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
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
comparesNO
draws a conclusion from NO
follows chronologically or creates a sequence MAYBE

• click on EXPAND to see the anticipation
  • NOW eliminate
    • A ) NO CHANGE
    • B) Similarly,
    • C) However,
    • D) Subsequently,