New SAT Writing & Language Test Strategies


SAT Instructor Terri of Prepped & Polished, LLC in South Natick, Massachusetts teaches you ways to tackle questions found on the New SAT writing and language test section.

Today, our focus is on how to tackle the evidence-based writing and language test on the new SAT which will be rolled out in 2016. It’s not too early to start boosting the skills that will be tested. But first, let me introduce you to the basics.

The evidence-based writing and language test on the new SAT has 44 multiple-choice questions with emphasis on command of evidence, relevant words in context, as well as informational graphics. The basic aim of the writing and language test is to determine if students can demonstrate college and career readiness and proficiency in revising and editing extended prose passages, sometimes associated with one or more informational graphics across a range of content areas, including history, social studies, humanities, science, careers, for expression of ideas and for conformity to important conventions of standard written English grammar usage and punctuation. So, that’s the testing in a nutshell.

Here’s a tip for you

The best way to gain facility with language in general and to use language effectively in particular contexts to have precision and clarity of meaning is to read as much as possible across a broad range of content areas and to revise and edit your own writing to use just the right word to convey your intended meaning.

Bonus tip

Many questions on the new SAT assess command of evidence. Some questions measure a student’s ability to revise a text, to improve its development of information and ideas. Other questions ask a student to draw connections between text and graphics, for example, to correct a passage’s inaccurate interpretation of data presented in a table. So, brush up on these areas.

What do you think of these new SAT sections? Do you think the New SAT Writing and Language Test will be harder or easier than the current reading and writing SAT sections ?

Post your tips/comments below.

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