SAT Prep – Reading and Writing Section Skills
Reading & Writing Skills Testing Areas
The SAT underwent a significant revision when it transitioned from a paper and pencil test to a digital exam in 2023 (2024 for students in the United States). Initially, there were two reading and writing-related sections: one Reading section and one Writing & Language section. Test-takers had 65 minutes to complete 52 questions on the Reading section and 35 minutes to answer 44 questions on the Writing & Language section. The digital version of the SAT contains only one reading and writing-related section, called Reading and Writing. Test-takers have 64 minutes to complete 54 questions. Test-takers are given a single reading passage containing between 25 and 150 words, then asked only one question per reading passage. Questions that assess similar skills are arranged together in order from easiest to hardest to help students manage their time effectively.
According to the College Board, the SAT Reading and Writing section tests the following skills:
- The ability to read, analyze, and use information and ideas presented in passage-form;
- The ability to explain how and why authors make the choices they do;
- The ability to revise passages to improve how information and ideas are expressed;
- The ability to edit passages to meet the expectations of Standard English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.
While some of the questions focus more on reading skills (e.g., the ability to read and gather information from the passage), other questions place a greater emphasis on writing knowledge (e.g., revising and editing passages). Test-takers are no longer required to write an essay to demonstrate their writing abilities, as the College Board assesses this knowledge through questions rather than student-generated content.
SAT Reading and Writing questions represent one of four content domains: Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas, Standard English Conventions, and Expression of Ideas.
SAT questions that fall in the Craft and Structure category measure comprehension, vocabulary, analysis, synthesis, and reasoning skills, as well as the knowledge needed to understand and use high-utility words and phrases in context. Students are also expected to evaluate text rhetorically and establish connections between topically related texts. Specific knowledge testing points include words in context, text structure and purpose, and cross-text connections. These types of questions make up approximately 28% of the SAT Reading and Writing section.
SAT questions that fall in the Information and Ideas category measure comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills, as well as the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, and integrate information and ideas from both texts and informational graphics (e.g., tables, bar graphs, and line graphs). Specific knowledge testing points include central ideas and details, command of evidence (textual and quantitative), and inferences. These types of questions make up approximately 26% of the SAT Reading and Writing section.
SAT questions that fall in the Standard English Conventions category measure the ability to edit text so that it conforms to core conventions of Standard English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation. Specific knowledge testing points include boundaries, form, structure, and sense. These types of questions make up approximately 26% of the SAT Reading and Writing section.
SAT questions that fall in the Expression of Ideas category measure the ability to revise texts to improve the effectiveness of written expression, as well as to meet particular rhetorical goals. Specific knowledge testing points include rhetorical synthesis and transitions. These types of questions make up approximately 20% of the SAT Reading and Writing section.
Reading & Writing Skills Needed for Success
The SAT Reading and Writing section is ultimately an assessment of students' abilities to comprehend written texts and understand the mechanics of written English. Though the skills necessary for high test scores are complex and multi-faceted, the overall goal is simple: to demonstrate college-level reading and writing abilities across a wide variety of disciplines. Test-takers must be able to draw both stated and implied information from reading passages, infer shades of meaning with respect to vocabulary, understand the author’s purpose, analyze rhetorical strategies, assess the validity of arguments, connect related ideas, locate information within a passage, revise sentences for more efficient written communication, edit sentences for incorrect grammar and/or punctuation, plus utilize ideas presented in the form of informational graphics.
These skills are tested with reading passages drawn from literary traditions around the world, historical documents, secondary sources in the social sciences, as well as the "hard" sciences such as physics, biology, and chemistry. The focus is on the reading and writing skills noted above rather than subject-matter knowledge. All information needed to successfully answer SAT Reading and Writing questions will be included in each individual passage. Test-takers do not need to concern themselves with acquiring specialized scientific or historical knowledge in order to receive high scores on this section of the SAT.
How to Read Test Passages
Reading efficiency is of the utmost importance to succeed on the SAT Reading and Writing section. In this context, reading efficiency is defined as comprehension of all necessary information in the smallest possible amount of time. Speed is a valuable goal, because this leaves more time for the other test passages, but speed without comprehension is at best useless and at worst counterproductive. Briefly previewing test questions can help test-takers read the passages more efficiently. Students should look for references to specific lines in the questions, such as those that ask about specific words. While reading the passages, distinguishing between evidence and argument can help test-takers answer the question more quickly later. Highlighting is a helpful tool in this regard and can be helpful in prioritizing certain sections of the passage.
How to Approach Test Questions
Careful reading of the test questions is of immense benefit to test-takers. Students should pay special attention to the exact nature of the question that is being asked and the type of information that is being requested. This will help narrow down plausible answer choices and save time by creating a more streamlined process of elimination. For example, many Reading and Writing questions specifically ask for evidence of a given claim, but some of the answer choices are clearly not actual evidence and thus do not even need to be considered. Students should also pay special attention to the verbs used in the questions. When the verb "indicates" appears, for example, it can be assumed that the question concerns something stated directly in the passage, as opposed to information that needs to be inferred. Using SAT practice tests will help students become thoroughly familiar with the types of questions asked on the SAT Reading and Writing section. These questions can then be applied to any text that students encounter in their academic and everyday lives, which will produce better SAT Reading and Writing section scores and help develop a skillset that is invaluable to almost any area of academic study, as well as later professional life.
SAT Reading and Writing Preparation
Student preparation should always utilize the most current resources, and it may be helpful to work with a tutor or instructor to ensure study materials contain the most up-to-date information. Despite the College Board's praiseworthy efforts to create an assessment more relevant to the actual academic lives of students, success on the test remains a specialized skill, and the best preparation strategy is informed and experienced guidance. Students can choose from among several reputable test prep companies and select from online or in-person learning options, including group courses or one-on-one private tutoring programs.
Students can also take free practice SAT tests through the Bluebook application, the app used to complete the SAT, and after completing the practice test they can review test items, correct answers, and a thorough explanation of the correct answer. Additionally, the College Board has partnered with Khan Academy to create a digital SAT course that includes videos, articles, and examples designed to help test-takers understand how to approach test questions in the Reading and Writing section of the SAT.