SAT Writing Section - Sentence-Improvement Question Testing Tips

The SAT writing section is designed to test an individual's English language skills. In order to evaluate these skills, the sentence-improvement questions in the writing section are specifically designed to evaluate an individual's ability to identify and correct mistakes in grammar, punctuation, word usage, and sentence structure. However, there are certain key concepts about the sentence-improvement questions that an individual taking the SAT Writing section may want to keep in mind.

First, it is good idea to read the sentence associated with each question before reading the answers. This is because you may be able to identify an error in the sentence simply by reading the sentence quickly, which will make it much easier for you to identify the correct answer. This is especially true if there is only one mistake in the sentence. The correct answer will eliminate the single mistake you found when you initially read though the sentence.

Second, it is important to realize that (A) will always be the same as the underlined portion of the sentence. This means that if you are presented with the sentence "The SAT Reasoning Test is one of the most widely used admissions tests in the country," then (A) will be "one of the most widely used admissions tests in the country." As a result, you don't need to read (A) for each sentence-improvement question because you already read the phrase when you read the question. This can save you a lot of time because you don't need to read the same information over and over again.

Third, it is important to realize that you shouldn't rule out (A) simply because it is identical to the underlined phrase in the question. This is because some of the sentences in this section of the exam may be correct and you may not have to make any changes to correct them. Therefore, choose (A) if you can't find an error in the sentence.

Finally, if you are having difficulty finding an error in the sentence, but the sentence just doesn't look right, try reading the sentence with the different answers in place of the original phrase. You may be able to recognize the correct answer simply because it makes the sentence easier to read. This can also be a very effective way to verify that your answer is correct.