SAT Reading and Writing: Form, Structure, and Sense

Master Standard English Conventions including subject-verb agreement, pronouns, verb forms, modifiers, and possessives

Domain: Standard English Conventions Frequency: 11-15 questions per test Difficulty: Easy to Hard

By NUM8ERS Test Prep Team | Updated October 2025 | 28-minute read

Understanding Form, Structure, and Sense Questions

Definition: Form, Structure, and Sense questions test your knowledge of Standard English grammar conventions. These questions present a sentence with a blank or underlined portion and ask you to select the grammatically correct option. The correct answer must conform to the rules of formal English while making logical sense in context.

You'll encounter 11-15 Form, Structure, and Sense questions on your SAT Reading and Writing section, making this the largest category of grammar questions on the test. Unlike Expression of Ideas questions (which test rhetorical effectiveness), these questions have objectively correct answers based on grammar rules.

📋 The Five Grammar Topics Tested

Every Form, Structure, and Sense question tests one of these five grammar conventions:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects and verbs must match in number (singular or plural)

Example: "The list of ingredients is long" (singular subject "list")

2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronouns must match their antecedents in number, gender, and case

Example: "Each student must bring his or her notebook" (singular "each")

3. Verb Forms

Verbs must be in the correct tense and form for the context

Example: "She has been studying since morning" (present perfect progressive)

4. Subject-Modifier Placement

Modifiers must be placed next to what they're modifying

Example: "Running late, Sarah rushed to class" (Sarah was running late)

5. Plural and Possessive Nouns

Correct use of apostrophes for possession vs. plurality

Example: "The students' books" (plural possessive) vs. "The student's book" (singular possessive)

🎯 How to Identify Which Rule Is Being Tested

The answer choices tell you which grammar rule to focus on:

If all answer choices are different verb forms:

Different tenses? → Test verb forms (tense consistency)
Same tense, different subjects? → Test subject-verb agreement

If all answer choices are pronouns:

→ Test pronoun-antecedent agreement or pronoun case

If all answer choices start with different words/phrases:

→ Test subject-modifier placement (look for dangling/misplaced modifiers)

If answer choices differ in apostrophe placement:

→ Test plural vs. possessive nouns

Topic 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

Core Rules

Rule 1: Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs

✓ The dog barks loudly. (singular)
✓ The dogs bark loudly. (plural)

Rule 2: Ignore prepositional phrases when finding the subject

The SAT loves to separate subjects from verbs with prepositional phrases. Cross them out!

✓ The box ~~of chocolates~~ is on the table. (subject: "box" is singular)
✓ The students ~~in the classroom~~ are studying. (subject: "students" is plural)

Rule 3: Compound subjects joined by "and" are plural

✓ Sarah and Tom are going to the party.
✓ The cat and the dog play together.

Rule 4: Indefinite pronouns have fixed number

Always Singular:

each, every, either, neither, one, everyone, someone, anyone, no one, everybody, somebody, anybody, nobody

Always Plural:

both, few, many, several

Worked Example: Subject-Verb Agreement

The collection of ancient manuscripts discovered in the monastery ______ scholars valuable insights into medieval life.

A) provide

B) provides

C) are providing

D) have provided

Solution:

Step 1: Identify the subject

The subject is "collection" (singular). The phrase "of ancient manuscripts discovered in the monastery" is a prepositional phrase that modifies "collection" but is NOT the subject.

Pro tip: Cross out prepositional phrases: "The collection ~~of ancient manuscripts discovered in the monastery~~ ______ scholars..."

Step 2: Determine if subject is singular or plural

"Collection" is singular (even though it contains multiple manuscripts). We need a singular verb.

Step 3: Check tense consistency

The context "discovered" (past) suggests the manuscripts were found in the past, but they currently provide insights. Simple present tense is appropriate.

Step 4: Eliminate wrong answers

A) "provide" ❌ — plural verb, but subject is singular
B) "provides" ✓ — singular verb matching "collection," simple present tense
C) "are providing" ❌ — plural verb ("are")
D) "have provided" ❌ — plural verb ("have")

Correct Answer: B (provides)

Topic 2: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Core Rules

Rule 1: Pronouns must match their antecedents in number

✓ The student submitted her assignment. (singular student → singular pronoun)
✓ The students submitted their assignments. (plural students → plural pronoun)
❌ Each student submitted their assignment. (singular "each" → needs singular pronoun)

Rule 2: Use correct pronoun case

Case	When to Use	Examples
Subject	Pronoun is doing the action	I, you, he, she, it, we, they
Object	Pronoun receives the action	me, you, him, her, it, us, them
Possessive	Pronoun shows ownership	my, your, his, her, its, our, their

Rule 3: Beware of ambiguous antecedents

It should be clear which noun the pronoun refers to.

❌ When Sarah met Lisa, she was happy. (Who was happy? Unclear!)
✓ When Sarah met Lisa, Sarah was happy. (Clear)

Worked Example: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Neither of the proposed solutions ______ support from the committee members.

A) have received their

B) have received its

C) has received its

D) has received their

Solution:

Step 1: Identify the subject and determine number

Subject is "Neither" — an indefinite pronoun that is ALWAYS singular. The phrase "of the proposed solutions" is just a prepositional phrase.

Step 2: Check verb agreement

"Neither" is singular, so we need "has received" (singular), not "have received" (plural). This eliminates A and B.

Step 3: Check pronoun agreement

The pronoun must refer back to "neither" (singular), so we need "its" (singular possessive), not "their" (plural possessive).

Correct Answer: C (has received its)

💡 Key Lesson: "Neither" is always singular, even when followed by a plural prepositional phrase. Both the verb and pronoun must be singular to match.

Topic 3: Verb Forms (Tense Consistency)

Core Rules

Rule 1: Match the tense of surrounding verbs

Look at other verbs in the sentence or nearby sentences to determine the correct tense.

✓ She walked to the store and bought groceries. (both past tense)
❌ She walked to the store and buys groceries. (tense mismatch)

Rule 2: Use perfect tenses for actions completed before another past action

✓ By the time she arrived, I had already left. (past perfect: action completed before arrival)
✓ They have lived here for ten years. (present perfect: started in past, continues now)

Rule 3: Pay attention to time markers

Past: yesterday, last week, in 1990, ago
Present: now, currently, today, every day
Future: tomorrow, next week, in 2030, will
Present Perfect: since, for, already, yet, ever, never

Worked Example: Verb Forms

Economists in India use an ease of living index to measure economic potential in the country's urban areas. This tool ______ factors such as sanitation and healthcare quality.

A) measured

B) measures

C) will measure

D) has been measuring

Solution:

Step 1: Look for context clues about tense

The first sentence uses "use" (simple present), indicating economists CURRENTLY use this tool. No time markers suggest past or future.

Step 2: Match surrounding verb tenses

"Economists use" is simple present, so the tool's measurement is also a current, ongoing action. We need simple present tense.

Step 3: Evaluate each choice

A) "measured" ❌ — past tense, but context indicates present
B) "measures" ✓ — simple present, matches "use"
C) "will measure" ❌ — future tense, but the tool is currently in use
D) "has been measuring" ❌ — present perfect progressive suggests ongoing action started in past, but simple present is more appropriate here

Correct Answer: B (measures)

Topic 4: Subject-Modifier Placement

Core Rules

Rule 1: Modifiers must be next to what they modify

An introductory modifier must describe the subject that immediately follows the comma.

✓ Running quickly, Sarah caught the bus. (Sarah was running)
❌ Running quickly, the bus was caught by Sarah. (The bus wasn't running!)

Rule 2: Watch for passive voice misplacing the doer

✓ Built in 1850, the house still stands today. (The house was built)
❌ Built in 1850, tourists visit the house today. (Tourists weren't built!)

Rule 3: The SAT tests opening modifiers most often

Pattern: [Introductory modifier], [subject being modified] + rest of sentence

Worked Example: Subject-Modifier Placement

Celebrated for its innovative design, ______ attracts thousands of visitors each year.

A) tourists flock to see the museum

B) the museum is a popular destination

C) the museum

D) architects praise the museum

Solution:

Step 1: Identify what the modifier describes

"Celebrated for its innovative design" describes something that has innovative design and is celebrated. What can be celebrated for design? The museum, not tourists or architects.

Step 2: Check which answer places the correct subject after the comma

A) "tourists" ❌ — Tourists aren't celebrated for design
B) "the museum is..." ✓ — Museum can be celebrated for design
C) "the museum" ✓ — Museum can be celebrated for design
D) "architects" ❌ — Architects aren't celebrated for design (they design things)

Step 3: Choose between B and C

Both start with "the museum," but we need a complete sentence. Option C creates a fragment: "Celebrated for its innovative design, the museum attracts..." ✓ This works! Option B: "Celebrated for its innovative design, the museum is a popular destination attracts..." This creates confusion—"attracts" has no clear subject.

Correct Answer: C (the museum)

💡 Key Lesson: The subject immediately after an introductory modifier must be what the modifier describes. "The museum" is celebrated for design, not tourists or architects.

Topic 5: Plural and Possessive Nouns

Core Rules

Rule 1: Plural nouns do NOT use apostrophes

✓ The students are studying. (multiple students, no possession)
❌ The student's are studying. (incorrect apostrophe)

Rule 2: Possessive nouns DO use apostrophes

Type	Formation	Example
Singular Possessive	Add 's	the student's book
Plural Possessive (ends in s)	Add ' only	the students' books
Plural Possessive (doesn't end in s)	Add 's	the children's toys

Rule 3: Don't confuse with contractions

its = possessive (The dog wagged its tail)
it's = contraction (It is) — NOT possessive!
their = possessive (This is their house)
they're = contraction (They are)

Worked Example: Plural and Possessive Nouns

The research team carefully documented the ______ migration patterns across the Pacific Ocean.

A) whales

B) whale's

C) whales'

D) whales's

Solution:

Step 1: Determine if we need plural or possessive

The phrase is "the whales migration patterns." Who/what do the migration patterns belong to? The whales. This indicates possession — the patterns belong to the whales.

Step 2: Determine if singular or plural possessive

The context "migration patterns" (plural) and "across the Pacific Ocean" suggests we're talking about multiple whales, so we need plural possessive.

Step 3: Apply the correct rule

For plural possessive of a word ending in "s," add only an apostrophe: whales'

Step 4: Evaluate choices

A) "whales" ❌ — plural only, no possession
B) "whale's" ❌ — singular possessive (one whale)
C) "whales'" ✓ — plural possessive (multiple whales)
D) "whales's" ❌ — incorrect formation (never add 's after s for plural possessive)

Correct Answer: C (whales')

Quick Reference Guide

Grammar Topic	Key Strategy	Common Trap
Subject-Verb Agreement	Cross out prepositional phrases to find the real subject	Thinking "of students" is the subject when it's just a modifier
Pronoun Agreement	Match pronoun number to antecedent number	Using "their" with singular antecedents like "each" or "neither"
Verb Forms	Match tense to surrounding verbs and time markers	Switching tenses mid-sentence without justification
Modifier Placement	Put subject being modified right after the comma	Having the wrong noun follow an introductory modifier
Plural/Possessive	Ask: "Is there ownership?" If yes, use apostrophe	Adding apostrophes to simple plurals or confusing its/it's

Key Takeaways

Look at answer choices first: They tell you which grammar rule is being tested
Cross out prepositional phrases: They often separate subjects from verbs to confuse you
Indefinite pronouns are tricky: Most are singular (each, every, neither, either, everyone, etc.)
Match verb tense to context: Look at surrounding verbs and time markers
Introductory modifiers: The subject right after the comma must be what the modifier describes
Possessive = apostrophe: Simple plurals never get apostrophes
Its vs. it's: "Its" is possessive; "it's" means "it is"
Practice systematically: Learn one grammar topic at a time until mastered
Trust grammar rules: These questions have objectively correct answers
Time management: These should take 20-30 seconds each once rules are mastered

Study Strategy & Resources

📚 Master the Rules

Memorize singular indefinite pronouns
Learn possessive formation rules
Practice identifying real subjects
Study verb tense markers
Understand modifier placement

🎯 Daily Practice

Complete 15-20 grammar questions daily
Focus on one rule per practice session
Time yourself: 20-30 seconds per question
Review incorrect answers immediately
Use official College Board questions

💡 Build Intuition

Read well-edited materials regularly
Practice crossing out prepositional phrases
Identify subjects and verbs in sentences
Check pronoun-antecedent relationships
Notice modifier placement in reading

📖 Related Skills

Boundaries (Punctuation)
Transitions
Rhetorical Synthesis
Sentence Structure

🎓 NUM8ERS Grammar Mastery Program

At NUM8ERS in Dubai, our SAT specialists have developed the "Five Rules Framework" that systematically addresses every Form, Structure, and Sense question type. We teach students to identify which grammar rule is being tested within 5 seconds by analyzing answer choice patterns. Our approach emphasizes that these questions test a finite set of rules that can be completely mastered with focused practice.

Our comprehensive training includes: Complete grammar rule codification, pattern recognition drills for each of the five topics, systematic error identification practice, timed drills building automaticity, and diagnostic assessment ensuring complete mastery. NUM8ERS students typically achieve 95%+ accuracy on Form, Structure, and Sense questions, transforming this from the most challenging grammar category into a reliable source of points. Our students report that after mastering the Five Rules, these questions become among the fastest and easiest on the SAT.