Here is a cheat sheet of punctuation that you could use for the SAT Test. These are especially useful for questions that test you on the standard conventions of English.

SAT Punctuation | Quick Reference - First Academy

Punctuation Rules for the SAT Exam

Here are the punctuation rules you need to know for the SAT exam:

Comma

Lists: Use commas to separate items in a list, placing one before the conjunction (e.g., "We bought apples, oranges, and bananas"). Non-essential Information: Surround non-essential clauses or appositives with commas (e.g., "My brother, who is a doctor, lives in New York").

Introductory Elements: Place a comma after introductory phrases or clauses (e.g., "After the meeting, we went to dinner").

Independent Clauses: Do not use a comma between two independent clauses without a conjunction.

Semicolon

Connecting Clauses: Use a semicolon to connect two related independent clauses without a conjunction (e.g., "I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight").

Complex Lists: Use semicolons to separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas (e.g., "The conference has attendees from Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; and Rome, Italy").

Colon

Introducing Lists or Explanations: Use a colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list, explanation, or quotation (e.g., "She has three favorite hobbies: reading, writing, and hiking").

Emphasis: Use a colon to emphasize a point or statement (e.g., "There is one thing she loves more than anything: her family").

Quotation Marks

Direct Speech: Use quotation marks to enclose direct speech or quotations (e.g., She said, "I'll be there soon").

Titles: Use quotation marks for titles of short works like articles, poems, and songs.

Hyphen Compound Modifiers: Use hyphens to join two or more words serving as a single adjective before a noun (e.g., "a well-known author").

Numbers: Use hyphens in compound numbers (e.g., "twenty-one").

Non-essential Information: Use em dashes to set off non-essential information or to add emphasis (e.g., "The car—a red convertible—was parked outside").

Interruption or Emphasis: Use an em dash to indicate a sudden break or to emphasize a conclusion (e.g., "She was determined to win—no matter what").

Ranges: Use en dashes to indicate ranges of numbers, dates, or time (e.g., "The meeting is scheduled for 3:00–4:00 p.m."). Connections: Use en dashes to show a connection between words, such as in compound adjectives (e.g., "New York–London flight"). These rules should help you navigate punctuation questions on the SAT Writing and Language section.

Example Sentences

Comma

Lists: "We need to buy eggs, milk, bread, and butter."

Non-essential Information: "My brother, who is a chef, made dinner for us."

Introductory Elements: "After the movie, we went out for ice cream."

Independent Clauses: "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started raining."

Semicolon

Connecting Clauses: "I wanted to go for a walk; however, it started raining."

Complex Lists: "The conference was attended by delegates from Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; and Rome, Italy."

Colon

Introducing Lists or Explanations: "You will need the following items for the trip: a sleeping bag, a tent, and a flashlight."

Emphasis: "There's one thing I can't stand: dishonesty."

Quotation Marks

Direct Speech: She asked, "Are you coming to the party tonight?"

Titles: I just finished reading "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Hyphen Compound Modifiers: "She is a well-known artist in the community."

Numbers: "There are thirty-two students in the class."

Non-essential Information: "The CEO—who was recently appointed—plans to expand the company."

Interruption or Emphasis: "She was determined to succeed—no matter the obstacles."

Ranges: "The store is open Monday–Friday."

Connections: "The New York–London flight was delayed."

Commas and Quotes

Commas Inside Quotation Marks: In American English, commas are placed inside the closing quotation marks, whether the quotation is at the end of a sentence or followed by a dialogue tag. Example: "I'm excited for the weekend," she said. Example: She said, "I'm excited for the weekend."

Quotations in a Sentence: When a quotation is part of a larger sentence, the comma is placed inside the quotation marks if it is part of the quoted material. Example: "It's going to rain today," the weather report stated.

Interrupted Quotations: When a quotation is interrupted by a dialogue tag, a comma is used after the first part of the quotation and after the dialogue tag. Example: "I can't believe," she said, "that we won the game."

Quotations at the End of a Sentence: If a sentence ends with a quotation, the comma is placed inside the quotation marks. Example: He replied, "I'll see you tomorrow."