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Key words to help you hack the SAT Writing section
If you’ve read any of my previous articles, you know that I believe the SAT Writing section is by far the easiest section to “hack” and gain hundreds of points, as my students have done. Why is this, though?
Today, I’m going to address how predictable and formulaic the SAT Writing section is—how it tests the same set of concepts over and over, often using key words that alert those in the know to what’s being tested. The following is a list of some key words to watch out for and what those words signal!
(Note well, these tips can also be used for higher scores on SAT and ACT Essays!)
Sentence that begins with a preposition
If a sentence begins with a preposition, chances are it’s testing you on inverted structure subject-verb agreement. Let’s take a look:
Along the far side of the city lies an old trainyard and a crumbling bridge.
“Lies” should be changed to “lie” because the subject of the sentence is “a trainyard AND a bridge,” which is plural.
“City,” “Jury,” “Company,” etc.
When you see a name like “Jackson, Mississippi,” a word like “jury,” “company,” or “team,” pay attention! These are collective nouns, and they require SINGULAR verbs and SINGULAR pronouns. For example:
Austin, Texas is a city famous for their bats.
“Their” should be changed to “its.”
“The number of”
When you see this phrase, they’re testing you on it! It’s SINGULAR. For example:
The number of pandas happily munching bamboo in the zoo are eleven.
“Are” should be changed to “is.”
“A number of”
Chances are, when “a number of” appears, you’re expected to know that it’s PLURAL. For example:
A number of changes to the state’s tax code is being proposed.
“Is” should be changed to “are.”
“Each”
When you see “each,” you’re likely being tested on the fact that it’s always SINGULAR. Check it out:
Each of the thousands of visible stars in the sky are dazzlingly beautiful.
“Are” should be changed to “is.”
“Every one”
When “every one” appears, remember: it’s always SINGULAR. Take a look:
Every one of the frolicking dolphins are cute.
“Are” should be changed to “is.”
“Would” and “Will”
When you see “would” or “will,” the SAT is testing you on those words. “Would” is used in sentences taking place in the past, as well as with hypothetical scenarios. “Will” is used in the present tense. For example:
When the board votes to increase its members’ pay, riots would erupt.
“Would” should be changed to “will.”
Shakespeare was born in England and will become a playwright.
“Will” should be changed to “would.”
If I were you, I will study for the test.
“Will” should be changed to “would.”
“Since” and “For”
These words typically signal that the present perfect tense is required. Take a look at these two sentences:
I am a fan of Mozart since childhood.
“Am” should be changed to “have been.”
For years, Bob ran marathons, and he’s going to run another one today.
“Ran” should be changed to “has run.”
“By the time”
“By the time” in a sentence typically signals that the past perfect tense is required. For example:
By the time the lesson was over, several students fell asleep.
“Fell” should be changed to “had fallen.”
“One” and “You”
When “one” and “you” appear together in a sentence, one of them is wrong. For example:
If one wants to avoid being stung by a bee, you should wear a net suit.
“You” should be changed to “one” or “one wants” should be changed to “you want.”
“Do it”
This phrase is ALWAYS WRONG on the SAT. “It” is a pronoun and must refer to a specific noun in the sentence. “It” cannot refer to a verb phrase. Observe:
I asked you to clean your room, so please do it.
“It” cannot replace “clean your room.” “Do it” should be changed to “do so.” EVERY TIME.
“Compared to,” “In contrast,” “more,” “less,” etc.
These words, as well as words ending in “-er” and “-est,” are trying to call your attention to comparison errors. There are two types: bad comparisons and comparative versus superlative errors. See examples of both below:
The paintings of Picasso are more geometric than Monet.
“Monet” should be changed to “the paintings of Monet,” or “those of Monet,” or “Monet’s paintings.”
Between the cheetah and the antelope, there is no question as to which is fastest.
“Fastest” should be changer to “faster” because only TWO animals are being compared.
Word Pairs
The following words MUST appear together. When you see one in a sentence, be on the lookout for its twin. If the test gives you the wrong word pair, such as “either/nor” or “not only/plus,” there’s your error! Memorize the following pairs:
“Either/Or”
“Neither/Nor”
“Not only/But also”
“Both/And”
“Between/And”
“At once/And”
“As/as”
“More/than”
“Less/than”
“No sooner/than”
“So/that”
“Such/that”
“From/to”
“Just as/so”
“At once/and”
Name of a profession
Chances are that if you see the name of a profession, you’re being tested on noun agreement. Check it out:
John and Melissa both dream of becoming a scientist.
“A scientist” should be changed to “scientists.”
“Who,” “that,” and “which”
The presence of these words should merit your attention. “Who” is used to refer to people. “That” never gets commas. “Which” requires a comma and should refer directly to a specific noun in the sentence. Check out these examples:
Duke Ellington was a jazz musician which was featured in the movie American Hustle.
“Which” should be changed to “who.”
Andy and Susan are going to the movie, that opens on Friday.
“That” should be changed to “which” or the comma should be removed.
Conjunctions (e.g. “and,” “but,” “for,” “so,” “because”)
If you see a conjunction, ask yourself if it’s the best type of conjunction. Words like “and” and “moreover” advance ideas. Words like “but,” “yet,” and “although” introduce contradictions or clarifications. Words like “because,” “so,” and “since” show cause-and-effect relationships. For example:
The dog snarled angrily and soon pranced away happily.
“And” should be changed to “but.”
“Being”
While not always wrong, “being” is a huge red flag. It typically indicates that a sentence is wordy and passive. Look at this:
Being as he was a gifted storyteller, John made millions as a novelist.
“Being as he was” can be cut entirely.
Despite of the fact of her being a science teacher, Jane did not believe in global warming.
“Despite of the fact of her being” should be changed to “Although she was.”
Lists
The presence of lists tends to test you on parallel structure, as in these sentence:
Babies are often seen crawling, drooling, and they also cry.
“And they also cry” should be changed to “crying.”
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That’s it for today! You’ll have a perfect SAT score in no time. Now check out our course store for our deepest strategy guides to the SAT Writing and more.
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