Question

Which choice most effectively combines the underlined sentences? 1\. A coral reef is formed by a community of very small plants and animals; these plants and animals are known as algae and polyps. 2\. Very small plants and animals, known as algae and polyps, make up the community that forms a coral reef. 3\. A coral reef is formed by a community of very small plants and animals. 4\. Known as algae and polyps, the community that is called a coral reef is formed by very small plants and animals.

Short answer

Option 2 is the most effective combination.

Step-by-step solution

Identify Key Components

Determine the main elements from the sentences to be combined. In this case, they are: 1) Coral reefs are formed by a community of small plants and animals, 2) These small plants and animals are called algae and polyps.

Find the Common Elements

Notice that both sentences talk about a community of very small plants and animals. This community forms coral reefs and consists of algae and polyps.

Combine the Information

Find a way to combine the elements into one coherent sentence. The best option will keep all the essential details while being concise.

Evaluate Provided Options

Compare each provided option to see which effectively combines the sentences without losing any important details.Option 1: Contains two ideas but is not as smooth.Option 2: Combines the sentences smoothly into one comprehensive sentence. Option 3: Omits important information about algae and polyps.Option 4: Is accurate but less clear and concise.

Choose the Most Effective Option

Option 2 is the most effective because it seamlessly combines the information into one sentence while preserving all key details.

Key concepts

SAT Writing Section

The SAT Writing and Language section tests your ability to effectively read, understand, and improve passages. It includes questions that require you to combine sentences to produce clearer and more concise statements.
Understanding how to combine sentences is crucial because it helps you achieve a coherent and fluid writing style. Here, you have to identify sentence structures that easily fit together.
For example, when tackling problems like the given exercise, it's vital to identify key components and common elements. This helps in seamlessly blending sentences without losing important information.

• Always read both sentences fully first.
• Look for any repetitive or overlapping information.
• Determine what each sentence contributes to the overall message.

Regular practice can greatly improve your skills, making this section less daunting.

Effective Sentence Structure

Crafting an effective sentence structure is about clarity, conciseness, and coherence. This means avoiding unnecessary words and redundancy to communicate your idea as clearly as possible.
Effective sentence structures often use relative clauses, participial phrases, or appositives.

• A relative clause provides additional information about its antecedent (e.g., 'The book, which was written by JK Rowling, is a bestseller.').
• A participial phrase can describe a noun (e.g., 'Running down the hill, he tripped and fell.').
• An appositive renames a noun (e.g., 'My brother, a doctor, lives in New York.').

Always aim to maintain subject-verb agreement and proper punctuation to enhance readability.
For instance, in our exercise, the best option was concise and maintained the key details through apposition: 'Very small plants and animals, known as algae and polyps, make up the community that forms a coral reef.'

Combining Sentences

Combining sentences is a key skill in the SAT Writing section. It involves merging two or more sentences into a single, clear, and concise sentence.
In our exercise, combining sentences required
identified repeating elements and merging them without losing essential details.
When combining sentences:

• Ensure all the important information is included.
• Maintain grammatical accuracy.
• Preserve the original meaning.

In our example, sentence combination was achieved by using a participial phrase: 'Very small plants and animals, known as algae and polyps, make up the community that forms a coral reef.'
This approach made the information concise and easy to read.
Practice making sentences concise by removing redundant elements and using techniques like relative clauses and participial phrases for fluidity.