What is the Goal?
To read the passage and correctly punctuate the text.
What are boundaries in SAT?
On the SAT, these Standard English conventions are broken down into two categories:
- Form, structure, and sense
- Boundaries
Boundaries questions focus on how phrases, clauses, and sentences are linked together in written English.
Types of Boundary Questions
Boundaries questions focus on these Standard English conventions:
- Punctuation
- You’ll need to know when and where to use (and not use) different punctuation marks. Correct punctuation is essential for all boundaries questions.
- Linking clauses
- You may be asked to link clauses using coordination, subordination, or end punctuation.
- Supplements
- You may be asked to format and punctuate supplemental information provided within a sentence.
Approach
- Find the blank
- what type of boundary questions is it?
- remove incorrect answers before guessing
Tip
Read after the blank, it is often how the sentence after is worded that determines if it is a new sentence, just part of a sentence, or requires a comma. Colons and semi colons are rare.
Official Examples of Boundaries
- In 1727, dramatist Lewis Theobald presented a new play, Double Falsehood, at a London theater. Theobald claimed that his drama was based on a little-known play by William Shakespeare, Cardenio. Many, including poet Alexander Pope, were ______ historians have determined that Shakespeare’s company did perform a play called Cardenio in 1613.
- A skeptical
- B skeptical but
- C skeptical,
- D skeptical, but
- Santa Clara Pueblo artist Roxanne Swentzell’s sculpture Mud Woman Rolls On consists of five human figures made of clay and plant fiber and arranged in descending size; each figure holds the smaller one in front of it. The arrangement of the figures, according to ______ represents her idea that “we all come from the Earth, generation after generation.”
- A Swentzell,
- B Swentzell:
- C Swentzell
- D Swentzell—
- In 2008, two years after the death of science fiction writer Octavia Butler, the Huntington Library in ______ received a collection of more than 8,000 items, including Butler’s private notes, research materials, manuscripts, photos, and drawings. Today, the Octavia E. Butler Collection is one of the most researched archives at the library.
- A California
- B California,
- C California:
- D California—
- Humans were long thought to have begun occupying the Peruvian settlement of Machu Picchu between 1440 and 1450 CE. However, a team led by anthropologist Dr. Richard Burger used accelerator mass spectrometry to uncover evidence that it was occupied ______ 1420 CE, according to Burger, humans were likely inhabiting the area.
- A earlier, which in
- B earlier. in
- C earlier. In
- D earlier in
- In 2022, mountain guide Phil Henderson led the Full Circle expedition, a team of ______ that became the first all-Black team of climbers to summit Mt. Everest and that works to promote diversity and representation in outdoor adventure sports.
- A mountaineers;
- B mountaineers and
- C mountaineers
- D mountaineers,
- Nine months before Rosa Parks made history by refusing to comply with the segregated seating policy on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, a fifteen-year-old Montgomery girl named Claudette Colvin was arrested for the same ______ to some historians, Colvin’s arrest led to Parks’s action and eventually to the desegregation of Montgomery’s bus system.
- A offense according
- B offense, according
- C offense. According
- D offense and according
- Cadillac Ranch is an art installation in Amarillo, Texas that was created in 1974 by a group of artists called Ant Farm. It consists of ten half-buried Cadillac cars that have been placed nose-down in the ground, all lined up in a row. The installation, visible from Route 66 and the newer and busier ______ has become a popular tourist attraction and an iconic symbol of Americana.
- A Interstate 40;
- B Interstate 40,
- C Interstate 40
- D Interstate 40—
- The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three pioneers in the field of click chemistry: two- time Nobel Laureate Barry Sharpless, who coined the term “click chemistry” in 1998; Carolyn Bertozzi, founder of The Bertozzi Group at ______ and Morten Meldal, a professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
- A Stanford;
- B Stanford,
- C Stanford
- D Stanford:
Official Examples of Boundaries - Solutions
- In 1727, dramatist Lewis Theobald presented a new play, Double Falsehood, at a London theater. Theobald claimed that his drama was based on a little-known play by William Shakespeare, Cardenio. Many, including poet Alexander Pope, were ______ historians have determined that Shakespeare’s company did perform a play called Cardenio in 1613.
- A skeptical
- B skeptical but
- C skeptical,
- D skeptical, but
- Santa Clara Pueblo artist Roxanne Swentzell’s sculpture Mud Woman Rolls On consists of five human figures made of clay and plant fiber and arranged in descending size; each figure holds the smaller one in front of it. The arrangement of the figures, according to ______ represents her idea that “we all come from the Earth, generation after generation.”
- A Swentzell,
- B Swentzell:
- C Swentzell
- D Swentzell—
- In 2008, two years after the death of science fiction writer Octavia Butler, the Huntington Library in ______ received a collection of more than 8,000 items, including Butler’s private notes, research materials, manuscripts, photos, and drawings. Today, the Octavia E. Butler Collection is one of the most researched archives at the library.
- A California
- B California,
- C California:
- D California—
- Humans were long thought to have begun occupying the Peruvian settlement of Machu Picchu between 1440 and 1450 CE. However, a team led by anthropologist Dr. Richard Burger used accelerator mass spectrometry to uncover evidence that it was occupied ______ 1420 CE, according to Burger, humans were likely inhabiting the area.
- A earlier, which in
- B earlier. in
- C earlier. In
- D earlier in
- In 2022, mountain guide Phil Henderson led the Full Circle expedition, a team of ______ that became the first all-Black team of climbers to summit Mt. Everest and that works to promote diversity and representation in outdoor adventure sports.
- A mountaineers;
- B mountaineers and
- C mountaineers
- D mountaineers,
- Nine months before Rosa Parks made history by refusing to comply with the segregated seating policy on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, a fifteen-year-old Montgomery girl named Claudette Colvin was arrested for the same ______ to some historians, Colvin’s arrest led to Parks’s action and eventually to the desegregation of Montgomery’s bus system.
- A offense according
- B offense, according
- C offense. According
- D offense and according
- Cadillac Ranch is an art installation in Amarillo, Texas that was created in 1974 by a group of artists called Ant Farm. It consists of ten half-buried Cadillac cars that have been placed nose-down in the ground, all lined up in a row. The installation, visible from Route 66 and the newer and busier ______ has become a popular tourist attraction and an iconic symbol of Americana.
- A Interstate 40;
- B Interstate 40,
- C Interstate 40
- D Interstate 40—
- The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three pioneers in the field of click chemistry: two- time Nobel Laureate Barry Sharpless, who coined the term “click chemistry” in 1998; Carolyn Bertozzi, founder of The Bertozzi Group at ______ and Morten Meldal, a professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
- A Stanford;
- B Stanford,
- C Stanford
- D Stanford:
Draft Practice Questions
Set 1
1. The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids as tombs for their pharaohs _____ these massive structures have endured for thousands of years.
- A) pharaohs,
- B) pharaohs;
- C) pharaohs and
- D) pharaohs
2. Despite its name, the koala bear is not actually a bear _____ it is a marsupial, related to kangaroos and wombats.
- A) bear,
- B) bear;
- C) bear:
- D) bear
3. The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system _____ stretches for over 2,300 kilometers off the coast of Australia.
- A) system,
- B) system
- C) system;
- D) system:
4. Marie Curie, a pioneer in the field of radioactivity _____ was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes in different fields.
- A) radioactivity,
- B) radioactivity
- C) radioactivity;
- D) radioactivity—
The Sahara Desert, which covers much of North Africa _____ is the world’s largest hot desert.
- A) Africa
- B) Africa,
- C) Africa;
- D) Africa:
The Amazon rainforest, often called the “lungs of the Earth” _____ produces about 20% of the world’s oxygen.
- A) Earth,”
- B) Earth”,
- C) Earth,”—
- D) Earth”—
Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch post-impressionist painter _____ created over 2,100 artworks during his lifetime.
- A) painter,
- B) painter
- C) painter;
- D) painter:
The Great Wall of China, built over many centuries _____ stretches for approximately 21,196 kilometers across northern China.
- A) centuries,
- B) centuries
- C) centuries;
- D) centuries:
The human brain, despite weighing only about 3 pounds _____ consumes roughly 20% of the body’s total energy.
- A) pounds,
- B) pounds
- C) pounds;
- D) pounds:
Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth _____ stands at 29,029 feet above sea level.
- A) Earth,
- B) Earth
- C) Earth;
- D) Earth:
Set 2
Although the platypus appears to be a blend of several animals _____ it is a unique species that has existed for millions of years.
- A) animals,
- B) animals;
- C) animals:
- D) animals
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century _____ is one of the most recognized and visited artworks in the world.
- A) century,
- B) century—
- C) century;
- D) century:
Despite being called the “Eternal City” _____ Rome was, according to legend, founded on a specific date: April 21, 753 BCE.
- A) City,”
- B) City,”—
- C) City”,
- D) City”—
The Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded annually since 1901 _____ has been given to authors from over 40 different countries.
- A) 1901,
- B) 1901;
- C) 1901:
- D) 1901
Galileo Galilei, often called the “father of modern science” _____ made significant contributions to astronomy, physics, and mathematics.
- A) science,”
- B) science”,
- C) science,”—
- D) science”—
The Dead Sea, located between Israel and Jordan _____ is nearly ten times saltier than the ocean.
- A) Jordan,
- B) Jordan
- C) Jordan;
- D) Jordan:
Although honey bees are known for their role in pollination _____ they also produce beeswax, which has numerous applications in industry and medicine.
- A) pollination,
- B) pollination;
- C) pollination:
- D) pollination
The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights _____ is a natural light display caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in Earth’s atmosphere.
- A) Lights,
- B) Lights
- C) Lights;
- D) Lights:
Despite its name, the pencil lead used in modern pencils _____ actually contains no lead at all but is made primarily of graphite.
- A) pencils,
- B) pencils
- C) pencils;
- D) pencils:
The Great Barrier Reef, home to thousands of species of marine life _____ is visible from space and is often called one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
- A) life,
- B) life
- C) life;
- D) life:
Set 3
The Rosetta Stone, discovered by French soldiers in Egypt in 1799 _____ provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, a feat accomplished by Jean-François Champollion in 1822.
- A) 1799,
- B) 1799;
- C) 1799:
- D) 1799
Although quantum mechanics is notoriously difficult to understand _____ its principles underlie many modern technologies, including semiconductors and lasers.
- A) understand,
- B) understand;
- C) understand:
- D) understand
The Voynich manuscript, an illustrated codex hand-written in an unknown writing system _____ has baffled cryptographers and linguists since its discovery in the early 20th century.
- A) system,
- B) system
- C) system;
- D) system:
Despite being one of the most famous monuments in the world _____ the Sphinx of Giza remains shrouded in mystery, with debates ongoing about its age, purpose, and original appearance.
- A) world,
- B) world
- C) world;
- D) world:
The human genome, consisting of approximately 3 billion base pairs _____ was first fully sequenced in 2003 after a 13-year international effort known as the Human Genome Project.
- A) pairs,
- B) pairs
- C) pairs;
- D) pairs:
Although Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright in the English language _____ some scholars argue that the works attributed to him were actually written by someone else, a theory known as the “Shakespeare authorship question.”
- A) language,
- B) language;
- C) language:
- D) language
The Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek analog computer _____ is considered the world’s first known mechanical computer and has been dated to between 150 and 100 BCE.
- A) computer,
- B) computer
- C) computer;
- D) computer:
Despite its reputation as a “primitive” time _____ the Medieval period saw numerous technological advancements, including the invention of the mechanical clock, eyeglasses, and the printing press.
- A) time,
- B) time
- C) time;
- D) time:
The Mpemba effect, a counterintuitive phenomenon where, under certain conditions, hot water can freeze faster than cold water _____ has puzzled scientists since its discovery and still lacks a conclusive explanation.
- A) water,
- B) water
- C) water;
- D) water:
Although the theory of continental drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912 _____ it wasn’t until the 1960s that the theory gained widespread acceptance with the development of plate tectonics.
- A) 1912,
- B) 1912;
- C) 1912:
- D) 1912
Set A 1
The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 confirmed a key prediction of the Standard Model of particle physics ______ some scientists argue that this discovery actually highlights gaps in our understanding of the universe.
- A) physics,
- B) physics;
- C) physics, but
- D) physics but
Archaeologists studying the ancient Mayan city of Tikal have uncovered evidence of complex water management systems ______ these systems allowed the city to sustain a population of up to 100,000 in a region prone to severe droughts.
- A) systems:
- B) systems;
- C) systems,
- D) systems
The paintings of Frida Kahlo often incorporate elements of Mexican folk art and explore themes of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class ______ her work has become increasingly recognized for its cultural significance and feminist themes.
- A) class, and
- B) class;
- C) class, whereas
- D) class and
Despite its reputation as a simple parlor trick, the art of origami has applications in fields as diverse as mathematics, engineering, and space exploration ______ in 1995, Japanese astrophysicist Koryo Miura used origami principles to design a solar array that could be compactly folded for space missions.
- A) exploration,
- B) exploration;
- C) exploration:
- D) exploration—
The human microbiome, consisting of trillions of microorganisms living in and on the human body ______ plays a crucial role in digestion, immune function, and even mental health.
- A) body,
- B) body;
- C) body:
- D) body
Although Charles Darwin is often credited with developing the theory of evolution ______ Alfred Russel Wallace independently conceived the idea of natural selection and co-published with Darwin in 1858.
- A) evolution,
- B) evolution;
- C) evolution:
- D) evolution
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the interconnected network of physical devices embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity ______ enables these objects to collect and exchange data.
- A) connectivity, which
- B) connectivity that
- C) connectivity; which
- D) connectivity which
The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered between 1947 and 1956 ______ include the oldest known manuscripts of books later included in the Hebrew Bible and have provided invaluable insights into the development of Judaism and Christianity.
- A) 1956,
- B) 1956:
- C) 1956;
- D) 1956
Quantum entanglement, a phenomenon in which particles become interconnected and share their quantum states regardless of distance ______ Einstein famously referred to as “spooky action at a distance,” has been demonstrated over distances of more than 1,200 kilometers.
- A) distance,
- B) distance—which
- C) distance, which
- D) distance which
The use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology has revolutionized genetic research and holds promise for treating genetic disorders ______ raises ethical concerns about the potential for creating “designer babies” and altering the human genome in ways that could have unforeseen consequences.
- A) disorders, but
- B) disorders but
- C) disorders; however, it
- D) disorders; however it
Practice questions
Set 1
- The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, _ are a natural light display predominantly seen in high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Borealis are
– C. Borealis, are
– D. Borealis; are
- Jane Austen’s novels, _ which have been adapted into numerous films and television series, continue to captivate readers around the world.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. novels which
– C. novels; which
– D. novels: which
- While some birds migrate to warmer climates in the winter, _ others remain in the same region year-round.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. winter others
– C. winter; others
– D. winter: others
- The Sahara Desert, _ the largest hot desert in the world, spans several countries in North Africa.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Desert the
– C. Desert, the
– D. Desert; the
- Despite being a highly successful playwright, _ Arthur Miller faced significant political persecution during the McCarthy era.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. playwright Arthur
– C. playwright; Arthur
– D. playwright: Arthur
- The Hubble Space Telescope—launched in 1990— _ has provided stunning images of the universe.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. 1990 has
– C. 1990, has
– D. 1990; has
- After years of study, _ scientists finally mapped the human genome, revealing the blueprint for human biology.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. study scientists
– C. study; scientists
– D. study: scientists
- Leonardo da Vinci, _ known for his diverse talents, created masterpieces in both art and engineering.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Vinci known
– C. Vinci; known
– D. Vinci: known
- The Voynich Manuscript—still undeciphered to this day— _ has puzzled linguists for decades.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. day has
– C. day, has
– D. day; has
- The Colosseum in Rome—completed in 80 AD— _ could hold up to 80,000 spectators.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. AD could
– C. AD, could
– D. AD; could
Set 2
- The novel “1984” by George Orwell explores a dystopian future where government surveillance is pervasive; _ it remains a relevant critique of totalitarianism today.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. pervasive, it
– C. pervasive it
– D. pervasive: it
- In 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon _ he famously said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. moon; he
– C. moon. He
– D. moon, he
- The scientist Marie Curie—winner of two Nobel Prizes— _ pioneered research in radioactivity.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Prizes pioneered
– C. Prizes, pioneered
– D. Prizes; pioneered
- Although often seen as a children’s author, _ Dr. Seuss’s books address serious themes with profound messages.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. author Dr. Seuss’s
– C. author; Dr. Seuss’s
– D. author: Dr. Seuss’s
- The periodic table of elements, _ which organizes elements by atomic number, is fundamental to the study of chemistry.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. elements which
– C. elements; which
– D. elements: which
- After extensive renovations, _ the historic theater reopened to the public, offering a new schedule of performances.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. renovations the
– C. renovations; the
– D. renovations: the
- The Renaissance—known for its cultural and artistic revival— _ produced some of the most famous works in history.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. revival, produced
– C. revival produced
– D. revival; produced
- When he returned from his voyage, _ Darwin began to formulate his theory of evolution by natural selection.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. voyage Darwin
– C. voyage; Darwin
– D. voyage: Darwin
- The Amazon rainforest, _ often called the “lungs of the Earth,” produces 20% of the world’s oxygen.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. rainforest which
– C. rainforest; which
– D. rainforest: which
- Because the company was expanding rapidly. _ They decided to hire more staff to keep up with the demand.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. rapidly, they
– C. rapidly; they
– D. rapidly: they
Set 3
- The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928 revolutionized medicine; _ it led to the development of antibiotics that have saved countless lives.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. medicine, it
– C. medicine it
– D. medicine: it
- During the Industrial Revolution, _ numerous technological advancements transformed manufacturing processes, increasing production efficiency.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Revolution numerous
– C. Revolution; numerous
– D. Revolution: numerous
- The DNA double helix structure—discovered by Watson and Crick— _ provided crucial insights into genetic information storage and transmission.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Crick provided
– C. Crick, provided
– D. Crick; provided
- Despite the widespread use of social media, _ some people argue that it negatively impacts mental health and face-to-face interactions.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. media some
– C. media; some
– D. media: some
- The philosopher Immanuel Kant—whose works focus on ethics and epistemology— _ significantly influenced modern philosophy.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. epistemology significantly
– C. epistemology, significantly
– D. epistemology; significantly
- After analyzing the data, _ researchers concluded that the new treatment was effective in reducing symptoms.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. data researchers
– C. data; researchers
– D. data: researchers
- The Milky Way galaxy—home to our solar system— _ contains billions of stars.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. system contains
– C. system, contains
– D. system; contains
- Although climate change poses significant challenges, _ it also presents opportunities for innovation in renewable energy and sustainability practices.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. challenges it
– C. challenges; it
– D. challenges: it
- The ancient city of Pompeii—buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD— _ offers valuable insights into Roman life and culture.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. AD offers
– C. AD, offers
– D. AD; offers
- The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg— _ a pivotal moment in history—enabled the mass production of books and the spread of knowledge.
– A. NO CHANGE
– B. Gutenberg a
– C. Gutenberg; a
– D. Gutenberg, a