PSAT Writing and Language Question 1: Answer and Explanation

Question: 1

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. immigrants, and
• C. immigrants and
• D. immigrants. And

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

Punctuation changes in the answer choices, so this question tests STOP, HALF-STOP, and GO punctuation. Use the Vertical Line Test and identify the ideas as complete or incomplete. Draw the vertical line between the words immigrants and the. The first part of the sentence, There is no question that the United States is a country of immigrants, is a complete idea. The second part, the original countries of those immigrants varies so much that it can be tough to know who has contributed what, is a complete idea. To connect two complete ideas, STOP or HALF-STOP punctuation is needed. Eliminate (A) and (C) because both commas and no punctuation are GO punctuation. Keep (B) because a comma + FANBOYS (and) is STOP punctuation. Eliminate (D) because STOP punctuation requires either a period by itself or a comma + FANBOYS, not a period + FANBOYS. The correct answer is (B).