1. Strategies for Critical Reading and Writing Success
SAT EXAM
Strategies for Critical Reading
and Writing Success

2. SAT EXAM Your verbal scores (200—800)come from two areas:
Critical Reading, which includes…
Sentence Completion
Critical Reading Passages
Writing, which includes…
Essay
Multiple-Choice Questions
Identifying Sentence Errors
Improving Sentences
Improving Paragraphs

3. Sentence Completion Strategies
See page 55 (General Strategies)
See pages 78—90 (Vocabulary Development)

4. Sentence Completion Strategies
Try inserting your own word

5. Sentence Completion Strategies
Try inserting your own word
Look for signal words:
Synonyms
Antonyms
Definitions
Positive and/or negative connotation

6. Sentence Completion Strategies
Try inserting your own word
Look for signal words
Two blanks? Try the second word first

7. Sentence Completion Strategies
Try inserting your own word
Look for signal words
Two blanks? Try the second word first
Read each answer into the sentence; eliminate wrong answers as you go

8. Sentence Completion Practice Sentence Completion Problems
Two sets; 9 sentences, and then 6 sentences

9. Critical Reading Introduction
See pages

10. Critical Reading Introduction
3 sections count toward your score
Two 25 minute sections
One 20 minute section
At least two sections will have Sentence Completion

11. Critical Reading Introduction
3 sections count toward your score
48 Reading questions (plus 19 Sentence Completion, for a total of 67 questions)

12. Critical Reading Introduction
3 sections count toward your score
Total of 48 Reading questions (plus 19 Sentence Completion)
Short Passages, Long Passages, Paired Passages

13. Critical Reading Introduction
3 sections count toward your score
Total of 48 Reading questions (plus 19 Sentence Completion)
Short Passages, Long Passages, Paired Passages
Passages from hard sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities

14. Critical Reading Introduction
3 sections count toward your score
Total of 48 Reading questions (plus 19 Sentence Completion)
Short Passages, Long Passages, Paired Passages
Passages from hard sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities
Essential to practice at home and analyze wrong answers

15. Attack-Strategies for Critical Reading
1. Start with the first passage; answer all questions for that passage.

16. Attack-Strategies for Critical Reading
Start with the first passage; answer all questions for that passage.
Skim the questions before reading; don’t read the answers yet!

17. Attack-Strategies for Critical Reading
Start with the first passage; answer all questions for that passage.
Skim the questions before reading.
Read the passage ONCE (more reading advice to follow).

18. Attack-Strategies for Critical Reading
Start with the first passage; answer all questions for that passage.
Skim the questions before reading.
Read the passage ONCE.
Read the questions carefully.

19. Attack-Strategies for Critical Reading
Start with the first passage; answer all questions for that passage.
Skim the questions before reading.
Read the passage ONCE.
Read the questions carefully.
Read each answer choice carefully; ONLY use the information in the passage; eliminate wrong answers.

20. Reading Strategies for Great Comprehension
Read the passage ONCE. Get the gist of the passage on your first reading.

21. Reading Strategies for Great Comprehension
Read the passage ONCE.
To avoid rereading, get the content by…
READING ACTIVELY

22. Reading Strategies for Great Comprehension
Read the passage ONCE.
To avoid rereading, get the content by…
READING ACTIVELY
VISUALIZING

23. Reading Strategies for Great Comprehension
Read the passage ONCE.
To avoid rereading, get the content by…
READING ACTIVELY
VISUALIZING
PARAPHRASING

24. Reading Strategies for Great Comprehension
Read the passage ONCE.
To avoid rereading, get the content by…
READING ACTIVELY
VISUALIZING
PARAPHRASING
ANALYZING

25. Skills for Reading Analysis
Distinguish main idea from supporting ideas.
Distinguish hypothetical or speculative ideas from author’s committed ideas.
Identify transitions from one idea to another.
Identify the relationship between different ideas.
Recognize vocabulary within context.

26. Critical Reading Question Accessibility
Know how to access the accurate answer; questions are written in three levels:
FACTUAL QUESTIONS

27. Critical Reading Question Accessibility
Know how to access the accurate answer; questions are written in three levels:
FACTUAL QUESTIONS
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

28. Critical Reading Question Accessibility
Know how to access the accurate answer; questions are written in three levels:
FACTUAL QUESTIONS
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
HIDDEN IDEA QUESTIONS

29. Critical Reading Eliminating Wrong Answers
Answers can be eliminated when they are…
IRRELEVANT to the question

30. Critical Reading Eliminating Wrong Answers
Answers can be eliminated when they are…
IRRELEVANT to the question
CONTRADICTORY to the passage

31. Critical Reading Eliminating Wrong Answers
Answers can be eliminated when they are…
IRRELEVANT to the question
CONTRADICTORY to the passage
TOO GENERAL or TOO SPECIFIC

32. Critical Reading Eliminating Wrong Answers
Answers can be eliminated when they are…
IRRELEVANT to the question
CONTRADICTORY to the passage
TOO GENERAL or TOO SPECIFIC
NEVER ADDRESSED in the passage

33. Critical Reading Eliminating Wrong Answers
Answers can be eliminated when they are…
IRRELEVANT to the question
CONTRADICTORY to the passage
TOO GENERAL or TOO SPECIFIC
NEVER ADDRESSED in the passage
INACCURATE ABSOLUTES or QUALIFIERS

34. Critical Reading Eliminating Wrong Answers
Answers can be eliminated when they are…
IRRELEVANT to the question
CONTRADICTORY to the passage
TOO GENERAL or TOO SPECIFIC
NEVER ADDRESSED in the passage
INACCURATE ABSOLUTES or QUALIFIERS
LOOK FOR THE SPECIFIC WORD(S) THAT ARE WRONG

35. Critical Reading
Practice Test Questions and Review Two long passages; 15 total questions

36. Critical Reading Final Advice
Practice daily, concentrate on improving accuracy before efficiency
Analyze why non-credited answers are wrong
Analyze your own “misses”
Analyze your own strengths and weaknesses
Keep practicing!

37. SAT ESSAY WRITING See pages 114—126.
Use the opportunity to shine and communicate.
Write a persuasive essay; take a stand and convince the reader it’s plausible.
25 minutes.
2 pieces of paper (plan/organize in test book).
Must use pencil.

38. SAT ESSAY SCORING Scored holistically (1—6) by two separate readers.
Two readers’ scores combined; reported score 2—12.
Third reader used if needed.
Essay Score is factored into your overall Writing Score (200—800).

39. SAT ESSAY SCORING Scoring Guide overall summary: Write ON TOPIC
Use clear, logical ORGANIZATION
DEVELOP IDEAS THOROUGHLY
Use sophisticated, STANDARD WRITTEN ENGLISH

40. SAT ESSAY SUGGESTIONS
Remember it’s just a draft, not polished writing.
DO INDENT PARAGRAPHS! Skip no lines.
Be as neat as possible.
Use third person (one); never use second person (you).
Organize/plan in advance.
Remember your audience.

41. SAT ESSAY TIMING 3—4 minutes: read the topic and plan
Planning goals:
Choose your position
Gather your evidence, examples, ideas (brainstorm)
Organize evidence into body paragraphs
20 minutes: write the essay
1—2 minutes: proofread

42. SAT ESSAY ORGANIZATION
INTRODUCTION
Use key words.
Focus on the importance of the topic.
State a clear thesis.
Do not summarize the prompt.
2—3 sentences.

43. SAT ESSAY ORGANIZATION
INTRODUCTION
BODY PARAGRAPHS (write 2—3)
Use topic sentences.
Use concrete, specific examples.
Show an awareness of the world, its history and literature (but avoid pop culture).
Explain how your examples support your thesis.
Insert transitions between examples.

44. SAT ESSAY ORGANIZATION
INTRODUCTION
BODY PARAGRAPHS
CONCLUSION
Avoid mere summary.
Answer “so what?” and address the topic’s greater importance.
2—3 sentences.

45. SAT ESSAY PRACTICE Sample topic and planning
Organize your examples
Write a thesis
Write no complete sentences
Discuss and compare examples
Repeat with second topic

46. MULTIPLE-CHOICE WRITING
ONE 25 minute section with all three question types.
ONE 10 minute section with one of the question types (usually Improving Sentences).
49 total questions.

47. MULTIPLE-CHOICE WRITING
THREE QUESTION TYPES:
IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS / SPOTTING THE MISTAKE (PG. 92)
IMPROVING SENTENCES / SENTENCE CORRECTION (PG. 93)
IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS / REVISION FOR CLARITY AND PRECISION (PG. 94)

48. COMMON WRITING ERRORS AGREEMENT ERRORS (pp. 98—99)
PRONOUN ERRORS (pp. 99—102)
VERB ERRORS (pp. 103—105)
DICTION / IDIOM ERRORS (pp. 105—107)
MODIFIER ERRORS (pp. 107—108)
SENTENCE STRUCTURE / PUNCTUATION ERRORS (pp. 108—110)

49. MULTIPLE-CHOICE WRITING
Sample test
#1—5 (Identifying Sentence Errors)
#12—19 (Improving Sentences)
#30—32 (Improving Passages)
Correct

50. You Can Do It!
GOOD LUCK
ON THE
SAT EXAM!