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2. Split Constructions
A split construction is a sentence structure in which two otherwise separate ideas are joined together by a
later element. For example, “The mayor knew or should have known about the corruption.” This is a

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Writing Test
11
ARCO
■ SAT II Subject Tests
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perfectly acceptable split construction in which the ideas knew and should have known are joined together
by the single object corruption. In some split constructions, one half or the other never gets completed.
EXAMPLES:
The students are critical of the dean because he is either unfamiliar or doesn’t care about the
urgent need for new student housing on campus.
The split construction, is either unfamiliar or doesn’t care, never gets completed. Leave out the idea
following the or and the sentence reads: “is unfamiliar the urgent need.” Nonsense! The sentence should
read: “The students are critical of the dean because he is either unfamiliar with or doesn’t care about the
urgent need for new student housing on campus.”
Baseball has and probably always will be the sport that symbolizes for people in other coun-
tries the American way of life.
The first half of the split verb construction is never completed. Leave out the second idea and the
sentence reads: “Baseball has the sport.” The sentence should read: “Baseball has been and probably
always will be the sport that symbolizes for people in other countries the American way of life.”
3. Verb Tense
The choice of verb tenses in a correctly written sentence reflects the sequence of events described.
EXAMPLES:
The teacher began to discuss the homework assignment when he will be interrupted by the
sound of the fire alarm.
The sentence reads: “The teacher began . . . and will be interrupted.” One or the other verb tense is
wrong. The sentence can be corrected by changing will be interrupted to was interrupted. Corrected, the
sentence reads: “The teacher began to discuss the homework assignment when he was interrupted by the
sound of the fire alarm.”
The conductor announced that the concert would resume as soon as the soloist replaces the
broken string on her violin.
There is a mismatch between the verbs would resume and replaces. The sentence reads: “the concert
would resume as soon as the soloist replaces.” Corrected, the sentence might read: “The conductor an-
nounced that the concert would resume as soon as the soloist replaced the broken string on her violin.”
Many patients begin to show symptoms again after they stopped taking the drug.
This sentence reads: “patients show symptoms after they stopped.” The sentence can be corrected
by changing stopped to stop. The sentence should read: “Many patients begin to show symptoms again
after they stop taking the drug.”

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