Answer choices with the word “this” appear often in sentence improvement questions.

This situation is a problem when “this” is not followed a noun, which makes the meaning of a sentence unclear.

For example, “Prolonged exposure to the sun is harmful, and this has caused untold cases of skin cancer”. As it stands, it is unclear whether “this” refers to “exposure” or “sun”.

Incorrect: She was ill, and this caused her to miss several weeks of school.

Correct: She was ill, and this illness caused her to miss several weeks of school.

TIPS FOR ANSWER CHOICES WITH "THIS"

Tip 1: When you see the word “this” in an answer choice and “this” is not followed by a noun (a person, place, or thing), immediately eliminate the answer choice.

Tip 2: Remember that “these” and “those” follow the same rule as “this”. While “this” appears most frequently in answer choices, “these” and “those” require the same treatment.

For example, “You can have as many marbles as you need, but these are mine”. This sentence is unclear and should be changed to “You can have as many marbles as you want, but these blue ones are mine”.

SAT Writing: Answer Choices with "This"

Lesson Includes:

—Explanation of Answer Choices

—Tips for Answer Choices with "Being"

—Practice Questions

SAT Math

SAT Reading

SAT Writing

SAT Vocabulary

ANSWER CHOICES WITH "THIS" REVIEW QUIZ

 

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