自2016年3月起，新SAT考试将正式推出。在新SAT考试中，语法部分作为“写作与语言测试”，归入阅读。改革后的语法在形式和内容上都发生了很多变化，注重词汇在具体语境中的含义，要求考生掌握例证，另外还增加了图表题。
在考试描述中，我们看到这样一段话：The questions associated with the passages place students in the role of someone revising and editing the work of an unspecified writer. Students are, by turns, asked to improve the development, organization, and use of language in the passages and to ensure that the passages conform to conventions of standard written English grammar, usage, and punctuation. 相比现行SAT重点考查语法和用法，新SAT语法考试将增加对标点符号的考查。首先我们来看一下考纲中的具体描述：
Conventions of Punctuation
These
questions focus on editing text to ensure conformity to the conventions of
standard written English punctuation.
End-of-sentence
punctuation
The
student will recognize and correct inappropriate uses of ending punctuation
in cases in which the context makes the intent clear.
Within-sentence
punctuation
The
student will correctly use and recognize and correct inappropriate uses of
colons, semicolons, and dashes to indicate sharp breaks in thought within
sentences.
Possessive
nouns and pronouns
The
student will recognize and correct inappropriate uses of possessive nouns and
pronouns as well as differentiate between possessive and plural forms.
Items
in a series
The
student will correctly use and recognize and correct inappropriate uses of
punctuation (commas and sometimes semicolons) to separate items in a series.
Nonrestrictive
and parenthetical elements
The
student will correctly use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set
off nonrestrictive and parenthetical sentence elements as well as recognize
and correct cases in which restrictive or essential sentence elements are
inappropriately set off with punctuation.
Unnecessary
punctuation
The
student will recognize and correct cases in which unnecessary punctuation
appears in a sentence.
现行SAT中重点考查的标点符号主要是分号，而新SAT对标点符号用法的考查将更加全面。考纲中涉及到的标点符号主要有句号、冒号、分号、破折号、撇号、逗号等，下面我们通过样题来了解一下具体的考点。
以样题中的Q5为例，The transportation [Q5] planner’s job, might involve conducting a traffic count to determine the daily number of vehicles traveling on the road to the new factory.
Question 5.
A. NO CHANGE (planner’s job,)
B. planner’s job
C. planners job,
D. planners job
这道题目体现了考纲中的两个点，一个是区分所有格与名词的复数形式，planner和job之间是所属关系，使用’s表示所有格;另外一个是不使用标点的情况，即句子主语和谓语动词之间不应该用逗号隔开，因此本题选B。
改革后的SAT紧密贴合美国国家核心课程标准(Common Core State Standards)，例如样题中的Q14，The name Kingman was selected for its two [Q14] parts, “king” and “man”; Cantonese for “scenery” and “composition.”
Question 14.
A. NO CHANGE (parts, “king” and “man”;)
B. parts: “king” and “man,”
C. parts “king” and “man”;
D. parts; “king” and “man”
我们在CCSS中可以找到关于这个知识点的明确要求，即9-10年级学生语言标准当中的第2条的b. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.本题考查的就是冒号用于列举和解释说明。因此答案选B。
标点符号的用法广泛而灵活，要想掌握好这一考点，建议考生学习标准书面英文的规范，在自己进行写作的同时关注标点符号的用法。特别要注意的一点就是汉语和英语中标点符号用法的区别。比如，在汉语句子内部，主语和谓语之间、谓语和宾语之间，如需停顿，可以使用逗号隔开;而在英语当中，逗号的使用以及不使用都有具体的规范，不可随意使用，这一点希望大家能够仔细区别。
3月16日至21日，来自全国各地的新东方老师参加了新SAT及CCSS课程标准研讨会，由此产生了第一批被认证的新SAT老师。应对新SAT，新东方老师可以为你提供更好的解决方案!
(编辑：Joe)
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