Understanding the SAT Essay

How long will you have to complete your SAT essay in April?

• 20 minutes

• 35 minutes

• 50 minutes

• 65 minutes

What will the task on an SAT essay always be?

• To explain how the author builds his/her argument

• To summarize the passage

• To analyze a photograph along with text

• To write a personal narrative

What type of writing will you be analyzing for an SAT essay?

• A long poem, probably an ode

• An excerpt from a novel

• A non-fiction piece in which an author/speaker is trying to persuade the audience

• A two-page spread from a graphic novel

When it comes to evaluating your powers of analysis, what are the scorers looking for?

• How well you analyzed your own feelings about the topic

• How well you analyzed the opposing viewpoint

• How well you analyzed the the prompt

• How well you analyzed the author's argument

For the SAT Essay, which of the following are you expected to do?

• Write a persuasive essay.

• Read and write an informative essay.

• Read an argument essay and write your own essay explaining how the writer builds his argument.

• Read an argument essay and write your own essay explaining whether you agree or disagree with the writer.

When writing your SAT Essay, what should each of your body paragraphs include?

• A small quote or passage from the author's argumentative essay.

• A summary of the author's stance.

• A personal opinion about the author's argument

• Critical thoughts about the author's opinion(s).

The SAT Essay section is score by ____ grader(s).

• 0 (it is all computerized)

• 1

• 2

• 3

The SAT essay section is graded out of __ points?

• 4

• 6

• 8

• 10

You will always have the same prompt for every SAT Essay, but the passage will be different.

• True

• False

When it comes to evaluating your reading, what are the scorers looking for?

• How many random little details you remember

• How well you understood the passage

• How much you agree with the author

• How quickly you finished reading the passage