SAT Reading section techniques, strategies & approaches

SAT Reading section

Strategies & Techniques

Transition words

• ignore the transition word in the passage and re-write it next to A) NO CHANGE
• translate the transition words into your own language
  • see Transition words translations
  • ex., "nevertheless" = "yeah, but" or "anyway"
• identify if any two transition words are synonymous
  • if both mean the same thing, they can't both be right, so eliminate
  • ex., "However" and "Yet" = synonymous, so eliminate
• identify if the transition word is generally positive or negative, i.e,

POSITIVE	NEGATIVE
expands	contrasts
explains	contradicts
restates	states an opposite
adds information	offers alternative
gives example	Says "yes... but"
compares
draws a conclusion from
follows chronologically or creates a sequence

• click EXPAND to see table
• NOW read the sentences
  • don't summarize, simplify (to avoid misconstruing the meanings)
  • ex. College Board practice test 6, Writing question 8

"The research demonstrated a clear correlation between introducing phosphates and the growth of blue-green algae. [9] For example, legislators in Canada passed laws banning phosphates in laundry detergents, which had been entering the water supply"

• • re-read as:
    • Sentence 1: "The research demonstrated correlation between phosphates and blue-green algae."

• • • Sentence 2: "[____ ] legislators passed laws banning phosphates"

• click EXPAND to see transition sentences example from Test 6
• NOW assess the relationship between the two sentences WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE POSSIBLE ANSWERS
  • Does sentence 2 support/expand, etc. (POSITIVE) or contrast/contradict, etc. (NEGATIVE) sentence 2?
  • NOW anticipate the correct answer IN YOUR OWN WORDS
  • eliminate

• • • Sentence 2: "[____ ] legislators passed laws banning phosphates"
  • does what to:
    • Sentence 1: "The research demonstrated correlation between phosphates and blue-green algae."

POSITIVE	NEGATIVE
expands NO	contrasts NO
explains NO	contradictsNO
restates NO	states an oppositeNO
adds information MAYBE	offers alternative DOES NOT CONTRADICT
gives example NO	Says "yes... but" NO
compares NO
draws a conclusion from NO
follows chronologically or creates a sequence MAYBE

• click on EXPAND to see the anticipation
  • NOW eliminate
    • A) For example, << NO bc Sentence 2 does not give an example of Sentence 1
    • B) Similarly, << NO bc Sentence 2 does not make a comparison to Sentence 1
    • C) However, << NO bc Sentence 2 does not draw an opposite
    • D) Subsequently, << YES bc Sentence logically follows chronologically Sentence 1