This article provides strategic advice to excel in the SAT Reading & Writing section. It covers question types, grammar conventions, vocabulary skills, and pacing. With practical tips and consistent practice, students can build confidence and earn a competitive score for international university admissions.
What is an inference? Does the sentence need a comma or a semicolon? Perhaps you have asked yourself these questions as you study for the Reading and Writing SAT. And if you haven’t started studying yet but want to go to a university abroad, now is the best time to start!
The SAT was developed in America as a way to test the knowledge of native English speakers, so the Reading and Writing section isn’t just a language level test like the TOEFL or IELTS. The SAT Reading and Writing module has four main sections: Information and Ideas, Craft and Structure, Expression of Ideas, and Standard English Conventions. Each one includes several sub-categories with questions that test students’ reading comprehension, ability to reason and analyze texts, range of vocabulary, and use of grammar and punctuation.
While knowledge is important, understanding how to approach the different types of questions on the test is just as important and can make the difference in your final results. If you know what to expect and practice with the following tips in mind, you’ll be on your way to achieving a top score!
Each text has a question at the end which indicates what type of text it is and what needs to be answered. This will guide your reading and help you stay focused on finding the right answer in the text.
While being able to skim the text and read at a good pace is important, don’t hurry through the questions. If you misread the question, you will not get the right answer, and the SAT expects that. There is usually an answer that seems right for those who misunderstand the question.
Especially for Rhetorical Synthesis questions, half of the answer lies in the question itself. Does it ask for two things? There should be two parts to the answer. Does it want a specific detail or an overview? Should you include background information in the answer or not? The way the question is phrased will give you a clue. In Command of Evidence texts, is the question asking for evidence that supports or that weakens the claim being made? That word makes all the difference for your answer.
This is possible for certain types of questions, such as Central Ideas and Details or Cross-Text Connections. The multiple choice answers will try to trick you, but if you have already predicted what you should be looking for, the answer will be easier to find. Summarize the text for yourself, decide how you would describe the character or situation, and after that read the answers. If you think it through carefully, the right answer should stand out from the rest.
Pay attention to key words in the text that point to the claim being made, add emphasis, or indicate a contrasting opinion. Words like although and however should make you careful. They mean that two different views are given. Be sure you understand which view you need to focus on.
Also, be careful of words in answer choices that indicate absolutes like always, every, most. While the text may say something is true in certain situations, if it does not say it is always true, then it isn’t.
Some answers are simply a restatement of the text, but they may not seem like it at first glance. Having a broad vocabulary helps to understand when something is being said in a different way but means the same thing.
For the Standard English Conventions section there are grammar and punctuation rules which you need to know. These may be different from the punctuation rules in your native language. Learn the rules and practice them until you are confident.
When the answer choices leave you confused, use the process of elimination. Remember that there is only one right answer. While more than one answer may seem right, each wrong answer has something that makes it wrong. Maybe one word is wrong; maybe it uses correct information but does not answer the question being asked; maybe it adds information that is not in the text. Look for the evidence in the text that supports the right answer and disproves the wrong ones.
Here’s a bonus. For Words in Context questions, if multiple word choices are synonyms of each other, they are not the answer. The answer has to be unambiguously right.
Limited time is one of the challenges students face on the SAT. To improve your speed and comprehension, the best thing you can do is read. You can easily find online articles related to the sciences or history as well as excerpts (or whole chapters) from English literature books. These will familiarize you with types of texts used in the SAT.
Reading will also improve your vocabulary. Try to determine the meaning of new words you read from their context before looking up their meaning. It is also good practice for Words in Context questions.
Start several months before you plan to take the SAT. Start practicing questions from each category on Youni Prep App and take practice tests to check your overall progress. You can also join in-person or online SAT tutoring classes with Youni teachers.
Get your SAT questions answered on Youni Prep App and start studying today. With these tips and Youni’s help, you are on your way to achieving a top SAT score!
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