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Periods, Semicolons, Commas, and FANBOYS

SAT Reading & WritingStandard English ConventionsFoundation

Choose boundaries according to clause structure, not pauses in speech.

What you need to know

  • A period and semicolon perform the same structural job between two independent clauses.
  • A comma plus for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so can join independent clauses.
  • A comma alone cannot join two complete sentences.
  • A comma can join an introductory dependent clause to a following independent clause.

The AYLOTI method

  1. Classify the left side.
  2. Classify the right side.
  3. Use period/semicolon/comma + FANBOYS for independent + independent.
  4. Use a comma for dependent + independent when the dependent clause comes first.

AYLOTI • Sir Hunain Zia • SAT Score 1594/1600 • 154 Total A Grades (Personal), 11 World Records, 7 Distinctions

Worked example

The glacier retreated rapidly ___ researchers expanded their monitoring program. Which boundaries work?

  1. Both sides are independent clauses.
  2. A period or semicolon works.
  3. A comma works only if followed by a coordinating conjunction.

Answer: “The glacier retreated rapidly; researchers expanded their monitoring program.”

Common SAT traps

  • Comma splice.
  • Semicolon before a fragment.
  • Adding a comma before “and” when it joins only two nouns or verbs.
Quick check

Can a semicolon join a complete sentence to “because temperatures rose”?

No. The second part is dependent.

Before you move on

  • Explain the core rule without looking back.
  • Redo the worked example using your own steps.
  • Write the trap you are most likely to fall for.
Hunain Zia

Hunain Zia has previously achieved considerable success in the high-school educational stream, gaining a massive 154 Total A Grades and 7 Major Distinctions, a process in which he broke/ set 11 different world records, including the most A grades ever achieved, most subjects ever appeared in, most distinctions, gaining distinctions across two separate boards (Pearson Edexcel and CAIE) within the same year/ ever, and even 19 hours of constant examination. All records stand intact today. Hunain pursued his Honors Accounting Degree from the prestigious Bentley University, and then completed an LLB (in Honors) from University of London. Currently, he manages multiple social and commercial projects, has founded digital streams and works tirelessly in the education sector.

Educate A Change focuses on truly bringing change in the educational sector worldwide. All our courses are designed to ensure success, and provide complete preparation without requiring any other external material. Therefore, it takes away the expense of academies, books, past paper compilations and other miscellaneous items. Instead, by just the courses we offer, the student can prepare fully for the best grades in their CAIEs, Edexcel and other high-school exams. The earnings from our course-sales are invested in social projects and growing the free educational activities of Educate A Change.