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
  • 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
compares
draws a conclusion from

• 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"