SAT Writing section techniques, strategies & approaches

SAT Writing Section Techniques, Strategies & Approaches

Overview

• 4 passages, 35 minutes
  • = 8.75 minutes per passage
• difficulty level is based on the passage and not the questions
  • there can be difficult questions on easy passages, but the bulk of "hard" questions will coincide with difficult passages

General approach

• always practice on paper using booklet form
• unlike on the Reading section, for the Writing section, students are advised to review possible answers before reading the text

Formatting

• you will note that the Writing test will use page space in order to separate sentences or paragraphs across pages

Identify & apply rules

• every question measures some skill, rule or logic
  • by identifying the rule, students may eliminate more accurately
• rules for punctuation
• rules for usage
• rules for logic & chronology

Parts of Speech

• identifying parts of speech will yield higher scores
• see this article for Parts of speech

Punctuation

• the purpose of punctuation is to mimic on paper verbal, or spoken, language
  • ex., periods and commas mark spoken pauses between sentences and sentence parts
    • however, for written language, punctuation provides additional guidance to a reader that does not exist in spoken language
    • ex., semicolons are not differentiated from other forms of pause in spoken language

periods

• periods mark a full stop between complete sentences
  • see Independent clause (IC) below for what constitutes a complete sentence
• eliminate periods in possible answers when there is not an IC on both sides of the period.
• the SAT will not ask to distinguish between use of other punctuation that separates independent clauses
  • such as semicolons and commas (+ conjunction)
    • periods separate complete sentences from each other as distinct thoughts
      • i.e., IC << . >> IC
    • semicolons juxtapose sentences for comparison
      • i.e., IC >> ; << IC
    • commas + conjunction combine sentences and ideas into a single thought, with each IC weighed equally
      • i.e., IC <=> , + <=> IC

Sentence structure

Independent clause

• "Independent Clause" (IC) is a complete sentence and thought
  • IC contains SUBJECT VERB
  • IC usually contains SUBJECT VERB OBJECT
  • since SUBJECT VERB OBJECT form the core of a sentence there is no punctuation separating them, with the following exceptions:
    • parenthetical information (commas, dashes and parentheses)
• click EXPAND for examples

• ex. Alex, an experienced pilot, landed the plane expertly.
  • • S= Alex V= landed O= plane
  • other parenthetical punctuation:
  • Alex (an experienced pilot) landed the plane expertly.
    • Alex -- an experienced pilot -- landed the plane expertly.
  • two commas, two dashes or two parentheses = parenthetical phrase
    • ex. Alex, and experienced pilot, landed, for the second time that day, the plane expertly.
      • • this is an awkward sentence but using it here to demonstrate how commas can separate a SUBJECT VERB OBJECT if used parenthetically

• • • lists of subjects, verbs or objects
      • however the commas that separate a subject, verb, and/or object list must not separate the final word in the list from the subject, verb or object
• click EXPAND for examples

• ex.

Dependent clause

• "Dependent Clause" (DC) is not complete sentence and thought
  • also called "subordinate clause"

=== Subordinating conjunctions

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 (are synonymous), 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,
• click EXPAND to see table

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

• • see also Transition words translations

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

"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"

• 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
• click on EXPAND to see the anticipation

• • • 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

• • 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

Idiomatic words & usage

• "idiomatic" = words, phrases or expresses that have no set rule and exist from common usage
  • idiomatic is different from "informal" or colloquial (local, common) language
• By definition idiomatic words have no set rule
• HOWEVER, on the SAT Writing section, students can use elimination techniques to identify the correct idiomatic expression