SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) Reading and Writing: Craft and Structure Syllabus

What does the academic vocabulary word 'mitigate' mean?

To make something less severe, harmful, or painful; to lessen.

What does the academic vocabulary word 'paradox' mean?

A seemingly self-contradictory statement or situation that may nonetheless be true.

What does the academic vocabulary word 'skeptical' mean?

Not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

What does the academic vocabulary word 'comprehensive' mean?

Complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something.

What is the 'main purpose' of a passage, and what question does it answer?

The main purpose is the author's primary goal; it answers 'Why did the author write this?' (e.g., to argue, explain, describe, illustrate, or compare).

How does 'main purpose' differ from 'main idea'?

Main idea is WHAT the passage is mainly about (the central point); main purpose is WHY the author wrote it (the author's intent/function).

What verbs typically begin a correct 'main purpose' answer choice?

Function verbs such as 'to argue, to explain, to describe, to illustrate, to compare, to challenge, to advocate, to summarize.'

When a question asks the 'function' of a specific sentence, what are you identifying?

The role that sentence plays in the passage's structure—e.g., introducing a claim, providing evidence, offering a counterpoint, giving an example, or transitioning.

What is the best approach to a 'function of an underlined sentence' question?

Read the sentences before and after it to see how it connects ideas, then describe its job in the argument rather than just restating its content.

Name four common organizational patterns of a passage.

Chronological/sequence, cause-and-effect, compare-and-contrast, and problem-solution (also: general-to-specific or claim-then-evidence).

What is a 'cause-and-effect' organizational pattern?

A structure that presents an event or condition and then explains the results or consequences that follow from it.

What is a 'problem-solution' organizational pattern?

A structure that introduces an issue or difficulty and then proposes one or more ways to resolve it.

What is a 'compare-and-contrast' organizational pattern?

A structure that examines similarities and differences between two or more subjects.

What is a rhetorical 'shift' in a passage?

A change in the author's tone, focus, argument, or perspective, often signaled by transition words like 'however,' 'yet,' or 'on the other hand.'

Define 'rhetorical move' in passage analysis.

A deliberate authorial technique—such as posing a question, conceding a point, citing evidence, or making an analogy—used to advance the argument or affect the reader.

What is a 'concession' as a rhetorical move?

Acknowledging a point or opposing view as partly valid, often before refuting it or qualifying one's own claim.

What is a 'rhetorical question' and why do authors use it?

A question asked for effect rather than an answer, used to provoke thought, emphasize a point, or guide the reader toward a conclusion.

In paired-passage questions, what does the SAT primarily test?

The relationship between the two texts—how their claims, evidence, perspectives, or tones agree, disagree, qualify, or build on one another.

What is the first step when comparing two paired passages?

Identify each author's main claim or position separately before analyzing how the two relate to each other.

When asked how Author 2 would likely respond to Author 1, what should your answer be based on?

Author 2's stated views and evidence—infer a response consistent with that position, not your own opinion or outside knowledge.

What does it mean to 'synthesize' the relationship between two texts?

To combine information from both passages to determine how they connect—whether one supports, challenges, extends, or provides an example for the other.

In a paired-passage set, what is a common relationship besides simple agreement or disagreement?

One author may qualify, complicate, or provide a specific case for the other's general claim—partial agreement with reservations.

How should you handle a paired-passage question that asks what both authors would agree on?

Find the common ground—an idea each passage independently supports—and reject options true of only one author.

Why is it important to read each passage's claim precisely before inferring a cross-text response?

Because the correct inference must follow logically from what each author actually argued; small misreadings lead to distractor answers that overstate or distort a position.

What kind of evidence supports a vocabulary-in-context answer?

Direct textual clues—surrounding phrases, parallel structure, and logical relationships—rather than the test-taker's prior familiarity with the word.

What is a sign that an answer choice to a 'main purpose' question is too narrow?

It describes only one detail or paragraph instead of the passage as a whole; the purpose must account for the entire text.

What is a sign that a 'main purpose' answer choice is too broad?

It claims the author covers more than the passage actually does, or uses sweeping language the text never supports.

How do transition words help identify organizational patterns and shifts?

They signal logical relationships—addition ('moreover'), contrast ('however'), cause ('therefore'), sequence ('next')—revealing how ideas are structured and where the argument turns.

What does 'precise word choice' mean for matching tone and register?

Selecting the word whose formality, connotation, and exact meaning fit the audience, purpose, and surrounding language—not merely a general synonym.

What strategy reduces errors when eliminating distractor synonyms in a context question?

Predict the meaning of the blank from context first, then match each choice to that prediction, discarding options that fit only loosely or carry the wrong connotation.