Writing Test
13
ARCO
■ SAT II Subject Tests
www.petersons.com/arco
EXAMPLE:
John had already been granted three extensions of the deadline; moreover, the dean refused to
grant him another.
The two ideas in this sentence create a contrast, so the moreover is out of place. You could correct
the sentence by substituting so for moreover.
However, in spite of, and instead are used to contrast ideas.
EXAMPLE:
A poll of students shows that Helen is the top choice for student body president. Helen, how-
ever, is likely to win the election.
The however seems to signal a contrasting idea, but the logic of the second sentence continues the
idea of the first. You can correct the problem by eliminating the however: “A poll of students shows that
Helen is the top choice for student body president. Consequently, Helen is likely to win the election.”
5. Sentence Fragments
A sentence must have a main verb.
EXAMPLE:
Post-modern art, with its vibrant colors and bold shapes, taking its inspiration from artists such
as Cézanne but reacting against the pastel indistinctness of the Impressionist canvases.
The original sentence lacks a main verb. This is corrected by changing taking and reacting (which
function as adjectives modifying art) to took and reacted. So, the corrected sentence reads: “Post-modern
art, with its vibrant colors and bold shapes, took its inspiration from artists such as Cézanne but reacted
against the pastel indistinctness of the Impressionist canvases.”
6. Excessive Wordiness
Watch out for excessive wordiness.
EXAMPLES:
After months of separation and being apart, Gauguin finally joined up with Van Gogh in Arles,
although Gauguin left a few weeks later.
This sentence is awkward and needlessly wordy. It would be more concise to say: “After months of
separation, Gauguin finally joined Van Gogh in Arles but left a few weeks later.”
The nineteenth-century composers of music Wagner and Mahler did more than just write
music; as conductors they did their own works.
This sentence is also awkward and needlessly wordy. The very same idea can be expressed more
directly: “The nineteenth-century composers Wagner and Mahler did more than just write music; they
conducted their own works.”
Some expressions are needlessly repetitious.
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