March 2025 Digital SAT Prep: 20 Hardest Grammar Questions Solved

20 Hardest Grammar Questions on the Digital SAT: Can You Solve Them?
Are you preparing for the Digital SAT? Grammar can be one of the trickiest sections on the exam, but we’ve got you covered! In this video, we break down 20 of the hardest grammar questions ever to appear on the Digital SAT. Perfect for students aiming for a high score on the Reading and Writing section, this video provides:
Detailed explanations for each question.
Proven strategies to tackle SAT grammar rules like punctuation, subject-verb agreement, and modifiers.
Tips to avoid common mistakes and boost your SAT Reading & Writing score
Whether you're a beginner or looking to push your score into the top percentile, this video will help you master the toughest grammar challenges. Great for SAT prep, college admissions, and anyone who loves solving tricky grammar puzzles!
⭐ Don’t forget to subscribe for more SAT tips, practice questions, and test strategies to help you ace the Digital SAT.
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About Me:
My name is Nathan Greenberg. I'm a graduate of Brown University and Phillips Academy Andover, with 15 years of experience in test prep and college admissions. I've helped thousands of high school students improve their GPAs, earn high marks on standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT, and AP, and get accepted at the most prestigious and competitive universities in the world including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, U Penn, Dartmouth, Stanford, MIT, and more. I founded Ivy League Mentors to make my knowledge and experience with students looking to make the most of their education, wherever they may be located.
If you are interested in private tutoring via Zoom, please reach out to me directly via my website.

[@ManoochehrQanbari]

I can not express my appreciation with word for your excellency in teaching grammar ✌️

[@ivyleaguementors]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you've found these videos helpful!

[@Denizzx07]

Great video! You explain each rule so well. Thank you Sir, this is by far the most effective video I’ve seen regarding the SAT.

[@ivyleaguementors]

Thanks, glad it helped!

[@michelleou9814]

Thank you so much for this video! I got 17/20 but there's a lot more for me to work on.

[@ivyleaguementors]

That's awesome! Good luck with the rest of your prep.

[@matthewcastillo2588]

This taught me so much! I missed three of the first five, but was able to pick up on the patterns and get the rest correct.

[@ParthThapaChhetri]

Hey man, I managed to get all of them correct and I'm super happy. Thank you for this amazing video!

[@ivyleaguementors]

Nice job!

[@dopps7286]

thank you so much for teaching us 🥹 you explain so calm and patiently

[@ivyleaguementors]

you're welcome!

[@ahmadqaisghafoory3870]

I did 17 of them right . I hop I get a 1500 on tomorrow

[@ivyleaguementors]

Good luck!

[@ABUmaybeinfuture]

result?

[@Zaraalainaxo]

Thankyou for this video. It is really helpful

[@ivyleaguementors]

You're welcome 😊

[@AbdulRehmanShahid-b1c]

Hurrah I got 20/20 But I am struggling with the cross text connections

[@ivyleaguementors]

Nice. I'm planning to make a video on Cross Text Connection Questions. I don't think it will be done in time for December, but certainly by March, so be sure to hit that alarm

[@Zaraalainaxo]

Pleasee try to make one for December.

[@anakachisom864]

Thank you. This is fun and has comprehensive explanation

[@ivyleaguementors]

you're welcome!

[@aashnaadhikari7106]

YOU ARE A GENIUS. Thank you so much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ivyleaguementors]

haha thanks

[@ALK2007]

For q1, how do we know what amplifying is the subject..? this is sum i've been struggling with sm

[@ivyleaguementors]

A lot of students struggle with identifying the subject. One tip is that if something comes after a preposition it's not the subject. So we can easily rule out "black soldiers" as the subject because it comes after the preposition "of." And "the voices and experiences" can't be the subject because it's the object of "amplifying." How do we know this? Well, you can't just amplify. You need to amplify something. And in this case, that something is "the voices and experiences." You could also think about the sentence more holistically. What does this activist really care about? "AMPLIFYING the voices and experiences of black soldiers." If you're still struggling with this topic, I wrote a whole chapter on it in my textbook: www.patreon.com/IvyLeagueMentors/shop/dsat-reading-writing-ultimate-guide-pdf-328821

[@ALK2007]

this is really helpful, thank u

[@CCshorts-oz8hm]

Got 16 answers correct

[@ivyleaguementors]

Not bad considering these are some of the hardest questions out there. Just study the ones you got wrong carefully, and hopefully you'll do even better on the real test

[@angelinatayar7873]

hello thank u for the video very helpful

[@ivyleaguementors]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ruptured_lard9524]

Can you annotate the questions as you are going through them?

[@EnzoValette-p3q]

Hey, could you please provide more information on why answer D in the correct answer for question #10? Also, do you have additional ressources explaining the uses of dashes? Thank you by advace.

[@ivyleaguementors]

Dashes are used to set aside non-essential information. If that information comes in the middle of a sentence, you'll want a dash both before and after. In this case, the non-essential information is the list of countries: New Granada (present-day Colombia and Panama), Venezuela, and Quito (present-day Ecuador). Because there is a dash before it, there needs to be a dash after. There's more info on dashes in my textbook, but that basic rule will probably be enough.

[@EnzoValette-p3q]

@ thank you, love your content by the way

[@Andrew-Tsegaye]

I got them all

[@ivyleaguementors]

Doesn't get any better than that!

[@Andrew-Tsegaye]

@ivyleaguementors sorry??

[@angelinatayar7873]

may u please post for the december sat about reading and writimg hardest questions

[@ivyleaguementors]

I don't think I will have time to make another video by December, but I did recently release a video on the hardest reading questions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5m6moCNppiJnqc

[@Sedia-z4c]

19 correct

[@ivyleaguementors]

solid!

[@areejsabeeh5264]

Q 18 -) isnt the second sentence a complete independent clause ?

[@ivyleaguementors]

The part after the and ("what... ocean.") is not a complete sentence. If you want to get technical, it's a noun clause. That means a clause that functions as a noun in the structure of the overall sentence. Think about the main sentence as this: "the team was able to determine THING A and THING B." THING A is "how current-driven mixing varies across regions" and THING B is "what impact it has on the distribution of heat and nutrients in the ocean." Both THING A and THING B are noun clauses. Although a noun clause has a subject and a verb, it can't function on its own.

[@munkhochirm7197]

20/20

[@ivyleaguementors]

doesn't get any better than that

[@areejsabeeh5264]

Q7-> wouldn’t placing rabinal achi after king mean that he’s being referred to as a king

[@ivyleaguementors]

Not as it's written in Answer B. If the writer meant to suggest that Rabinal Achí were the name of the king, it would need to be followed by a comma: "Based on events that occurred when Rabinal was a city-state ruled by a king, Rabinal Achí, ..." However, without the comma following it, Rabinal Achí becomes the subject of the main clause of the sentence rather than a nonessential modifier of the noun "king."

[@elcinseydayev4904]

Hi. Can you explain why question 4 is not B? And question 16- Why aluminum oxide is essential?

[@ivyleaguementors]

The part "among them Nigerian American essayist and novelist Teju Cole" is a nonrestrictive phrase. In other words, it provides additional information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. In general, this kind of phrase needs to be set aside with a comma. Does that answer your question?

[@elcinseydayev4904]

@@ivyleaguementors Absolutely. Thank you very much. But i still do not understand question 16. Why aluminum oxide is essential?

[@ivyleaguementors]

You could just remember that on the SAT, the name is almost always considered essential. Usually, it's the name of a person, but the same principle applies when its the name of a chemical. However, if you really want to understand why, it might help to consider the sentence without the name aluminum oxide: "Engineer Erkka Frankberg of Tampere University in Finland used the chemical to make a glassy solid that can withstand higher strain than silicate glass can before fracturing." This sentence may be grammatically complete, but it doesn't make sense. That's because it is clearly talking about a specific chemical, but it doesn't mention which chemical, so the reader would be unable to understand it without the name.

[@Whthek]

@@ivyleaguementors now if we remove the nonessential part and read it becomes: "writers ( removed nonessential because between 2 commas )who has . is grammaticaly wrong . please clear my doubt

[@angelinatayar7873]

i got 17 right

[@aanyashah9038]

why is 5 not B isnt it past tense

[@ivyleaguementors]

Well, there is no past tense option that matches the plural subject. If there were a past tense plural option (weren't), that could be acceptable. Note that past tense would imply that the person is dead, whereas present tense would imply that she is alive, but since you are not expected to know whether she is dead or alive, either could be ok as long as it matches the subject in terms of number.

[@sohailzulfiqar-y9q]

Question 4: wouldn’t option D create comma splice.

[@ivyleaguementors]

A comma splice is when a comma is used to connect two complete sentences. In this case, the part after the comma is not a complete sentence, so it's not a comma splice.

[@Ishow724]

Prepos Questions

[@iskander888]

7dec tips please sir

[@Zaraalainaxo]

Yes

[@ivyleaguementors]

I can almost guarantee you that you will see a question like #3 in this video. The topic has come up on every test this year, so make sure you understand. I'd also recommending checking out this video of 5 common grammar concepts, because you will probably see all of them on the test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmmVk6OpnbdnqKs

[@alihammad4508]

Question #4. Why it can't be A?

[@ivyleaguementors]

The part after the period ("Among. . . simplicity") would not be a compete sentence. This would result in a fragment, which is not acceptable according to the conventions of standard English.

[@FieldDandelionProject]

Can you explain more in depth why for number 7 the answer is not B?

[@ivyleaguementors]

Sure! When a sentence begins with a phrase followed by a comma and a blank, whatever the phrase describes must go right after the comma. In this case the phrase is "Based on events that occurred when Rabinal was a city-state ruled by a king." Therefore, the question we must ask ourselves is who or what in this sentence could be based on events? Answer B puts K’iche’ Achí, a military leader, first. But a military leader (in other words, a person) can't be based on events. Therefore, this answer doesn't make sense and can be eliminated. Answer A puts Rabinal Achí first. According to the first part of the text, Rabinal Achí is a drama. And a drama CAN be based on events. (Just like a book or movie can be based on events). Therefore, this answer does make sense.

[@AnishaLama-q4k]

Question number 17..why not B sir??

[@ivyleaguementors]

Whatever goes at the beginning of the correct answer choice must be whatever the phrase "Compared to that of alumina glass" describes. We might not know what "that" refers to, but it must be some feature or aspect of alumina glass. So what can logically be compared to some feature or aspect of alumina glass? Answer B puts "silica glass" first. Silica glass can be compared to alumina glass, but it can't be compared to a feature or aspect of alumina glass. However, Answer D puts "silica glass’s atomic arrangement." Now, we are comparing the atomic arrangement of silica glass to the atomic arrangement of alumina glass. (Note: if the sentence began "Compared to alumina glass" instead of "Compared to that of alumina glass," B could be the correct answer)

[@dagaffe]

Sir, I want your help with my college essay, please provide me a way of getting connected with you. :)

[@ivyleaguementors]

You can reach me through the contact form on my website: ivyleaguementorsprep.com/contact/

[@jabbariacomputer]

in 18 why not A ?

[@ivyleaguementors]

The conjunction "and" only needs a comma before it when it is introducing the final item in a list of 3 or more OR when the part after it is a complete sentence. In this sentence, there is no list, and the part after the and ("what impact it has on the distribution of heat and nutrients in the ocean") is not a complete sentence.

[@oyeitsmilangaming7386]

Hello Sir! I have a 1480 Super-score and a 3.82 GPA out of 4 in grade 12.But I don't have good ECAs. Can I get admission to your IVY? I am from Nepal by the way. I am always thankful for your tutoring. You helped me a lot in SAT preparation.

[@4vc233]

u need to write write good essay and need to have good ecs and honours too. being a international student grades alone wont help u get admission in ivy and top uni.

[@ivyleaguementors]

With that profile, I think it would be difficult to achieve your goal, but it may still be possible. I would need to know more about your situation. We offer a lot of customized support for college applications and many of our students have earned admission to the Ivy League or other T20 schools. Our rates are not cheap, but competitive by industry standards. If you're interested, feel free to reach out through the contact page on our website: ivyleaguementorsprep.com/contact/

[@RahulPremanand]

For question 14, you said B was wrong, but I think you meant to say D was wrong.

[@ivyleaguementors]

Did I? Maybe my D sounded like a B, or maybe I misspoke. Anyway, you're right. The correct answer is B, and it's D that can be eliminated.

[@princeideba7762]

I got 19/20.

[@ivyleaguementors]

solid

[@AmitShikder-yj6jl]

question 2 answer would be C.......... Option A: "Many critics have focused on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources but..." Strengths: This choice introduces "many critics" as the subject, which fits the sentence grammatically. Weaknesses: It ends abruptly without completing the contrast ("but..."). To conform to the conventions of Standard English, a clause must follow "but" to explain what these critics have missed. Since this completion is missing, Option A is incomplete. Explanation of Option C: "There are many critics who have focused on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources, but they have missed his equally deep engagement with Japanese artistic traditions such as Noh theater." Why Option C Works: Subject Match: The participial phrase "In assessing..." implies that the subject of the main clause should be the ones performing the action (critics). Option C correctly introduces "many critics" as the subject, aligning with the action of assessing Kurosawa’s films. Clarity and Completeness: It explicitly states that "many critics" are focusing on one aspect of Kurosawa’s work (his use of Western literary sources). The second part, "but they have missed...", completes the contrast by showing what these critics overlooked (his engagement with Japanese artistic traditions). Standard English and Logical Flow: It uses clear, standard grammar to connect the two ideas with the appropriate conjunction ("but"), making the sentence logical and fluid. The subject ("many critics") remains consistent throughout, avoiding unnecessary shifts. How Option C Describes the Context: It identifies critics as the ones responsible for the act of assessment. It explains what critics have focused on and contrasts this with what they have overlooked, making it the most logical and complete choice.

[@ivyleaguementors]

The answer is A. The phrase "In assessing the films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa," must logically modify "many critics." It cannot logically modify "there," which means that C can be eliminated. When you see this kind of pattern on the SAT, all you need to think about is who or what the introductory phrase describes and put that first.