SAT Reading & Writing: Combining Sentences: Using Appositives
22+ practice questions in Praczo
The concept, explained
- 1
An appositive is a noun phrase placed next to another noun to describe it (e.g., "Mr. Smith, a brilliant scientist").
- 2
The SAT frequently asks you to combine two clunky sentences into one smooth sentence using an appositive.
- 3
Original: "Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes. She was a pioneering physicist." -> Combined: "Marie Curie, a pioneering physicist, won two Nobel Prizes."
- 4
The correct combination removes repetitive pronouns ("She was") and creates a tight, flowing structure bounded by commas.
- ✗ Using a coordinating conjunction ("Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes, and she was a physicist") when an appositive is cleaner and shorter.
- ✗ Creating a misplaced modifier by detaching the appositive from the noun it describes.
SAT-style practice
Which effectively combines the two sentences? "The cheetah is the fastest land animal. It can reach speeds of 70 mph."
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