The approach to this issue can be divided into two ways, with one of them being more important for the SAT. The College Board has given the grammatical idea the title of "subordination" and "coordination", but focusing too much on the nuances between the two can detract from the test's purpose. The goal of the SAT is to determine whether the test-taker can differentiate between transitions between clauses that suggest contrast, similarity or cause and effect.
Contrast
Contrast words to look out for include "however", "even though", "although", "nonetheless", "notwithstanding", and "despite".
Similarity
Words to look for in similarity include "moreover", "additionally", and "furthermore".
“Cause and effect words”: therefore, thus, because, so, since
(i) The SAT has historically been the test the majority of high school students take to enter college; additionally, with more students opting to take the SAT, the SAT has been forced to alter its content.
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) however
(c) therefore
(d) furthermore
Correct Answer is Option (b)
A contrast exists between what has historically been the case (“The SAT has been the most popular exam for college-bound students”) and what is now the case (“The ACT is becoming increasingly popular”). This points to the contrast word, B) however.
(ii) The mean temperature of oceans has been rising significantly for the last 10 years; however, many organisms have been forced to move from their traditional habitats or to simply perish.
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) moreover
(c) therefore
(d) nonetheless
Correct Answer is Option (c)
There is cause and effect here: ocean temperatures increasing (cause) and organisms moving from their traditional habitat (effect). So C) therefore is the answer.
A quick note on subordination: There is an additional key concept that may be tested. A subordinate clause is a dependent clause, meaning it cannot function as a complete sentence on its own and relies on an independent clause to form a complete thought.
The SAT may present a question like this to test your understanding of subordination:
"Although El Niño is typically associated with a sharp spike in annual rainfall on the West Coast, though there are other meteorological factors that can offset this effect."
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) West Coast. Though there
(c) West Coast, there are
(d) West Coast. There
The issue with the sentence is that there are two dependent clauses in a row. The phrase that follows "although" also begins with "though," which creates a redundancy. Phrases that begin with "although," "though," "despite," "because," and so on are dependent clauses that require an independent clause to complete the sentence. Thus, eliminating the word "though" in the second clause creates a complete sentence ("There are other meteorological factors that can offset..."). Answer C) addresses this problem without fragmenting the first part of the sentence.
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