Current format
Part B tests editing one item at a time.
Each question presents a sentence, a list of sentences, or a short paragraph. The task may ask students to correct an error, identify a sentence containing an error, combine sentences, or improve part of a sentence.
Stand-alone ELA items must be answered before moving forward. Once the student advances, the question cannot be revisited.
Source: NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions, pages 6 and 15.
SHSAT Buddy's adaptive full-length tests use current-format navigation, including answering each stand-alone item before moving forward. Fixed-form tests remain available for additional full-length practice. Compare the two practice formats.
Skills to review
SHSAT stand-alone editing rewards meaning and sentence clarity.
Sentence construction
Recognize fragments, run-ons, misplaced phrases, and unclear relationships between ideas.
Verb control
Check subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and shifts that conflict with the timeline.
Pronouns and modifiers
Make sure references are clear and descriptive phrases are placed beside the words they modify.
Punctuation
Use commas, semicolons, colons, and apostrophes according to the structure of the sentence.
Parallel structure
Keep items in a list or comparison in the same grammatical form.
Clarity and precision
Prefer revisions that express the intended idea directly without adding ambiguity or repetition.
A repeatable process
Read for meaning before hunting for a rule.
- 01
Identify the task
Determine whether the question asks for an error, a correction, a combination, or a clearer revision.
- 02
Read the complete selection
Understand what the sentence or paragraph is trying to say before focusing on one underlined part.
- 03
Name the issue
Look for a specific problem such as tense, agreement, construction, punctuation, or unclear reference.
- 04
Test the full revision
Insert the choice and reread the complete sentence. A local fix must still work in context.
Common traps
A different sentence is not always a better sentence.
- A shorter option that removes a necessary idea
- A grammatically correct option that changes the intended meaning
- A punctuation change that does not fix the underlying sentence structure
- A verb that agrees with a nearby noun instead of the true subject
- A pronoun that could refer to more than one person or thing
- An option that sounds formal but adds repetition or vague language
Ask two questions: Is the revision grammatically correct? Does it preserve the intended meaning?
Original practice example
Apply the process.
Neither the coach nor the runners was prepared for the sudden change in the course.
Choose the best correction.
With neither/nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. “Runners” is plural, so “were prepared” is correct.