SAT Writing Rhetorical Skills rules: add/delete, support

When you see an add/delete question, step 1 is

• Read the whole paragraph and get the main idea of the paragraph

• Ask "How does this support the main idea of the paragraph?"

• Read the answer choices

• Decide whether or not it feels relevant

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

When you see an add/delete question, step 2 is

• Read the whole paragraph and get the main idea of the paragraph

• Ask "How does this support the main idea of the paragraph?"

• Read the answer choices

• Decide whether or not it feels relevant

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

When you see an add/delete question, the final step is

• Read the whole paragraph and get the main idea of the paragraph

• Ask "How does this support the main idea of the paragraph?"

• Find the answer choice that matches with your answer from step 2.

• Cry

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

If you see an add/delete question, is it OK to skip reading the whole paragraph and just answer it really quickly?

• YES :)

• NO >:(

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

When the Writing test asks for something that "supports" a claim, it likes...

• Analysis and insight

• Statistics, specific examples, and scientific data

• Further applications of the findings

• Other, similar claims

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

When the Writing test asks which choice best "transitions to the information that follows," your answer should focus on...

• Commas and FANBOYS

• The main idea of the passage

• The main idea of the previous sentence

• The main idea of the next sentence

Tags

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.3.3C

CCSS.RF.3.3D

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

It's OK to skim through rhetorical skills questions (adding/deleting, transition, support, etc.) quickly because they are usually all worded the same.

• YES :) Go fast, my little fishies!

• NO >:( Slow and steady wins the race, my scholarly tortoises!

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

Transition sentences should...

• Refer back to the previous sentence if possible, and, most importantly, refer forward to the next sentence.

• Only refer back to the main idea of the previous sentence.

• Use advanced vocabulary and obscure words.

• Avoid using modifiers.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

We call words like "the, this, those, these, that"

• prepositions

• FANBOYS

• subordinators

• "th" words

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1G

CCSS.L.3.1H

CCSS.L.5.1A

CCSS.L.5.1E

When you see a "th" word, think...

• What specifically is it referring to? (The previous sentence should tell us.)

• Hey look, a "th" word! Neato!

• I have to go to the bathroom.

• Look for a comma.

Tags

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.3.3C

CCSS.RF.3.3D

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A