Strategies for Taking the SAT Verbal Section

1. Strategies for Taking the SAT Verbal Section Melissa Fedigan Instructor 2014-15

2. What is on the Verbal Section? • SAT runs 3 hours and 45 minutes and has 10 sections overall • Verbal sections include: • One 25-min essay section • Two 25-minute Critical Reading Sections(Sentence Completions & Reading Comprehension) • One 25-minute Writing Section • Error identification questions (Error ID) • Improving sentence questions • Improving paragraph questions • One 20-minute Critical Reading section(Sentence Completions & Reading Comprehension) • An experimental section which may be Writing, Math, or Critical Reading (no way to tell)

3. Scoring • Each section is on a scale of 200 to 800 points. • Combined scores are totaled for an overall score of 600-2400. • The average SAT score is 500 per section or 1500 total.

4. Scoring • Each correct answer earns1 full point, regardless of level of difficulty. • Each unanswered question earns a student 0 points. • Each incorrect answer to a Student-Produced Response question earns a student 0 points. • Students LOSE 1/4 point for each incorrect answer to a multiple-choice question.

5. Guessing What is the capital of Azerbaijan?

6. Guessing-Using POE (Process of Elimination) What is the capital of Azerbaijan? • Washington, D.C. • Paris • Tokyo • London • Baku The test writers know how high school students think! *Look for WRONG answers, instead of right ones!

7. Guessing • What is the capital of Qatar? A) Paris B) Dukhan C) Tokyo D) Doha E) London What choices can you eliminate?

8. Guessing • DO NOT GUESS unless you can eliminate at least one choice! • DO NOT GUESS if you did not spend any time looking at the question!

9. Strategies for Help on the SAT • You paid for your test book-WRITE ON IT! • Write on diagrams or make your own on the booklet! • Write words down to help you figure out sentence completion answers. • When using POE, physically cross off the wrong answers! • Put a BIG QUESTION MARK next to questions you aren’t sure about and come back to them later. • TIME SAVER: Transfer answers from book to answer sheet at the end of each section!

10. Order of Questions Sentence CompletionsError IDsImproving Sentences …are in increasing order of difficulty! Readings Improving Paragraphs Essay …are not! These sections have questions in chronological order. So…PACE YOURSELFto find and complete all the easy questions in the section before trying to tackle the hardest ones!

11. Selecting Answers • Easy Questions • Medium Questions • Hard Questions =answer that seems right probably is for everyone taking the test =high scorers will pick the right answer, low scorers will feel like the correct answer is wrong, and average scorers will sometimes be right and other times be wrong =high scorers will pick the right answer and everyone else will think the correct answer is the wrong one

12. Don’t Be Like Joe!

13. Be Like Jane!

14. Critical Reading Section • 2 Types of Questions: • Sentence Completions • Reading Comprehension

15. Sentence Completions

16. Know the Directions: • Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E. Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole. Example: Desiring to ______________ his taunting friends, Mitch gave them taffy in hopes it would keep their mouths shut. A) eliminate B) satisfy C) overcome D) ridicule E) silence

17. Sentence Completions 7. The researchers believe their experimental and observational data furnish the _____________ evidence that proves their hypothesis. A. trifling B. experiential C. intuitive D. empirical E. microscopic *This question is the last question in the group of sentence completion questions. What type of word are you look for to answer the question?

18. Sentence Completion Even though it is a dead language, rather than fading away, Latin is now being _________. What word would you put in this blank? What can you eliminate? A. forgotten B. excavated C. mortified D. revitalized E. revealed

19. Cover Up Answers • Lavender has a _______________ effect; its aroma alleviates tension and anxiety. • fragrant • joyous • iridescent • soothing • painful What word would you use to complete this sentence? The clue to the answer is in the part of the sentence that says, “alleviates tension and anxiety.”

20. Trigger Words • Can help you find the answer! • Change the DIRECTION of the sentence’s meaning. • I really like you, but ___________________________. • I really like you, and ___________________________. I am going to leave you I am going to hug you

21. Common Trigger Words Same Direction Change Direction however although/though but in contrast to rather despite yet • because • and • since • in fact • colon (:) • semicolon (;)

22. The Tricky Ones Most of Rick’s friends think his life is unbelievably --------, but in fact he spends most of his time on ------ activities. • fruitful..productive • wasteful..useless • scintillating..mundane • varied..supportive • callow..simple Look for words that are opposites because of Tigger Word to Change Direction. *need a positive + negative • A—both are positive words-gone! • B-both are negative words-gone! • C-positive & negative-keep • D-both are positive-gone! • E-negative & neutral-possible

23. And Then There Were Two… • While the -------- student openly questioned the teacher’s explanation, she was not so -------- as to suggest that the teacher was wrong. A) complacent..suspicious B) inquistive..imprudent C) curious..dispassionate D) provocative..respectful E) ineffectual..brazen

24. HOMEWORK: Drill 1, p. 44 Drill 2, p. 45 Drill 3, p. 50

25. Reading Comprehension

26. Overall Strategies • Don’t waste time reading stuff you don’t need. • Read the questions over before reviewing the passages. • Questions are set up CHRONOLOGICALLY. • Read carefully when looking for an answer. • Figure out what the answer could/should look like before looking at the choices. • Don’t fall for traps that the SAT sets up for you!

27. What Should I Read? • Read the italicized blurb. • Work the passage. • Select a question. • Read only what you need. • Answer the question. • POE-eliminate the 4 worst answers! Let’s go over an example together!

28. Complete Handout together • Answering questions 17-24.

29. 17. The author and his traveling companion discussed illnesses because • the cholera epidemic of the era was a grim concern to the travelers. • the author hoped to avoid discussing the reason for the journey. • the author supposed that the topic would be welcomed by his friend. • the travelers were mocking the pretensions enjoyed in elite society. • the traveling companion worried about the author’s deteriorating health.

30. 18. The cause of the “bitter disappointment” (line 25) was that • the whale, which the author and his friend had traveled to see, was no longer on the beach. • the previously warm weather had turned rainy and cold, forcing the companions to return home • the hotel in which the author intended to lodge was much older than he had expected. • the traveling companions were looking for natural beauty where it would not likely be found. • the author’s personality precluded enjoyment of a scene that all other would appreciate.

31. 19. The author mentions “a cliff, an isolated hill, an island” (line 41-42) in order to • describe the nearby scenery as they traveled to the whale • indicate the size of the whale relative to the scenery. • show his bravery in traveling over dangerous terrain. • express a desire to visit lands brought to mind by the waves. • emphasize that the actual size of the whale was unexpected.

32. 20. In lines 47-52, the author suggests that • when he saw the whale up close, he found it to be even larger than he had expected. • he did not have a management role in the hotel that he had visited earlier. • if it were up to him, he would not let other travelers come to see the whale. • he recognized the ability to make money by charging people to see the whale. • he determined to study the effect of atmosphere conditions on perception.

33. 21. The author would most likely agree with which one of the following about the “blessing” (line 58): • an even larger whale, while interesting, would smell even worse than the whale on the beach. • existing regulations would not prevent the author from seeing a larger whale up close. • after the earlier disappointment in the hotel, the author was pleased to have found the whale. • the author was amused that his reaction to the whale was consistent with his personality. • the author’s companion would not have reacted well had the whale been much larger.

34. 22. As used in line 67, “admire” most nearly means • Respect • Marvel • Desire • Prize • Regard

35. 23. The final sentence of the passage serves to • display the author’s knowledge • draw a meaningful contrast • express a burning concern • disagree with a position • articulate an intention

36. 24. The author’s tone can best be described as • Indignant • Grave • Ambivalent • Sardonic • Serene

37. Strategies • Avoid answers that… • Recycled words • Half right answers • Extreme language • Go too far!

38. HOMEWORK: Drill, p. 71-73 Drill, p. 85-87

39. Session 2 Cracking the SAT Verbal Test

40. Writing Section It’s really 2 Parts: Essay Grammar

41. Grammar 2 sections: 1 short 1 long

42. Strategy for Grammar • Questions are NOT in order of difficulty EXCEPT for Error ID questions! • Many times the questions are CORRECT even though they sound wrong to you!

43. Directions for Error ID • The following sentences test your ability to recognize grammar and usage errors. Each sentence contains either a single error or no errors at all. No sentence contains more than one error. The error, if there is one, is underlined and lettered. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence is correct, select choice E. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

44. Example • The inconsistencies in the witness’s testimony notwithstanding, the jury had no choice but to conclude that the suspect was not guilty of the charges leveled against him. No error

45. Error ID Questions: Complete 1st • There is never more than 1 error per sentence. • If there is an error, it is always underlined. • Approximately 20% of all error ID questions are correct as written. Don’t be afraid to pick “E.” • Error IDs are short, so you should be able to eliminate at least one choice, so GUESS on all of these! • DO error ID questions 1st!

46. Improving Sentences: 2nd to Answer • Answer choice A is always a reprint of the underlined section. • Approximately 20% of all Improving Sentences questions are correct. • If you decide the underlined portion has an error, cross out choice “A.” • KISS: Keep It Short and Sweet (concise answers!)

47. Grammar! Ugh! • Test 5 basic skills: • Sentence structure • Verbs • Nouns • Pronouns • Prepositions • Other little things

48. Sentence Structure: Clauses • Independent Clauses: stand alone as a sentence. • Errors: • Comma Splice: • Susie wanted to go shopping, she wanted to go to the sale. • Run-On Sentence: • Susie wanted to go shopping she wanted to go to the sale.

49. Sentence Structure: Clauses • Dependent Clauses: CANNOT stand alone as a sentence. • Examples: • Sam is very dirty and needs a bath. • The shirt that he put on was too small. • Sentence Fragments: (No independent clauses) • When the students entered the school, much to their dismay, and following the announcement.

50. Verbs: Do They Agree with the Subject? • Plural subject with plural verb • Singular subject with singular verb