SAT Review

SAT Review

By Robert Schulte

Exam Format

The exam will consist of 40 questions at one point each. You will have one hour to complete the exam. This exam is not a mock test. The breakdown of the exam will be as follows:

Standard English Conventions (Grammar) - 10 questions
Words in Context (Vocabulary) - 10 questions
Transitions - 3 questions
Details - 3 questions
Command of Evidence - 3 questions
Cross text - 3 questions
Main Ideas - 8 questions

Format of the Exam

The exam will be entirely on a Google form.

You must have a fully charged laptop or tablet to complete the exam.

There will be no paper option.

Resources

I have posted a link to the college board SAT question suite on our classroom page.

Please use this resource to practice the question types that will appear on the exam.

Multiple Choice

The exam will consist of __________ questions.

• 40

• 54

• 27

• 30

Multiple Choice

You will have _____ minutes to complete the exam.

• 40

• 45

• 60

• 30

Multiple Choice

True or False:

You do not need a fully charge laptop or tablet for the exam.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

True or False:

Standard English Conventions questions deal primarily with grammar.

• true

• false

Standard English Conventions
Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring subjects and verbs agree in number (e.g., She runs vs. They run).

• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Ensuring pronouns agree in number and gender with the nouns they refer to (e.g., Each student has his or her own book).

• Parallel Structure: Ensuring the elements in a sentence are grammatically consistent (e.g., I like to swim, run, and bike).
  

Subject Verb Agreement

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring subjects and verbs agree in number (e.g., She runs vs. They run).

  Subjects must agree in number (plural subjects need plural verbs, singular subjects need singular verbs)

  Example

• She runs through the park. vs. They run through the park.
  

Multiple Choice

Annie and her brothers _____ at school.

• is

• are

• am

• isn't

Multiple Choice

One of my sisters ___ going on a trip to France.

• is

• are

• am

Multiple Choice

George and Tamara _____want to see that movie.

• doesn't

• don't

Standard English Conventions

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement - a pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it refers to) in both number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, neutral).

The girl forgot her book.

"Girl" is singular, so the pronoun "her" is used.

The boy forgot their book - incorrect as 'their' is plural and 'boy' is singular

Multiple Choice

Neither Paul nor Stephen should stop telling personal stories about ________ childhoods.

• his

• they

• their

• them

Multiple Choice

Paul should not have trouble finding information for _______ report.

• his

• none of the options

• their

• them

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?

• Every student must submit their homework on time.

• Each of the players took their equipment home.

• Neither of the boys forgot his jacket.

• The committee finished their report late.

Parrallel Structure

Parrallelism refers to the grammatical or structural similarity between parts of a sentence, where similar ideas are expressed in the same grammatical form.

This ensures clarity, consistency, and balance within a sentence.

In simpler terms, it means that when you list or connect ideas, they should follow the same grammatical pattern.

Parrallel Structure

In lists or series: Items in a list should be in the same grammatical form (all nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.).

Incorrect: She likes reading, to swim, and jogging.

(The list is not parallel—different grammatical forms are used: "reading" is a gerund, "to swim" is an infinitive, and "jogging" is a gerund.)

Correct: She likes reading, swimming, and jogging.

(All items are gerunds, making the structure parallel.)

Parrallel Structure

In lists or series: Items in a list should be in the same grammatical form (all nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.).

Incorrect: She likes reading, to swim, and jogging.

(The list is not parallel—different grammatical forms are used: "reading" is a gerund, "to swim" is an infinitive, and "jogging" is a gerund.)

Correct: She likes reading, swimming, and jogging.

(All items are gerunds, making the structure parallel.)

Parrallel Structure

With correlative conjunctions (like "either...or," "neither...nor," "both...and"): Both parts of the sentence should follow the same grammatical form.

• Incorrect: She is both a great singer and sings beautifully.
  (The first part of the sentence uses a noun phrase "a great singer," while the second part uses a verb "sings.")

• Correct: She is both a great singer and a beautiful singer.
  (Both parts now use noun phrases.)

Parrallel Structure

With paired ideas: When you have two actions, adjectives, or nouns joined by conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or," make sure they are in the same form.

• Incorrect: He is tall, handsome, and he works hard.
  (Inconsistent structure—"tall" and "handsome" are adjectives, while "he works hard" is a clause.)

• Correct: He is tall, handsome, and hardworking.
  (All items in the list are adjectives.)

Parrallel Structure

In comparisons: When making comparisons, ensure both sides of the comparison are in the same form.

• Incorrect: She is more talented than him at singing.
  ("Him" is an object pronoun, but it should be a subject pronoun.)

• Correct: She is more talented than he is at singing.
  (The comparison is now balanced with two clauses: "She is more talented" and "he is.")

Multiple Choice

His coworkers praised both his determination and the way he paid attention to detail.

• and also praised his attention to detail

• and his attention to detail

• they praised the way he paid attention to detail

• also they praised his attention to detail

Multiple Choice

The art studio is spacious, pleasantly cluttered, and has good lighting.

• and the lighting is good

• and well-lit

• and is lit well

• and being well-lit

Multiple Choice

The school board requested that a waiver be obtained and that the residency requirements are reviewed.

• the residency requirements will be reviewed

• the residency requirements reviewed

• to review the residency requirements

• a review of the residency requirements

Words in Context (Vocabulary) Questions

• Look for Clues in the Sentence: Often, the surrounding sentences or phrases provide hints to help you understand how a word is being used.

• Consider the Overall Tone or Message: Sometimes, the right answer is the word that best fits the tone of the passage (formal, informal, positive, negative, etc.). Think about what makes the most sense in the context.

• Identify the Word's Role: Pay attention to whether the word is being used as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb, as the context will determine the correct choice.

• Eliminate Out-of-Context Choices: Some answer choices will obviously not fit the context, so eliminating those can help you narrow down your options.

Multiple Choice

In the mid-nineteenth century, some abolitionist newspapers ______ westward migration in the United States; by printing aletter that described the easy fortunes and high salaries miners could make in California during the Gold Rush, Frederick Douglass’s newspaper North Star was one such publication that inspired readers to relocate.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• stimulated

• assigned

• opposed

• disregarded

Multiple Choice

Whether Carmen Lomas Garza is creating small paintings and illustrations or large public artworks—such as Baile, a copper cutout of traditional Mexican dance in the San Francisco International Airport—she is ______ direct experience, drawing from memories of her childhood in Texas or details of her current surroundings in California.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• complimented by

• uncertain about

• unbothered by

• inspired by

Multiple Choice

Cucurbits, a group of plants that includes squash and melons, relied on mastodons to spread their seeds in the Ice Age. When these animals died out, cucurbits faced extinction in turn, having lost their means of seed dispersal. Around this time, however, the ancestors of Indigenous peoples in North America began raising cucurbits as crops, thus ______ the plants’ survival.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• verifying

• multiplying

• comforting

• ensuring

Transitions Questions

These assess your ability to use transitional words and phrases to improve the flow and clarity of a passage.

These questions test your understanding of how to connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs in a logical and cohesive way.

Transitions Questions

• Understand the Relationship Between Ideas: Transitional words and phrases signal the relationship between the ideas they connect. For example, are the ideas showing contrast, cause and effect, addition, or comparison? Common relationships include:

  • Addition: moreover, furthermore, in addition

  • Contrast: however, on the other hand, but, although

  • Cause and effect: therefore, as a result, consequently

  • Example: for example, for instance, specifically

  • Sequence: first, next, finally

    
    
    
    
    
    

Transitions Questions

• Read the Sentences Before and After: Make sure to fully understand the two sentences (or ideas) that the transition is supposed to connect. The transition word or phrase should make sense given what came before and after it.

• Consider the Tone and Formality: Some transition words are more formal or informal. Make sure the transition fits the tone of the passage.
  
  
  
  
  

Multiple Choice

In most deer species, males grow antlers, and females don’t. ______ reindeer are different. They are the only deer speciesin which the females grow antlers, too.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• Similarly,

• Next,

• However,

• Thus,

Multiple Choice

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2013 novel Americanah chronicles the divergent experiences of Ifemelu and Obinze, a young Nigerian couple, after high school. Ifemelu moves to the United States to attend a prestigious university. ______ Obinze travels to London, hoping to start a career there. However, frustrated with the lack of opportunities, he soon returns to Nigeria.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• Meanwhile,

• Nevertheless,

• Secondly,

• In fact,

Multiple Choice

Preston Singletary is a Tlingit glass artist who often collaborates with other artists. ______ he has worked with Tewapottery artist Jody Naranjo several times. Together, Singletary and Naranjo have created pottery-inspired glass piecessuch as Sunset Stampede and Kiva Steps.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

• In conclusion,

• For example,

• However,

• In comparison,

Main Ideas Questions

These questions test your ability to understand the central idea or main point of a passage.

These questions ask you to identify the primary purpose or message that the author is trying to convey.

Main Ideas Questions

• Focus on the Overall Message: Main idea questions are asking about the general message or purpose of the passage, not about specific details. Be sure to look for the big picture rather than getting bogged down by minor points.

• Consider the Tone and Purpose: Think about why the author is writing the passage. Is the purpose to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain? The tone and purpose can help you narrow down the correct answer.

Main Ideas Questions

• Look for Topic Sentences: In many cases, the topic sentence in the introduction or conclusion gives you a good idea of what the main point of the passage is. The body paragraphs should support this central idea.

• Eliminate Irrelevant Details: Avoid answers that focus on specific details, examples, or tangential topics that don't directly reflect the overall message.

• Rephrase the Main Idea: If you’re unsure, try to summarize the passage in your own words. This can help you identify the correct answer more clearly.

Multiple Choice

Believing that living in an impractical space can heighten awareness and even improve health, conceptual artistsMadeline Gins and Shusaku Arakawa designed an apartment building in Japan to be more fanciful than functional. Akitchen counter is chest-high on one side and knee-high on the other; a ceiling has a door to nowhere. The effect is disorienting but invigorating: after four years there, fi lmmaker Nobu Yamaoka reported significant health benefits.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

• Although inhabiting a home surrounded by fanciful features such as those designed by Gins and Arakawa can berejuvenating, it is unsustainable.

• Designing disorienting spaces like those in the Gins and Arakawa building is the most effective way to create aphysically stimulating environment.

• As a fi lmmaker, Yamaoka has long supported the designs of conceptual artists such as Gins and Arakawa.

• Although impractical, the design of the apartment building by Gins and Arakawa may improve the well-being of thebuilding’s residents.

Multiple Choice

Biologists have predicted that birds’ feather structures vary with habitat temperature, but this hadn’t been tested inmountain environments. Ornithologist Sahas Barve studied feathers from 249 songbird species inhabiting differentelevations—and thus experiencing different temperatures—in the Himalaya Mountains. He found that feathers of high-elevation species not only have a greater proportion of warming downy sections to fl at and smooth sections than dofeathers of low-elevation species, but high-elevation species’ feathers also tend to be longer, providing a thicker layer of insulation.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

• Barve’s investigation shows that some species of Himalayan songbirds have evolved feathers that better regulatebody temperature than do the feathers of other species, contradicting previous predictions.

• Barve found an association between habitat temperature and feather structure among Himalayan songbirds, lending new support to a general prediction.

• Barve discovered that songbirds have adapted to their environment by growing feathers without fl at and smooth sections, complicating an earlier hypothesis.

• The results of Barve’s study suggest that the ability of birds to withstand cold temperatures is determined morestrongly by feather length than feather structure, challenging an established belief.

Multiple Choice

The following text is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe’s 1849 story “Landor’s Cottage.”

During a pedestrian trip last summer, through one or two of the river counties of New York, I found myself, as the day declined, somewhat embarrassed about the road I was pursuing. The land undulated very remarkably; and mypath, for the last hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort to keep in the valleys, that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B——, where I had determined to stop for the night.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

• The narrator remembers a trip he took and admits to getting lost.

• The narrator recalls fond memories of a journey that he took through some beautiful river counties.

• The narrator describes what he saw during a long trip through a frequently visited location.

• The narrator explains the diffi culties he encountered on a trip and how he overcame them.

Command of Evidence (Charts and Graphs Questions)

These test your ability to interpret, use, and analyze information presented in charts, graphs, or other data visualizations.

These questions assess how well you can connect the data in a visual form to the information in a passage and use that evidence to support or strengthen the author's argument.

Command of Evidence (Charts and Graphs Questions)

• Understand the Data: Carefully examine the chart, graph, or table. Pay attention to the axes, labels, units of measurement, and any trends shown in the visual. Be sure to understand what the data represents.

• Look for Trends or Patterns: Identify key trends or patterns in the data, such as increases, decreases, or fluctuations. These trends often correlate with the arguments made in the passage.

Command of Evidence (Charts and Graphs Questions)

• Focus on Data Relevance: The correct answer often asks you to identify a piece of evidence from the chart or graph that directly supports or relates to the passage’s claims. Ensure the data is relevant to the point being made.

• Check the Labels and Units: Make sure you understand what each axis or column represents. Mistaking the units of measurement or misinterpreting the categories can lead to incorrect conclusions.

Command of Evidence (Charts and Graphs Questions)

• Use the Visual as Support: Sometimes, the passage will refer to a specific point in the graph or chart. Use that reference to guide your understanding and selection of the correct answer.

• Make Logical Connections: You may need to use both the passage and the chart to connect evidence and support a claim. Ensure that the selected data correlates directly with the author’s argument.

Multiple Choice

For a school project, a forestry student needs to recommend a maple tree that is native to North America and won’t growmore than 60 feet in height. Based on the characteristics of fi ve common maple trees, she has decided to select a ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

• silver maple.

• sugar maple.

• red maple.

• Norway maple.

Multiple Choice

Organic farming is a method of growing food that tries to reduce environmental harm by using natural forms of pestcontrol and avoiding fertilizers made with synthetic materials. Organic farms are still a small fraction of the total farms in the United States, but they have been becoming more popular. According to the US Department of Agriculture, in 2016California had between 2,600 and 2,800 organic farms and ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the text?

• Washington had between 600 and 800 organic farms.

• New York had fewer than 800 organic farms.

• Wisconsin and Iowa each had between 1,200 and 1,400 organic farms.

• Pennsylvania had more than 1,200 organic farms.

Multiple Choice

Digital paywalls restrict access to online content to those with a paid subscription. In an investigation of the effect ofpaywalls on newspaper company revenues for print and digital subscriptions and advertising, Doug J. Chung and colleagues compared actual outcomes (with a paywall) to control estimates (without a paywall). The researchers concluded that introducing a paywall is generally more beneficial for larger newspapers, which have high circulation andtend to offer a substantial amount of unique online content.

Which choice best describes data from the table that support Chung and colleagues’ conclusion?

• The

  Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times had similar total revenue changes, but the Los Angeles Times

  had a smaller percentage change.

• The

  Los Angeles Times

  had a 12.5% revenue change, while the

  Chicago Tribune

  had a 19% revenue change.

• The

  New York Times

  had a 20% revenue change, while the

  Denver Post

  had a −1%

  revenue change.

• The Denver Post

  had only a −1%

  revenue change, which was the smallest percentage change of the selectedcompanies.

Cross Text Questions

These questions assess your ability to compare and contrast the two texts, understanding how their ideas, tones, or approaches relate to one another.

You may be asked to compare arguments, tones, or perspectives presented in each passage, or to determine how one text supports or contradicts the other.

Cross Text Questions

• Read Both Passages Carefully: Make sure you understand the main points of both texts. Pay attention to the central arguments, claims, or themes in each passage.

Do not attempt to skim/scan on these questions

Cross Text Questions

• Look for the Relationship Between the Texts: The questions may ask you to compare how the texts approach the same topic, or how their arguments align or differ. Be prepared to examine:

  • Tone: Is one text more formal or informal than the other? Is one more passionate or neutral?

  • Purpose: Are the texts meant to inform, persuade, entertain, or argue a point?

  • Point of View: Are the texts written from different perspectives? Do they support or challenge each other?

  • Evidence: How do the texts use evidence to support their points? Is the evidence presented in similar or different ways?

Cross Text Questions

• Use the Question as a Guide: The question will typically highlight what aspect of the relationship between the two texts you should focus on (e.g., tone, argument, evidence). Use this as a guide for how to read and analyze both passages.

• Identify Contrasts or Agreements: Often, the task is to determine how the two passages differ or agree. Make sure you focus on key differences or similarities in their arguments or evidence.

Cross Text Questions

• Summarize the Main Idea of Each Passage:

  Try to summarize the main points of each passage in your own words. This will help you understand the comparison better and assist in selecting the right answer.

Multiple Choice

Text 1

In 2021, a team led by Amir Siraj hypothesized that the Chicxulub impactor—the object that struck the Yucatán Peninsula sixty six million years ago, precipitating the mass extinction of the dinosaurs—was likely a member of the class of long-period comets. As evidence, Siraj cited the carbonaceous chondritic composition of samples from the Chicxulub impact crater as well as of samples obtained from long-period comet Wild 2 in 2006.

Text 2

Although long-period comets contain carbonaceous chondrites, asteroids are similarly rich in these materials. Furthermore, some asteroids are rich in iridium, as Natalia Artemieva points out, whereas long-period comets are not. Given the prevalence of iridium at the crater and, more broadly, in geological layers deposited worldwide following theimpact, Artemieva argues that an asteroid is a more plausible candidate for the Chicxulub impactor.

Based on the texts, how would Artemieva likely respond to Siraj’s hypothesis, as presented in Text 1?

• By insisting that it overestimates how representative Wild 2 is of long-period comets as a class

• By arguing that it does not account for the amount of iridium found in geological layers dating to the Chicxulub impact

• By praising it for connecting the composition of Chicxulub crater samples to the composition of certain asteroids

• By concurring that carbonaceous chondrites are prevalent in soil samples from sites distant from the Chicxulub crater

Multiple Choice

Text 1

Philosopher G.E. Moore’s most infl uential work entails the concept of common sense. He asserts that there are certainbeliefs that all people, including philosophers, know instinctively to be true, whether or not they profess otherwise: amongthem, that they have bodies, or that they exist in a world with other objects that have three dimensions. Moore’s carefulwork on common sense may seem obvious but was in fact groundbreaking.

Text 2

External world skepticism is a philosophical stance supposing that we cannot be sure of the existence of anythingoutside our own minds. During a lecture, G.E. Moore once offered a proof refuting this stance by holding out his handsand saying, “Here is one hand, and here is another.” Many philosophers refl exively reject this proof (Annalisa Coliva calledit “an obviously annoying failure”) but have found it a challenge to articulate exactly why the proof fails.

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 1 most likely respond to proponents of the philosophical stanceoutlined in Text 2?

• By agreeing with those proponents that Moore’s treatment of positions that contradict his own is fundamentallyunserious

• By suggesting that an instinctive distaste for Moore’s position is preventing external world skeptics from constructing a sufficiently rigorous refutation of Moore

• By arguing that if it is valid to assert that some facts are true based on instinct, it is also valid to assert that some proofs are inadequate based on instinct

• By pointing out that Moore would assert that external world skepticism is at odds with other beliefs those proponents must unavoidably hold

Multiple Choice

Text 1

Because literacy in Nahuatl script, the writing system of the Aztec Empire, was lost after Spain invaded central Mexico inthe 1500s, it is unclear exactly how meaning was encoded in the script’s symbols. Although many scholars had assumedthat the symbols signifi ed entire words, linguist Alfonso Lacadena theorized in 2008 that they signifi ed units of languagesmaller than words: individual syllables.

Text 2

The growing consensus among scholars of Nahuatl script is that many of its symbols could signify either words orsyllables, depending on syntax and content at any given site within a text. For example, the symbol signifying the word huipil

(blouse) in some contexts could signify the syllable “pil” in others, as in the place name “Chipiltepec.” Thus, for the Aztecs, reading required a determination of how such symbols functioned each time they appeared in a text.

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely characterize Lacadena’s theory, as described in Text 1?

• By praising the theory for recognizing that the script’s symbols could represent entire words

• By arguing that the theory is overly influenced by the work of earlier scholars

• By approving of the theory’s emphasis on how the script changed over time

• By cautioning that the theory overlooks certain important aspects of how the script functioned