1. SAT Writing and Language Test
The Evidence-Based Writing and Language Test

2. General Information
1 section with 4 passages
35 minutes long
11 questions per passage, with 44 questions total

3. 1. Take Your Time
Most students will have no trouble finishing the SAT Writing and Language test. Although your fellow test takers may be rushing along, do not get caught up in that. If you are going to edit well, you must be very thorough.

4. 2. Pace Yourself to Finish When Time is Called
It is much more likely that you will pick up on a grammar issue, if you look carefully one at a time as opposed to rushing to the end just so that you can go back and double-check your work.
You have nearly 8:45 minutes per passage.
Pace yourself as you go so you don’t go too quickly or too slowly.

5. 3. Underline and Circle Key Information as You Read Long Questions
Take advantage of the fact that you can write all over the test.
Underline and circle anything that seems especially important as you read through the questions.
Also, circle anything that sounds “off” as you read. It probably won’t be “No Change” if what you circled is part of a question.

6. 4. Try to “Hear” as You Read by Silently Mouthing Things
This will help you pick up on things like
Pauses for punctuation
Parallel phrasing
Proper idiom usage
HEARING the words will help you notice if it “sounds” right.
Be careful: informal language and style are not correct on the SAT.

7. 5. Think About the Meaning
Focus not only on looking for minor grammar errors but also consider how you can make the meaning of what is written as LOGICAL as possible.
The SAT Writing and Language test is more about editing than just proofreading.
Look at the “big picture.”

8. 6. Consider Relevant Context
Consider the context surrounding potential grammar errors:
Logical transitions
Tense agreement
Tone consistency
Sometimes you might need to read beyond what is underlined so that your answer will be consistent with what follows.
When in doubt: take the time to check it out.

9. 7. Consider Reading the Passage Through Once Before Answering the Questions
With nearly 9 minutes and a little under one minute per question, you should have plenty of time to complete the test.
Consider reading through the passage once, before you answer individual questions.
Look for:
Overall flow
Meaning
This makes more sense than finishing early and possibly missing questions you could have answered correctly.

10. 8. Try to Create Your Own Answer Before Looking as the Choices
Try to create your own answer before looking at the choices.
Coming up with an answer first, puts you in control, rather than allowing the test to control you.
You can narrow your thoughts before looking at the choices.

11. 9. Do Not Hesitate to Come Back to Questions
Skip a question and go on to the next one.
While you are working through other questions, an answer may come to you.
Look at the problem question one more time with fresh eyes. The answer may seem easier to find the second time around.

12. 10. Use Similarities Among the Answers to Eliminate Choices
If you have an SAT Writing and Language question with choices like these:
A) Additionally
B) Also
C) In contrast
D) Moreover
Additionally, also and moreover are similar in meaning. Since they can’t all be correct, they are all wrong.
In contrast must be the correct choice.

13. 11. If you must guess, be smart about it
There is no penalty for guessing
Fill in every question
The SAT will often have a few of same answer choices in a row. Do not avoid picking an answer because you used it once before.
“No Change” has just as much of a chance as any other option.
Once you have made a thoughtful choice, DO NOT SECOND GUESS

14. 12. Realize That These Are Grammar Rules, Not Merely Grammar Preferences
Teachers that insist you use formal third person voice in essays or marked off points for starting sentences with “but” or “because” are instituting their own style preferences.
SAT DOES NOT DO THIS.
Any issue you encounter will be a clear grammatical or structural error.

15. 13. Give the SAT the Benefit of the Doubt
The test does not have tricks or gimmicks
For example, Don’t just pick all short answers.
Or A is more likely to be correct than D (Someone told you this.) NO
If you pick an answer because it represents well-written English you will be right.

16. SAT Grammar Review Sentence Basics Singular and Plural Agreement
Wordiness
Parallelism
Modifier Placement
Logical Comparisons
Coordination and Subordination
Singular and Plural Agreement
Diction (Proper Wording)
Punctuation
Commas
Semicolons
Colons
Dashes
Apostrophes
Quantitative Graph Analysis

17. SAT Grammar Review
A sentence expresses a complete thought with both a subject and a predicate.
Who won the game?
The sky is falling.
Don went to see the latest movie at the theater last night.
A sentence fragment expresses an incomplete thought:
Need the latest results from the survey
To my house
A cup of coffee with my breakfast
Fixed fragments:
YOU Need the latest results from the survey
GO To my house
I LIKE A cup of coffee with my breakfast

18. SAT Grammar Review Sentence Basics
A run-on sentence consists of two or more complete sentences that are not joined together with appropriate punctuation or transitions.
Dan worked diligently on his computer his son read a book.
You don’t take out the trash, I will be very angry.
The forecast was for a tornado, we headed to the basement.
It was a long time ago, an ocean covered what is now a modern city.
Possible ways to fix above run-ons:
Dan worked diligently on his computer while his son read a book.
If you don’t take out the trash, I will be very angry.
The forecast was for a tornado; we headed to the basement.
A long time ago, an ocean covered what is now a modern city.

19. SAT Grammar Review Wordiness
Quality writing demands clear descriptions, but a longer sentence is not necessarily a better one.
Repetitive and irrelevant wording must be removed.
Incorrect
Correct
I am going to run for the distance of three miles.
I am going to run for three miles.
(It is common knowledge that a mile measures distance, so this wording is extra.)

20. SAT Grammar Review Wordiness
Incorrect
Correct
Teachers who educate people often have to work long hours grading papers and planning lessons.
(A teacher by definition educates people, so this information is unnecessary.)
Quantitative easing, the process in which a central bank increases the money supply, can be used to stimulate the economy.
Fine as is. Since “quantitative easing” is a specialized term, clarifying its meaning is helpful.

21. SAT Grammar Review Parallelism
Excellent writing requires more than just the necessary information.
The information must be presented in a way that is consistent, flowing and parallel.
Incorrect
Correct
Eating sandwiches and to drink milk are my lunchtime mainstays.
Eating sandwiches and drinking milk are my lunchtime mainstays.
Neither the dog or the cat made a mess.
Neither the dog nor the cat made a mess.
Respond to the essay question quickly and with thoroughness.
Respond to the essay question quickly and thoroughly.

22. SAT Grammar Review Modifier Placement
Place descriptions in logical spots in the sentence so that the object of the discussion is clear.
Clarify vague or dangling modifiers.
Incorrect
Correct
About to get out of bed, the covers were removed.
About to get out of bed, he removed the covers.
(This clarifies who was getting out of bed.)
After eating the whole pizza, ready to take a nap was John.
After he ate the whole pizza, John was ready to take a nap.
(This places John in a more logical spot.)

23. SAT Grammar Review Logical Comparisons
Make sure that the sentence compares the correct number and types of things so that the comparison is logical.
Incorrect
Correct
Your locker is always neater than me.
Your locker is always neater than mine.
(Compare a locker to locker; not locker to person.)
The president of the steel company is more qualified than the computer company.
The president of the steel company is more qualified than the president of the computer company.
(Compare a president to a president; not president to a company.)
My sister is better than everybody at solving differential equations.
My sister is better than everybody else at solving differential equations.
(The sister is not a part of the group to which she is being compared.)

24. SAT Grammar Review Coordination and Subordination
Parts of sentences must coordinate and subordinate.
Parts of sentences must be joined by logical connecting words.
Incorrect
Correct
The newspaper delivery didn’t come, and we watched the television news.
The newspaper delivery didn’t come, so we watched the television news
She finished her homework, she is going to play video games.
Since she finished her homework, she is going to play video games.
Mary loves to go for bike rides, and she loves the wind rushing through her hair.
Mary loves to go for bike rides, for she loves the wind rushing through her hair.

25. SAT Grammar Review Verb Tense and Use
Basic Conjugation Patterns
Past
Present
Future
He was
He is
He will
They were
They are
They will
She tasted
She tastes
She will taste
We washed
We wash
We will wash
Past Perfect
Present Perfect
Future Perfect
I had been
I have been
I will have been
They had been
They have been
They will have been
She had tasted
She has tasted
She will have tasted
We had washed
We have washed
They will have washed

26. SAT Grammar Review Some irregular verbs . . .
Present Tense
I am
Past Tense
I was
Past Participle
I have been
Become
Became
Begin
Began
Begun
Bring
Brought
Choose
Chose
Chosen Do
Did
Done
Draw
Drew
Drawn
Drink
Drank
Drunk
Drive
Drove
Driven
Fly
Flew
Flown
Get
Got
Gotten
Grow
Grew
Grown

27. SAT Grammar Review Irregular Verbs (Continued)
Incorrect
Correct
In the 19th century, Phillip has been a naval officer before he became a pirate.
In the 19th century, Phillip had been a naval officer before he became a pirate.
The gift was purchased by you.
You purchased the gift.
(Use the ACTIVE voice rather than the passive voice.)
If he was winning, he would have been much more satisfied.
If he were winning, he would have been much more satisfied.

28. SAT Grammar Review Singular and Plural Agreement
Matching subjects and verbs would be easy if they were always placed next to one another.
On the SAT determining the correct numbering agreement among nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and verbs can be challenging.
Find the subject first.
Remember
Singular subjects take verbs with an s – The boy runs.
Plural subject take verbs with NO s – The boys run.

29. SAT Grammar Review Singular and Plural Agreement (continued)
Incorrect
Correct
The pilot who has flown many planes are captaining our flight.
The pilot who has flown many planes is captaining our flight.
Either the table or the chair need to be fixed.
Either the table or the chair needs to be fixed.
The union of carpenters advocate for better pay.
The union of carpenters advocates for better pay.
Each person need to perform their best if we are going to succeed.
Each person needs to perform their best if we are going to succeed.
Every dress for the bridesmaids were the same.
Every dress for the bridesmaids was the same.
If you need to find a book, one should seek assistance from a librarian.
If you need to find a book, you should seek assistance from a librarian.
Andy and Tanner were thrilled to drive on his boat.
Andy and Tanner were thrilled to drive on Andy’s boat.

30. SAT Grammar Review Diction (Proper Wording)
The SAT will assess your ability to distinguish between commonly confused words and to recognize proper idiomatic expressions.
Confused words
General Rules
Accept vs. Except
Accept: receive
Except: excluding
Affect vs. Effect
Affect: typically a verb (to affect)
Effect: typically a noun (the effect)
Beside vs. besides
Beside: next to
Besides: in addition to
Between vs. among
Between: comparing one thing at a time, typically two objects.
Among: comparing three or more objects.

31. SAT Grammar Review Diction (Proper Wording) continued
Confused words
General Rules
Complement vs. compliment
Complement: complete something
Compliment: flattery
Have vs. of
Have: action word/verb
Of: preposition/ connecting word
It’s vs. its
Its: possession
It’s: “It is”
Lie vs. lay
Lie: recline
Lay: place
Than vs. then
Than: for comparisons
Then: for time
There vs. their vs. they’re
There: place
Their: possession
They’re: “they are”
I would have
NOT I would of
Lay the pillow down before you lie down.

32. SAT Grammar Review Diction (Proper Wording) continued
Confused Words
General Rules
Too vs. to
To: connecting preposition
Too: comparisons
Two: number
Your vs. you’re
Your: possession
You’re: “you are”
Whose vs. who’s
Whose: possession
Who’s: “who is”
Who vs. whom
Who: subject - substitute HE
Whom: object – substitute HIM

33. SAT Grammar Review Common Idiomatic Expressions
At a high rate
By hand
In essence
Under cover of
At the outset
By mistake
In the wrong
To excess
At all costs
By no means
On average
On display
At play
For lack of
On behalf of
In theory
At length
in agony
Out of the question
Out of context
At times
In demand
Under stress
In turn

34. SAT Grammar Review Punctuation - Commas
General Guideline
Appropriate Use
Separate a phrase (dependent clause) from a complete sentence (independent clause).
Once you have completed your homework, you may watch your favorite television show.
Join two complete sentences when there is a transitional work, like the FANBOYS: for, and nor, but, or, yet, and so.
The shark seemed excited about all the fish in the water, but the scuba divers were worried about all the activity.
Separate extra information (parenthetical phrases) from the rest of the sentence.
My history textbook, which I have had since the beginning of the year, occupies a special shelf in my locker.

35. SAT Grammar Review Punctuation – Commas continued
General Guideline
Appropriate Use
Separate items in list with commas.
My favorite forms of punctuation include commas, semicolons, and dashes.
Do not use commas to separate parts of a sentence if everything in the sentence is needed to make it clear and logical.
A car that is speeding away from the police poses a danger to the community.
Just because a sentence is long does not mean that it needs commas.
The European Organization for Nuclear Research has used its world-class particle accelerator to make significant strides in particle physics.
A clarifying phrase (appositive) needs to be separated by commas.
George Washington, the first president of the United States, has the U.S. capital named after him.

36. SAT Grammar Review Semicolons
General Guideline
Appropriate Use
You can use a semicolon to separate two complete, related sentences.
I am excited to go to the amusement park; I can’t wait to ride the big roller coaster.
Use a semicolon to separate items in a list when at least one of the items has a comma or commas within it.
John’s rock band traveled to New York, Boston, and Hartford in the Northeast; Chicago, Columbus, and Cleveland in the Midwest; and Orlando, Charleston, and Birmingham in the South.

37. SAT Grammar Review Colons
General Guideline
Appropriate Use
Use a colon after a complete sentence to set off a list.
When you go to the store, please pick up the following items: soap, gum, and batteries.
Use a colon after a complete sentence to set off a clarification.
We were shocked to learn who the true villain in the film was: the seemingly friendly storekeeper.

38. SAT Grammar Review Dashes
General Guidelines
Appropriate Use
Although other punctuation can often work, the dash can provide variety in you writing when you need to indicate an interruption or change of thought.
Be careful when crossing the street ― it is not very safe.
(A colon or semicolon could work in this case also.)
A dash can be used to interrupt a sentence and provide a change of voice.
We lost the game ― hardly a surprise given our terrible effort ― but at least our dreadful season was over.
Dashes can set off a parenthetical phrase. If you start with a dash at one end of the phrase, you need to use a dash at the other end of the phrase.
Test anxiety ― something that affects many students ― can be managed by setting realistic expectations for test performance.

39. SAT Grammar Review Apostrophes
General Guidelines
Appropriate Use
Use an apostrophe before the “s” to indicate that a singular entity possesses something.
The toy’s instructions were rather confusing.
Use an apostrophe after the “s” to indicate that a plural entity possesses something.
All players’ equipment must be within the rules.

40. SAT Grammar Review Apostrophes continued
General Guideline
Appropriate Use
Use an apostrophe to indicate a contraction with pronouns: they’re, it’s, you’re, who’s)
No apostrophe with possession:
their, its, your, whose
It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if you’re concerned that your friends shared their cold when you visited them. No matter whose cold it was, they’re going to be glad that you found out if you show symptoms. Who’s going to argue with that?
Use an apostrophe before the “s” to indicate possession after a noun that is already plural.
The women’s restroom is next to the men’s.

41. Quantitative Graph Analysis
Determine whether the following claims are supported or not supported based upon the information in the graph.
The majority of the U.S. population is under 40 years old.
It is about three times as likely that a randomly selected U.S. citizen is in his or her 40s or 50s as it is that he or she is in his or her 60s or 70s.
Women represent a slight minority of the overall U.S. population.

42. Quantitative Graph Analysis
Automotive speed and fuel economy, when considering speeds between 55 and 80 miles per hour, have an inverse relationship.
An increase in wind speed causes a proportional decrease in fuel efficiency because of an increase in wind resistance and friction.
A car like the one tested by researchers who made this graph will likely have a fuel efficiency of approximately 22 miles per gallon at a speed of approximately 77 miles per hour.

43. Good Luck on the SAT!