Fiveable SAT Writing And Language: Tips and Tricks

The SAT Writing and Language consists of 44 multiple-choice questions which must be completed in 35 minutes. This means that you will get approximately 45 seconds per question. However, that's plenty of time since some of the questions will only take you about 15 seconds to answer. Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind when taking the test! 

✍️SAT Writing and Language: Tips & Tricks

📖 Answer Questions As You Read

Answer the questions as you read through the passage. Do not read the whole passage before going back to answer the questions. This will help you save time! There will be some questions that will require you to read the whole passage first. Skip those questions and return to them later. You can also skim the questions before reading so that you know what to look out for as you read. 

❓❗ Study Punctuation

Study punctuation rules prior to taking the test. Make sure to brush up on where to use commas, colons, semicolons, dashes, hyphens, and apostrophes. These are the most common types of punctuation tested on the SAT. You should be able to answer punctuation questions fairly quickly! Studying independent and dependent clauses might also help you improve your punctuation. You must know the difference between when to use a colon and when to use a semicolon. Keep comma rules in mind!

📋 Use Process of Elimination

Use the process of elimination. If two answer choices mean the same thing, you can eliminate both since every question only has ONE correct answer. This is an useful strategy when you are stuck between two choices. 

🛑 Be Wary of the Word "Being"

If a sentence uses the word "being", it's basically guaranteed to be incorrect. "Being" is grammatically correct in very few situations and on the SAT, it's almost always incorrect. The word "being" is a gerund and it can't be used as a verb. Even when the use of "being" is a grammatically correct, it can sometimes make a sentence sound cluttered. Therefore, it's best to avoid the word "being" on the SAT. 

📝 Be Concise

Remember that concise options are always better. Frequently, the shortest option is the most concise. Avoid redundant and rambling answer choices. This is useful to keep in mind when you are unsure of how to answer a question. 

📣 "NO CHANGE" Might Be the Answer

Don't be scared of the "NO CHANGE" answer choice. There will be times when "NO CHANGE" is the correct answer. It is normal to answer "NO CHANGE" multiple times on the Writing and Language section.

🔁 PRACTICE

PRACTICE! The only way to improve your Writing and Language test section score is by taking practice tests. There are no shortcuts to success. The more you practice your grammar, the quicker you will be able to answer the questions. If you have extra time, go back to the difficult questions.

Sucess is the result of hard work and persistence 💪. Remain positive and remember that it might take a while to see results! Never give up and believe in yourself. Improving your Writing and Language test section score is a goal that is well within your reach. Keep practicing and you will certainly meet your goal!