SAT Reading and Writing
Boundaries
Boundaries is a skill in the Standard English Conventions domain of the Digital SAT Reading and Writing section. These are practice questions on it, and each answer choice comes with an explanation of why it is right or wrong.
17 questions. After every answer you’ll see why each choice is right or wrong, not just the one you picked.
Sample questions
Open a question to see the answer choices and the correct answer.
The observatory's new telescope can detect light from galaxies billions of years old ______ its predecessor could only observe objects within our own galaxy in comparable detail. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. , but ✓
- B. , so
- C. ; and
- D. , for example
Correct answer: A. A comma followed by the coordinating conjunction "but" correctly joins the two independent clauses while signaling the contrast between the two telescopes' capabilities.
Marine biologists tracking a pod of orcas identified three distinct hunting strategies used exclusively by this pod ______ cooperative wave-washing, coordinated ramming, and selective targeting of young prey. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. ;
- B. : ✓
- C. ,
- D. and
Correct answer: B. A colon correctly introduces the list of three hunting strategies after a complete independent clause.
Although the lighthouse keeper maintained the light every night for thirty years without a single missed rotation ______ ships could still occasionally lose their bearings during the worst storms. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. .
- B. ;
- C. , ✓
- D. (no punctuation)
Correct answer: C. A comma correctly separates the introductory dependent clause beginning with "Although" from the main independent clause that follows.
The committee reviewed dozens of proposals before selecting a winner ______ no single entry addressed every criterion on the scoring rubric. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A. ; ✓
- B. ,
- C. :
- D. , so
Correct answer: A. Correct — a semicolon correctly joins two closely related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, which fits here since both parts of the sentence could stand alone as complete sentences.
The engineer's proposal ______ was ultimately rejected for unrelated budget reasons. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? (The blank should be filled with the phrase: which used 40 percent less steel than the original design, with any necessary punctuation.)
- A. which used 40 percent less steel than the original design
- B. , which used 40 percent less steel than the original design, ✓
- C. which used 40 percent less steel than the original design,
- D. , which used 40 percent less steel than the original design
Correct answer: B. Correct — because this is a nonrestrictive clause providing extra, non-essential information in the middle of the sentence, it must be set off by a comma both before and after it.