essay grammar rules

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A Complete Grammar Guide for Essay Writing

Your essay must be free of grammatical errors for a couple of reasons. First, grammar mistakes can make your write-up difficult to interpret. Plus, they can mess up the context of the paper. On top of that, making too many grammatical errors can damage your reputation.

That’s why Grammar blunders are a total no-go when it comes to essay writing. Speaking of which, this interesting guide to grammar is all about helping you craft a perfect essay without any grammar slips. So, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Everything You Need to Know About Perfecting Grammar in Essay Writing

This is a comprehensive grammar writing guide that has all the details on grammar you need for essay writing.

What is Grammar?

Grammar is basically a set of rules that guide how to structure sentences. Its purpose is to make sure the reader can understand what the writer is communicating. So, students need to have a good understanding of grammar when writing essays. Still wondering why is grammar important in writing ? Well, just keep on reading as your doubts will wipe out.

Breaking Down the Components of Grammar

When it comes to grammar, the first things that come to mind are parts of speech, which are:

Noun:  It is a word or group of words that is used to identify the subject in a sentence.

Verb:  It is a word that describes action in a sentence. Every sentence must have a verb to complete its meaning.

Adjectives:  A word or group of words that we use to modify or describe a noun or pronoun.

Adverbs:  It is something that modifies the verb and adjective.

Prepositions:  A word that expresses a relation of one clause or element to the other. (Such as ‘is, are, of).

Conjunctions:  A word that is used to connect two sentences.

Rules of Good Grammar – Grammar Guide

You may be familiar with the terms “good grammar” and “bad grammar”. Grammatical errors like incorrect word order, subject-verb agreement, and other miscues make up bad grammar. They are also sometimes termed as common grammatical errors. Ensure to follow these rules if you want your essay writing to stay in the realm of good grammar:

Subject-verb agreement

This is one of the very common grammar mistakes in English. To avoid that, remember that:

– A singular subject has a single verb

– A plural subject has a plural verb

• Single Subject

Incorrect: Albert walk daily

Correct: Albert walks daily

Explanation:  The noun Albert is single. Therefore, it will take a single form of a verb walk, which is walks.

• Plural Subject

Incorrect: The cookies is well baked.

Correct: The cookies are well baked.

Explanation:  The noun cookies is plural. Hence, it will take the plural form of a word, which is ‘are.’

Some Tips and Tricks for Achieving Correct Subject-Verb Agreement 

Since subject-verb agreement is one of the common grammatical errors, therefore keep in mind that: 

• When the word joins singular subjects ‘and’, they become plural. Hence, it would take a plural verb.

Incorrect:  Shawn and Mitchell both are good players in football.

Correct:  Shawn and Mitchell both are good players in football.

• When you have to use indefinite pronouns like anyone or somebody, use singular verbs with them.

Incorrect:  Anybody can has good writing skills. 

Correct:  Anybody can have good writing skills.

• If a noun is accompanied by a quantifier, the singularity or plurality of the verb depends on whether or not the noun is countable.

For Countable Noun:

Incorrect:  Some assignments was rejected.

Correct:  Some assignments were rejected.

For Uncountable Noun

Incorrect:  Some air flow through the small hole in the window

Correct:  Some air flows through the small hole in the window

Note: Quantifier includes any, most, some, and all.

• When you use neither – nor, not only – but also, or either – or, the verb in such sentences has to agree with the subject close to it .

Incorrect:  Neither the principal nor the teachers is in favor of an off day tomorrow., 

Correct:  Neither the principal nor the teachers are in favor of an off day tomorrow

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

A pronoun must match the noun it is referring to. Let’s say if you write, “He went to the store,” you’re implying one person. Hence, you will ensure the pronoun “he” matches the noun you’re referring to. Similarly, if you say “They went to the store,” you’re implying more than one person. Here, “they” must match the noun.

Number Agreement

As a general rule, use a single pronoun, if the subject is referring to is single. Similarly, use plural pronouns if the subject it is referring to is plural.

Correct:  He is walking in the park. (The singular antecedent “She” is matching with the singular pronoun “She.”)

Incorrect:  They is going to the park.

Plural antecedent should replace plural pronouns.

Correct:  They are going to the park. (Plural antecedent “They” matches with the plural pronoun “They.”)

Incorrect:  He are going to the park.

Gender Agreement

Pronouns need to match up with the nouns they’re referring to in terms of gender. He is used for masculine, she for feminine, and it for neutral.

Correct:  John is working as he is very determined.

Correct:  Victoria is studying; she is very focused.

Correct:  The cat is playing; it is very quiet.

Person Agreement

Pronouns must agree in person with their antecedents. There are three persons in English: first person (I, we), second person (you), and third person (he, she, it, they).

Correct:  I am going to the party.

Correct:  You are invited to the party.

Correct:  She is bringing a gift to the party.

Some Examples of Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Incorrect Agreement – Number

Although the dog is barking, but they are wagging their tails.

“The dog” is singular, but “they” and “their” are plural. It should be: The dog is barking, but it is wagging its tail.

Incorrect Agreement – Gender

Alex is an active student; he always takes part in extracurricular activities.

The correct sentence would be: Alex is an active student; he always takes part in extracurricular activities.

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Correct Usage of Commas 

In English, commas are used for a bunch of different things. Like for separating elements in a sentence. Showing a pause, and more. Here are some examples of proper comma usage:

To separate items in a list

You can use commas for separating three or more items in a list. 

Example:  I will buy pencil, rubber, and erasers. 

To set off Introductory Phrases 

Place a comma after introductory words or phrases at the beginning of a sentence.

Example:  After the exam, I will join the gym. 

Example:  In the evening, she always walks. 

To Separate two Independent Clauses 

You need to use a comma before coordinating conjunctions, like but, or, nor, and so on. 

Example:  I wanted to watch a cricket match, but I couldn’t get a ticket.

Example:  She likes running, and he loves reading. 

To Set Off Non-Important Elements

You can use commas to separate nonessential clauses, phrases or words in a sentence. 

Example:  My friend, who works in New Jersey, is visiting next week.

Example:  The book, which was a gift, is my favorite.

Separating Items in an Address or Date

Commas are used to separate parts of an address or date.

Example (address):  She lives at 123 Main Street, New York, NY.

Example (date):  The meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2023, at 2:00 PM.

Direct Address

When addressing someone directly, use a comma to set off the name or title.

Example:  John, can you pass the salt?

Example:  Mr. Smith, please take a seat.

Before “and” or “but” in a Series

Use a comma before “and” or “but” when it joins two independent clauses.

Example:  She wanted to go, and he agreed.

Example:  They were tired, but they kept going.

With Adjectives

Use a comma between two or more adjectives that modify the same noun.

Example:  It was a big, beautiful garden.

Example:  He wore a red, white, and blue shirt.

In Quotations

Commas are used to set off dialogue or quoted material.

Example : She said, “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Example : The famous line from the movie is, “May the Force be with you.”

With Dates and Numbers

Use commas to separate thousands and millions in numbers.

Example:  The population of the city is 1,234,567.

Example:  The event took place on June 5, 2022.

Avoid Homophones Errors 

Homophones can be tricky. They’re words that sound the same but have different meanings and sometimes different spellings. When someone makes a mistake and uses the wrong homophone, it can cause confusion or incorrect usage in their speech or writing. Here are some common examples:

Their, They’re, and There

“Their” is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership by a group.

Example:  That’s their car.

“They’re” is a contraction of “they are.”

Example:  They’re going to the store.

“There” is an adverb indicating a place or existence.

Example:  The book is over there.

Homophone error: “Their going to the store” (incorrect) instead of “They’re going to the store” (correct).

Your and You’re

“Your” is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership.

Example:  Is this your book?

“You’re” is a contraction of “you are.”

Example:  You’re coming to the party, right?

Homophone error: “Your coming to the party” (incorrect) instead of “You’re coming to the party” (correct).

Its and It’s

“Its” is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership by an object or animal.

Example:  The cat chased its tail.

“It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.”

Example:  It’s raining outside.

Homophone error: “The dog wagged it’s tail” (incorrect) instead of “The dog wagged its tail” (correct).

Two, To, and Too

“Two” is a number.

Example:  I have two tickets.

“To” is a preposition indicating direction or a verb-infinitive marker.

Example:  I’m going to the store.

“Too” means also or excessively.

Example:  I want to go too.

Homophone error: “I want to go to” (incorrect) instead of “I want to go too” (correct).

Whose and Who’s

“Whose” is a possessive pronoun asking about ownership.

Example:  Whose bag is this?

“Who’s” is a contraction of “who is” or “who has.”

Example:  Who’s coming to the meeting?

Homophone error: “Who’s bag is this” (incorrect) instead of “Whose bag is this” (correct).

Grammar Rules for Students 

Word order is super important in English because it sets the structure and meaning of sentences. It’s what makes sure we’re communicating clearly, cohesively and effectively. Generally, English follows the subject-verb-object (SVO) pattern, but there are variations we can use to show different meanings. Let’s dig into learning the grammar rules for students with examples emphasizing the importance of word rules in English. 

Clarity and Comprehension

Sticking to the rules of word order is like sticking to the important English grammar rules. Plus doing that makes it easier for people to understand your message. English speakers are used to certain word order patterns, so it’s important to follow them.

Example:  “The cat chased the dog” (SVO order) is clear and straightforward.

Subject-Verb Agreement

The order of the words in a sentence is important when it comes to showing that the subject and verb agree with each other. The subject usually appears before the verb, which helps make sure the grammar is right.

Example:  “She plays the piano” (subject “She” agrees with the verb “plays”).

Modifiers and Descriptions

The way you arrange words lets you put modifiers like adverbs and adjectives in the right spot to give more info about nouns and verbs.

Example:  “The tall, dark man quickly ran” (adjectives “tall” and “dark” describe “man,” and the adverb “quickly” modifies “ran”).

Questions and Negations

Correct word order is essential for forming questions and negations.

Example (question):  “Did you eat lunch?” (Inversion of subject and auxiliary verb)

Example (negation):  “She does not like spicy food.” (Placement of “not” after the auxiliary verb)

Emphasis and Focus

Changing word order can alter the emphasis and focus of a sentence.

Example:  “I saw a movie yesterday” (neutral emphasis)

Example:  “Yesterday, I saw a movie” (emphasizing “yesterday”)

Subordination and Complex Sentences

Word order is crucial for forming complex sentences and indicating subordination.

Example (subordination):  “Because it was raining, we stayed indoors.”

Example (complex sentence):  “Although she was tired, she finished her work.”

Tense and Aspect

Correct word order is essential for expressing verb tenses and aspects.

Example (simple past tense):  “She danced at the party.”

Example (present continuous tense):  “They are playing soccer.”

Narrative Structure

Word order helps maintain the logical flow and coherence of narratives.

Example:  “First, they arrived at the airport. Then, they checked in and boarded the plane.”

Cultural and Stylistic Considerations

Different cultures and writing styles have their own rules about word order, so it’s important to understand and abide by them in order to communicate effectively.

Example:  In some poetry, word order may be rearranged for artistic purposes, but the intended meaning remains clear through context and creative language use.

Different Types of Sentences in English

Knowing the different types of sentences in English is really important for effective communication and writing. For instance, sentences can be broken down into various categories depending on their purpose and structure. Here’s a closer look at the different types of sentences in English with examples.

Declarative Sentences

Purpose:  Statements are being made or declared, giving you information and opinions.

Structure:  Declarative statements usually follow a pattern of subject-verb-object.

Example:  “She is going to the store.”

Interrogative Sentences

Purpose:  Interrogative sentences are used to ask questions.

Structure:  Interrogative sentences often begin with a question word (who, what, when, where, why, how) or an auxiliary verb (is, are, do, does, can, etc.), followed by the subject and the main verb.

Example:  “Where are you going?”

Imperative Sentences

Purpose:  Imperative sentences give commands, make requests, or offer invitations.

Structure:  Imperative sentences typically begin with the base form of a verb (without a subject).

Example:  “Please pass the salt.”

Exclamatory Sentences

Purpose:  Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or excitement.

Structure:  Exclamatory sentences often begin with “What” or “How” and end with an exclamation point.

Example:  “What a beautiful sunset!”

Conditional Sentences

Purpose:  Conditional sentences express hypothetical or conditional situations, indicating what would happen under certain conditions.

Structure:  Conditional sentences consist of two clauses: the conditional (if) clause and the result (main) clause.

Free Online Tools to Remove Grammatical Mistakes

There are a bunch of free online tools out there that can help you make sure your writing is free of any grammar errors. They’re really great for making sure your essays, emails, reports, and other written materials are clear and error-free. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular free online tools to remove grammatical mistakes online.

Features:  Grammarly is one of the popular grammatical tools and spelling checker that catches a bunch of errors, like grammar goofs, punctuation slip-ups, spelling mistakes, sentence structure issues, and style blunders.

Usage:  You can access Grammarly online through your web browser, or you can get their browser extension. They also have a plugin for Microsoft Word.

Free Version:  Grammarly has a free option with basic grammar and spelling checks, and if you want even more help with your writing, you can upgrade to the premium version.

ProWritingAid

Features:  ProWritingAid is an awesome writing tool that checks your work for grammar, style, readability, and more – giving you tips on how you can make it even better.

Usage:  It can be used online or as a browser extension. It also integrates with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and other writing platforms.

Free Version:  ProWritingAid has a basic, free version that offers basic grammar and style checks. If you want the more advanced features, you have to pay for a subscription.

Features:  Ginger is a super handy AI-based writing tool that can help you find mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. It even has a feature to help you reword things.

Usage:  You can use Ginger either online or as an extension for your browser. Plus, if you’re always on the go, they’ve got a mobile app so you can proofread while you’re out.

Free Version:  Ginger has a free version with basic grammar and spelling checks, and you can upgrade for more features.

Hemingway Editor

Features: This editor helps you make your writing clearer and easier to read – it’ll point out sentences that are too complicated, show you when you’re using passive voice too much, and give you ideas on how to simplify things.

Usage:  Use to simplify the sentences and correct grammatical errors in a document.

Free Version:  You can get it for free if you use it online, but if you want to use it offline, there’s a paid desktop version, too.

LanguageTool

Features:  LanguageTool is an open-source grammar and style checker that supports multiple languages. It checks for grammatical errors, spelling, and style issues.

Usage:  You can use LanguageTool online, or you can install browser extensions for various browsers. It also offers a desktop version.

Free Version:  LanguageTool offers a free version with basic grammar checks. Premium features are available.

Features:  Scribens is a free, multilingual grammar checker that identifies grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. It offers style suggestions as well.

Usage:  You can use Scribens online without the need for any downloads or installations.

Free Version:  Scribens is entirely free to use.

Features:  Reverso not only checks grammar and spelling but also offers contextual suggestions, translations, and examples of word usage.

Usage:  It can be used online, and Reverso’s browser extension provides real-time corrections as you type.

Free Version:  Reverso offers a free version with basic grammar and spelling checks.

Having a good understanding of grammar is key to writing an effective essay. This guide went over the basics, from how to make sentences to proper verb usage. Adopting these techniques in this grammar guide can help in making your essay clearer and more accurate.

It’s not just about avoiding errors; it’s about expressing your ideas clearly. Whether you’re writing a persuasive essay, a descriptive story, or something analytical, having a good foundation in grammar will make your writing stand out and make your essays more effective.

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The Seven Essay Writing Rules

Essays have different rules than do stories, letters, poems, or journal writing. Essays respond to a writing prompt or writing topic. The writer is required to develop a thesis statement in the introductory paragraph, then follow with at least two body paragraphs which address the thesis statement, then end with a concluding paragraph.

The Common Core Writing Standards divides essays into argumentative and informational/explanatory. Argumentative essays argue a position or point of view; informational/ explanatory essays explain and analyze. Each of these types of essays focuses on the subject of the writing prompt and follows the following essay writing rules.

Keep in mind that essays are a very formal type of writing. Although they may certainly express opinions, essays present evidence in a fair and balanced manner. Think of presenting evidence in an essay as an attorney would present evidence in a court of law. All of the traditional rituals have to be followed. The attorney (writer) has introductory remarks (introductory paragraph) in which a verdict (think thesis statement) is stated. Next, the attorney (writer) presents the main points of the case and the evidence that supports them (body paragraphs). Finally, the attorney (writer) presents the closing arguments (conclusion paragraph).

Here are the seven essay writing rules:

1. Write in complete sentences. Intentional fragments, such as “Right?” don’t belong in essays.

2. Write in third person. Talk about the subject of the essay. Don’t personalize with first person pronouns such as I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours, ourselves. Don’t talk to the reader with second person pronouns such as you, your, yours, yourself, yourselves. The essay is to be objective (fair and balanced), not subjective (personalized). Rid essays of “I think,” “I believe,” and “In my opinion.”

3. Do not abbreviate. Abbreviations are informal and serve as short-cuts, so they don’t belong in essays. So write United States , not U.S. in essays.

4. Do not use slang, such as kids . Use official, or formal, words, such as children .

5. Do not use contractions. Again, essays are very formal, so write “do not” rather than “don’t.”

6. Do not use figures of speech. Be direct and precise in essay writing. Essays do not use poetic devices or idiomatic expressions. For example, don’t write “He let the cat out of the bag.” Instead, say “He shared a secret.”

7. Do not over-use the same words or phrases. For example, avoid over-use of the “to-be” verbs : is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been.

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

The author’s  TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE   includes the three printable and digital  resources students need to master  the  CCSS W.1 argumentative and W.2 informational/explanatory essays. Each  no-prep  resource allows students to work at their own paces via mastery learning. How to Teach Essays  includes 42 skill-based essay strategy worksheets (fillable PDFs and 62 Google slides), beginning with simple 3-word paragraphs and proceeding step-by-step to complex multi-paragraph essays. One skill builds upon another. The Essay Skills Worksheets include 97 worksheets (printables and 97 Google slides) to help teachers differentiate writing instruction with both remedial and advanced writing skills. The  Eight Writing Process Essays  (printables and 170 Google slides) each feature an on-demand diagnostic essay assessment, writing prompt with connected reading, brainstorming, graphic organizer, response, revision, and editing activities. Plus, each essay includes a detailed analytical (not holistic) rubric for assessment-based learning.

Writing essay , essay program , essay rules , essay strategies , essay worksheets , five paragraph essay , Mark Pennington , Teaching Essay Strategies , writing rules

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13 Rules for Writing Good Essays

To write a good essay, you have to make your message clear..

Posted March 7, 2018 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

To write a good university essay you have to make your message clear. This means organizing your key points, supporting them with a series of evidence-based arguments, and wrapping it all up at the end so the reader knows what they've learned. To do this well, you need to take the reader's perspective. If you can see what might trip them up as they read your work, then you can avoid pitfalls that will confuse or bore them. Here are some tips to help you avoid the easy pitfalls. Once understood, these rules can be broken. But if you're unclear on how to approach your writing, these tips can help.

1. Your opening paragraph should clearly describe what you are going to discuss in the essay. These three things are vital: What’s the thesis (or problem), why is it important, and how are you going to address it? If you have each of those items in your opening paragraph your reader will know what they are reading, why they are reading it, and what they can expect to get out of it.

2. Organize the essay so that it covers a set list of subtopics that each support your main thesis. If it's a long essay, you should break it up into sections with headings that focus on specific subtopics. Introduce these topics in the opening paragraph of the essay (see 1 above). Overall, you want to organize information so it is easy to understand and remember.

3. Start paragraphs with opening sentences that explain what the paragraph is going to say. Then write sentences that follow one from the other and are easy to read. Avoid paragraphs that are too long, that read like lists, or that have no main thesis. Summarize complex paragraphs with concise sentences that explain what the paragraph said.

4. Create transitions between paragraphs so that one paragraph follows from the next. You are trying to make it all easy to understand for your reader. The more organized your writing, the more clearly you will understand and communicate your own ideas.

5. Make your sentences work. Avoid long sentences. When in doubt, break long sentences into smaller sentences. Avoid sentences that are repetitive and don't provide new information. Throw away weak and empty sentences ("Angioplasty is an important procedure." "Emotions are a central element in people's lives."). Sentences also need to be crystal clear. You can check for clarity by making sure they read well. Read them out loud to yourself or have someone else read them out loud to you.

6. Explain novel terms (jargon) when you introduce them . Don’t assume your reader knows what terms mean. Avoid jargon except where it communicates key concepts. Imagine the reader knows less about the topic than you do.

7. In science writing, you can use synonyms for key concepts only when you are first explaining them. After that, use the same word every time to refer to the idea. For example, you might want to write, 'affect,' and then 'emotions,' and then 'feelings.' If you use different words every time you refer to an idea, your reader will get confused. Define a term and then use it consistently.

8. Be careful when you use words like ‘this’ or ‘that’ or ‘their’ or ‘those’ or 'these' or 'they.' These words are often not as tightly connected to what they reference as you think. Check every one of them and see if you can rewrite it more clearly. When you use *these* words carelessly, your reader will need to think more to understand what you are referring to. *That* will break the flow and make it harder to understand what you're actually try to say. *They* (the readers) won't know who you're referring to. By simply stating what you are referring to specifically, you make your writing clear. It is better to be repetitive than unclear.

9. Use concrete information. Concrete information is powerful, is appealing, it is easier to understand, and it sticks in people's memory . Concrete information includes things like examples, statistics, quotes, facts, and other details. The more sentences that go by without communicating new concrete information or ideas that develop your thesis, the more likely your reader is to get bored .

10. If you have an interesting idea, check to see if someone else has already had it. If they have, cite them. Chances are someone has at least hinted at your clever insight, and you can use them as a springboard to say something even more interesting. This will demonstrate scholarship and an understanding of the broader context.

11. Make sure everything is relevant. Don’t include random facts that are not relevant. Don't include extra words that you don't need ("actually," "very," "in many ways," "the fact that"). Don't include paragraphs that have lots of cool facts if they aren't related to your central thesis. These slow down your reader and confuse them because they expect to hear content that is related to your theme. After you write a first draft (where you are just trying to get ideas down on paper), see what you can cut out to focus your argument on what matters.

12. The very best essays provide their own critique. End with something like this before the final summary: Provide criticism of your key point (appropriately referenced). Then provide criticism of the criticizer that you referenced (with another reference). If you can do this well, then in most instances you will have demonstrated thorough understanding of the issues. After this, provide your conclusion.

13. In the conclusion, take a position, make a prediction, or propose some future actions (an experiment, an implication, a new question to be addressed, etc). Summarize your thesis and the evidence you’ve provided in a concise way without being wishy-washy.

You might also be interested in my top 10 job interview tips or top 10 science-based study skills.

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Thomas T. Hills, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at University of Warwick.

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11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)

How do you structure a paragraph in an essay?

If you’re like the majority of my students, you might be getting your basic essay paragraph structure wrong and getting lower grades than you could!

In this article, I outline the 11 key steps to writing a perfect paragraph. But, this isn’t your normal ‘how to write an essay’ article. Rather, I’ll try to give you some insight into exactly what teachers look out for when they’re grading essays and figuring out what grade to give them.

You can navigate each issue below, or scroll down to read them all:

1. Paragraphs must be at least four sentences long 2. But, at most seven sentences long 3. Your paragraph must be Left-Aligned 4. You need a topic sentence 5 . Next, you need an explanation sentence 6. You need to include an example 7. You need to include citations 8. All paragraphs need to be relevant to the marking criteria 9. Only include one key idea per paragraph 10. Keep sentences short 11. Keep quotes short

Paragraph structure is one of the most important elements of getting essay writing right .

As I cover in my Ultimate Guide to Writing an Essay Plan , paragraphs are the heart and soul of your essay.

However, I find most of my students have either:

• forgotten how to write paragraphs properly,
• gotten lazy, or
• never learned it in the first place!

Paragraphs in essay writing are different from paragraphs in other written genres .

In fact, the paragraphs that you are reading now would not help your grades in an essay.

That’s because I’m writing in journalistic style, where paragraph conventions are vastly different.

For those of you coming from journalism or creative writing, you might find you need to re-learn paragraph writing if you want to write well-structured essay paragraphs to get top grades.

Below are eleven reasons your paragraphs are losing marks, and what to do about it!

Essay Paragraph Structure Rules

1. your paragraphs must be at least 4 sentences long.

In journalism and blog writing, a one-sentence paragraph is great. It’s short, to-the-point, and helps guide your reader. For essay paragraph structure, one-sentence paragraphs suck.

A one-sentence essay paragraph sends an instant signal to your teacher that you don’t have much to say on an issue.

A short paragraph signifies that you know something – but not much about it. A one-sentence paragraph lacks detail, depth and insight.

Many students come to me and ask, “what does ‘add depth’ mean?” It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback you’ll see written on the margins of your essay.

Personally, I think ‘add depth’ is bad feedback because it’s a short and vague comment. But, here’s what it means: You’ve not explained your point enough!

If you’re writing one-, two- or three-sentence essay paragraphs, you’re costing yourself marks.

Always aim for at least four sentences per paragraph in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you should add ‘fluff’ or ‘padding’ sentences.

Make sure you don’t:

a) repeat what you said in different words, or b) write something just because you need another sentence in there.

But, you need to do some research and find something insightful to add to that two-sentence paragraph if you want to ace your essay.

Check out Points 5 and 6 for some advice on what to add to that short paragraph to add ‘depth’ to your paragraph and start moving to the top of the class.

• How to Make an Essay Longer
• How to Make an Essay Shorter

2. Your Paragraphs must not be more than 7 Sentences Long

Okay, so I just told you to aim for at least four sentences per paragraph. So, what’s the longest your paragraph should be?

Seven sentences. That’s a maximum.

So, here’s the rule:

Between four and seven sentences is the sweet spot that you need to aim for in every single paragraph.

Here’s why your paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than seven sentences:

1. It shows you can organize your thoughts. You need to show your teacher that you’ve broken up your key ideas into manageable segments of text (see point 10)

2. It makes your work easier to read.   You need your writing to be easily readable to make it easy for your teacher to give you good grades. Make your essay easy to read and you’ll get higher marks every time.

One of the most important ways you can make your work easier to read is by writing paragraphs that are less than six sentences long.

3. It prevents teacher frustration. Teachers are just like you. When they see a big block of text their eyes glaze over. They get frustrated, lost, their mind wanders … and you lose marks.

To prevent teacher frustration, you need to ensure there’s plenty of white space in your essay. It’s about showing them that the piece is clearly structured into one key idea per ‘chunk’ of text.

Often, you might find that your writing contains tautologies and other turns of phrase that can be shortened for clarity.

3. Your Paragraph must be Left-Aligned

Turn off ‘Justified’ text and: Never. Turn. It. On. Again.

Justified text is where the words are stretched out to make the paragraph look like a square. It turns the writing into a block. Don’t do it. You will lose marks, I promise you! Win the psychological game with your teacher: left-align your text.

A good essay paragraph is never ‘justified’.

I’m going to repeat this, because it’s important: to prevent your essay from looking like a big block of muddy, hard-to-read text align your text to the left margin only.

You want white space on your page – and lots of it. White space helps your reader scan through your work. It also prevents it from looking like big blocks of text.

You want your reader reading vertically as much as possible: scanning, browsing, and quickly looking through for evidence you’ve engaged with the big ideas.

The justified text doesn’t help you do that. Justified text makes your writing look like a big, lumpy block of text that your reader doesn’t want to read.

What’s wrong with Center-Aligned Text?

While I’m at it, never, ever, center-align your text either. Center-aligned text is impossible to skim-read. Your teacher wants to be able to quickly scan down the left margin to get the headline information in your paragraph.

Not many people center-align text, but it’s worth repeating: never, ever center-align your essays.

Don’t annoy your reader. Left align your text.

4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence

The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style.

The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you’re going to cover in your paragraph.

Too often, students don’t let their reader know what the key idea of the paragraph is until several sentences in.

You must show what the paragraph is about in the first sentence.

You never, ever want to keep your reader in suspense. Essays are not like creative writing. Tell them straight away what the paragraph is about. In fact, if you can, do it in the first half of the first sentence .

I’ll remind you again: make it easy to grade your work. Your teacher is reading through your work trying to determine what grade to give you. They’re probably going to mark 20 assignments in one sitting. They have no interest in storytelling or creativity. They just want to know how much you know! State what the paragraph is about immediately and move on.

Suggested: Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing a Topic Sentence If your paragraph is about how climate change is endangering polar bears, say it immediately : “Climate change is endangering polar bears.” should be your first sentence in your paragraph. Take a look at first sentence of each of the four paragraphs above this one. You can see from the first sentence of each paragraph that the paragraphs discuss:

When editing your work, read each paragraph and try to distil what the one key idea is in your paragraph. Ensure that this key idea is mentioned in the first sentence .

(Note: if there’s more than one key idea in the paragraph, you may have a problem. See Point 9 below .)

The topic sentence is the most important sentence for getting your essay paragraph structure right. So, get your topic sentences right and you’re on the right track to a good essay paragraph.

5. You need an Explanation Sentence

All topic sentences need a follow-up explanation. The very first point on this page was that too often students write paragraphs that are too short. To add what is called ‘depth’ to a paragraph, you can come up with two types of follow-up sentences: explanations and examples.

Let’s take explanation sentences first.

Explanation sentences give additional detail. They often provide one of the following services:

Let’s go back to our example of a paragraph on Climate change endangering polar bears. If your topic sentence is “Climate change is endangering polar bears.”, then your follow-up explanation sentence is likely to explain how, why, where, or when. You could say:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing Explanation Sentences 1. How: “The warming atmosphere is melting the polar ice caps.” 2. Why: “The polar bears’ habitats are shrinking every single year.” 3. Where: “This is happening in the Antarctic ice caps near Greenland.” 4. When: “Scientists first noticed the ice caps were shrinking in 1978.”

You don’t have to provide all four of these options each time.

But, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your paragraph to add depth, consider one of these four options for a good quality explanation sentence.

>>>RELATED ARTICLE: SHOULD YOU USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IN ESSAYS ?

6. Your need to Include an Example

Examples matter! They add detail. They also help to show that you genuinely understand the issue. They show that you don’t just understand a concept in the abstract; you also understand how things work in real life.

Example sentences have the added benefit of personalising an issue. For example, after saying “Polar bears’ habitats are shrinking”, you could note specific habitats, facts and figures, or even a specific story about a bear who was impacted.

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing an ‘Example’ Sentence “For example, 770,000 square miles of Arctic Sea Ice has melted in the past four decades, leading Polar Bear populations to dwindle ( National Geographic, 2018 )

In fact, one of the most effective politicians of our times – Barrack Obama – was an expert at this technique. He would often provide examples of people who got sick because they didn’t have healthcare to sell Obamacare.

What effect did this have? It showed the real-world impact of his ideas. It humanised him, and got him elected president – twice!

Be like Obama. Provide examples. Often.

7. All Paragraphs need Citations

Provide a reference to an academic source in every single body paragraph in the essay. The only two paragraphs where you don’t need a reference is the introduction and conclusion .

Let me repeat: Paragraphs need at least one reference to a quality scholarly source .

Let me go even further:

Students who get the best marks provide two references to two different academic sources in every paragraph.

Two references in a paragraph show you’ve read widely, cross-checked your sources, and given the paragraph real thought.

It’s really important that these references link to academic sources, not random websites, blogs or YouTube videos. Check out our Seven Best types of Sources to Cite in Essays post to get advice on what sources to cite. Number 6 w ill surprise you!

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: In-Text Referencing in Paragraphs Usually, in-text referencing takes the format: (Author, YEAR), but check your school’s referencing formatting requirements carefully. The ‘Author’ section is the author’s last name only. Not their initials. Not their first name. Just their last name . My name is Chris Drew. First name Chris, last name Drew. If you were going to reference an academic article I wrote in 2019, you would reference it like this: (Drew, 2019).

Where do you place those two references?

Place the first reference at the end of the first half of the paragraph. Place the second reference at the end of the second half of the paragraph.

This spreads the references out and makes it look like all the points throughout the paragraph are backed up by your sources. The goal is to make it look like you’ve reference regularly when your teacher scans through your work.

Remember, teachers can look out for signposts that indicate you’ve followed academic conventions and mentioned the right key ideas.

Spreading your referencing through the paragraph helps to make it look like you’ve followed the academic convention of referencing sources regularly.

Here are some examples of how to reference twice in a paragraph:

• If your paragraph was six sentences long, you would place your first reference at the end of the third sentence and your second reference at the end of the sixth sentence.
• If your paragraph was five sentences long, I would recommend placing one at the end of the second sentence and one at the end of the fifth sentence.

You’ve just read one of the key secrets to winning top marks.

8. Every Paragraph must be relevant to the Marking Criteria

Every paragraph must win you marks. When you’re editing your work, check through the piece to see if every paragraph is relevant to the marking criteria.

For the British: In the British university system (I’m including Australia and New Zealand here – I’ve taught at universities in all three countries), you’ll usually have a ‘marking criteria’. It’s usually a list of between two and six key learning outcomes your teacher needs to use to come up with your score. Sometimes it’s called a:

• Marking criteria
• Marking rubric
• (Key) learning outcome
• Indicative content

Check your assignment guidance to see if this is present. If so, use this list of learning outcomes to guide what you write. If your paragraphs are irrelevant to these key points, delete the paragraph .

Paragraphs that don’t link to the marking criteria are pointless. They won’t win you marks.

For the Americans: If you don’t have a marking criteria / rubric / outcomes list, you’ll need to stick closely to the essay question or topic. This goes out to those of you in the North American system. North America (including USA and Canada here) is often less structured and the professor might just give you a topic to base your essay on.

If all you’ve got is the essay question / topic, go through each paragraph and make sure each paragraph is relevant to the topic.

For example, if your essay question / topic is on “The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears”,

• Don’t talk about anything that doesn’t have some connection to climate change and polar bears;
• Don’t talk about the environmental impact of oil spills in the Gulf of Carpentaria;
• Don’t talk about black bear habitats in British Columbia.
• Do talk about the effects of climate change on polar bears (and relevant related topics) in every single paragraph .

You may think ‘stay relevant’ is obvious advice, but at least 20% of all essays I mark go off on tangents and waste words.

Stay on topic in Every. Single. Paragraph. If you want to learn more about how to stay on topic, check out our essay planning guide .

9. Only have one Key Idea per Paragraph

One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph.

Don’t forget!

Too often, a student starts a paragraph talking about one thing and ends it talking about something totally different. Don’t be that student.

To ensure you’re focussing on one key idea in your paragraph, make sure you know what that key idea is. It should be mentioned in your topic sentence (see Point 3 ). Every other sentence in the paragraph adds depth to that one key idea.

If you’ve got sentences in your paragraph that are not relevant to the key idea in the paragraph, they don’t fit. They belong in another paragraph.

Go through all your paragraphs when editing your work and check to see if you’ve veered away from your paragraph’s key idea. If so, you might have two or even three key ideas in the one paragraph.

You’re going to have to get those additional key ideas, rip them out, and give them paragraphs of their own.

If you have more than one key idea in a paragraph you will lose marks. I promise you that.

The paragraphs will be too hard to read, your reader will get bogged down reading rather than scanning, and you’ll have lost grades.

10. Keep Sentences Short

If a sentence is too long it gets confusing. When the sentence is confusing, your reader will stop reading your work. They will stop reading the paragraph and move to the next one. They’ll have given up on your paragraph.

Short, snappy sentences are best.

Shorter sentences are easier to read and they make more sense. Too often, students think they have to use big, long, academic words to get the best marks. Wrong. Aim for clarity in every sentence in the paragraph. Your teacher will thank you for it.

The students who get the best marks write clear, short sentences.

When editing your draft, go through your essay and see if you can shorten your longest five sentences.

(To learn more about how to write the best quality sentences, see our page on Seven ways to Write Amazing Sentences .)

11. Keep Quotes Short

Eighty percent of university teachers hate quotes. That’s not an official figure. It’s my guestimate based on my many interactions in faculty lounges. Twenty percent don’t mind them, but chances are your teacher is one of the eight out of ten who hate quotes.

Teachers tend to be turned off by quotes because it makes it look like you don’t know how to say something on your own words.

Now that I’ve warned you, here’s how to use quotes properly:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: How To Use Quotes in University-Level Essay Paragraphs 1. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 2. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 3. You should never start a sentence with a quote. 4. You should never end a paragraph with a quote. 5 . You should never use more than five quotes per essay. 6. Your quote should never be longer than one line in a paragraph.

The minute your teacher sees that your quote takes up a large chunk of your paragraph, you’ll have lost marks.

Your teacher will circle the quote, write a snarky comment in the margin, and not even bother to give you points for the key idea in the paragraph.

Avoid quotes, but if you really want to use them, follow those five rules above.

I’ve also provided additional pages outlining Seven tips on how to use Quotes if you want to delve deeper into how, when and where to use quotes in essays. Be warned: quoting in essays is harder than you thought.

Follow the advice above and you’ll be well on your way to getting top marks at university.

Writing essay paragraphs that are well structured takes time and practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep on trying!

Below is a summary of our 11 key mistakes for structuring essay paragraphs and tips on how to avoid them.

I’ve also provided an easy-to-share infographic below that you can share on your favorite social networking site. Please share it if this article has helped you out!

11 Biggest Essay Paragraph Structure Mistakes you’re probably Making

1.  Your paragraphs are too short 2.  Your paragraphs are too long 3.  Your paragraph alignment is ‘Justified’ 4.  Your paragraphs are missing a topic sentence 5 .  Your paragraphs are missing an explanation sentence 6.  Your paragraphs are missing an example 7.  Your paragraphs are missing references 8.  Your paragraphs are not relevant to the marking criteria 9.  You’re trying to fit too many ideas into the one paragraph 10.  Your sentences are too long 11.  Your quotes are too long

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Social-Emotional Learning (Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is IQ? (Intelligence Quotient)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University

4 thoughts on “11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)”

Hello there. I noticed that throughout this article on Essay Writing, you keep on saying that the teacher won’t have time to go through the entire essay. Don’t you think this is a bit discouraging that with all the hard work and time put into your writing, to know that the teacher will not read through the entire paper?

Hi Clarence,

Thanks so much for your comment! I love to hear from readers on their thoughts.

Yes, I agree that it’s incredibly disheartening.

But, I also think students would appreciate hearing the truth.

Behind closed doors many / most university teachers are very open about the fact they ‘only have time to skim-read papers’. They regularly bring this up during heated faculty meetings about contract negotiations! I.e. in one university I worked at, we were allocated 45 minutes per 10,000 words – that’s just over 4 minutes per 1,000 word essay, and that’d include writing the feedback, too!

If students know the truth, they can better write their essays in a way that will get across the key points even from a ‘skim-read’.

I hope to write candidly on this website – i.e. some of this info will never be written on university blogs because universities want to hide these unfortunate truths from students.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Regards, Chris

This is wonderful and helpful, all I say is thank you very much. Because I learned a lot from this site, own by chris thank you Sir.

Thank you. This helped a lot.

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Top Grammar Rules for the Essay

• Parallelism, the empty 'this' and the abandoned 'it', homophones, comma splices and fragments, misplaced modifiers, and noun and verb consistency are key areas of focus.
• Graders look for patterns of mistakes rather than isolated errors, emphasizing the importance of avoiding repetitive errors.
• Proofreading and editing practice essays are crucial for identifying and correcting common grammatical errors.
• Keeping a list of personal common errors can help test-takers be vigilant during the exam.
• The content underscores the importance of clarity and grammatical accuracy in achieving a high score on the GRE essay.

Next Lesson

Proofreading Your Essay

Introduction to the Essay

Example Essay Prompt

Time Management

Planning the Essay

How to Wow the Graders

Coming Up With Examples

Structuring the Essay

The Introduction

The Body Paragraphs

The Conclusion

The Importance of Style

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 12 sat grammar rules you must know.

SAT Writing

The SAT Writing and Language section is comprised of questions that test your knowledge of grammar and writing style. By learning the grammar rules that are tested on SAT Writing, you'll be preparing yourself to do exceptionally well on the Writing section, and you'll be one step closer to getting your target score. In this article, I'll explain the most important SAT grammar rules and provide related examples from the official practice tests.

How to Use This Guide

The SAT Writing and Language section tests you on a multitude of grammatical rules. Based on the content of the practice tests released by the College Board, many of these grammatical rules are likely to be tested on every SAT.

In this guide, I'll provide explanations and examples for the grammar rules that are tested most often on the SAT. In addition to the grammar questions, there are also writing style questions that make up a significant portion of the SAT Writing and Language section. You need to prepare for those questions, too .

The information in this guide will be extremely beneficial to you, especially if you're trying to get a middle score, starting your SAT Writing studying, or you're reviewing the most important SAT grammar rules.

If your target score is above a 700 for Writing and Reading, you should also thoroughly study the rules that are only rarely tested on the SAT .

Because this new version of SAT Writing is very similar to ACT English , I'm linking each rule to our corresponding ACT English article that provides more explanation of the rule, real test examples, and related rules that will help you do well on the SAT Writing section.

The Grammar Rules You Must Know for SAT Writing

Here are the 12 SAT grammar rules that you need to learn and understand before test day.

#1: Select the Correct Word Based on the Context of the Given Sentence

Word choice questions are common on the SAT . A word will be underlined, and based on the context, you have to select the best word to complete the sentence. These questions can be difficult because they require knowledge of vocabulary. There are two common types of word choice questions.

Type #1: Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Here are some examples of homophones that have appeared on the practice SATs: fare/fair, cite/sight/site, then/than, there/their/they're, and its/it's . You should know what each of these words means and how it's used.

SAT Example

The sentence is comparing the cafe to a fair. Based on the context, the word "fair," which means an exhibition, usually with food and entertainment, is correct. There are multiple meanings of the word "fare," but it often refers to the money you pay for transportation, as in "bus fare." Clearly, the word "fare" doesn't make sense in this context, so you can immediately eliminate answer choice C.

Next, we need to determine if we should use "then" or "than." You use the word "than" to make comparisons and "then" to refer to time. Because the sentence is comparing the cafe to a fair, the correct answer is B .

Type #2: Related Words

The second type of word choice error involves synonyms or related words. A word will be underlined and the answer choices will be related words. However, only one word will be correct given the context of the sentence.

For these types of questions, I like to quickly go through each choice to see which one makes the most sense given the context. Based on the context of this sentence, we're looking for a word that indicates that the officials gave permission for the cat paintings to be made.

The word "forced" sounds too strong in this context, and generally, you don't "license" a painting to be made. The word "decreed," which means to order or command, also seems too harsh given the context. The word "commissioned" can mean hiring an artist to create a work. It's the only word that's typically used with artwork, and it's the most appropriate word for this sentence. The correct answer is B .

It's difficult to prepare for these questions because you don't know the specific words that will appear on the SAT . However, I recommend using the word choice questions on the practice SATs to help you study. Also, try to identify the subtle differences in the meanings of the words in the answer choices to help select the best word to complete the sentence.

#2: Use the Fewest Words Possible

Typically, the shortest grammatically correct answer choice that expresses the same information as the original sentence will be the right answer. Shorter sentences are more concise and easier to understand. On the SAT, words or phrases may be unnecessarily added to a sentence. Here's an example sentence with a redundancy error:

Every year, Jane runs the Los Angeles Marathon annually.

In this sentence, the word "annually" means that she runs the marathon every year. Because the sentence starts with "every year," the word "annually" is unnecessary . It doesn't add any new information to the sentence, and it should be eliminated.

Here's another example of a wordy sentence:

George is a person who is angry in nature.

This is a corrected version of the sentence:

George is an angry person.

The corrected sentence conveys the same information as the original but in a much more concise manner.

Justin Jackson /Flickr

Answer choices A, B, and C are redundant. The phrase "and other countries" already implies that there are other items on the list. The correct answer is D .

#3: Use the Correct Idiomatic Expression

Idiom questions can be challenging because they don't conform to specific rules . You have to rely on your knowledge of specific phrases and standard English conventions to answer these questions correctly. In most idiom questions on the SAT, you'll be asked to determine which preposition to use in a given sentence. Check out this example sentence with a prepositional idiom error:

Incorrect: After getting suspended, Herbert decided to focus at improving his behavior.

Correct: After getting suspended, Herbert decided to focus on improving his behavior.

There is no rule to learn to help identify this error, but the correct expression is "focus on."

The correct expression is "as a means of," and the answer is B . Study the idiom questions from the practice SATs, and review my article on SAT idioms to prepare yourself.

Enokson /Flickr

#4: Keep Verb Tenses Consistent

The general rule regarding verb consistency is that verbs should remain consistent in tense or form throughout a sentence . Here's an example of a consistency error:

Last week, Frank rented a car and drives to Las Vegas.

The verb "drives" should be in the past tense. Not only should "drives" be consistent with the past tense "rented," but also the phrase "Last week" indicates that this was something that happened in the past. This is the corrected version of the sentence:

Last week, Frank rented a car and drove to Las Vegas.

Also, on the SAT, the verb tenses of surrounding sentences can provide context clues for the proper tense to use in a given sentence to maintain consistency . Here's another example of a consistency error:

Trenton lives in a rural area. He enjoyed the peace and quiet.

The shift from the present tense "lives" to the past tense "enjoyed" doesn't make sense in context. Here is a corrected version of the sentence:

Trenton lives in a rural area. He enjoys the peace and quiet.

In this sentence, the verbs "is" and "serves" indicate that the underlined verb should be in the present tense. Answer choices B and D are not present tense verbs. Answer choice A is wrong because the "it" is redundant. The correct answer is C .

#5: Surround Non-Restrictive Clauses and Appositives With Commas

The SAT tests a number of comma rules, and these are two that you need to know.

Relative Clauses: Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive

Relative clauses are dependent clauses that describe a noun and start with a relative pronoun or adverb like "who," "that," "which," or "where." The basic rule is that restrictive clauses shouldn't be surrounded by commas and non-restrictive clauses should be .

What's a Restrictive Clause?

Restrictive clauses are necessary to the meaning of the sentence. You can't take a restrictive clause out of a sentence without effectively changing the meaning of the sentence . Here's an example:

Students who read regularly are prepared for the SAT.

If you remove the clause "who read regularly," the meaning of the sentence would be substantially changed. You'd be left with "Students are prepared for the SAT." Because you can't remove the clause without changing the meaning of the sentence, this clause shouldn't be surrounded by commas.

What's a Non-Restrictive Clause?

A non-restrictive clause isn't essential to the meaning of the sentence . If you got rid of the clause, you'd have less information, but the overall meaning of the sentence would remain the same. Here's an example sentence with the non-restrictive clause underlined.

Joe's parents, who constantly call him , are very overprotective.

The clause "who constantly call him" adds more information about Joe's parents, but if it were removed, the meaning of the sentence would be the same. There would be less information about Joe's parents, but they would still be described as overprotective. This is what the sentence looks like after removing the non-restrictive clause:

Joe's parents are very overprotective.

What Is an Appositive?

Val, a Wisconsin native , loves fried cheese curds.

If we get rid of the appositive, the sentence still has the same meaning:

Val loves fried cheese curds.

Fried cheese curds are rather delicious.

Kirk K /flickr

In this sentence, "the centerpiece" is an appositive that adds more information about the mural. Because appositives must be surrounded by commas, there should be a comma after "centerpiece." Immediately, we know that A and C are wrong. In answer choice D, the dash can be used like a comma, but you can't separate a clause with a comma and a dash. There would have to be a dash after "mural" for answer choice D to be right. The correct answer is B .

#6: Commas Can't Separate Two Complete Thoughts

A comma splice is when two independent clauses, or complete thoughts, are separated by a comma , and comma splices create a grammatical error known as a run-on sentence. A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses aren't separated by the correct punctuation. Here's an example of a comma splice:

Ken likes Selena Gomez, she is his favorite singer.

The clauses before and after the comma are complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences. There are a few ways to correct a comma splice. You can put a conjunction after the comma:

Ken likes Selena Gomez, and she is his favorite singer.

Also, you can put a relative pronoun after the comma:

Ken likes Selena Gomez, who is his favorite singer.

Finally, you can use a semicolon to correctly separate two complete thoughts:

Ken likes Selena Gomez; she is his favorite singer.

Who doesn't like Selena Gomez? ( Lunchbox LP /Flickr)

This is an example of a comma splice. The sentence up until "legs" is a complete thought that could stand alone as a sentence, and the rest of the sentence starting with "they" is also a complete thought. Both A and B are comma splices. Answer choice D is wrong because a conjunction is needed to connect "are characterized" and "are covered." The correct answer is C .

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#7: Semicolons Separate Two Complete Thoughts

Semicolons function like periods; they separate two independent clauses . You should be able to replace semicolons with periods. On the SAT, you may find a randomly placed semicolon, or you may need to replace a comma with a semicolon to fix a comma splice. Here are example sentences with semicolons used correctly and incorrectly:

Incorrect: Because Teresa wanted to please her family; she became a doctor.

Correct: Teresa wanted to please her family; she became a doctor.

The second sentence is correct because the clauses on both sides of the semicolon are independent and could stand alone as sentences.

The clause before the semicolon is not a complete thought; therefore, the semicolon is being used incorrectly. Answer choice C unnecessarily adds "and," and answer choice B is wrong because it places a colon after a dependent clause. The correct answer is D .

#8: A Colon Must Come After an Independent Clause

Colons are usually used to introduce lists or explanations. The key rule for colons is that they must come after a complete sentence . If you end the sentence where the colon is placed, the sentence should make sense and be a complete thought.

Incorrect: Meena enjoys multiple genres of music like: alternative, rap, heavy metal, and country.

Correct: Meena enjoys multiple genres of music: alternative, rap, heavy metal, and country.

The first sentence is incorrect because the part of the sentence that comes before the colon isn't a complete thought.

Because the clause before the colon is a complete thought and it's setting up a list, the colon is being used correctly. The types of people listed after the colon are the narrator's colleagues. Because "colleagues" isn't part of the list, you can't substitute the colon for a comma. Also, you can't use a semicolon in place of the colon because there isn't a complete thought after the punctuation. The correct answer is A .

Colons do more than just form an essential part of the happy face emoji.

#9: Use Apostrophes Correctly to Form Possessives

The SAT tests you on how to use apostrophes to correctly form possessives. Luckily, the rules for forming possessives are pretty straightforward. If the word is singular or plural but doesn't end in "s," then you add an "s" after the apostrophe to form a possessive . Here are a couple of examples:

I shall be paying a visit to the men's restroom.

My computer's monitor is rather dirty.

To create a possessive for a plural word that does end in "s," just add an apostrophe after the "s." Check it out:

Juan thinks his parents' rules are too strict.

Also, only use apostrophes for possessives or contractions. Contractions are formed when you combine two words. Examples include it's (it is), don't (do not), and isn't (is not). Don't use apostrophes to create plural nouns .

Because the body is is being discussed in general terms, we should use the singular possessive in this sentence; the sentence is referring to the biological clocks of the body. We can immediately get rid of A because "bodies" is a plural noun; it's not in the possessive form.

Also, answer choice B is wrong because bodies' is the plural possessive form. Additionally, there shouldn't be an apostrophe after the "s" in "clocks." Don't use apostrophes to form plural nouns; only use apostrophes for possessives and contractions. Similarly, answer choice D is wrong because of the apostrophe before the "s" in clocks; the correct answer is C .

#10: Subjects and Verbs Must Agree

Subjects and verbs must agree, meaning that you must use the singular form of a verb with a singular subject and the plural form of a verb with a plural subject. Here's an example:

Incorrect: High school students loves learning grammar rules.

Correct: High school students love learning grammar rules.

If the verb is in the present tense and the subject is in the third person (he/she/it/they), the verb usually ends in "s" in the singular form and doesn't in the plural form. In the example sentence, the subject is "students," which is plural; therefore the verb should be in the plural form.

On the SAT, subject verb agreement questions can be more difficult because there may be a phrase separating the subject from the verb. Check out this example:

Incorrect: The members of the committee meets every Tuesday.

Correct: The members of the committee meet every Tuesday.

The subject of the sentence is "members," which is plural. Therefore, the verb should be in the plural form. The prepositional phrase "of the committee" separates the subject from the verb. If a verb is underlined on the SAT, make sure that you identify the subject that corresponds with that verb to ensure that the subject and verb agree. Also, keep in mind that a subject can never be part of a prepositional phrase .

To determine if there's a subject verb agreement error, we have to identify the subject that corresponds with the verb "portrays." What portrays animals? The works of art do. The phrase in between the commas separates the subject from the verb. The subject is plural because "works" is plural and "of art" is a prepositional phrase. The plural form of "portrays" is "portray," and the correct answer is C . Answer choices B and D are not plural verbs; "portraying" is a gerund that would create a fragment, and "has portrayed" is the singular form of the present perfect tense.

#11: Modifiers Must Be Next to What They're Modifying

The general rule regarding modifiers is that they must be next to what they're modifying . The most common type of modifier error on the SAT is a dangling modifier. When a sentence begins with a modifying phrase, the introductory phrase must be immediately followed by a comma and then the noun the phrase is describing. Here's an example of a dangling modifier:

A determined writer, Jessica's goal is to get her first novel published this year.

The way the sentence is written makes it seem like Jessica's goal is a determined writer. There are a couple of ways to fix the sentence. You can place the noun that is being modified right after the comma:

A determined writer, Jessica has a goal of getting her first novel published this year.

Or you can place the subject in the introductory phrase:

Because Jessica is a determined writer, her goal is to get her first novel published this year.

This sentence makes it seem like the visitor was dotted with pin-sized knobs. Logically, the sentence should indicate that the drawers were dotted with pin-sized knobs. Similarly, answer choices B and C are misplaced modifiers that infer that the there was a visitor dotted with knobs. The correct answer is D .

#12: Pronouns Must Agree With Their Antecedents in Number

This rule means that a plural pronoun must refer to a plural noun and a singular pronoun must refer to a singular noun . Here's an example of a pronoun number agreement error:

Kristin sold their car.

The pronoun "their" is referring to the car of Kristin. Because Kristin is one person and "their" is a plural pronoun, this sentence has a pronoun agreement error. This is the corrected version:

Kristin sold her car.

It's easy to make a careless mistake on this question because you may see the singular pronoun "it" and assumed the underlined pronoun should be singular as well. However, the pronouns have different antecedents. The word "it" refers to 1-MCP, which is singular, and "their" refers to apples, which is plural. The possessive pronoun agrees with the antecedent, and there's no error.

Answer choice A is correct . Answer choice C is a singular possessive pronoun, D is the contraction of "it is," and B is a homophone of the correct answer, but it's the wrong word.

Other SAT Writing Grammar Rules

• Punctuation
• Everything You Need to Know About Commas
• Relative Pronouns
• Pronoun Case
• Run-ons and Fragments
• Parallelism

What's Next?

In addition to the grammar questions on SAT Writing, you need to know how to correctly answer style questions. Learn about add and delete , transitions , and macro logic .

Also, because ACT English and SAT Writing are very similar, make sure to read this article about whether to take the ACT or the SAT .

Finally, as you're preparing for the SAT, learn the pros and cons of different test prep methods .

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Justin has extensive experience teaching SAT prep and guiding high school students through the college admissions and selection process. He is firmly committed to improving equity in education and helping students to reach their educational goals. Justin received an athletic scholarship for gymnastics at Stanford University and graduated with a BA in American Studies.

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