This type of question frequently appears on the SAT and it requires you to identify that the subject is properly placed after an opening comma phrase.

The comma phrase (-----,) modifies and describes the subject.

The subject in these sentences should always be right after the comma. For example, “First staged in 1606, King Lear is Shakespeare’s best tragedy”.

Incorrect:
Standing ten stories tall, Stephanie liked the size of her house.
[------------------------------,] [What is standing fifteen stories tall? Stephanie (no)]

Correct:
Standing ten stories tall, the house provided comfort to Stephanie.
[------------------------------,] [What is standing fifteen stories tall? the house (yes)]

SAMPLE PRACTICE QUESTION FOR -------, SUBJECT

        Having already written the paper once, the student’s
        discouragement was extreme when the teacher told him to write it again.

        (A) the student’s discouragement was extreme when the teacher told him to write it again
        (B) the teacher told the student to write it again and caused extreme discouragement
        (C) the student was extremely discouraged when the teacher told him to write it again
        (D) the teacher’s telling the student to write it again caused extreme frustration
        (E) the discouragement of the student was extreme when the teacher told him to write it again

Recognizing the “-------, Subject” structure, you can quickly check the answer choices to make sure that the subject is correct. Ask yourself, “Who wrote the paper once?”.

It is not the “student’s discouragement” (Choice A); the “teacher” (Choice B); the “teacher’s telling” (Choice D); or the “discouragement” (Choice E). The “student” wrote the paper and therefore choice (C) has the correct subject and is correct.

SAT Writing: Clause, Subject

Lesson Includes:

—Explanation of Clause, Subject

—Sample Practice Questions

—Sample Practice Questions

SAT Math

SAT Reading

SAT Writing

SAT Vocabulary

-------, SUBJECT REVIEW QUIZ

 

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