If the question asked is: "The dog quickly ran speedily into the house." Then why can't the answer be: "The dog ran into the house," rather than "The dog ran speedily into the house." or "The dog quickly ran into the house." Are the adverbs really necessary in the sentence to be concise?

No, the adverbs do not make the sentence any more concise, but they are part of the sentence, leaving them out could result in some information lost. I think if this was on a test, then the answer could be ran into the house, because they are just testing your ability to concisely sum up information by combining sentences. I think this example is too objective to be on a test, though.

So maybe I'm being a bit nitpicky, but in the example under tips and strategies: "*After having waited for six weeks of time*, Jacintha received her passport in the mail.", for which the answer given is: "*After six weeks*, Jacintha received her passport in the mail.", why is the following sentence not correct? "*After waiting for six weeks*, Jacintha received her passport in the mail." The question shows us an action of waiting, and though the answer implicitly states the same, it doesn't stress on the fact that she 'waited'. Doesn't that essentially change the sentence? Also, I may be wrong, aren't the sentences in the question and answer in different tenses? Does that affect the "correctness of the sentence"?

"After waiting for six weeks" is also grammatically correct, but it's not as short/concise as "after six weeks". If they were both multiple choice options, I don't know which the College Board would prefer, as your suggestion indeed retains the emphasized "waiting", but it's also longer. I think this "shorter is usually better" idea is most applicable when you've already narrowed down the choices a bit. If the question had two grammatically incorrect answer choices, it'd be better to choose the shorter one of the remaining two. Also, both sentences are in the same tense. You determine tense based off the verb ("received" in both sentences), not the add-ons. If you're talking about "after waiting for six weeks", that phrase (which in neither case includes the sentence's main verb) is in a different tense from "after having waited".

Main content

SAT (Fall 2023)

Course: SAT (Fall 2023) > Unit 5

Lesson 3: Expression of Ideas: strategies and question guides

Concision | Quick guide

Google Classroom

What is concision?

[Explain]

What's on the test?

[Explain]

Tips and strategies

[Explain]

Your turn!

[Practice]

Want to join the conversation?

Sort by:

NAKAYAH JONES
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to NAKAYAH JONES's post “I did so good i get them ...”
I did so good i get them all right
Button navigates to signup pageComment on NAKAYAH JONES's post “I did so good i get them ...”
(22 votes)
Answer
- ggirotra3255
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to ggirotra3255's post “I think you meant got*”
  I think you meant got*
  Comment on ggirotra3255's post “I think you meant got*”
  (15 votes)
Vadaga Rishi
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Vadaga Rishi's post “If the question asked is:...”
If the question asked is:
"The dog quickly ran speedily into the house."
Then why can't the answer be: "The dog ran into the house,"
rather than "The dog ran speedily into the house." or "The dog quickly ran into the house."
Are the adverbs really necessary in the sentence to be concise?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(3 votes)
Answer
- adam.ghatta
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to adam.ghatta's post “No, the adverbs do not ma...”
  No, the adverbs do not make the sentence any more concise, but they are part of the sentence, leaving them out could result in some information lost. I think if this was on a test, then the answer could be ran into the house, because they are just testing your ability to concisely sum up information by combining sentences. I think this example is too objective to be on a test, though.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (19 votes)
Imran Uddin
Posted 9 months ago. Direct link to Imran Uddin's post “What is difference betwee...”
What is difference between SAT and LCAT (LUMS Common Admission Test)? I mean,to what extent do they differ?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(4 votes)
Answer
- Mehdi
  Posted 8 months ago. Direct link to Mehdi's post “Same pattern difference i...”
  Same pattern difference in difficulty level and........
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
Amulya M
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Amulya M's post “So maybe I'm being a bit ...”
So maybe I'm being a bit nitpicky, but in the example under tips and strategies: "After having waited for six weeks of time, Jacintha received her passport in the mail.", for which the answer given is: "After six weeks, Jacintha received her passport in the mail.", why is the following sentence not correct? "After waiting for six weeks, Jacintha received her passport in the mail."

The question shows us an action of waiting, and though the answer implicitly states the same, it doesn't stress on the fact that she 'waited'. Doesn't that essentially change the sentence?

Also, I may be wrong, aren't the sentences in the question and answer in different tenses? Does that affect the "correctness of the sentence"?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- Johanna
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Johanna's post “"After waiting for six we...”
  "After waiting for six weeks" is also grammatically correct, but it's not as short/concise as "after six weeks". If they were both multiple choice options, I don't know which the College Board would prefer, as your suggestion indeed retains the emphasized "waiting", but it's also longer.
  
  I think this "shorter is usually better" idea is most applicable when you've already narrowed down the choices a bit. If the question had two grammatically incorrect answer choices, it'd be better to choose the shorter one of the remaining two.
  
  Also, both sentences are in the same tense. You determine tense based off the verb ("received" in both sentences), not the add-ons. If you're talking about "after waiting for six weeks", that phrase (which in neither case includes the sentence's main verb) is in a different tense from "after having waited".
  Comment on Johanna's post “"After waiting for six we...”
  (5 votes)
Jasmine Solorzano
Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to Jasmine Solorzano's post “If the question asked is:...”
If the question asked is:
"The dog quickly ran speedily into the house."
Then why can't the answer be: "The dog ran into the house,"
rather than "The dog ran speedily into the house." or "The dog quickly ran into the house."
Are the adverbs really necessary in the sentence to be concise?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Jasmine Solorzano's post “If the question asked is:...”
(2 votes)
Answer
darielmayor94
Posted 13 days ago. Direct link to darielmayor94's post “"Tengo mucha hambre" best...”
"Tengo mucha hambre" best ringtone
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
Jasmine Solorzano
Posted 7 months ago. Direct link to Jasmine Solorzano's post “lol was confused forgot y...”
lol was confused forgot yankee was a baseball team shouldnt it be Yankees with an "s'' tho?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(1 vote)
Answer
Sean Lambert-Knight
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Sean Lambert-Knight's post “lol was confused forgot y...”
lol was confused forgot yankee was a baseball team shouldnt it be Yankees with an "s'' tho?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(0 votes)
Answer
- Hecretary Bird
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Hecretary Bird's post “If you're referring to th...”
  If you're referring to the whole team, it would be the Yankees. Since "Yankees" is plural, it's become common practice to refer to one member of the Yankees as a Yankee (although this isn't standard across all sports teams or anything, just a convention that somehow came about). "Yankee" is better to use as an adjective.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (0 votes)