What It Targets

• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Comma Questions
• Dash Questions
• Parentheses Questions
• Long, Confusing SAT Sentences

The Core Idea

The SAT loves to hide the important parts of a sentence inside a mountain of extra information. Students often get overwhelmed because they try to read every word. You don't have to. Instead: Cross out the fat.

Find the extra information, cover it up, and read only the core sentence.

If the core sentence works, you're usually on the right track.

The Rule

Anything trapped between:

• two commas
• two dashes
• two parentheses

is often extra information.

Example:

The scientist, who spent twenty years studying coral reefs, published her findings.

Cross out the extra information:

The scientist, who spent twenty years studying coral reefs, published her findings.

The scientist published her findings.

The sentence still works perfectly.

That's a clue that the commas are correctly separating nonessential information.

The "Fat Test"

Ask: If I remove this chunk, does the sentence still make sense?

If YES: The information is probably extra information.

If NO: The information is probably essential and cannot be removed.

How Do I Know This Is a "Drop the Fat" Question?

Look for these clues:

Clue #1: Giant Chunk Between Commas

Example:

The museum's newest exhibit, which features artifacts recovered from ancient shipwrecks, __________ opening next month.

Whenever you see a giant chunk trapped between commas, immediately try crossing it out.

Clue #2: Dashes or Parentheses

Example:

The telescope—which was launched in 2021—continues to send images.

Example:

The telescope (which was launched in 2021) continues to send images.

Same idea.

Everything in the middle is usually removable.

Clue #3: The Subject and Verb Feel Far Apart

The SAT loves to separate them.

Example:

The collection of rare manuscripts, discovered in a monastery library centuries ago, __________ valuable.

The real subject is:

collection

Everything else is noise.

Clue #4: The Sentence Feels Weirdly Long

If a grammar question feels much longer than necessary, the SAT is often hiding something in the middle.

Your first instinct should be: Drop the fat.

Guided Practice

Question 1

The primary structural component of the ancient Roman aqueducts, which utilized a unique volcanic ash mixture known as pozzolana to survive centuries of seismic activity, __________ remarkably intact to this day.

(A) stand

(B) stands

(C) standing

(D) are standing

Correct Answer: (B)

The Trick

The SAT stuffed a massive, context-heavy modifier between the subject and the verb.

Put your fingers over the words between the commas:

which utilized a unique volcanic ash mixture known as pozzolana to survive centuries of seismic activity

The Core Sentence

Now read what is left:

The primary structural component of the ancient Roman aqueducts __________ remarkably intact to this day.

Match It

What is the subject?

component

Component = singular (1)

So we need a singular verb.

Check the choices:

• They stand ❌ (plural)
• He/It stands ✅ (singular)
• standing ❌
• are standing ❌ (plural)

Why It Works

The SAT wanted you to focus on:

• aqueducts
• volcanic ash
• pozzolana
• seismic activity

None of those matter.

The only thing that matters is:

component stands

Drill

Cross out the extra information before solving.

1

The world's largest collection of preserved dinosaur footprints, which was discovered in northwestern Australia in 2008, __________ thousands of individual tracks.

(A) contain

(B) contains

(C) containing

(D) are containing

2

The research vessel, equipped with advanced sonar technology capable of mapping ocean trenches in remarkable detail, __________ collecting data in the Pacific Ocean.

(A) continue

(B) continues

(C) continuing

(D) are continuing

3

The primary source of renewable energy in the region, along with several newer solar installations, __________ enough electricity to power nearly 50,000 homes.

(A) generate

(B) generating

(C) generates

(D) are generating

4

The ancient manuscript, discovered beneath the ruins of a medieval monastery and preserved in unusually dry conditions, __________ historians with valuable information.

(A) provide

(B) provides

(C) providing

(D) are providing

5

The collection of rare minerals, displayed in a newly renovated wing of the museum, __________ visitors from around the world.

(A) attract

(B) attracts

(C) attracting

(D) are attracting

6

The lead engineer, despite years of criticism from industry experts and competitors, __________ committed to the original design.

(A) remain

(B) remains

(C) remaining

(D) are remaining

7

The oldest known example of this species, which scientists estimate lived more than 200 million years ago, __________ remarkable evidence of early adaptation.

(A) show

(B) shows

(C) showing

(D) are showing

8

The central theme of the novel, despite numerous subplots and supporting characters, __________ easy to identify.

(A) remain

(B) remains

(C) remaining

(D) are remaining

Answer Key

1

(B)

Core sentence:

Collection contains thousands of tracks.

2

(B)

Core sentence:

Vessel continues collecting data.

3

(C)

Core sentence:

Source generates enough electricity.

4

(B)

Core sentence:

Manuscript provides historians with information.

5

(B)

Core sentence:

Collection attracts visitors.

6

(B)

Core sentence:

Engineer remains committed.

7

(B)

Core sentence:

Example shows evidence.

8

(B)

Core sentence:

Theme remains easy to identify.

Challenge Application

Use the Drop the Fat trick before looking at the answer choices.

Cross out anything between commas, dashes, or parentheses and identify the core sentence.

1

For decades, historians believed that trade between the Roman Empire and regions farther east occurred only through a series of intermediaries. However, merchant records recovered from several Red Sea trading ports, including a cache discovered in 2022 near the remains of an ancient harbor, __________ direct commercial exchanges that were previously undocumented.

(A) suggests

(B) have suggested

(C) suggesting

(D) suggest

2

Researchers studying urban heat islands have observed that tree cover often influences local temperatures more than previously believed. The concentration of mature trees in several densely populated neighborhoods, rather than the number of public parks alone, __________ to be the strongest predictor of summer cooling effects.

(A) appear

(B) appearing

(C) appears

(D) have appeared

3

Although early prototypes of the device performed inconsistently under laboratory conditions, later versions proved considerably more reliable. Modifications to the sensor array, along with changes to the power distribution system and calibration procedures developed during field testing, __________ the instrument's accuracy by nearly 30 percent.

(A) improves

(B) improving

(C) has improved

(D) have improved

4

Recent studies of coral reef ecosystems have focused on the role of microscopic algae that live within coral tissues. The long-term survival of many reef-building species, despite rising ocean temperatures and increasing acidity levels in surrounding waters, __________ on maintaining this symbiotic relationship.

(A) depends

(B) depending

(C) depend

(D) have depended

5

In a survey of medieval manuscripts, scholars identified dozens of texts whose authors remain unknown. One particularly unusual volume, together with several accompanying illustrations believed to have been produced by the same workshop, __________ evidence of techniques rarely seen in surviving documents from the period.

(A) provide

(B) provides

(C) have provided

(D) providing

Answer Key

1

(D) suggest

Drop the fat:

Merchant records __________ direct commercial exchanges.

Subject = records

Plural subject → suggest

2

(C) appears

Drop the fat:

The concentration of mature trees __________ to be the strongest predictor.

Subject = concentration

Singular subject → appears

3

(D) have improved

Drop the fat:

Modifications __________ the instrument's accuracy by nearly 30 percent.

Subject = modifications

Plural subject → have improved

4

(A) depends

Drop the fat:

The long-term survival __________ on maintaining this symbiotic relationship.

Subject = survival

Singular subject → depends

5

(B) provides

Drop the fat:

One particularly unusual volume __________ evidence of techniques rarely seen in surviving documents.

"Together with several accompanying illustrations..." is extra information.

Subject = volume

Singular subject → provides