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Explains how to eliminate answer choices by recognizing the only ACT/SAT semicolon use, how to identify independent clauses, and how the Pause Test helps with comma questions. Provides rules for essential vs nonessential phrases, dependent/independent clause comma placement, comma FANBOYS and list separation, colon/dash functions, and common apostrophe forms for possession and contractions.",{"@graph":63,"@context":112},[64,80,95],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":36,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/forms/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/satact-punctuation-cheat-sheet-quick-reference/574147/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"author":82,"headline":59,"publisher":85,"fileFormat":88,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":89,"datePublished":89,"encodingFormat":88,"isAccessibleForFree":90,"interactionStatistic":91},"DigitalDocument",{"name":83,"@type":84},"Taylor Morgan","Person",{"url":68,"name":86,"@type":87},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-14",true,{"@type":92,"interactionType":93,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":94},"ViewAction",{"@type":96,"mainEntity":97},"FAQPage",[98,104,108],{"name":99,"@type":100,"acceptedAnswer":101},"When is a semicolon used on the ACT or SAT?","Question",{"text":102,"@type":103},"A semicolon is used only to separate two independent clauses. If you see it elsewhere, it is the easiest option to eliminate.","Answer",{"name":105,"@type":100,"acceptedAnswer":106},"How do you determine whether a phrase needs commas, dashes, or parentheses?",{"text":107,"@type":103},"Remove the phrase from the sentence. If meaning stays the same and the sentence remains grammatically sound, the phrase is nonessential and must be surrounded by punctuation.",{"name":109,"@type":100,"acceptedAnswer":110},"What are the key apostrophe rules covered here?",{"text":111,"@type":103},"For possession, add an apostrophe + s for singular nouns, and add only an apostrophe for plural nouns ending in s. For contractions, apostrophes are always contractions (e.g., It’s = it is).","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":114,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":86,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":116,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":118,"site_id":56},574147,1791984946,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":121},{"doc_id":118,"user_id":122,"nickname":83,"user_avatar":123,"doc_module":9,"category_id":35,"category_name":36,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":124,"file_id":125,"file_url":126,"file_type":127,"file_size":128,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":9,"language":129,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":130,"faqs":131,"seo_title":132,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":119,"read_time":4},1099523885336,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","SAT/ACT Punctuation Cheat Sheet  \nImportant Tips  \nAttack the semicolon!  \nAlways start with the punctuation mark that you know is being used correctly or incorrectly, and eliminate answer choices accordingly. Semicolons are the easiest to eliminate because they are used only in one way — to separate independent clauses.  \nStuck? Identify the independent clause!  \nIdentifying the independent clause can help to clarify the other parts of the sentence, such as nonessential clauses/phrases and dependent clauses.  \nUse The Pause Test!  \nIf you are stuck on a comma question, read the answer choices you have not eliminated to yourself (try to hear it in your head!) and put extended pauses where the commas are. If the answer choice with no punctuation sounds correct, it probably is!  \n;  \nClauses & Punctuation  \nConnecting Two Independent Clauses  \nPeriod  \nThe boy did not go to school. He was tired.  \nSemicolon-this is the ONLY use of a semicolon on the ACT or SAT.  \nThe boy did not go to school; he was tired.  \nOn the SAT and ACT, the following items are functionally equivalent, which means that if there are no other differences in the answer choices, BOTH can be eliminated:  \n A period and a semicolon  \n Two dashes, two commas, or two parentheses  \n One colon and one dash  \nComma + FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)  \nThe boy did not go to school, and he was tired.  \nColon or One Dash-either can be used to separate independent clauses, but they can also separate an independent clause from an explanation of that clause (the explanation can be independent, dependent, or just a phrase) .  \nThe boy did not go to school: he was tired.  \nThe boy did not go to school—he was tired.  \nNonessential Clauses and Phrases  \nTo evaluate if a phrase is nonessential, take the phrase out of the sentence. If the meaning of the sentence does not change without it and is grammatically sound, then the phrase is nonessential and requires commas, dashes, or parentheses surrounding it.  \nPhrases beginning with prepositions and ‘that’ are always essential and do not require commas, unless (prepositional phrases only) they come at the beginning of a clause.  \nThe boy on the hill throws the ball.  \nOn the hill, the boy throws the ball.  \nThat boy that is tired throws the ball.  \nPhrases beginning with ‘w-words’ (which, who, where) are usually nonessential and require commas.  \nThe boy, who is tired, throws the ball.  \nTransition words are always nonessential and require commas.  \nThe boy wanted to go to school; he, however, is tired.  \nThe boy wanted to go to school; however, he is tired.  \nThe boy wanted to go to school; he is tired, however.  \nConnecting Dependent and Independent Clauses  \nDependent clause before independent clause → separate with a comma  \nIndependent Clause before dependent clause → no comma needed (unless contrast word starts dependent clause)  \nOther Comma Uses  \n To separate items in a list (apples, oranges, bananas, and peaches)   \n To separate adjectives some of the time.   \nUse the “And Test”! Insert the word “and” between the adjectives; if the “and” makes sense, a comma is required.  \nSwitch the order of the adjectives. If it still makes sense, the comma is necessary.  \nThe adorable, tiny puppy  \nThe adorable spotted puppy  \nColons  \n A colon always follows an independent clause and provides an explanation of the clause.   What follows a colon can be one word, a list of items, or even an independent clause.   \nThe boy has one favorite class: Algebra 2.  \nMy basketball team struggles to defend: we are giving up 125 points per game this season.  \nDashes  \n Two dashes = two commas   One dash = one colon.   \nUsed like commas to separate out a nonessential clause/phrase.  \nThe boy—who is tired—throws the ball.  \nUsed like colons to explain an independent clause that came before it.  \nThe boy has one favorite class —Algebra 2.  \nPrimarily used to indicate possession  \nSingular nouns and plural nouns not ending in s: add apostroph","cbCaicopwdegmQMi","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicopwdegmQMi","pdf",83450,"English","# Clauses & Punctuation\n## Connecting Two Independent Clauses\n## Nonessential Clauses and Phrases\n## Connecting Dependent and Independent Clauses\n## Other Comma Uses\n## Colons\n## Dashes\n## Apostrophes","[{\"question\":\"When is a semicolon used on the ACT or SAT?\",\"answer\":\"A semicolon is used only to separate two independent clauses. If you see it elsewhere, it is the easiest option to eliminate.\"},{\"question\":\"How do you determine whether a phrase needs commas, dashes, or parentheses?\",\"answer\":\"Remove the phrase from the sentence. If meaning stays the same and the sentence remains grammatically sound, the phrase is nonessential and must be surrounded by punctuation.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the key apostrophe rules covered here?\",\"answer\":\"For possession, add an apostrophe + s for singular nouns, and add only an apostrophe for plural nouns ending in s. For contractions, apostrophes are always contractions (e.g., It’s = it is).\"}]","SAT/ACT Punctuation Cheat Sheet - Quick reference | PDF"]