- Sentence fragments | Quick guide
- Writing: Subordination and coordination — Example
- Writing: Combining Sentences — Video Lesson
- Linking clauses | Quick guide
- Writing: Parallel Structure — Video lesson
- Writing: Parallel structure — Example
- Parallel structure | Quick guide
- Writing: Modifier Placement — Video Lesson
- Writing: Modifier placement — Example
- Modifier placement | Quick guide
- Writing: Verb Tense and Mood — Video Lesson
- Writing: Shift in verb tense and mood — Example
- Verb tense and mood | Quick guide
- Writing: Pronoun Clarity — Video Lesson
- Writing: Pronoun clarity — Example
- Pronoun clarity | Quick guide
- Writing: Pronoun Agreement — Video Lesson
- Writing: Pronoun-antecedent agreement — Example
- Pronoun-antecedent agreement | Quick guide
- Writing: Possessive determiners — Example 1
- Writing: Possessive determiners — Example 2
- Writing: It’s/Its Confusion — Video Lesson
- Confusion with "its" and "their" | Quick guide
- Writing: Subject-Verb Agreement — Video Lesson
- Writing: Subject-verb agreement — Example
- Subject-verb agreement | Quick guide
- Writing: Noun Agreement — Video Lesson
- Writing: Noun agreement — Basic example
- Noun agreement | Quick guide
- Writing: Frequently Confused Words — Video Lesson
- Writing: Frequently confused words — Example
- Frequently confused words | Quick guide
- Writing: Conventional Expressions — Video Lesson
- Writing: Conventional expression — Example
- Conventional expressions | Quick guide
- Writing: Logical Comparison — Video Lesson
- Writing: Logical comparison — Example
- Logical comparison | Quick guide
- Writing: End-of-sentence punctuation — Example 1
- Writing: End-of-sentence punctuation — Example 2
- Writing: Commas — Video Lesson
- Commas | Quick guide
- Writing: Semicolons — Video Lesson
- Semicolons | Quick guide
- Writing: Colons — Video lesson
- Colons | Quick guide
- Writing: Possessive Pronouns — Example
- Writing: Possessive Nouns — Video Lesson
- Making nouns possessive | Quick guide
- Writing: Items in a series — Example
- Writing: Punctuating Lists — Video Lesson
- Lists and punctuation | Quick guide
- Writing: Nonrestrictive and parenthetical elements — Example
- Writing: Nonessential Elements — Video Lesson
- Nonessential elements | Quick guide
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Writing: Subordination and coordination — Example
Watch Sal work through a harder subordination and coordination question from the SAT Writing and Language Test.
Want to join the conversation?
what is groovy mean in this sentence?(2 votes)
Groovy means cool, fashionable or exciting. The last sentence, "How groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy?" alludes to the fact that the word is outdated and not commonly used today.(39 votes)
using anything other than "but" wouldn't make sense.(16 votes)
Is it best to look over the other answers you are given, and figure out why they're wrong, even if you are confident in your answer? Thanks!(7 votes)
Yeah, I believe so! On one hand it will boost up your confidence if what you chose was the correct answer. On the other hand, you'd be aware that what you chose was not a better choice than the other option but be sure you make it short and analyze it critically.(8 votes)
- what are the difference between coordinating and subordinating conjuction?(1 vote)
Coordinating conjunctions join two independent clauses, or complete thoughts. Both of these clauses have an equal relationship in the sentence. For example, in the sentence:
Usnavi was dragged to the mall yesterday, and he spent all of today ranting about it
The two clauses both have an equal importance, and this is a compound sentence. The coordinating conjunction "and" puts an equal focus on both ideas mentioned.
On the other hand, subordinating conjunctions make one clause dependent on another. They'll place the main focus of the sentence on one idea, rather than both of them. Take the sentence:
Usnavi was psyched to go to the ball, although he'd never been to one before.
The first clause is independent, and the subordinating conjunction although adds on the second, subordinate idea.
The difference is a bit on the subtler side, and of course you won't need to know this for the purposes of the SAT.(11 votes)
What if you get a question like this and multiple answers feel right?
At0:35, why does Sal rule out other choices?(2 votes)
If multiple answers feel right, then eliminate what you can and see if you can manage to work it out. Worst case, guess. There's no penalty for it.
Sal rules out the other choices at0:35because we're providing contrast by using the word "but". The other options indicate that there is a direct relation between using the word "groovy" and being cool, while "but" indicates that using the word "groovy" is the opposite of being cool.
Hope this answered your question.(7 votes)
- In many examples of the subordination and coordination section, you have actually put a comma before "because" and other subordinating conjunction. I thought that when a conjunction other than FANBOYS or "while" (in some cases) comes in the middle of the sentence, we need NOT to use comma, but it seems I am wrong. Can you please explain when to put comma before "because" and other subordinating conjunctions?(5 votes)
As long as the word "but" is being used right there should be no change needed right?(2 votes)
how would you know the right pronoun or grammar to use in the sentence?(0 votes)
It might be a bit late to answer but I'll still do so anyway. These types of questions have you take into account what the sentence is trying to communicate to a reader. The second clause of the sentence states "how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy" in order to suggest that the person's grandfather is using an outdated word (and therefore is not "groovy"). We will use this second clause in conjunction with the first to answer the question.
Choice B offers "because" as a replacement, which does not make sense. This sentence is more along the lines of compare-and-contrast. The speaker is comparing his grandfather's persuasion to be in contrast to the present-day, a time period in which "groovy" is almost never used. The word "because" indicates some kind of cause-and-effect meaning is at play, which is not the case.
Choice C offers the word "meaning" which is also incorrect because it suggests that the second clause of the sentence is clarifying something (i.e. I told him x, y, z, and yadayadayada, meaning that I do <insert something simple here>). There is nothing to be clarified.
Choice D offers "since" which does not make sense either. The word "since" is mildly synonymous with "because" in the sense it implies some kind of cause-and-effect undertone, which is already established to be nonexistent.
Therefore Choice A is correct. No change is necessary.(5 votes)
- Choice B offers "because" as a replacement, which does not make sense. This sentence is more along the lines of compare-and-contrast. The speaker is comparing his grandfather's persuasion to be in contrast to the present-day, a time period in which "groovy" is almost never used. The word "because" indicates some kind of cause-and-effect meaning is at play, which is not the case.
Choice C offers the word "meaning" which is also incorrect because it suggests that the second clause of the sentence is clarifying something (i.e. I told him x, y, z, and yadayadayada, meaning that I do <insert something simple here>). There is nothing to be clarified.
Choice D offers "since" which does not make sense either. The word "since" is mildly synonymous with "because" in the sense it implies some kind of cause-and-effect undertone, which is already established to be nonexistent.
Therefore Choice A is correct. No change is necessary.(1 vote)
0:35Video transcript
- [Instructor] My grandfather
often tries to persuade me that he is still groovy,
but how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy? I actually like the
way that that's written because they're saying,
my grandfather often tries to persuade me that he is still groovy, that means kind of cool for those of you who might be too young to
know what groovy means, but that's a good point. But how groovy can he be if he
still uses this word groovy? So I like that, this but
it's kind of turning the tide on the first part of the sentence. And that's why you would use a but. So I'm leaning toward no change, but let's feel good that we
can rule out the other choices. My grandfather often tries to persuade me that he is still groovy
because how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy. Well because implies that the
grandfather does this thing because of this thing. So because of how groovy can he be that's the reason why
he tries to persuade him or his granddaughter, or his grandson that he's still groovy. No, that doesn't make sense. My grandfather often tries to persuade me that he is still groovy,
meaning how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy. No, that also doesn't make sense because meaning would mean
that there's some type of clarifying that is going on of the first part of the clause and that's not what's going on here. You actually have kind of an opposition to the first clause. It's kind of contradicting
it a little bit. It's like, how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy. And that's why but is a
really good thing there. My grandfather often tries to persuade me that he is still groovy
since how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy. So once again, since
kind of draws a natural cause and effect. Since this this is happening. But it isn't since how groovy can he be if he still uses the word groovy. That's not somehow causing him to persuade his grandchild
that he's still groovy. So this also doesn't feel right at all. I really like this. These two clauses are
kind of in opposition. They're kind of contradicting,
they don't contradict but this second clause
opposes the first one in kind of a fun way. It turns the tide back on
it by using the word groovy in and of itself. So it's actually just a fun sentence. So I'm gonna actually fill in the answer, don't wanna forget filling in your answer.