PERT grammar rules cheat sheet.

PERT Writing is multiple choice, with no essay: you revise drafts and edit sentences. This cheat sheet lists the 30 rules those questions depend on, each with a one-line example and a link to the free lesson that teaches it.

Test Ninjas Research · Updated November 5, 2026 · 7 min read

How to use this sheet

The editing rules on this sheet come down to three checks for PERT Writing: where a sentence ends, which noun a verb or pronoun belongs to, and whether matching ideas have matching forms. The revision rules ask whether a sentence belongs, what supports a claim and which transition fits. The tables below follow that split.

Read the example first and try to spot the error before reading the rule.
Say why the fix works in a few words, such as “the subject is box, so is.” If you can’t, open the lesson.
Drill with the [flashcards](#flashcards), then practice on full drafts in the grammar and editing guide and the revision guide.

On the test, read every answer choice back into the whole sentence. A choice can fix one error and create another.

Sentence boundaries and punctuation

Clauses, fragments and joining punctuation

Rule	How it works	Mini example	Lesson
Independent clause	A subject and a verb that make a complete thought; it can stand alone	“The bus arrived” is complete; “Because the bus arrived” is not	Punctuate the boundaries the sentence actually has
Fragment	A dependent clause or phrase punctuated as a sentence; attach it to a main clause	Not “Because the bus was late.” Write “We missed class because the bus was late.”	Punctuate the boundaries the sentence actually has
Comma splice and run-on	Two independent clauses need more than a comma, and more than nothing	Not “The bus arrived, we boarded.” Write “The bus arrived, and we boarded.”	Punctuate the boundaries the sentence actually has
Semicolon	Joins two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction	The bus arrived; we boarded.	Punctuate the boundaries the sentence actually has
However and therefore	Between two clauses, use a semicolon before the word and a comma after it	The bus was late; however, we arrived on time.	Punctuate the boundaries the sentence actually has
Colon	Follows a complete clause and introduces a list or explanation	Not “We need: pens and paper.” Write “We need two things: pens and paper.”	Grammar and editing guide
Introductory comma	Put a comma after an introductory dependent clause or a long opening phrase	After the meeting ended, we walked home.	Grammar and editing guide
Nonessential clause	Set off extra information with a pair of commas; leave essential information unpunctuated	My sister, who lives in Tampa, visited. Students who finish early may leave.	Grammar and editing guide

Agreement and pronouns

Subject-verb agreement and pronoun rules

Rule	How it works	Mini example	Lesson
Subject and verb	Find the subject; a noun inside a phrase between them does not control the verb	The box of books is heavy.	Find the subject before choosing the verb
Compound subject	Two subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb	Maria and her brother are on the team.	Find the subject before choosing the verb
Or and nor	The verb agrees with the nearer subject	Neither the coach nor the players were ready.	Find the subject before choosing the verb
Each, every and everyone	Each, every, everyone and nobody are singular	Each of the students has a locker.	Find the subject before choosing the verb
There is and there are	In inverted order, the subject comes after the verb	There are three reasons for the delay.	Find the subject before choosing the verb
Clear reference	A pronoun must point to one clear noun	Not “When Ana called Rosa, she was upset.” Write “Rosa was upset when Ana called.”	Use pronouns to preserve roles and clear reference
Pronoun case	Use I, he, she, we, they as subjects and me, him, her, us, them as objects	Maya and I left early. The coach thanked Maya and me.	Use pronouns to preserve roles and clear reference
Pronoun number	A pronoun matches its noun in number; a company or team is singular	The company changed its policy.	Use pronouns to preserve roles and clear reference
Apostrophes	Singular possessive ’s; plural possessive s’; its is possessive and it’s means it is	One student’s folder; two students’ folders; the dog wagged its tail	Grammar and editing guide

Verbs, modifiers and parallel structure

Tense, modifier and parallelism rules

Rule	How it works	Mini example	Lesson
Consistent tense	Keep one time frame unless the events really shift in time	Not “She opened the door and walks in.” Write “She opened the door and walked in.”	Build a timeline before editing verb forms
Past perfect	Use had plus a past participle for the earlier of two past events	By the time the bus arrived, we had packed.	Build a timeline before editing verb forms
Dangling modifier	An opening phrase describes the subject that comes right after the comma	Not “Walking to class, the rain started.” Write “Walking to class, I got caught in the rain.”	Attach descriptions to the people and things they mean
Misplaced modifier	Put a describing word or phrase next to what it describes	Not “She handed out tests to the class that were stapled.” Write “She handed out stapled tests to the class.”	Attach descriptions to the people and things they mean
Parallel lists	Items in a series share one grammatical form	The job requires planning, writing and revising.	Coordinate ideas in matching grammatical forms
Paired conjunctions	Not only…but also and either…or join matching forms	Not “She is not only smart but also works hard.” Write “She is not only smart but also hardworking.”	Coordinate ideas in matching grammatical forms

Revision: focus, support and style

Revision rules for drafts

Rule	How it works	Mini example	Lesson
Focus	Every sentence should serve the paragraph’s main point; cut ones that drift	In a paragraph on why a bus route matters, a sentence about the driver’s favorite song is off topic	Sustaining focus and shaping a thesis
Relevant support	Support must back the specific claim, not just the topic	A claim about lower costs needs cost figures, not a description of the paint color	Choosing support that answers the claim
Transitions	Choose the word that names the real relationship: contrast, result, example or time	It rained all morning; therefore, the game was postponed.	Sequencing actions and making relationships explicit
Tone and register	Match the audience; formal writing avoids slang and abrupt demands	Not “Hey, fix this ASAP.” Write “Please correct this by Friday.”	Tone, precision, and audience-sensitive wording
Concision	Cut words that repeat meaning without adding any	Not “at this point in time.” Write “now.”	Tone, precision, and audience-sensitive wording
Source attribution	Keep who found what, and don’t stretch a finding past its limits	Two local surveys suggest a pattern; they do not show a statewide result	Synthesizing sources and preserving attribution
Counterclaims	Acknowledge the opposing view, then answer it, without dropping your own claim	Although longer hours cost more, they let working students use the lab.	Acknowledging competing claims without losing the argument

Flashcards

Twelve core rules as flashcards. Before you flip each card, write a short sentence that breaks the rule and then fix it.

1 of 12 · Select the card to reveal the meaning and example.

Put the rules into practice

Rules stick when you use them on real drafts. Build a 10-question Writing set in the question bank and, for every miss, find the rule above that explains it. The twelve Writing lessons in the free PERT course teach each group in depth, and the PERT study plan fits them into a 14-, 30- or 60-day schedule.

Use the rules on free practice drafts.

Take the free 30-question PERT Writing practice test, untimed and answer to advance.

Start the Writing test

Frequently asked questions

No. PERT Writing has no essay. It uses multiple-choice questions that ask you to revise and edit drafts.

PERT Writing covers organization, support, and grammar and mechanics. The grammar rules in this sheet cover the sentence-level errors those questions involve: boundaries, agreement, pronouns, verbs, modifiers and parallel structure.

Thirty multiple-choice questions, of which 25 are scored and 5 are unscored field-test questions. You are not told which ones are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts.

Read your choice back into the full sentence and find the subject, verb and any pronoun first. Most errors on this sheet show up once you know which noun each word belongs to.

Sources

PERT rules are set by Florida law and by each college. These are the pages this guide relies on; your testing center’s current instructions take priority.

Florida Department of Education, P.E.R.T. Student Study Guide (undated, linked from the FDOE page). Accessed October 3, 2026.
Florida Department of Education, Demonstration of College Readiness (Formerly Common Placement Testing/PERT). Accessed October 3, 2026.
Miami Dade College, Testing: PERT. Accessed November 5, 2026.