Question 93·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
Climate scientist Katharine ______ that uncertainty in projections can be communicated without surrendering accuracy, writes essays and gives public talks that translate technical findings for broad audiences.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
First, identify the sentence’s main subject and main verb; anything inserted earlier must not accidentally create a second main verb unless the sentence provides a correct way to join clauses (like a conjunction). If a second verb would cause a clash, look for a modifying phrase—often a present participle (-ing) set off by commas—that describes the subject without becoming the sentence’s main action.
Hints
Locate the sentence’s main verb
Look for the verb that tells what Katharine Hayhoe does in the sentence; it appears after the long description.
Check for competing verbs
If your choice includes a full verb like insists or is insisting, ask whether the sentence then has two main verbs with no conjunction.
Look for a modifier structure
Consider whether the blank should create a descriptive phrase (often using a word ending in -ing) that can be set off with commas.
Step-by-step Explanation
Find the main clause
Ignore the blank for a moment and locate the sentence’s main verb: after the phrase about uncertainty, the sentence continues with writes essays and gives public talks. That means the main clause is Katharine Hayhoe … writes.
Decide what the blank must do
Because writes already serves as the main verb, the blank should not create another finite verb (like insists or is insisting) that would compete with writes. Instead, the blank should introduce a modifier describing Hayhoe.
Choose the modifier form that fits Standard English
A present participle phrase set off by commas can modify the subject: Hayhoe, insisting that uncertainty can be communicated…, writes essays… This creates one clear main verb (writes) and a correctly punctuated modifying phrase.
Therefore, the best choice is Hayhoe, insisting.