Overview
This lecture covers all SAT Reading and Grammar question types, explaining strategies and examples for each, including evidence, inference, transitions, synthesis, cross-text questions, and standard English conventions.
Textual Evidence Questions
- Focus on identifying which choice best supports, weakens, or illustrates a given conclusion, hypothesis, argument, or claim.
- First, identify the central argument, read possible answers, then eliminate those that don't match the argument or use unrelated evidence.
Quantitative Evidence Questions
- Use data from graphs or tables to support or complete a statement.
- Read the statement and options first; often, you can eliminate answers without deep analysis of the chart.
- Confirm your choice by quickly checking relevant details in the graph.
Central Ideas/Main Idea Questions
- Ask for the main or central idea of a passage.
- Read the whole passage, highlight repeated phrases, and look for topic sentences.
- Eliminate answers that are too detailed or off-topic.
Textual Details Questions
- Require identifying specific details or characteristics in a passage.
- Skim for relevant details and match question keywords to passage synonyms.
- Eliminate general or irrelevant choices and select the answer supported by the text.
Transitions
- Ask which word or phrase best links two sentences or ideas.
- Skim preceding and following sentences to determine the relationship (cause/effect, contrast, example).
- Substitute a familiar transition word and choose the answer with a similar meaning.
Inferences
- Which choice most logically completes the text with information that follows from what's given.
- Skim for topic and transition words, then select the answer supported by context and logic.
Words in Context
- Select the most logical or precise word/phrase, or interpret the meaning of a word as used in context.
- Skim for tone and restatements in the passage; eliminate obviously wrong or tonally mismatched choices.
Text Structure & Purpose
- Questions about overall passage structure or the function of a specific part.
- Generalize each sentence in the passage to match structure-based answer choices.
- For purpose questions, focus on why and how an author includes details or structures information.
Rhetorical Synthesis
- Use student notes to accomplish a specific goal (e.g., emphasize a similarity).
- Read the question and eliminate options that don't accomplish the stated goal before checking details in the notes.
Cross-Text Connections
- Compare passage viewpoints or how one author would respond to another's claim.
- Skim for each text's main argument, eliminate conflicts, and select the answer that logically extends their reasoning.
Standard English Conventions (Grammar)
- Covers clause boundaries, linking clauses (FANBOYS, subordinating conjunctions, semicolons), non-essential elements (set off with punctuation), and core punctuation rules.
- Modifier placement: modifiers must be next to what they describe.
- Subject-verb agreement: subjects and verbs must agree in number and tense.
- Pronoun-antecedent agreement: pronouns must match their antecedents in number.
- Plurals use no apostrophe; possessives use apostrophe + s (singular) or s’ (plural).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Textual Evidence — Direct quotes or facts supporting a claim.
- Quantitative Evidence — Numerical data or graphs used to justify an argument.
- Main/Central Idea — The core point or takeaway of a passage.
- Transition — Word/phrase connecting ideas or sentences.
- Inference — Conclusion drawn based on implicit information in the text.
- Words in Context — Determining the specific meaning of a word as used in a passage.
- Structure — How information is organized (e.g., example, argument).
- Purpose — The author’s intent behind including certain information.
- Clause — A group of words with a subject and verb, can be independent or dependent.
- Modifier — Descriptive word/phrase; must be next to what it modifies.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice identifying question types in SAT practice sections.
- Review subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement with grammar exercises.
- Complete any assigned readings or drills on central idea, transitions, and inference questions.