1. Concision is Key

Remember, shorter is better. The EST rewards clear, concise writing. If you can convey the same meaning with fewer words, that's usually the correct choice.

2. Avoid Incorrect Options

Sometimes, the easiest way to find the right answer is by eliminating options that are clearly wrong. Trust your ear and your knowledge of grammar rules.

3. Punctuation Matters

Pay attention to how sentences are connected. The pattern Period Semicolon Comma + and/but is a common structure you'll encounter in the EST.

4. Non-Essential Clauses

Information between two commas or dashes is often a non-essential clause. If you can remove it without changing the sentence's core meaning, it's probably correct.

5. Common Confusions

Don't mix up:

• Its (possessive) vs. It's (it is)
• Their (possessive) vs. They're (they are) vs. There (place)

6. Mastering Colons

Use a colon to introduce a list or explanation. Remember, you need a complete sentence before the colon, but not necessarily after it.

7. Parallel Structure

In lists, all items should match grammatically. For example: noun, noun, noun or verb, verb, verb.

8. Comma Placement

Be cautious with commas. A comma before a preposition is often incorrect in EST writing questions.

9. Avoiding Comma Splices

Watch out for comma splices. A comma followed by it, this, he, she, they often indicates this error.

10. Than vs. Then

Than is for comparisons, while then indicates sequence.

11. Singular vs. Plural Verbs

Singular verbs often end in -s, while plural verbs typically don't. For example: "He reads" vs. "They read".

12. Demonstrative Pronouns

This, that, these, and those should be followed by a noun for clarity in EST writing.

13. Pronoun Consistency

Maintain consistency with pronouns: one = one; you = you; he or she = he or she; people = they.

14. Transition Words

For questions about transitions, try crossing out the transition word and determine the relationship between sentences before looking at answer choices.

15. Insert/Delete Questions

When deciding whether to insert or delete a sentence, reread surrounding sentences and state the topic in your own words. If the sentence is directly relevant, it belongs.