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Sentence Structure — Core Skills

The core idea, one worked example, and short practice.

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Sentence Structure: The Basics

Every sentence-structure question comes down to one check: is this a complete sentence?

A clause has a subject and a verb. An independent clause can stand alone: "The students packed up." A dependent clause cannot, because of the word it starts with — because, although, since, when, while, if. "When the bell rang" leaves you waiting.

A fragment is a piece punctuated like a sentence that is not one. Fix it by attaching it to a complete sentence: When the bell rang, the students packed up. When the dependent clause comes first, put a comma after it.

A run-on is the opposite problem: two complete sentences pushed together without the right punctuation. Fix it with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a FANBOYS word (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

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📌 Related Topics in SAT Core Skills Track

Vocab in Context — Core SkillsCentral Ideas & Details — Core SkillsCommand of Evidence — Core SkillsReading Comprehension — Core SkillsPunctuation — Core SkillsTransitions — Core Skills

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The core idea, one worked example, and short practice.
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Start by reading the study notes and working through the examples on this page. Then use the flashcards to test your recall. Regular review and active practice are key to retention.
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Sentence Structure — Core Skills is part of the SAT Prep course on Study Mondo, specifically in the SAT Core Skills Track section. You can explore the full course for more related topics and practice resources.