SAT Writing & Language Test 2022: Detailed Guide for Students

Giving SATs can be exceedingly stressful. That is because so much rides on their results. That said, stressing over them isn’t going to take you anywhere but preparing for them will. Today, we will discuss the SAT Writing section of the SATs in detail and how you can prepare for the same. Before getting into the question types and tricks, let’s understand what comes under this division.

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Overview of SAT Writing & Language Test

The SAT Writing & Language test assesses an individual’s ability to edit and revise texts on various topics. It is a multi-choice test where students are required to read passages to find and fix mistakes if any. This section also tests your grammar, vocabulary, and how you use language. Each Writing and Language test on SAT consists of four passages. Each passage contains 11 questions that individuals must finish in 35 minutes. So, essentially, test-takers get less than a minute for each question. While this may seem hard, it is doable with the right approach. Wondering what the passages are like in this test? Read on to know.

SAT Writing & Language Test Details

The passages or paragraphs in this test cover a range of topics. Moreover, they may vary in both content and format. The ones on science, history, and humanities look like short academic papers. Conversely, the ones on careers may explore specific job fields. The four passages are 400-450 words each. However, the degree of complexity may vary. Below are the types of texts you can expect in this test.

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Argument Passages

Such passages take a strong stance and use evidence to support a claim.

Informative or Explanatory Passages

These passages claim to educate the reader about a topic.

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Narrative Non-fiction

Such passages tell a concise story with a definitive beginning, middle, and end. You might get graphs, charts, or infographics within these passages that you’ll have to interpret.

SAT Writing Question Types

The questions in the Writing SAT test fall into two main categories or types. The first is where you enhance the expression of ideas, while the second involves recognising and correcting errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. Let’s understand them in detail.

Expression of Ideas

These types of questions ask you to improve the effectiveness of communication in a piece of writing. They can be further divided into the following types:

• Organisation Questions 
• Development Questions 
• Effective Language Use 

Such questions focus on the logical placement and sequence of ideas and information. Furthermore, they emphasise efficient conclusions, transitions, and introductions. These questions are all about the main ideas, focus, supporting details, and quantitative information in graphs, tables, and charts. These questions ask you to eliminate wordiness, consider tone, and enhance precision. In addition to that, students need to improve the flow to achieve particular rhetorical effects.

Standard English Conventions

These questions in the SAT Language test focus on recognising and correcting grammar usage. That is, students have to correct errors in sentence structure (like incomplete sentences or run-ons), punctuations (missing commas or semicolons), and usage (lack of pronoun-antecedent agreement or subject-verb). Keep reading to know the tips and tricks to perform optimally in the SAT Writing & Reading test.

Tips for SAT Writing & Reading Test

Here are some pragmatics tips for individuals looking to perform well in the SAT Writing test.

Save the longer questions for the end

There will be some questions in the test based on the entire passage and not on a few sentences. In that case, it’s best to save these questions for the end. An example of such a question is: ‘Does this passage meet the intended purpose of the author?’ Answer such questions only after carefully reading and rereading the passage.

Work on making your answer relevant and precise

In addition to writing grammatically correct sentences in the language test, choosing shorter sentences is also vital. You can do so by gravitating towards shorter choices to eliminate wordiness. Moreover, if an answer type seems off-topic, it’s best to eliminate it immediately. In addition to being concise, the answer or word choice should also be relevant to the material surrounding it.

Know the possible relationships between ideas

Questions in the SAT Writing & Language test require students to make effective and appropriate transitions between ideas. That is why choosing the right type of transition word becomes vital to establishing the correct relationship. Here are the four relations you must know:

• Contrast 
• Reinforcement 
• Sequence 
• Cause-and-Effect 

In simple words, it means that one idea opposes another. The correct transitions, in this case, might be ‘despite’, ‘however’, ‘on the other hand’, or ‘unlike’. It means that one idea builds off or supports another. The transitions can include ‘for example, ‘furthermore’, ‘among others, ‘in addition, ‘or’ and ‘also’. Such transitions are used for items that are part of a series. Words that establish this relationship include ‘then’, ‘first’, ‘finally’, and ‘afterwards’. It refers to one idea leading to another. To indicate this relationship, use transitions like ‘therefore’, ‘since’, ‘consequently’, and ‘because’.

Always answers some questions while reading

Some questions can be answered effortlessly while reading. With roughly 45-50 seconds to answer a question, students don’t always get time to read with much depth. That is why you can skim through the passage to identify the style and understand the main idea behind it. The minute you come across an underlined statement, try to determine the issue (if there is one) and select the best answer.

Have a deep understanding of punctuation

Around two questions in every passage will test your punctuation skills. That is why it is essential to have a deep understanding of punctuation. Here are some of the vital punctuation rules.

• The use of semicolons is to join two independent clauses without the use of a conjunction
• The main purpose of dashes is twofold
• Colons are used to emphasise or introduce quotations, short passages, examples, explanations, and lists
• The purpose of the apostrophe is also twofold

The sentences on either side of a semicolon must be complete. They should be able to stand on their own. Example: I entered the writing competition early; however, I decided to withdraw a month later. The first is to indicate a break or hesitation in thought. Example: I saw Mary the other day, and she did not look so good – no, it was actually Rachel. The other purpose is to set off an explanatory list or example from the rest of the sentence. Example: Many facets of Tommy’s personality – among them empathy and kindness – make him an exceptional friend and human. The part of the sentences before the colon must be an independent clause. Example: The great obstacle to finishing my project work was imminent: the finale of ‘This is Us’. Creating contractions (it’s important, there’s the lion) and indicating possession (my girlfriends’ phone, Haley’s book).

Conclusion

The SAT Writing & Reading test requires students to read passages to find mistakes and rectify them. It contains four passages with 44 multiple-choice questions in total. Students must read the passages and mark the correct answer based on their understanding. To ace this test, aspirants must have a thorough knowledge of the grammar rules, wordiness, and correction skills. From comma use, dependent clauses, and verb tenses to subject-verb agreement, individuals need to be clear on various English grammar concepts. While the test may seem daunting, students can perform well with the right approach. So, go through all the details, question types, and tricks for the SAT Writing & Reading test mentioned above and practise as much as possible.

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