All New SAT Writing and Language Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Ordering Sentences
[1] The first video game was created in a lab by scientists in the early 1950s. [2] British professor A. S. Douglas created a virtual tic-tac-toe as part of his doctoral dissertation in 1952. [3] Later, in 1958, William Higinbotham created “Tennis for Two” on a very large computer, completely different from what we are used to today. [4] In 1967, the first multiplayer game that could be played on a television was created, called “The Brown Box.” [5] In 1962, Steve Russell created “Spacewar!” which was a computer-based combat game.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 5 should be placed
After sentence 1
After sentence 3
Where it is now
After sentence 2
After sentence 3
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always puts its passages in chronological order. Since this paragraph is about the history of video games, The years are specifically listed, and chronologically speaking, sentence 5 would be best after sentence 3 and before sentence 4. Sentence 4 discusses the year 1967, while sentence 5 discusses the year 1962.
Example Question #2 : Ordering Sentences
[1] Renewable energy is said to be the way of the future. [2] Many different forms of renewable energy are currently being researched and implemented, including wind power, solar power, and hydroelectric power. [3] Solar energy is most commonly collected through photovoltaic solar panels that convert the sun’s energy into usable electricity. [4] Wind power, or wind energy, creates electricity through the wind that occurs naturally in the earth’s atmosphere. [5] Hydroelectric power, or water power, allows us to collect water energy through propellers, such as turbines, which turns a metal shaft in an electric generator, producing electricity.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 3 should be placed
After sentence 5
After sentence 4
Where it is now
After sentence 1
After sentence 4
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always puts its passages in sequential order. The passage lists the sources of renewable energy in the order of “wind power, solar power, and hydroelectric power,” therefore, for the sake of coherence, the details regarding the listed sources should follow the same order. Sentence 3 further elaborates on solar power, while sentence 4 elaborates on wind power. Since wind power was the first item in the list, the explanations must also follow the same order.
Example Question #21 : Rhetoric: Sentences: Paragraphs
[1] Goosebumps are a trait inherited from our animal ancestors many generations ago. [2] They are a physiological reaction in which small muscles attached to body hair contract, causing the hair to stand up. [3] The coat of body hair rises to expand the layer of air that serves as insulation. [4] However, the name comes from the way the skin resembles that of a goose after the feathers have been plucked. [5] Goosebumps can be caused whenever the body feels cold or in many animals when they feel threatened.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 5 should be placed
After sentence 2
After sentence 1
After sentence 3
Where it is now
After sentence 3
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always looks for a logical flow of ideas. Sentences 2 and 3 discuss what goosebumps are - a physiological reaction that helps insulate - and sentence 5 continues on that, listing possible causes for goosebumps. Sentence 4 has a transition that provides a detail regarding the origin of the name, no longer discussing the causes of goosebumps.
Example Question #211 : New Sat Writing And Language
[1] Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics, and years later, her second award in Chemistry made her the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. [2] Madame Curie worked endlessly with her husband, Pierre, discovering polonium and radium together, landing them the Nobel Prize shortly after in 1903. [3] Following Pierre’s death in 1911, Madame Curie went on to develop X-rays. [4] Pierre and Marie’s eldest daughter, Irène, followed in their footsteps, winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935. [5] Marie Curie passed away in 1934, caused by prolonged exposure to radiation through her work.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 5 should be placed
After sentence 1
After sentence 2
After sentence 3
Where it is now
After sentence 3
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always puts its passages in chronological order. Sentence 5 discusses Marie Curie’s passing in 1934, while sentence 4 discusses Irène’s success in 1935. Since the paragraph should be in chronological order, 1934 came before 1935, therefore sentence 5 should be placed before sentence 4.
Example Question #451 : New Sat
[1] In 2013, British scientists conducted an experiment to see the effects of how chewing bubble gum helps keep focus on tasks longer with both visual and auditory memory tasks. [2] In a study of 38 participants split into two groups, completing a 30 minute audio task involving numbers. [3] The groups were scored on their ability to accurately and quickly detect a sequence of even and odd numbers. [4] One group completed the task while chewing gum, while the other group did not chew gum at any time during the experiment. [5] The results showed that those who chewed gum while completing the task had quicker reaction times, more accurate results, and longer stamina than the participants who did not chew gum.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 3 should be placed
After sentence 4
After sentence 5
After sentence 1
Where it is now
After sentence 4
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always looks for a logical flow of the ordering of the sentences. Sentence 2 discusses what the tasks were, sentence 3 talks about the basis of the groups scores, while sentence 4 discusses how the tasks were completed, which should follow sentence 2. Sentence 3 shows how each group was scored and sentence 5 explains the results, therefore sentence 3 should follow sentence 4 and come before sentence 5 in this context.
Example Question #212 : New Sat Writing And Language
[1] Nintendo is a Japanese Company that took over the American gaming market, introducing games with memorable characters such as Super Mario Brothers, Pokemon, and more. [2] Nintendo was the first major company to introduce a handheld system: the Gameboy. [3] Prior to the Gameboy, Nintendo had released the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES, as console systems. [4] Following Nintendo’s release of the innovative console and handheld systems, Nintendo introduced the Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gamecube, and upgraded the Gameboy to the Gameboy Color, and later, the Gameboy Advanced in the mid-1990s to early 2000s. [5] Nintendo continued to break barriers in the mid-to-late 2000s and 2010s with the introduction of the DS (or duel screen), the first handheld system with a touch screen; the Wii, the first console with motion sensors and more active games; and the Nintendo Switch, the first system to be both handheld and console-based, allowing users to switch between the two at their leisure.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 5 should be placed
After sentence 2
After sentence 3
Where it is now
After sentence 1
Where it is now
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always puts its passages in chronological order. Sentence 4 discusses the console and handheld systems of the mid-1990s. Sentence 5 discusses the innovative consoles of the mid-to-late 2000s, thus following the chronological order of the passage.
Example Question #2 : Ordering Sentences
[1] Traveling across the globe has always been a dream of mine; seeing new places, experiencing different things, and viewing sights that are thousands of years old are some of the many reasons why traveling is good for the soul. [2] Seeing the mountain ranges across the United States was first on my list. [3] I packed my bags and got my car ready for a long road trip full of camping, sight-seeing, and catching up with old friends. [4] After the mountains, I stopped along Chattanooga, Asheville, Charleston, and Philadelphia to visit with several friends and see some museums and other sights in these beautiful cities. [5] My first mountains were the Appalachians, starting in Georgia and working my way up north to the Adirondacks in New York. [6] Once reaching New York, I headed west towards the Adirondacks, a small but beautiful and serene range with views unparalleled to the Smoky Mountains. [7] I spent more time than planned in New York, but it was worth the extra days to see everything I possibly could. [8] I headed west towards the Rocky Mountains, ready to take on one of the largest mountain ranges in North America.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 5 should be placed
Where it is now
After sentence 1
After sentence 6
After sentence 3
After sentence 3
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always puts its passages in chronological order. Sentence three elaborates on the beginning of the trip, where the transition at the beginning of sentence five talks about the “first mountains” showing the beginning of the trip. Sentence four states, “After the mountains,” which shows chronologically that sentence five should follow sentence three.
Example Question #3 : Ordering Sentences
[1] While the Grand Canyon is the largest canyon system on Earth, it is not the largest in our solar system. [2] The largest known canyon system in our solar system, Valles Marineris, is four times as deep and nine times as long as the Grand Canyon. [3] If you’ve ever been to the Grand Canyon, you can understand how vast the canyon system really is. [4] Valles Marineris is found on our neighboring planet, Mars.
For the sake of the logic of the passage, sentence 3 should be placed
Where it is now
Before sentence 1
After sentence 1
After sentence 4
Before sentence 1
Whenever a question asks you to place a sentence within the context of the paragraph in order to increase the logic of the paragraph, remember that the SAT almost always puts its passages in chronological order. Sentence 3 introduces the passage details, discussing the size of the Grand Canyon, in a statement that hooks the reader. Sentence 3 will best introduce the idea of the passage, as it interrupts the flow between sentence 2 and sentence 4, which both discuss the size and location of Valles Marineris.
Example Question #1 : Graph Interpretation
The public’s perception of archaeologists has, for years, been colored by depictions of the profession in movie franchises like Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, and The Mummy. However popular these movies are, they– like movies that depict any other profession – don’t necessarily reflect what archaeologists actually do. While fighting supernatural forces and foiling nefarious plans does make for a better movie, the primary work of archaeology is in research and preservation
The traditional view of archaeologists usually involves a college professor who spends much of his or her time digging and researching in ancient foreign libraries or a museum curator who works every day to preserve the artifacts the museum holds. While this view isn’t completely incorrect, it is incomplete, both in terms of the types of jobs available to archaeologists and in terms of the types of work within those jobs. For example, college professors may spend summers at dig sites, but much of their time is also spent writing grants, teaching students, and writing about their research projects. Additionally, although there are still many people who work in archaeology as professors and museum curators, the demand for these job far outstrips the number of positions available, making the positions difficult to acquire.
[1] The job of CRM archaeologists is to identify the potential cultural significance of a site and then document and preserve any artifacts of historical or cultural significance. [2] The surplus of people who want to work in archaeology has meant that the majority of archaeologists aren’t employed by universities or museums, but by construction companies and the government. 1 [3] Most archaeology positions in today’s economy are for what are referred to as a “cultural resource management” archaeologists, or CRM archaeologists, who are often involved in building projects as representatives of the state, Native American tribes, and historical societies. [4] While part of this analysis might involve starting a dig at the site in question to find relevant artifacts, much of this research process requires CRM archaeologists to consult historical records and talk to members of the community where the building process has been proposed.
At this point, the author is considering inserting the following graph.
Should the author make this addition here?
Yes, because it supports the claim that archaeology is important in local government decisions.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim made in the passage.
No, because it adds information not directly related to the role of archaeologists.
No, because it does not give information on the number of archaeology positions available.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim made in the passage.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is useful to treat it like you would any other question that asks you whether you should add information. Look at the reasoning behind each answer choice (what follows the "yes" or the "no") and eliminate based on that before you make the decision about whether or not the graph should be included. This often simplifies your choice immensely. "Yes, because it gives data to support a claim made in the passage." reasoning is valid since the claim it supports in the passage is that most archaeologists work for the government or for construction companies rather than for universities. "Yes, because it supports the claim that archaeology is important in local government decisions." can be eliminated because even though the graph shows that almost 20% of archaeologists work in local government it does not show their impact on policy decisions. "No, because it adds information not directly related to the role of archaeologists." can also be eliminated because the graph does offer information about the different roles archaeologists can have. And while "No, because it does not give information on the number of archaeology positions available." reasoning is correct, the passage itself isn't concerned with the total number of roles at this point in the passage, but rather is concerned with how those roles are distributed. "Yes, because it gives data to support a claim made in the passage." is correct.
Example Question #1 : Graph Interpretation
Global warming has affected so many cities across the globe. Between hurricanes, forest fires, rising sea levels, and recorded hot temperatures consistently rising, climate change has become hard to ignore. NASA scientists have observed how the sea levels have steadily increased by measuring the coastal tide gauges. Over the past 100 years, sea levels have risen dramatically, causing coastal erosion.
At this point, the author is considering inserting the following graph:
Graph Source: https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/climate-change-in-ten-graphs
Should the author make this addition here?
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim that sea levels are rising.
No, because it adds information not directly related to climate change.
Yes, because it supports the claim that climate change is caused by rising temperatures in our atmosphere.
No, because it does not give information on the atmospheric temperature increase.
Yes, because it gives data to support a claim that sea levels are rising.
Although this question asks about a graph, it is important to treat it like you would any other question that asks to add information. Paying attention to the reasoning of the questions will help identify the correct choice. The passage discusses how climate change is affecting the rising sea levels. The graph shows information on the rising sea levels, therefore the option, “it supports the claim that climate change is caused by rising temperatures in our atmosphere,” would be incorrect. The graph accurately supports a claim made in the passage, and therefore should be added to the passage, eliminating the “no” options. “Yes, because it gives data to support a claim that sea levels are rising.” is correct.