Running Header Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Running Header - Essay Example Language is the tool for expression of thought. This is the central idea whereby this paper is conceived, since we want to establish the role that language play in the process of thinking. My family have been blessed with opportunity and a particular fascination with travelling, my mother works for a magazine company and she writes articles about the places she visits while my father works for an executive corporation that practically has offices in almost all major cities in Asia. We do family trips every summer and this year we visited Shanghai, one of my memorable trips in the Far East. One of the things I immediately notice, the first day we arrived is that the city was "buzzing" with different kinds of noise. Their streets were as busy as the time square in New York, and most of the people drive bicycle to get them to their destination. I had difficulty going around town since most of them only speak their "native tongue" and there were few people who can converse in English. I had to cut my first day short and went back to our hotel to "catch some sleep". The next day was filled will "breathtaking" scenery from ancient China we visited temples and monasteries, a nd saw few artefacts and went insides old palaces with huge statues of ancient Important Chinese personality. It made me feel like I did "time travel", like I was in the time those dynasties and the emperors. I never thought I could relive and personally witness the evidence of ancient Chinese civilization, that I saw the things that were written only in the academic books I read in class. Now I understand what culture does to a country, I can now relate better to the lessons learn from the mistakes of the past. We returned home with rich memories of ancient China, I immediately framed all the still photos I took and hanged it in one corner of my room to constantly remind me of the knowledge I acquired during this trip. Language no matter how diverse and difficult and in spite of its diversity, play an important role in our critical thinking because it is the key to understanding, according to Philip Atkinson. "It is the expression of thought, an act of translating thoughts into words thereby refining understanding" (Atkinson. 2004). Language enables man to define the process of his thoughts and make sense of it. "Language is the 'software' that allows our brain to think the way it does, without language the cerebral cortex lies largely unused" (Kirby & Goodpaster. 1999). With advance technology and globalisation, language highlights the identification of a major medium of communication that is comprehensible to many, this will define the aims, goals and intention that the thought process wants to attain, it will clarify the subject matter to discuss and set aside the non-issues. Language can also be limiting in the sense that the capacity to ascribe a particular word to a meaning can sometimes be inadequate owing to the inability to completely convey the message it wants to convey (Chomsky. 2004). Language can also empower our thoughts in the sense that enables us to identify the very core of an idea, an

The Islam Controversy Essay Example for Free

The Islam Controversy Essay In the recent years, Islam has been closely associated with terrorist and violent actions, as well as lack of respect for women and their rights. There have been numerous ideas and beliefs about the Muslim faith and culture that are misconceived and misplaced. It is said the Muslims conquered everything by sword and fire- an idea that has built a belief that the Islamic faith and culture is rooted in terrorism and violence. On the other hand, there exist the true and ideal traits of the Islamic faith. These aspects are little known to most of the non-Muslim people; and the few who know them are more like brainwashed by the stereotypes about this culture and faith. Therefore, there is need to take a look at the things that have made Islam receive the perception it has today, and at the same time compare them with the ideal beliefs and pillars of the Muslim faith and culture. Having in mind that the population of Muslims has increased considerably with the past few years, it is vital to harmonize the perceptions non-Muslims have about Muslims with the true aspects of the Islamic faith. This can only be done by getting ample knowledge on both sides of the coin and getting real about them. It is a fact that Islam is a religion and culture characterized by unending controversy. The Muslim society on the other hand has come into light clarifying and justifying its stand in regard to the perceptions and stereotypes directed towards it.

Justice For Hawaiians Essay -- Equality Education Essays

Justice For Hawaiians The expression goes, "An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth." With this said, would it be ethical if and only if each and every person was treated with the same amount of justices and injustices? This may be the case in a legal battle between the Kamehameha Schools and Brayden Mohica-Cummings. Kamehameha Schools, which gives "preference" to students of Native Hawaiian and part-Native Hawaiian ancestry, was forced to admit Mohica-Cummings, a non-Hawaiian, through a restraining order issued by U.S. District Judge David Ezra. Mohica-Cummings applied to Kamehameha without providing sufficient evidence of his Native Hawaiian ancestry; he was given the opportunity to attend Kamehameha because the school did not rescind it's admission offer early enough. The school, which is a part of a $6 billion trust, has not attempted to appeal Judge Ezra's decision but still awaits another court ruling on whether or not it's admission policy is legal and constitutional (court dates have been set for N ovember 17th and 18th). If the court's decision is in favor of Mohica-Cummings, it will mean much more than a non-Hawaiian attending an all-Hawaiian school. It will mean that Native Hawaiians will continue to be treated unjustly, as they have been for over 100 years. As a means to prevent similar cases, DNA testing may be a possible change made towards the admission process at Kamehameha. This testing will enable the school to determine a person's genetic connection to the Native Hawaiian race. Though this action also has its ethical issues it may be the only resort for Native Hawaiians to ensure that they are treated justly. There are two sides to every story, but people often do not take time to think about the stories t... ...ersity Press, 1969. "Legacy of a Princess." On-line. Internet. 16 Nov 2003. Available WWW:http://www.ksbe.edu/about/facts.pdf Loomis, Albertine. For Whom Are the Stars? Honolulu: The University Press of Hawaii, 1976. Nordyke, Eleanor C. The Peopling of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1989. Ruth, Amy. â€Å"The Annexation of Paradise.† 21 Jan. 1999. On-line. Internet. 16 Nov 2003. Available WWW: http://www.wm.edu/wmnews/012199/hawaii.html Stannard, David E. Before the Horror. Honolulu: Social Science Research Institute University of Hawaii, 1989. Waite, David. "Kamehameha Schools Told to Make Exception." 21 Aug. 2003. On-line. Internet. 16 Nov 2003. Available WWW: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Aug/21/ln/ln04a.html/?print=on Wood, Houston. Displacing Natives. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1999.

Proposal for Artemis Sportswear Company Essay

Proposal for Artemis Sportswear Company for cutting operational expenses to increase profit margins; some ideas. As a business, Artemis can cut down the operational costs by down-sizing the labor force so the company can compete with other sportswear companies. There are two ways a company can down-size the labor costs, one of these is down-scaling the direct labor, and the other one would be to relocate the labor and obtain cheaper labor force. Reduce Employee Costs. Outsource any jobs where a full-time employee is not necessary. This will cut your payroll expenses, health-care costs and space requirements. Introduce a reward scheme for employees who do not take any sick days in a year or six-month period. The cost of the reward is minimal compared to the savings made by the company. Rather than pay overtime rates, try re-organizing the work rosters and routines to prevent the need for overtime. Offer staff incentives for reducing their personal days and sick leave taken. Hire college students or interns-Internship programs are a win-win for both sides. You get an ambitious employee who will do monotonous work and they get college credit, experience and hopefully, an excellent reference. Cutting everyday expenses can lower operational expenses. When purchasing office supplies, generic is going to be less expensive than brand name. Buying the store brand is generally sold at a lower cost. Buying supplies in bulk is cost effective over a long period of time. Leasing equipment is better than buying equipment. When leasing you have the opportunity to upgrade or downgrade when necessary. Technology is always changing and improving, so by leasing there is the option to stay current with the new changes in the equipment. Smaller equipment such as telephones, printers, fax machines and calculators should be purchased not leased. Smaller equipment will hold its value over time and can be easily replaced if needed. Try shopping for bargains or sales whenever possible. Company could go green by using products that produce less waste, or less energy. Curb your business travel — and cut costs where you can. Meeting with long-distance clients is costly and it can be expendable for some businesses, but travel can also be the most beneficial expense for a business. Fortunately, modern technology can replicate the experience at a much lower cost; such as communicating through Skype or some other form of video chat link. Cut out the landline and fax line — with Blackberry’s and iPhones, and everything compatible for email, who needs them? Conceder free advertising whenever possible, try piggybacking your advertising. Including advertising material in other mailings, such as in invoices, saves postage and other costs, says J. Donald Weinrauch, co-author of The Frugal Marketer. Likewise, make the most of your point-of-purchase opportunities by tucking coupons, newsletters or other promotional fliers in the bag with customers’ purchases. Hire independent contractors or temporary workers as needed. Outsource your payroll, benefits and HR. Consider a virtual assistant or answering service to reduce payroll. Some IT Department solutions, Process Automation allows a smaller management team to effectively handle a larger number of systems Intelligent Software Delivery allows companies to more accurately assess how many licenses they will need when purchasing software Endpoint Virtualization reduces downtime for application conflicts and provides a secure workspace when roaming Power Management Capabilities documents compliance with energy consumption policies and may provide rebates from local power companies Remote Diagnostic Tools reduces required IT travel time and travel budgets.

History of Pueblo Revolt Essay

â€Å"Every piece of written history starts when somebody becomes curious and asks questions.†[1] In Weber’s compilation he gathers several of these curious peoples works and binds their writings together to form a sort of continued discussion. Arguing from different sources and coming from different backgrounds, they indubitably arrive at different conclusions. From Garner to Gutià ©rrez and from Chà ¡vez to Knaut, they all are part of a continued dialogue on what that caused the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. By addressing the readings as a sum instead of individual accounts, one can gain a more detailed view. While some poke holes in others theories, most of the time, the writers simply offer different perspectives. The vast range of the arguments speak to the difficulty of the topic. Examining an event (or series of events, as the case may be) 300 years ago is an arduous task, but trying to determine causation of such events is even more cumbersome. Typically numerous factors exist and to give these factors any sort of rankings requires a fair bit of perspiration on the part of the researcher. This essay will attempt to evaluate this eclectic mix of commentaries to sift out the strong arguments from the weak. In 1598, when Juan de Oà ±ate arrived in northern New Mexico with a small group of colonists to Pueblo country, Spain demanded payment of tribute and the friars demanded allegiance of religion. For over 80 years Spanish lived with Pueblo before the revolt – multiple generations.[2] As Knaut points out, that as â€Å"colonists were isolated from the south in a land where indigenous inhabitants numbered in the tens of thousands†, meaning there was plenty of contact between the two groups.[3] Within that time families intermarried, and a large mestizo population arose, creating an intersection in the Venn diagram of early New Mexico. What Knaut argues in Acculturation and Miscegenation is not necessarily as hard as the others to prove who or what caused the revolt, but rather works in earnest to present what he sees as the creation of a mixed culture, with syncretism occurring on both sides. Perhaps in this essay more questions that answers are created†¦ why after 82 years of living together would the Pueblos revolt? Garner has a more direct answer to this question. He, unlike Knaut, does not spend as much time underlining the syncretism that occurs, but spends more time examining the relationship between Pueblo and Franciscan, and reigning in the perhaps unfair harshness of previous works in relation to the government. Garner believed that drought, famine and Apache raids caused the revolt, shedding the competing notions that religious incompatibility or having a suitable leader as primary causes.[4] The two arguments in the proceeding articles before Garner – that religion was the primary cause – fall flat from Garner’s lens. In one instance, he cites the friction between Father Isidro Ordonez and Governor Pedro de Peralta as a result of the governments unfair treatment of the Indian. Peralta eventually decides to have Ordonez arrested, but the colonists (or ecomenderos) proceed to abandon the governor.[5] Garner goes on that governors of early New Mexico are interpreted in a negative light primarily because â€Å"documents are strongly biased against them.†[6] He explains that the reason that these documents are so biased is because of the natural tension between the writers of these records, the Franciscans, and those whom they wrote about, the governors.[7] Garner continues to impress that the Franciscans were the friend to the Indian and foe to the governor. He cites Scholes who states, â€Å"the religious and economic motives of empire were anta gonistic if not essentially incompatible.† Having earlier established a different relationship structure than what was typically seen, (a shift from the Hispanic-Pueblo dichotomy to a more complex relationship of priest-Indian-mestizo-colonist-governor) Garner then moves on to the crux of the issue – the cause of the revolt. â€Å"The kind of peace that had been pervading New Mexico was contingent upon relative prosperity,† writes Garner. The Spanish had used their organizational skills to create surpluses in the Pueblo economy – but the famine of 1670 was so implacable it essentially collapsed the system. The drought of the 1660s – the precursor to the famine – was so severe it caused â€Å"Indians and Spanish alike to eat hides and straps,† as written by Fray Francisco de Ayeta in an account to the King. In the face of such an oppressive environment, Indians naturally began to question why Spanish controlled their food source. This, coupled with a new emphasis on nativism, turned up the heat and brought the already tense situation to a simmer. This movement towards nativism perhaps may have been a reaction to Indian culture sprouting up in both mestizo and Spanish life. Garner continues on this thread noting that Governor Lopez de Mendizabal was forced to â€Å"crack down on Pueblo religious and cultural activity.† While syncretism among the Pueblos was tolerable, among the Spanish it was viewed as inexcusable. These two factors were the foci of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.[8] In contrast, the setting that Bowden and Gutià ©rrez attempt to construct in their essays is a religious clash, one that, while not noticeable immediately, was exacerbated by the droughts and famine. After introducing the essay, Bowden then discusses the similarities of the Pueblo religion, and then highlights some of the missteps the Franciscans took in their interactions and, most of all, the conversion process. First they insisted that the Pueblos should learn Spanish, and â€Å"almost without exception,† failed to make any attempt to learn native language. Also, they instituted mandatory mass attendance for all Indians – but strangely not all Spaniards. On top of this, leaders who continued practicing the previous traditions were whipped or executed.[9] (27-28) Bowden raises a number of valid points – the Franciscans do not appear to be the same persons that protested against the injustices to the Pueblos by the Governor Peralta. Rather, they seem to be creators of an oppressive environment that was quite insensitive to the Pueblo people. However, if you note Bowden’s sources, he cites textbooks for his long diatribe. Garner, in contrast, relies heavier on topic specific articles written by respected names such as France V. Scholes and Jack D. Forbes. While Bowden’s sources are legitimate, he seems to be using information that is more generalized, and not as focused on the relevant issues. Gutià ©rrez points to â€Å"loss of authority† among the Franciscans as the central reason for the revolt.[10] He notes that this gradual loss of power began in 1640s. Because of the uncertainty and unease that followed, the Friars pushed for more drastic measure to balance out this loss of power – a crackdown on syncretism and an emphasis on martyrdom. But the connections that Gutià ©rrez makes are weak; he points to the loss of power in the 1640s, but does not cite any kind of example to support his point until 1655.[11] In addition, most of examples of this â€Å"loss of authority† do not come until the mid 1660s and the early 1670s in the midst of drought, quarreling among Spaniards and attacks by Athapascan raiders. And Gutià ©rrez’ examples of Franciscan brutality arise, interestingly enough, around the time that Garner points to heavy handed response by the Spanish to combat syncretism. Gutià ©rrez’ illustrations seem to support Garner’s idea of the Indians being â€Å"like children in a new world and entrapped in the struggle between the Franciscans and Hispanic community.†[12] Angà ©lico Chà ¡vez provides yet another take on the Pueblo Revolt. While Gutià ©rrez, Garner and Bowden all spend considerable time on relations, Chà ¡vez – as his title Pohà ©-yemo’s Representative and the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 – puts much more emphasis on establishing a new leader as a primary cause of the Pueblo revolt. Chà ¡vez seems to avoid tackling the revolt squarely (like Knaut) partly because he devotes most of his time supporting his argument for Domingo Naranjo as the leader (arguably 21 of the 24 pages). Despite Chà ¡vez lengthy narrative supporting Domingo Naranjo, the black leader with yellow eyes, many scholars reject this notion, because it seems to runs counter to what most sources suggest. Historian Stefanie Beninato agrees that Naranjo was a leader, but â€Å"one of several† as â€Å"the concept of a single leader is not viable in the theocratic social structure of the Pueblo world.†[13] Garner too, while recognizing Popà © as instrumental, rejects the idea that he was a â€Å"unique Indian leader,† but rather he arose out of necessity, as opposed to the creation of necessity.[14] While, many critique Chà ¡vez’ uncommon interpretation, it reminds one to reexamine the mestizo and mulatto population in New Mexico. Naranjo, real or not, represents the truth that the black/white Pueblo/Hispanic definition was increasingly blurred in the years leading up to the revolt, and an entirely different culture had emerged. Pohà ©-yemo had multiple windows in to this culture of multiplicity. Garner’s essay seems to be built around the most logic because his essay points to lack of basic necessities as the true cause of the revolt. When there is enough food and prosperity people get along. When there is a shortage, it pushes groups to exceptional measures. Rarely has a revolt occurred without certain factors mitigating access to peoples’ basic needs. Garner also spends ample time with the battle itself, and provides plenty of evidence of to why it was a success; particularly because of the cultural coexistence with the Spanish. Garner is not without flaw – he fails to address certain issues, notably that of the presence of a larger mestizo culture. While he acknowledges it somewhat, he seems more preoccupied with the Franciscan-ecomedero versus government dynamic. This oversight, however excusable, provides good reason for holding onto multiple sources while dissecting historical events such as these. In the absence of primary documents, the importance of rigorous scholarship is especially crucial. To hold the works of these â€Å"curious† scholars together stresses the value for careful thought and due diligence.

Free Essays on Northern Renaissance Art

On February 28th I visited Chicago Art Institute, in order to find out more about the Northern Renaissance Art. One of many beautiful paintings, which interested me the most was â€Å"Virgin and Child† by Rogier van der Weyden, leading Netherlandish painter of the mid-15th century. His real name was Rogier de la Pasture and he was born in Tournai (1399-1464). He was a son of a master cutler. The artist received his training in Walloon province of Hainaut, influenced by the elegant Franco Flemish style. As a young man he was an apprentice in Robert Campin’s flourishing workshop. In 1432 he became an independent master, and in 1435 he moved to Brussels, where he was appointed official city painter. His style derives from the work of his two contemporaries, Jan van Eyck and Robert Campin. He used realism and dynamic language in his works, and he was called a master of Gothic art. The painting â€Å"Virgin and Child† was finished in 1460. The artist used oil on pan el. The most important benefit of using oils was that they have a slow-drying time, during which their colors do not change, allowing the artist to rework, correct, and even scrape off areas of paint. The painting portrays Virgin holding baby Christ. She is placed against velvet cloth of honor. Madonna looks very calm and beautiful. Her face is turned to the right, with eyes looking down at the baby. In her sad eyes there is a great amount of love and devotion for the baby Jesus. She holds Him in a very nurturing way. Mary is stylized as a tender and shy with sensitive nature of a mother. The Virgin looks sweet, but she is an exalted mother of Jesus Christ. The halo over her head gives her supernatural look. Also the robe makes her more as a deity. She holds the infant with long and strong fingers while He is playing with the clasp of a manuscript. Her torso portrayed in â€Å"S† shape is a characteristic of a High Gothic Style. The artist does not pay much attention to the spa... Free Essays on Northern Renaissance Art Free Essays on Northern Renaissance Art On February 28th I visited Chicago Art Institute, in order to find out more about the Northern Renaissance Art. One of many beautiful paintings, which interested me the most was â€Å"Virgin and Child† by Rogier van der Weyden, leading Netherlandish painter of the mid-15th century. His real name was Rogier de la Pasture and he was born in Tournai (1399-1464). He was a son of a master cutler. The artist received his training in Walloon province of Hainaut, influenced by the elegant Franco Flemish style. As a young man he was an apprentice in Robert Campin’s flourishing workshop. In 1432 he became an independent master, and in 1435 he moved to Brussels, where he was appointed official city painter. His style derives from the work of his two contemporaries, Jan van Eyck and Robert Campin. He used realism and dynamic language in his works, and he was called a master of Gothic art. The painting â€Å"Virgin and Child† was finished in 1460. The artist used oil on pan el. The most important benefit of using oils was that they have a slow-drying time, during which their colors do not change, allowing the artist to rework, correct, and even scrape off areas of paint. The painting portrays Virgin holding baby Christ. She is placed against velvet cloth of honor. Madonna looks very calm and beautiful. Her face is turned to the right, with eyes looking down at the baby. In her sad eyes there is a great amount of love and devotion for the baby Jesus. She holds Him in a very nurturing way. Mary is stylized as a tender and shy with sensitive nature of a mother. The Virgin looks sweet, but she is an exalted mother of Jesus Christ. The halo over her head gives her supernatural look. Also the robe makes her more as a deity. She holds the infant with long and strong fingers while He is playing with the clasp of a manuscript. Her torso portrayed in â€Å"S† shape is a characteristic of a High Gothic Style. The artist does not pay much attention to the spa...

The 12 SAT Grammar Rules You Must Know

The 12 SAT Grammar Rules You Must Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips 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 ofSAT 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 â€Å"fair,† which means an exhibition, usually with food and entertainment, is correct. There are multiple meanings of the word â€Å"fare,† but it often refers to the money you pay for transportation, as in â€Å"bus fare.† Clearly, the word â€Å"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 â€Å"then† or â€Å"than.† You use the word â€Å"than† to make comparisons and â€Å"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. SAT Example 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 â€Å"forced† sounds too strong in this context, and generally, you don’t â€Å"license† a painting to be made. The word â€Å"decreed,† which means to order or command, also seems too harsh given the context. The word â€Å"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 â€Å"annually† means that she runs the marathon every year. Because the sentence starts with â€Å"every year,† the word â€Å"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 SAT Example Answer choices A, B, and C are redundant. The phrase â€Å"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." SAT Example The correct expression is â€Å"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 â€Å"drives† should be in the past tense. Not only should â€Å"drives† be consistent with the past tense â€Å"rented,† but also the phrase â€Å"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 â€Å"lives† to the past tense â€Å"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. SAT Example In this sentence, the verbs â€Å"is† and â€Å"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 â€Å"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 â€Å"who,† â€Å"that,† â€Å"which,† or â€Å"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 â€Å"who read regularly,† the meaning of the sentence would be substantially changed. You’d be left with â€Å"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 â€Å"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? An appositive is a descriptive phrase that doesn't include a verb. Similar to a non-restrictive clause, an appositive can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. Here's an example with the appositive underlined: 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 SAT Example In this sentence, â€Å"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 â€Å"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 â€Å"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) SAT Example This is an example of a comma splice. The sentence up until â€Å"legs† is a complete thought that could stand alone as a sentence, and the rest of the sentence starting with â€Å"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 â€Å"are characterized† and â€Å"are covered.† The correct answer is C. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! #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. SAT Example The clause before the semicolon is not a complete thought; therefore, the semicolon is being used incorrectly. Answer choice C unnecessarily adds â€Å"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. SAT Example Becausethe 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 â€Å"s,† then you add an â€Å"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 â€Å"s,† just add an apostrophe after the â€Å"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. SAT Example 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 â€Å"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 â€Å"s† in â€Å"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 â€Å"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 â€Å"s† in the singular form and doesn’t in the plural form. In the example sentence, the subject is â€Å"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 â€Å"members,† which is plural. Therefore, the verb should be in the plural form. The prepositional phrase â€Å"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. SAT Example To determine if there’s a subject verb agreement error, we have to identify the subject that corresponds with the verb â€Å"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 â€Å"works† is plural and â€Å"of art† is a prepositional phrase. The plural form of â€Å"portrays† is â€Å"portray,† and the correct answer is C. Answer choices B and D are not plural verbs; â€Å"portraying† is a gerund that would create a fragment, and â€Å"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. SAT Example 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 â€Å"their† is referring to the car of Kristin. Because Kristin is one person and â€Å"their† is a plural pronoun, this sentence has a pronoun agreement error. This is the corrected version: Kristin sold her car. SAT Example It’s easy to make a careless mistake on this question because you may see the singular pronoun â€Å"it† and assumed the underlined pronoun should be singular as well. However, the pronouns have different antecedents. The word â€Å"it† refers to 1-MCP, which is singular, and â€Å"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 â€Å"it is,† and B is a homophone of the correct answer, but it’s the wrong word. Other SAT Writing Grammar Rules While the rules I explained are the most often tested on SAT Writing, there are some other grammar rules that will be tested. Here are links to other articles that explain the remaining grammatical rules you need to know for the SAT. These are articles for ACT English, but again, because the two sections are so similar, you can use these articles to prepare: 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. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. 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