SAT Reading, Writing, and Language
Goal
To practice areas of growth for the PSAT on Tuesday, October 25th using Khan Academy at https://www.khanacademy.org/mission/sat.
Overview of Reading Section
65 minutes
52 questions
Five passages
500 to 700 words for each passage, 10-11 questions per passage
1 literature passage
2 science passages
2 history/social studies passages
Types of questions
Determine the meaning of words in context
Deciding the author’s purpose
Find the main idea of a whole passage
They are not presented in order of difficulty
When reading questions, figure out what they are asking: who, what, or why
Use line references or key words to help you find the answer in a passage
Use process of elimination in order to eliminate the obvious wrong answers
Consider the following questions when eliminating choices:
What is mostly right or slightly wrong/
What could be true?
What is the right answer, but to the wrong question?
What is the right words, but the wrong meaning?
Tips
Read the blurb at the beginning of the passage to see if it gives you information about the nature of the medium as well as the author or source
Do the questions in order and if you are not sure what the answer is GUESS after you eliminate the obvious wrong answers
Remember, they want you to “choose the best answer to each question based on what is stated or implied in the passages”
This means that when answering a question be sure that you can tie the answer back to a detail straight from the passage
You should be able to find a sentence to underline to help you predict the correct answer
Try NOT to overanalyze or paraphrase what you think is implied --sometimes the answer is more obviously literal based on an actual sentence in the passage
Eliminate choices that you know are wrong for sure, so you can get closer to the right answer.
Common Question Stems
The central claim of the passage is that …
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?
The author most like mentions … in order to …. (think why?)
The author’s statement that … implies that …
“XXX” most nearly means ….
The passage indicates that an effect of ….. Is …
According the passage, what percent of XXX was XXX?
The author most likely mentions … in order to ….
The quotation marks around the word, “XXX,” in line XXX most likely indicated ….
Based on the passage, the author most likely agrees that “XXX” is …
Sample Questions
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/reading
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat/sat-reading-writing-practice
https://www.varsitytutors.com/sat_critical_reading-practice-tests
https://www.test-guide.com/sat/free-sat-practice-test/sat-reading-passage-quiz-1.html
Overview of Language and Writing Section
Types of passages: nonfiction narratives, history, careers, social studies, humanities, and science
35 minutes
44 multiple choice questions
Topics
Grammar Usage
Correct errors in word usage
Parallel structure
Misplaced modifier
Subject-verb agreement
Comma usage
Verb tense
Word usage errors (using the wrong word) --words in context
Punctuation
Comma placement, apostrophes, semicolons, question marks
Review punctuation rules at https://www.mrsmacfarland.com/ll/language
Style
Transition words
confused words
Making it more precise/concise
Revising
Consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of ideas
Improve word choice, making passage more precise or concise
Revise for better supporting detail or argumentative claim
Make structural changes to improve a point or coherency in a paragraph
Use information from a graphic to correct an error or replace a passage’s vague description of the findings with more precise information
Passages/Format
Series of passages with underlined portions
Need to determine whether the underlined portion is correct or should be replaced.
Determine what is changing in the answer choices
Grammar, usage, style, sentence structure
Eliminate incorrect answers to narrow down your options
Sometimes, it may be the most concise answer choice, so if you are stuck, see which one is the shortest answer
Guiding Questions
Are the words in their correct form or usage?
How many commas does this sentence need and where do they belong?
Is the language specific or is there a better way to phrase it being more concrete?
What order should the sentences go in?
Are the sentences complete sentences (not fragments or run ons)?
Which words best link the two ideas together?
What is the appropriate pronoun to use?
Do I need a comma or semicolon to connect the ideas?
Is there a way to make the sentence more concise or precise?
Is the wrong word used?
Sample Questions
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/writing-language
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat/sat-reading-writing-practice
https://www.varsitytutors.com/new_sat_writing_and_language-practice-tests