PSAT Study Guide || Ultimate Study Guide: Exam-
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absolute value correct answers a numbers distance from zero on a number line
domain correct answers All possible input values (x values)
range correct answers All possible output values (y values)
integers correct answers numbers that have no fractional or decimal parts
positive numbers correct answers numbers that are greater than zero
negative numbers correct answers numbers that are less than zero
even numbers correct answers integers that can be divided by 2 evenly, with no remainder
odd numbers correct answers integers that cannot be divided evenly by 2
factors correct answers numbers that a certain number can be divided by, leaving no
remainder
multiples correct answers numbers that can be divided by a certain number, with no
remainder
prime numbers correct answers numbers that have exactly two distinct factors, themselves
and 1
distinct correct answers having a different value
digit correct answers a figure from zero through nine that is used as a place holder
consecutive numbers correct answers numbers in a row
divisible correct answers can be divided with no remainder
remainder correct answers a whole number that is left over after you divide
sum correct answers the result of addition
product correct answers the result of multiplication
difference correct answers the result of subtraction
quotient correct answers the result of division
absolute value correct answers a number's distance from zero, always shown as a positive
number
,Tense correct answers Make sure all verbs agree with each other...
e.g. "No matter where they come from or what their cultural values were, virtually all
immigrants to the United States find America a nation of great opportunity and freedom."
Obviously you would change "were" to "are" in order to agree with the verbs "come" and
"find."
Dangling Participles & Misplaced Modifiers correct answers These sentences begin with a
long string of words followed by a comma and typically appear like the following question,
"Having no additional funds to spend, the meeting of the budget committee was promptly
concluded."
(A) the meeting of the budget committee was promptly concluded
(B) the meeting of the budget committee concluded promptly
(C) the conclusion of the budget meeting was prompt
(D) the budget committee promptly concluded its meeting
(E) the budget committee's meeting was promptly concluded
The question tries to trick you into thinking "meeting" is the subject after the verb, but in
reality, "the budget committee " is and thus, (D) is the correct answer. Ask yourself "Is the
person, place, or object listed after the comma the true subject of the sentence? It should be.
Faulty Comparisons correct answers Within a sentence, objects/peoples/places can only be
compared if they are of the same type. Such as in,
"Unlike flying squirrels, which may leave their young in a tree cavity while foraging, the
babies of flying lemurs are usually carried with them.
(A) the babies of flying lemurs are usually carried
(B) the flying lemur's babies are usually carried
(C) the flying lemur is usually carrying its babies
(D) flying lemurs usually carry their babies
(E) flying lemurs' babies are usually carried
The correct answer choice is obviously D, since you cannot compare flying squirrels with the
BABIES of flying lemurs. Choice D allows for like things to be compared.
Pronoun Clarity correct answers Pronouns can't always be used in place of nouns, because the
pronoun within a sentence may be too ambiguous.
PSAT example:
Internet companies have discovered many advantages in collaborating with them, whether the
companies do so directly or indirectly.
"them" has no antecedent, and thus that's where the error resides within this sentence.
Pronoun Agreement correct answers The PSAT loves using subjects like "the high school,"
"the choir," and "the nation" because students associated these nouns with many people, and
therefore think of them as plural. Remember, though: no matter how many hundreds,
, thousands, or even millions of people live in a country, a university, or a city, each of these
subjects is SINGULAR and requires the SINGULAR pronoun, "it!"
Make sure you also keep an eye out for words such as "Either," "Neither," "Each,"
"Anybody," "No One," "Everyone," "Everybody," "Everything," and "Nothing." Each of
these words is always SINGULAR!
PSAT Example:
After months of pressure by the United States, the Russian government has finally agreed to
help their poorest citizens by engaging in humanitarian efforts and implementing domestic
reform.
"their" would need to be changed to "its"
Pronoun Consistency correct answers Once you begin using a pronoun, all pronouns referring
to the same subject, must be consistent with one another.
PSAT example:
If one is to challenge the authority of a teacher, he should first think about the consequences
such an action could bring.
The mistake would be "he," which should change to "one" in order to remain consistent with
the "one" after "If."
Parallel Structure correct answers Properly written sentences should have a nice, smooth
flow. Parallel structure is most often seen in lists. "She was incredibly beautiful, kind, and
smart." Because of parallel structure, all items in that list must be adjectives. You could not
put, "She was incredibly beautiful, runs, and an architect."
PSAT Example:
An exceptionally talented and versatile author, Denise has been a novelist, playwright, and
written many essays.
The mistake would be "written many essays" which would ruin the parallel structure of the
list. A more correct sentence insertion would be "writer of essays."
If a sentence lists objects, the items listed must all be nouns, adjectives, or verbs. The sample
sentence cannot list two nouns (novelist, playwright), and then suddenly switch to the past
tense verb "written many essays" for the third and final item.
Adverbs correct answers Adverb errors are quite simple, but unfortunate(ly) easy to miss.
Many students auto-correct them as they read the sentence. Every time you see an adjective
such as rapid, serene, frequent, constant, and gradual underlined in an PSAT grammar
question test whether it should be an adverb by appending -ly onto the adjective's end. Also
watch out for trickier adverb questions that require changing an adverb into an adjective.
PSAT Example:
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absolute value correct answers a numbers distance from zero on a number line
domain correct answers All possible input values (x values)
range correct answers All possible output values (y values)
integers correct answers numbers that have no fractional or decimal parts
positive numbers correct answers numbers that are greater than zero
negative numbers correct answers numbers that are less than zero
even numbers correct answers integers that can be divided by 2 evenly, with no remainder
odd numbers correct answers integers that cannot be divided evenly by 2
factors correct answers numbers that a certain number can be divided by, leaving no
remainder
multiples correct answers numbers that can be divided by a certain number, with no
remainder
prime numbers correct answers numbers that have exactly two distinct factors, themselves
and 1
distinct correct answers having a different value
digit correct answers a figure from zero through nine that is used as a place holder
consecutive numbers correct answers numbers in a row
divisible correct answers can be divided with no remainder
remainder correct answers a whole number that is left over after you divide
sum correct answers the result of addition
product correct answers the result of multiplication
difference correct answers the result of subtraction
quotient correct answers the result of division
absolute value correct answers a number's distance from zero, always shown as a positive
number
,Tense correct answers Make sure all verbs agree with each other...
e.g. "No matter where they come from or what their cultural values were, virtually all
immigrants to the United States find America a nation of great opportunity and freedom."
Obviously you would change "were" to "are" in order to agree with the verbs "come" and
"find."
Dangling Participles & Misplaced Modifiers correct answers These sentences begin with a
long string of words followed by a comma and typically appear like the following question,
"Having no additional funds to spend, the meeting of the budget committee was promptly
concluded."
(A) the meeting of the budget committee was promptly concluded
(B) the meeting of the budget committee concluded promptly
(C) the conclusion of the budget meeting was prompt
(D) the budget committee promptly concluded its meeting
(E) the budget committee's meeting was promptly concluded
The question tries to trick you into thinking "meeting" is the subject after the verb, but in
reality, "the budget committee " is and thus, (D) is the correct answer. Ask yourself "Is the
person, place, or object listed after the comma the true subject of the sentence? It should be.
Faulty Comparisons correct answers Within a sentence, objects/peoples/places can only be
compared if they are of the same type. Such as in,
"Unlike flying squirrels, which may leave their young in a tree cavity while foraging, the
babies of flying lemurs are usually carried with them.
(A) the babies of flying lemurs are usually carried
(B) the flying lemur's babies are usually carried
(C) the flying lemur is usually carrying its babies
(D) flying lemurs usually carry their babies
(E) flying lemurs' babies are usually carried
The correct answer choice is obviously D, since you cannot compare flying squirrels with the
BABIES of flying lemurs. Choice D allows for like things to be compared.
Pronoun Clarity correct answers Pronouns can't always be used in place of nouns, because the
pronoun within a sentence may be too ambiguous.
PSAT example:
Internet companies have discovered many advantages in collaborating with them, whether the
companies do so directly or indirectly.
"them" has no antecedent, and thus that's where the error resides within this sentence.
Pronoun Agreement correct answers The PSAT loves using subjects like "the high school,"
"the choir," and "the nation" because students associated these nouns with many people, and
therefore think of them as plural. Remember, though: no matter how many hundreds,
, thousands, or even millions of people live in a country, a university, or a city, each of these
subjects is SINGULAR and requires the SINGULAR pronoun, "it!"
Make sure you also keep an eye out for words such as "Either," "Neither," "Each,"
"Anybody," "No One," "Everyone," "Everybody," "Everything," and "Nothing." Each of
these words is always SINGULAR!
PSAT Example:
After months of pressure by the United States, the Russian government has finally agreed to
help their poorest citizens by engaging in humanitarian efforts and implementing domestic
reform.
"their" would need to be changed to "its"
Pronoun Consistency correct answers Once you begin using a pronoun, all pronouns referring
to the same subject, must be consistent with one another.
PSAT example:
If one is to challenge the authority of a teacher, he should first think about the consequences
such an action could bring.
The mistake would be "he," which should change to "one" in order to remain consistent with
the "one" after "If."
Parallel Structure correct answers Properly written sentences should have a nice, smooth
flow. Parallel structure is most often seen in lists. "She was incredibly beautiful, kind, and
smart." Because of parallel structure, all items in that list must be adjectives. You could not
put, "She was incredibly beautiful, runs, and an architect."
PSAT Example:
An exceptionally talented and versatile author, Denise has been a novelist, playwright, and
written many essays.
The mistake would be "written many essays" which would ruin the parallel structure of the
list. A more correct sentence insertion would be "writer of essays."
If a sentence lists objects, the items listed must all be nouns, adjectives, or verbs. The sample
sentence cannot list two nouns (novelist, playwright), and then suddenly switch to the past
tense verb "written many essays" for the third and final item.
Adverbs correct answers Adverb errors are quite simple, but unfortunate(ly) easy to miss.
Many students auto-correct them as they read the sentence. Every time you see an adjective
such as rapid, serene, frequent, constant, and gradual underlined in an PSAT grammar
question test whether it should be an adverb by appending -ly onto the adjective's end. Also
watch out for trickier adverb questions that require changing an adverb into an adjective.
PSAT Example:
