1. SAT CRITICAL READING Sentence Completion Portion

2. The Sentence Completion Sentence Completions work as follows: Each stem has one or two blanks, which indicate missing a word or short phrase. Each item has five answer choices that supply words or short phrases for those omissions. One of these choices provides the best fit within the sentence’s meaning when plugged into the sentence.

3. Important Info the SAT doesn’t tell you… Fact #1: Each sentence contains ALL the information you need to define the word that fits in the blank. Importance: You don’t need to look at the answer choices first…Use your CONTEXT CLUES instead! You can use the context of the sentence to figure out what the missing words mean.

4. Important Info the SAT doesn’t tell you… Fact #2: Every answer choice makes the sentence grammatically correct.

5. Important Info the SAT doesn’t tell you… Fact #3: Sentence completions appear in order of difficulty: Questions 1-4 are easy Questions 4-8 are moderate Questions 9-12 are difficult Importance: When answering #1-8, you can usually trust your first instincts. If you’re on questions 9-12, look out for the SAT’s “trick” choices.

6. TYPES: Continuation sentences show a cause-and- effect relationship between their parts. Contrast sentences contain a “twist.” Something surprising occurs within the sentence. Amplification sentences present an idea or description that grows in magnitude—bigger, smaller, louder, quieter.

7. PROVE technique P: positive or negative blank R: reveal the compass word and prove-it phrase O: off wrong answers V: view the relationships between the blanks E: everything works together

8. Compass words: Words that connect ideas that are similar and, also, besides, for example, in other words, likewise, another, in addition, moreover, furthermore **Semi-colons and colons show similar ideas!

9. Compass Words… Words that connect ideas that are opposite or in contrast But, not, instead, however, in contrast, on the other hand, although, despite, in spite of, yet, even while, except, nevertheless, notwithstanding, regardless

10. AND NOW…. Some Practice!!