SAT改革后将标点符号列入了文法部分的考点。标点符号的用法广泛而灵活，即使是以英语为母语的美国学生，也会经常出现标点符号使用不规范，产生歧义的情况。这也正是 College Board 增加这一考点的目的所在。SAT改革后将标点符号列入了文法部分的考点。标点符号的用法广泛而灵活，即使是以英语为母语的美国学生，也会经常出现标点符号使用不规范，产生歧义的情况。这也正是 College Board 增加这一考点的目的所在。
那么在新SAT 文法考试中都会考查哪些标点符号?如何考查?这些标点符号又与其他考点有何联系呢?
下面我们看一下部分标点符号是如何考查的。
逗号
逗号的定义
Comma：a punctuation mark, that is especially used as a mark of separation within a sentence.
从定义中不难看出，逗号的主要作用是分割，通过聚集或者分割单词、词组和从句，帮我们准确地理解句子意思。
逗号的用法
英文中逗号的用法主要有以下几种：
(1) Use comma to separate items in a list.使用逗号分割并列列举的项
e.g. In order to survive in the wildness, she needs water, food, and other essential items.
(2)Use comma to separate introductory phases from the sentences they introduce.使用逗号分割整句前的词组(“SVO，悬挂结构”或者“悬挂结构，SVO”)
e.g. Travelling in Beijing，I have to take my bag pack.
(3)Use comma after connecting words and phases to show a clear relationship between two clauses or sentences.使用逗号分割主句和从句
e.g. Even though it appears a great idea, I still have to think it over.
(4)Use comma to separate and distinguish additional or incidental information inserted into a sentence.使用逗号分割插入语和主句成分。
e.g. The Great Wall, one of the greatest places of interest in China, attracts millions of tourists every year.
涉及逗号的考试样题分析
OG1 P2 Dark snow
But Jason 15 Box, an associate professor of geology at Ohio State believes that another factor added to the early thaw：the “dark snow” problem.
A)NO CHANGE
B)Box an associate professor of geology at Ohio State,
C)Box, an associate professor of geology at Ohio State,
D)Box, an associate professor of geology, at Ohio State
解析：根据上述用法4)，逗号用来分隔插入语和主句的其他成分，因此在“an associate professor of geology at Ohio State”前后都要加逗号隔开，因此正确选项只能为C。D选项中逗号若加在 ”at Ohio State”之前，则主句意思变为“Box在俄亥俄州相信…….”语意发生改变，句子不对。
这里关于逗号的用法可以更为直接的记为“插入语前后要由逗号(或者前后都为破折号)隔开”，只有插入语前面有逗号或者插入语后面有逗号都是不对的表达。
Tips：1) 主谓语之间或者谓语和宾语之间不能加逗号隔开。2) such as 前逗号可加可不加，但是such as 后一定不能加逗号。3) 逗号不能连接两个完整的句子。4) “, and”=“;”。
冒号
冒号的定义
colon：a punctuation mark; used chiefly to direct attention to matter (as a list, explanation, quotation, or amplification) that follows.引出下文的解释说明或者要引用的内容。
冒号用法
冒号后面既可以是完整句，也可以是不完整的。
(1)What follows a colon may be a clause. (冒号后的内容通常对前面的句子起解释说明作用)
e.g. He is a great athlete: he plays soccer, baseball and basketball.
(2)or a group of words that cannot stand by themselves.
e.g. He plays many sports: soccer, baseball and basketball.
注意：冒号后的从句的常见功能是：进一步解释说明主句。
涉及冒号的考试样题分析
The summer of 2012 was the warmest in 170 years, records show. But Jason [15] Box, an associate professor of geology at Ohio State believes that another factor added to the early [16] thaw; the “dark snow”
[16]
A) NO CHANGE
B) thaw; and it was
C) thaw:
D) thaw: being
答案：C
解析:because the colon signals that the other factor that contributed to the early thaw is about to be provided.
因为thaw“消融”后面的the “dark snow”是对前面another factor“另一种因素的”的解释说明，这种“dark snow”就是另一种因素。符合冒号最常见的用法一解释说明。此用法为最常见考点。
大家要注意的是：有些标点符号题目并不一定只考查单一的知识点，有可能涉及标点符号部分的多个知识点，也有可能结合文法部分的其他考点，比如句子结构、名词所有格、主谓一致等，故考生需要夯实自己的基础知识，提高综合运用知识的能力。
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