SAT Reading & Writing Notes
How to work through words in context: sentence
completions:
1) Read the entire passage and identify the keywords and phrases.
2) Plug your own words into the blanks.
3) Play Positive/Negative (if the blank is clearly negative, eliminate any
positive/neutral words)
4) *Worry about what a word means and not how it sounds.*
Using context clues to predict meanings:
Transitions:
1) Continuers (words that indicate an idea is continuing in the direction it began)
- Also, And, As well as, Furthermore, In addition, Just as, Likewise, Moreover,
Similarly
[When continuers appear, you need to look for words having the same and similar
meaning.]
2) Cause and Effect words (indicating that something is causing a particular
result) - As a result, Because, Consequently, In that, Therefore, Thus, colons,
dashes
3) Contradictors (words that indicate an idea is shifting its direction) -
(Al)though, But, In contrast, Despite, However, Meanwhile, Nevertheless, Unlike,
On the other hand, Whereas, While
[When contradictors appear, you need to look for words having opposite words.]
How to work through words in context: meaning in
context:
SAT Reading & Writing Notes 1
1) Read the entire passenger and identify keywords.
2) Plug in your own word and find the option that matches.
3) Plug each answer choice in the blank and see what works.
4) Play positive/negative and plug in.
How to work through words in context: reading
structure/central idea questions:
1) Read the first 1-2 lines and identify the topic and WRITE it down.
2) Then start skimming the paragraph and identify the point of the paragraph.
(THE TOPIC IS ONLY IN THE FIRST SENTENCE)
3) topic + so what? = main picture
Purpose / Function Questions:
1. Read the underlined sentence first or the first sentence of the paragraph if it’s
a purpose question. (The main idea is always in the first sentence)
2. If the answer is still not clear read 1-2 lines before or after the underlined
sentence and if it’s a purpose question skim through the paragraph.
3. Play Positive/Negative, find out if the underlined sentence or the paragraph is
positive or negative then match the answer choices, eliminate all negative
choices if the paragraph is positive.
Text Completion Questions:
1. Carefully read the claim and theory in question which is usually right before
the blank.
2. Write a short summary and quickly jot it down.
3. With the summary in mind, think of a conclusion or sentence that will work
with out, sticking to main claim of the passage as much as possible.
(sometimes its obvious and sometimes it’s not)
4. Look for the answer choice that matches keeping in mind that the wording will
be different.
SAT Reading & Writing Notes 2
5. Eliminate half-right and half-wrong answer choices.
Undermine / Support Questions:
1. Identify the claim/idea of the text and jot it down, rephrase if necessary.
2. Determine what sort of information would support or weaken the claim.
3. Check the answers and choose the option closest to what you’ve said is
correct.
Graphs & Charts Questions:
1. Ignore the graph/chart entirely, if the answer choices are detailed.
2. Read the passage clearly and find the claim, the main claim is usually at the
end.
3. Read the answer choices and choose one.
4. Check the graph/chart to support your answer choice.
Paired-Passage Questions (Text-1 to Text-2):
1. Read Text-1 and identify the claim.
2. Read Text-2 and identify the claim.
3. Identify the relationship between the claims and write it.
4. Answer the questions in your own words.
5. Choose the answer choices that match closely to your answer.
SAT Reading & Writing Notes 3
