SAT Reading section techniques, strategies & approaches
SAT Reading section
Overview[edit | edit source]
Strategies & Techniques[edit | edit source]
Transition words[edit | edit source]
- 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"
- re-read as: