Don't Let Your Brain Autocorrect
Acing the SAT® requires learning to analyze grammar.
Have you ever read a text message riddled with typos, but you understood it perfectly? Or glanced at a sign with a misspelled word and didn't even notice until someone pointed it out?
Our brains are remarkable autocorrection machines. This cognitive superpower helps us navigate an imperfect world—but on the SAT®, it can be your downfall.
On today’s mock SAT® question, you might instinctively understand what the author meant to say rather than analyzing what they actually did say. More specifically, you might mentally connect the introductory phrase to a logical subject even when the actual wording of an answer choice doesn't support it.
To avoid this trap, you must override your brain's autocorrect feature. This requires identifying the participial phrase in the passage and methodically checking which answer provides a grammatically valid subject that could logically be paired with it.
Today’s SAT® Practice Question
Having ordered a coffee and settled into a chair, ______: the author's vivid depiction of life in 19th century London brought the historical period to life.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A. the book seemed more engaging than I expected
B. my eyes moved quickly across each page
C. I found myself drawn deeply into the narrative
D. reading became easier with each page
(Answer Explanations and Strategy Guide Below.)
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🔍 QUICK TIP: Don't let your brain autocorrect! Instead, use analysis to determine what the sentence actually says with each answer choice plugged in. First, identify the participial phrase. Then check each answer to see if its subject could logically match what the participial phrase describes.
Want to master these and other critical grammar concepts? Check out my SAT® Grammar Crash Course for a no-nonsense breakdown of participial phrases and other common SAT® grammar points.