3. Language & the Extended Response

The Language & Editing questions test the rules of standard written English:

• Complete sentences -- a sentence needs a subject, a verb, and a complete thought (watch for fragments and run-ons).
• Subject-verb agreement -- match the verb to the real subject (singular or plural).
• Verb tense -- keep tenses consistent within a passage.
• Punctuation -- commas in a series, apostrophes for contractions and possession.
• Commonly confused words -- its/it's, their/there/they're, your/you're, to/too/two.

For the Extended Response, remember the single most important rule: you are graded on which argument is better supported by evidence, not on which side you personally agree with. Plan briefly, state your claim, support it with details from the passages, and organize it into clear paragraphs.