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15 Hardest SAT Writing & Language Questions

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What’s Covered:

• How Do SAT Scores Impact Your College Chances?
• SAT Writing & Language Topics

15 Hardest SAT Writing & Language Questions

The SAT Writing & Language section is 35 minutes long and features 44 questions. You’ll be asked to read passages and correct any weaknesses in the writing. Questions cover aspects like tone, word choice, syntax, punctuation, and more. 

If you’d like more practice with the trickier writing concepts, this is the post for you! In this post, we will cover the hardest SAT Writing and Language questions we’ve come across out of many of the College Board’s officially released tests . 

Of course, “hard” is subjective, so some of these may actually seem easy to you, and that’s fine! Our goal is simply to help you identify your grammatical strengths and weaknesses.

How do SAT Scores Impact Your College Chances?

Currently, most colleges accept both the ACT or SAT and take it heavily into consideration as a predictor of college success (outside of non-COVID years). In fact, selective schools use grades and test scores as a filter, so if your academics aren’t up to par, you may get automatically rejected. 

If you want to know how your SAT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools, you might like our free Chancing Engine . It will help you predict your odds, let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and suggest aspects of your profile to improve. Unlike other solely stats-based chancing calculators, ours considers much of your entire profile, including your stats, extracurriculars, and demographic background. 

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SAT Writing & Language Question Topics

Before diving into the questions, we want you to understand the terms that the SAT uses to categorize the topics as defined by the College Board . We’ve also included the number of questions that fall under each category, so if you’re self-studying, you can prioritize the types of questions that appear more often or that you struggle with more.

Command of Evidence

These questions may ask you to improve the way passages develop information and ideas. This may involve choosing answers to sharpen an argumentative claim or add relevant supporting detail.

Words in Context

These questions may ask you to improve word choice based on the text surrounding them. You will aim to make a passage more precise or concise or to improve syntax, style, or tone.

Expression of Ideas

These questions ask about a passage’s organization and its impact. You will be asked which words or structural changes improve the author’s point and help their sentences and paragraphs work together. 

Standard English Conventions

These cover the building blocks of writing: sentence structure, usage, and punctuation. You’ll be asked to change words, clauses, sentences, and punctuation. Some topics covered include verb tense, parallel construction, subject-verb agreement, and comma usage.  

Data Interpretation

This isn’t a question type that is officially listed, but about 2% of questions will involve a data-based graphic like a chart, table, or graph. You may be asked to edit the graph to make it more accurate or select a data-based sentence to add to support an argument.

From Practice Test 3:

Category: Command of Evidence

Explanation:

While somewhat related to the message of the text, this piece of information is best left out here, as it would hinder its natural flow. Without it, the passage flows smoothly from the first mention of circadian rhythms to a more detailed explanation of them. 

A is incorrect because although this data might be useful for the reader to know, the placement is awkward and interruptive. If the author were to choose to include this information, it would likely be best for them to do so later in the passage, where the effects of sleep deprivation are discussed. 

B is incorrect because A) the placement still disrupts the flow, and B) it fits better with the latter part of the paragraph, where the effects of sleep deprivation are discussed.

D is incorrect because while its comment on the nature of the statistic is true, it is irrelevant to the objective of the passage.

This question refers to the following text:

For as long as Harvey Houses served rail travelers through the mid-twentieth century, working there was a steady and lucrative position for women. Living independently and demonstrating an intense work ethic; the Harvey Girls became known as a transformative force in the American [22] West . Advancing the roles of women in the restaurant industry and the American workforce as a whole, the Harvey Girls raised the standards for restaurants and blazed a trail in the fast-changing landscape of the western territories. 

For context, the passage concerns a significant change in the food industry. Railway food was originally of poor quality and provided with poor service. Additionally, most waitstaff were men. Businessman Fred Harvey introduced high-quality dining for the first time and intentionally hired a well-mannered, articulate, all-woman staff. It was the U.S.’s first restaurant chain and, as the latter paragraphs of the passage explain, it became immediately and massively popular, empowering women in the workforce and altering the U.S. restaurant economy.

A is the correct answer because it recognizes the fact that this information specifically evidences the transformative nature of the Harvey Girls’ influence. 

B is incorrect because the information does not actually serve as a transitional point, as the target sentence is not followed by a discussion of these cultural developments.

C is incorrect because A) this answer does not specify precisely where this passage should be moved to or why, and B) the earlier parts of the passage mainly focused on the then-current effects of the Harvey Girls, not later cultural developments.

D is incorrect because the passage mainly serves to illustrate the Harvey Girls’ transformative effect (as partially evidenced by the passage title, “Transforming the American West Through Food and Hospitality”) This objective is supported by this evidence of its artistic and intellectual impacts.

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From Practice Test 5:

Choice C is the best answer for two reasons. For starters, the year 1954 disrupts the chronology of previous examples (1974, 2004). Secondly, the example concerns television news, which is out of place in a passage aptly titled “Investigative Journalism: An Evolving American Tradition.”

A is incorrect because this clarification is unnecessary in a passage that is not actually mainly focused on political corruption. Additionally, it is already directly stated in the paragraph that journalism has served “to keep those in power accountable.”

B is incorrect because the sentence is out of place in the paragraph and the passage does not necessitate a “counterpoint” as this is an informative, not argumentative, piece. Additionally, this evidence, if included, would support, not challenge, the author’s previous evidence and claims that informational media helps hold the powerful accountable.

D is incorrect because while it correctly states that the sentence should not be added, their reasoning is incorrect. This example of journalists reporting a story to expose a powerful person is consistent with the passage’s definition of investigative journalism. 

Category: Command of Evidence 

Choice D is the best answer because sentence 2 mentions the high price of the playwright’s tickets, which logically follows sentence 5’s description of how the price of tickets was determined. Sentence 2’s claim that the price reflected the real cost of the performance also logically precedes sentence 6, which discusses the non-altruistic nature of these donations.

Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because sentence 2 does not naturally follow sentences 1, 3, or 4, respectively. Since sentences 3, 4, and 5 present a logical sequence of activities that establish the ticket price, sentence 2’s reflection on the overall price of the tickets would be out of place. Therefore, sentence 2 must come after the completion of this sequence; it can’t come before the sequence, as noted in choice A, or interrupt it, as noted in choices B and C.

From Practice Test 1:

This question refers to the following sentence:

“Also, because it is more concentrated, Greek yogurt contains slightly more protein per serving, thereby helping people stay [10] satiated for longer periods of time.

Category: Words in Context 

A is correct because “satiated” is the word that most accurately communicates that Greek yogurt wards off hunger specifically for long periods of time. 

B is one of those questions that students may pick due to overthinking, but it is incorrect because although “fulfilled” may seem like a tempting answer to students who understand that “fulfillment” indicates some degree of met satisfaction (often in spirituality or career), the word is virtually never used in reference to hunger.

C and D are incorrect because neither could specifically refer to somebody who has eaten and is now full.

You should not be afraid to choose “NO CHANGE” when the original answer is the most fitting.

We’re going to include the first paragraph of this passage to give you a sense of this passage’s tone, but if you’d like to read the whole passage, you may do so here . This question refers to the word “sinister’, as bolded below:

“Just as travelers taking road trips today may need to take a break for food at a rest area along the highway, settlers traversing the American West by train in the mid-1800s often found [12] themselves in need of refreshment. However, food available on rail lines was generally of terrible quality. [13] Despite having worked for railroad companies, Fred Harvey, an English-born [14] entrepreneur. He decided to open his own restaurant business to serve rail customers. Beginning in the 1870s, he opened dozens of restaurants in rail stations and dining cars. These Harvey Houses, which constituted the first restaurant chain in the United States, [15] was unique for its high standards of service and quality. The menu was modeled after those of fine restaurants, so the food was leagues beyond the [16] sinister fare travelers were accustomed to receiving in transit.”

Category: Words in Context

C is correct because it maintains earlier claims of restaurant food being of poor quality while still maintaining the formal tone established earlier in the passage.

A is incorrect because “sinister” ascribes too much agency and humanity to food.

B is incorrect because “surly” inappropriately personifies food.

D is incorrect because “icky” is too informal for this passage’s tone.

From Practice Test 3.

“1-MCP lengthens storage life by three to four times when applied to apples. This extended life allows producers to sell their apples in the off-season, months after the apples have been harvested.”

A is correct because its first clause explains 1-MCP’s impacts on apples, centering the sentence on 1-MCP and creating a concise, natural progression of information.

B is incorrect because it involves an awkwardly-placed subordinate clause and lacks conciseness and flow.

C is incorrect because it is awkward and flows poorly, with an ineffective progression of ideas.

D is incorrect because it is awkward and flows poorly, with an ineffective progression of ideas.

This question refers to the underlined sentence within the following excerpt:

[6] Though these conservation methods can be costly and time-consuming, they are well worth the effort. Nutritionists consider Greek yogurt to be a healthy food: it is an excellent source of calcium and protein, serves to be a digestive aid, and it contains few calories in its unsweetened low- and non-fat forms. Greek yogurt is slightly lower in sugar and carbohydrates than conventional yogurt is.

The paragraph preceding this one describes the negative environmental impacts of acid whey, which is released as a byproduct of Greek yogurt production, before transitioning into a description of ways that scientists and farmers work to offset these negative effects. 

Category: Expression of Ideas

Choice D is correct because the paragraph really does list the benefits of consuming Greek yogurt, supporting this initial claim of production-based conservation methods being “well worth the effort.”

A is incorrect because the sentence actually does serve as a good transition between the previous paragraph, which details the environmental drawbacks and conservation efforts regarding Greek yogurt production, and the following one, which explains why these costly methods are justified by the benefits of Greek yogurt.

B is incorrect because this sentence was created not to support any previous arguments, but to set up a new one. Therefore, B misinterprets the sentence in question.

C is incorrect because it misinterprets the sentence in question.

From Practice Test 1. 

The question refers to the following text:

The article, published by Forbes magazine, explained that coworking spaces are designated locations that, for a fee, individuals can use to conduct their work. The spaces are usually stocked with standard office equipment, such as photocopiers, printers, and fax machines. In these locations, however, the spaces often include small meeting areas and larger rooms for hosting presentations. [28] The cost of launching a new coworking business in the United States is estimated to be approximately $58,000.

What most caught my interest, though, was a quotation from someone who described coworking spaces as “melting pots of creativity.” The article refers to a 2012 survey in which 64 percent of respondents noted that coworking spaces prevented them from completing tasks in a given time. The article goes on to suggest that the most valuable resources provided by coworking spaces are actually the people whom use them.

Choice C is the best answer because the sentence distracts from the paragraph’s main focus. The cost of setting up a coworking business is irrelevant to all parts of this paragraph and passage, which serves to illustrate the merits of coworking spaces, not the process of building them. 

Choice A is incorrect because as previously mentioned, this detail does not support the paragraph’s main topic. 

Choice B is incorrect because the sentence has nothing to do with the second paragraph’s illustration of the resources provided by these spaces.

D is incorrect because this information has not been repeated anywhere else in the passage.

Question 10

The question refers to the underlined portion of this passage’s second paragraph: 

“ Artificial light sources are also costly aside from lowering worker productivity. They typically constitute anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of a building’s energy use . When a plant in Seattle, Washington, was redesigned for more natural light, the company was able to enjoy annual electricity cost reductions of $500,000 8 each year..”

For context, the previous paragraph first explained the negative effects of artificial light on worker health before explaining their negative effects on worker productivity. 

Choice A is the correct answer because it begins by referencing the previous paragraph’s topic before launching into the second paragraph’s topic of cost.

Choices B, C, and D are all not the best answers because they are written rather awkwardly in comparison to Choice A. In addition, they all fail to provide a smooth transition, either by not opening with a reference to the previous paragraph or not referencing the second paragraph’s topic. 

Question 11

This question refers to this sentence:

Nutritionists consider Greek yogurt to be a healthy food: it is an excellent source of calcium and protein, serves [7] to be a digestive aid, and it contains few calories in its unsweetened low- and non-fat forms.

Category: Standard English Conventions

Choice B is the best answer because it provides a grammatically standard preposition that connects the verb “serves” and the noun “digestive aid” to accurately depict their relationship. 

A is incorrect because the infinitive “to be” creates a grammatically incorrect verb construction: “serves to be.” 

Choices C and D are incorrect because both present options that deviate from standard English usage. 

Some students may struggle with prepositions in particular, so definitely brush up on their respective usages if that sounds like you!

Question 12

The novelty of this comfortable work-from-home life, however, [23] soon got worn off quickly. 

D is correct because “wore” is the only answer that abides by standard English conventions while also not being repetitive.

A, B, and C are all incorrect because “promptly” and “quickly” contain a redundancy.

Question 13

“Having become frustrated trying to solve difficult problems, [24] no colleagues were nearby to share ideas .”

D is correct because it correctly describes the narrator as having become frustrated and discovering a desire to be surrounded by helpful colleagues.

A, B, and C are all incorrect because they incorrectly attribute the action of having become frustrated to colleagues, instead of to the narrator. 

Question 14

From Practice Test 7:

This question refers to the underlined portion of the following sentence:

“In truth, the agency has a widespread positive [2] effect on society by serving as a catalyst for innovation and scientific understanding [3] to create jobs, and showing humanity its place within the universe.”

Choice A is correct because the noun “effect” is needed in the sentence to provide a direct object for the verb “has.” The article “a” indicates that a noun will follow.

B and D use the incorrect word to refer to the agency’s impact on society.

C is incorrect because the word “to” is an  inaccurate preposition to use here.

Students frequently mix up “affect” and “effect” because they sound the same and have similar definitions. Here’s a quick mnemonic to help you remember: “ Affect is the action ; effect is the end result .” For example, a person may positively affect their health by sleeping 8 hours a night, while increased energy would be a positive effect of doing so. “Affect” is a verb, while “effect” is a noun.

Question 15

Category: Data Interpretation

Choice B is correct because the graph shows that on March 5, average low temperatures hit their lowest at 12 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Choice A is incorrect because the phrase “as low as” suggests that the temperature falls no lower than 20 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the chart shows that in January, February, and March, the temperature dips below that point. 

Choices C and D are incorrect because their information does not match the chart’s. 

Final Tips 

Tackling practice questions can be a great way to up your writing skills for the SAT and help you take note of your weaknesses. We especially recommend honing specific skills, especially the ones you may struggle with more. This could involve studying key grammar rules, reviewing words with multiple meanings, workshopping your own writing, reading informational texts, and even interpreting graphical data.

Finally, keep in mind that while taking the test, you’ll likely come across multiple options that seem plausible, so it’s easy to get stuck waffling between a few possibilities. Stay focused on what, specifically, the question is asking and avoid being swayed by answers that look “kind of correct” but which really aren’t the best choice in fulfilling the author’s aim.

To learn more about how to do well on the SAT, check out our other posts:

• 15 Hardest SAT Math Questions
• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• Ultimate Guide to the New SAT Reading Test
• Ultimate Guide to the New SAT Writing and Language Test
• Ultimate Guide to the New SAT Math Test
• Links to Every SAT Practice Test + Other Free Resources

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FREE SAT Writing Practice Tests

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Our free SAT Writing Practice Tests are each a selection of 10 to 12 questions, which will give you a cross-section of topics from the Writing section of the official SAT. You might think of them as little quizzes, which you can use to hone your skills. To get a more comprehensive idea of the concepts you need to review, try one of the Full-Length SAT Writing Practice Tests. These tests simulate the writing portion of the SAT, which gives you valuable text experience and can help you learn to pace yourself so you can be sure you’ll have enough time to finish the real test. The results pages for the longer-form tests offer tons of useful feedback, including detailed explanations of the answers and links to additional concept-specific practice opportunities. The results of the complete practice tests can also help you streamline your SAT study plan by revealing the topics on which you need to focus. Once you’ve had the chance to do some review, you can gauge your progress by taking another Full-Length SAT Writing Practice Test.  Whether you need top SAT Writing tutors in New York , SAT Writing tutors in Chicago , or top SAT Writing tutors in Los Angeles , working with a pro may take your studies to the next level. SAT Writing Section What is the Writing Section of the SAT exam? The SAT Writing Section tests your ability to understand and effectively respond to writing prompts and to demonstrate your knowledge of various grammatical and semantic rules, as well as conventions about how to construct the clearest sentences and paragraphs. On the exam, you will be expected both to identify present errors and suggest preferable alternative sentence and paragraph constructions to display your knowledge of the aforementioned rule types. Varsity Tutors offers resources like a  free SAT prep book  to help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an  SAT Writing tutor . What kinds of multiple-choice questions appear on the SAT Writing section? In addition to the separate Essay portion of the SAT Writing section, three different question types appear on the SAT Writing section: Identifying Sentence Errors, Improving Sentences, and Improving Paragraphs. These do not appear in equal ratios, however: of the 49 questions, 25 will be Identifying Sentence Errors, 18 will be Improving Sentences, and 6 will be Improving Paragraphs. Identifying Sentence Error questions consist of a sentence with four sections of its text underlined, as well as a “No Error” option. One of the four underlined portions of the sentence may contain a grammatical or usage error; it is your job to determine whether or not the sentence contains an error, and if it does, to select the answer choice that corresponds to the section of text that contains that error. There is never more than one error in a Identifying Sentence Error sentence, and you are not tested about how to fix the grammatical error that you identify—your job is to simply point out the part of the sentence that contains the error. Improving Sentence questions present you with a sentence which is either completely or partially underlined. This sentence may or may not contain a grammatical or usage error. Of the five possible answer choices, the first one reproduces the underlined portion of the sentence exactly, while the other options each make one change to that section. It is your job to select the option that makes the sentence clear and grammatically correct. If a sentence contains no errors, you should select the option that reproduces the underlined section of the sentence exactly. Some Improving Sentence questions may reference a passage, but will direct you to at most one or two sentences for you to consider. Improving Paragraph questions test your knowledge of how to best formulate paragraphs by providing you with a passage that has its sentences numbered and then asking you about proposed changes to that paragraph. Sentence order, sentence design, and proper sentence and paragraph transitions are all fair game in this portion of the Writing Section. Questions and their answers often refer to sentence numbers so that they do not have to quote entire sentences each time they refer to them. Certain Improving Paragraph questions may give you the option of leaving an indicated sentence or a certain part of the paragraph as it is written, but not all questions give you this option. Which specific grammar concepts are covered on the SAT Writing Section? Subject-verb agreement, proper tense usage, gerunds and infinitives, parallel sentence structure, subject-pronoun agreement, the use of appropriate prepositions, similar object comparisons, active vs. passive voice, and proper use of conjunctions are among the grammatical rules you should be familiar with in preparation for the exam. The Varsity Tutors Learning Tools free SAT Practice Tests contains questions that test each of these concepts. How much is the SAT Writing Section worth on the SAT? In total, the SAT Writing Section is worth 800 points, just like the other two sections: SAT Critical Reading and SAT Math. But this section is different in that it is not composed solely of multiple-choice questions, although these do constitute a majority of the section. Additionally, there is an essay, which is always the first section on any given SAT. The essay composes 30% of the overall total SAT Writing Section score, while the multiple-choice problems make up the remaining 70%. How is the SAT Writing Section graded? For the Essay Section, two separate graders each read the essay and submit a score on a scale from 1 to 6, where 6 is the highest score an essay can receive, and 1 the lowest. Generally, these graders are grading each essay on how well it asserts and defends a particular position in response to the question asked, while providing specific and detailed examples to illustrate and support its argument; however, other factors are also taken into consideration when determining an essay’s score; these include use of proper grammar and correct spelling, as well as effective construction of a variety of sentence types. The Writing Section’s multiple-choice questions are graded like the SAT’s other multiple-choice-based sections. Correct answers are tallied, and then incorrect answers are multiplied by ¼ and subtracted from the total. Answers left blank do not count against the overall score. These portion totals are then added together to make up the overall raw SAT Writing score, which is then combined with the Essay score and reported in terms of a 200-800 scale. How many questions are on the SAT Writing Section? How much time do I have for each part of the SAT Writing Section? In total, each SAT Writing section contains 49 multiple-choice questions and an essay prompt. You are given 35 minutes to complete the multiple-choice questions, which appear in two sections, one 25 minutes long, the other 10 minutes long. You are given 25 minutes to compose an essay in response to the essay prompt. So, in total, the entire SAT Writing section takes 60 minutes to complete. There is a caveat, however, that may lead to you having to complete two writing sections on your SAT. For testing purposes, the College Board includes an additional ungraded experimental section on each one of its officially administered tests to gather data about the quality of new problems. This additional section is 25 minutes long, and tests Critical Reading, Writing, or Math. While you will notice that you complete two versions of a certain section, there is no way to tell which section is the “real” one that determines your score in that area, and which is the experimental section that does not affect your score. So, the best course of action is to treat every section as if it is affecting your score. Do I get a break during the SAT Writing section? While students are given breaks between certain sections of the SAT, they are not given breaks during any sections, and it is not recommended that you stop to rest during a section. The SAT is designed to be completed in a certain amount of time, without much extra time, and you don’t want to run the risk of not completing the section (and hence losing points) just because you stopped to take a break. How much time should I spend on each multiple-choice question on the SAT Writing Section? Given that there are 49 multiple-choice question in two separate sections (one 25 mins, the other 10 mins) on the SAT Writing section, you could easily do the math to find that you have less than a minute per question. This should be your rough guide for how to spend your time. In some cases, you will spend less time on a question, and in others, more time, but in general, you should be mindful of this limit. Last, any one-size-fits-all time-allocation recommendations will not work in all situations, but they do provide a basic guideline for effectively using the limited time you have available. Should I guess on the SAT Writing Section? Guessing on the SAT Writing Section’s multiple-choice questions is advisable or inadvisable for the same reasons it would be for any other multiple-choice question on the exam. Incorrect multiple-choice answers receive a penalty of ¼ of a point which, in sum, can add up. In contrast, blank answers do not count towards your overall score, so they do not count against you at all whatsoever. A good rule of thumb is to use your knowledge of grammar, proper sentence and paragraph construction, and other semantic rules to eliminate three of the five answer responses. If you can confidently do this, then you might want to guess between the remaining answers. Studying for the SAT Writing Section: Essay Should I read the whole quotation and question before writing my the SAT Writing essay? Always read the entire essay prompt on the SAT before responding to it! Reading the entire question is always essential for formulating and asserting an effective position on some issue. Often, the questions are more complicated than they initially seem, and you want to make sure not to read your own questions into them (and then spend 25 minutes answering a question not asked). Rereading the question two or three times is a good idea that helps you be sure that you didn’t misread or misunderstand it. Often, however, students spend too much time reading and rereading the quotation to mine it for ideas about what to write. Know that this essay is not about explicating the quotation included; the authors of the test include the quotation, instead, to give you food for thought. You should be using your own experiences, knowledge and ideas to fashion your essay, not just the content of the quotation. How should I study for the SAT Writing section's essay writing portion? While it may seem difficult to study for an essay-based section, you can effectively prepare for the SAT Essay section by doing the following five things: 1.) Read up on the SAT Essay and learn about what makes it unique when compared to other standardized tests’ essay sections. 2.) Read over a few SAT Essay prompts and try out one or two by taking them in 25 minutes, just like the real exam section. Having a qualified, competent friend, teacher, or tutor read over this essay and provide you with feedback will help you figure out what you need to work on in particular. 3.) After you have a better sense of what you need to work on, you should then brainstorm examples you might draw on from your life. You might draw examples from books you have read, recent news stories you have seen, friends’ experiences that you have heard about, or other events you know about. Sometimes you can even draw examples from popular media like movies and music. Take a sample SAT Essay prompt and brainstorm ideas that you might use to respond to it or a similar question. 4.) Focus on honing your ability to write a strong, coherent, and relevant thesis statement. You can improve this skill by reading SAT Essay Prompts and quickly formulating a position that you could support in an essay, one that you could develop and pursue for at least two to three body paragraphs. Using too simplistic of a thesis statement and realizing that you have run out of material to discuss halfway through the SAT Essay on test day is a terrible position to be in. Reviewing the basic format of an SAT Essay might be helpful too, but if you have already been recently writing timed essays, this step may be superfluous. 5.) Complete at least two to three more full essays and focus on what kinds of examples you might need to develop an inventory of. Having a solid example tool box will be endlessly useful to you on test day, as you can use many different examples for different kinds of essays, and will not have to spend as much time trying to hurriedly come up with examples. How should I use my time when writing the essay on the SAT Writing section? You shouldn’t tackle any SAT question without thinking about how you are approaching it, and the same can be said for the SAT Essay. For this section, it’s crucial that you be aware of how you are using your time, and make efficient use of it. Like other timed writing assignments, the SAT Essay portion of the Writing Section requires you to quickly understand the question being asked of you, take a position, formulate your examples, outline, draft, and revise. You are given only twenty-five minutes in which to write your essay, so consider organizing your time like this: Reading Question and Formulating a Position: 2-3 minutes Brainstorming Reasons, Commentary and Paragraph Structure: 4 minutes Drafting the Essay - 15-17 minutes Revising and Editing - 2 minutes Keep in mind that eyeing your watch every two seconds to ensure that you’re on track will not be of help to you, and will, in fact, hurt your progress on the essay. But having a general sense of how you should be progressing will prevent you from leaving the essay section with little more than a well-developed outline. Can I use a prewritten essay on the SAT Writing section? No, you cannot use a prewritten essay on the SAT; however, arriving with a fresh example bank ready and waiting in your short-term memory is just as good. Also, if you’ve been practicing responding to SAT prompts, then it should be a piece of cake to tackle a new one, because you can tackle each prompt in the same way: by reading the prompt, taking a position, briefly outlining that position with examples, drafting your essay from your outline, and finally, revising and editing your essay. How is the SAT Writing section's essay section graded? The essay composes 30% of the overall total SAT Writing Section score, while the remaining multiple choice sections make up the remaining 70%. Each essay is given a score between 1 and 6 by two independent graders. Each SAT essay is graded on how effectively it asserts a position in a thesis statement in response to the question asked, and how well it supports that thesis statement with details and examples. Other aspects of the essay including spelling, grammar, and sentence variety are also taken into consideration when determining an essay’s grade. In addition to the SAT Writing practice tests and  SAT Writing tutoring , you may also want to consider taking some of our  SAT Writing flash cards . Studying for the SAT Writing Section: Multiple-Choice Questions How should I study for the Improving Sentences, Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Paragraphs portions of the SAT Writing Section? Use the following tips to study effectively for the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions: 1.) Refamiliarize yourself with English grammar, style, and usage conventions, as all of the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions test your understanding of grammar, style, and usage rules in some way. Focusing on the rules and conventions that you don’t completely understand or that underlie problems you often miss is the most efficient way to raise your SAT Writing score. However, thinking about the grammar rules should only be part of the study process. 2.) Start practicing each type of question that appears on the SAT Writing section. Don’t rush through these, though! When you miss a question, figure out where you went wrong, or what point you misunderstood. If you don’t spend enough time analyzing the questions you miss, your studying will not be as effective. Varsity Tutors offers free SAT Writing Practice Tests for you to use in preparing for the SAT's Writing section. Our free SAT Writing Practice Tests are written by teachers, professors, content specialists, and tutors. Explanations are given for each question, so if you miss a question, you can find out where you went wrong. Varsity Tutors also offers free SAT Writing Diagnostic Tests, free SAT Writing Flashcards, and free SAT Writing Questions of the Day, as well as other free SAT Writing resources. 3.) Eventually, take a complete 25-minute SAT Writing Section and then check your overall score. Identify which kinds of questions you tend to get wrong and focus on improving your performance in those particular areas (i.e. those particular grammar rules or question types). This is the best way to improve your score. See if you can confidently explain not only why the correct answer is correct in any given problem, but also why incorrect answers are incorrect. 4.) Make sure to take at least two or three full practice tests before taking the actual exam. This way you can develop a tolerance for the somewhat exhausting task of completing the whole test in one sitting. e essay section with little more than a well-developed outline. Can I use a prewritten essay on the SAT Writing section? No, you cannot use a prewritten essay on the SAT; however, arriving with a fresh example bank ready and waiting in your short-term memory is just as good. Also, if you’ve been practicing responding to SAT prompts, then it should be a piece of cake to tackle a new one, because you can tackle each prompt in the same way: by reading the prompt, taking a position, briefly outlining that position with examples, drafting your essay from your outline, and finally, revising and editing your essay. How is the SAT Writing section's essay section graded? The essay composes 30% of the overall total SAT Writing Section score, while the remaining multiple choice sections make up the remaining 70%. Each essay is given a score between 1 and 6 by two independent graders. Each SAT essay is graded on how effectively it asserts a position in a thesis statement in response to the question asked, and how well it supports that thesis statement with details and examples. Other aspects of the essay including spelling, grammar, and sentence variety are also taken into consideration when determining an essay’s grade. Studying for the SAT Writing Section: Multiple-Choice Questions How should I study for the Improving Sentences, Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Paragraphs portions of the SAT Writing Section? Use the following tips to study effectively for the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions: 1.) Refamiliarize yourself with English grammar, style, and usage conventions, as all of the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions test your understanding of grammar, style, and usage rules in some way. Focusing on the rules and conventions that you don’t completely understand or that underlie problems you often miss is the most efficient way to raise your SAT Writing score. However, thinking about the grammar rules should only be part of the study process. 2.) Start practicing each type of question that appears on the SAT Writing section. Don’t rush through these, though! When you miss a question, figure out where you went wrong, or what point you misunderstood. If you don’t spend enough time analyzing the questions you miss, your studying will not be as effective. Varsity Tutors offers free SAT Writing Practice Tests for you to use in preparing for the SAT's Writing section. Our free SAT Writing Practice Tests are written by teachers, professors, content specialists, and tutors. Explanations are given for each question, so if you miss a question, you can find out where you went wrong. Varsity Tutors also offers free SAT Writing Diagnostic Tests, free SAT Writing Flashcards, and free SAT Writing Questions of the Day, as well as other free SAT Writing resources. 3.) Eventually, take a complete 25-minute SAT Writing Section and then check your overall score. Identify which kinds of questions you tend to get wrong and focus on improving your performance in those particular areas (i.e. those particular grammar rules or question types). This is the best way to improve your score. See if you can confidently explain not only why the correct answer is correct in any given problem, but also why incorrect answers are incorrect. 4.) Make sure to take at least two or three full practice tests before taking the actual exam. This way you can develop a tolerance for the somewhat exhausting task of completing the whole test in one sitting.

Free SAT Writing Practice Tests

Practice tests by concept, identifying sentence errors practice test, identifying agreement errors practice test, identifying modifier-word modified agreement errors practice test, identifying noun-noun agreement errors practice test, identifying pronoun-antecedent agreement errors practice test, identifying subject-verb agreement errors practice test, identifying no errors or other errors practice test, identifying other errors practice test, identifying sentences that contain no errors practice test, identifying phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, identifying conjunction errors practice test, identifying correlative conjunction errors practice test, identifying other conjunction errors practice test, identifying subordinate conjunction errors practice test, identifying modifier placement errors practice test, identifying ambiguous modifier errors practice test, identifying dangling modifier errors practice test, identifying misplaced or interrupting modifier errors practice test, identifying other phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, identifying ambiguity and redundancy errors practice test, identifying parallel structure errors practice test, identifying sentence fragment and sentence combination errors practice test, identifying punctuation errors practice test, identifying punctuation errors: commas practice test, identifying punctuation errors: comma splices practice test, identifying punctuation errors: commas for dependent clauses practice test, identifying punctuation errors: commas for introductory or interrupting phrases practice test, identifying punctuation errors: commas in lists practice test, identifying punctuation errors: other punctuation practice test, identifying apostrophe errors practice test, identifying colon errors practice test, identifying other punctuation errors practice test, identifying quotation mark errors practice test, identifying semicolon errors practice test, identifying word usage errors practice test, identifying adjective and adverb errors practice test, identifying comparative and superlative errors practice test, identifying other adjective and adverb errors practice test, identifying other usage errors practice test, identifying conventional and idiomatic usage errors practice test, identifying errors involving commonly confused words practice test, identifying preposition errors practice test, identifying pronoun errors practice test, identifying pronoun errors: ambiguity practice test, identifying pronoun errors: case practice test, identifying pronoun errors: inconsistent usage practice test, identifying pronoun errors: incorrect usage practice test, identifying verb errors practice test, identifying other verb errors practice test, identifying verb mood errors practice test, identifying verb tense errors practice test, identifying verb voice errors practice test, improving paragraphs practice test, analyzing, combining, and moving content practice test, analyzing content practice test, identifying sentence purpose practice test, identifying sentence relationships practice test, other content analyses practice test, separating, combining, or moving sentences practice test, combining sentences practice test, moving sentences practice test, separating sentences practice test, improving and correcting sentences practice test, rewriting a full sentence practice test, avoiding ambiguity and redundancy in a full sentence practice test, sentence improvements and errors practice test, increasing the effectiveness of a full sentence practice test, rewriting a sentence fragment practice test, avoiding ambiguity and redundancy in a sentence fragment practice test, correcting grammatical errors in a sentence fragment practice test, increasing contextual relevance in a sentence fragment practice test, increasing the effectiveness of a sentence fragment practice test, revising introductions and transitions in a sentence fragment practice test, revising word choice, style, and tone in a sentence fragment practice test, rewriting a single word practice test, correcting single-word grammatical errors practice test, increasing the contextual relevance of a single word practice test, increasing the effectiveness of a single word practice test, revising a single word of introductions and transitions practice test, revising a single word to avoid ambiguity and redundancy practice test, revising word choice, style, and tone practice test, inserting or deleting content practice test, deleting content practice test, inserting content practice test, improving sentences practice test, correcting agreement errors practice test, correcting modifier-word modified agreement errors practice test, correcting noun-noun agreement errors practice test, correcting pronoun-antecedent agreement errors practice test, correcting subject-verb agreement errors practice test, correcting other errors and recognizing no errors practice test, correcting other errors practice test, recognizing sentences that contain no errors practice test, correcting phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, correcting conjunction errors practice test, correcting correlative conjunction errors practice test, correcting other conjunction errors practice test, correcting subordinate conjunction errors practice test, correcting modifier placement errors practice test, correcting ambiguous modifier errors practice test, correcting dangling modifier errors practice test, correcting misplaced or interrupting modifier errors practice test, correcting other phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, correcting ambiguity and redundancy errors practice test, correcting parallel structure errors practice test, correcting sentence fragment and sentence combination errors practice test, correcting punctuation errors practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas practice test, correcting punctuation errors: comma splices practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas for dependent clauses practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas for introductory or interrupting phrases practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas in lists practice test, correcting punctuation errors: other commas practice test, correcting punctuation errors: other punctuation practice test, correcting apostrophe errors practice test, correcting colon errors practice test, correcting other punctuation errors practice test, correcting quotation mark errors practice test, correcting semicolon errors practice test, correcting word usage errors practice test, correcting adjective and adverb errors practice test, correcting comparative and superlative errors practice test, correcting other adjective and adverb errors practice test, correcting other usage errors practice test, correcting conventional and idiomatic usage errors practice test, correcting preposition errors practice test, correcting pronoun errors practice test, correcting pronoun errors: ambiguity practice test, correcting pronoun errors: case practice test, correcting pronoun errors: inconsistent usage practice test, correcting pronoun errors: incorrect usage practice test, correcting verb errors practice test, correcting other verb errors practice test, correcting verb mood errors practice test, correcting verb tense errors practice test, correcting verb voice errors practice test.

SAT Writing and Language: Practice tests and explanations

The SAT writing and language test consists of 44 multiple-choice questions that you'll have 35 minutes to complete. The questions are designed to test your knowledge of grammatical and stylistic topics.

The SAT Writing and Language questions ask about a variety of grammatical and stylistic topics. If you like to read and/or write, the SAT may frustrate you a bit because it may seem to boil writing down to a couple of dull rules.

• 30 SAT Grammar Practice Tests

SAT Writing and Language Practice Tests

• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 1
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 2
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 3
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 4
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 5
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 6
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 7
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 8
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 9
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 10
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 11
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 12
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 13
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 14
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 15
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 16
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 17
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 18
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 19
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: A Sweet Discovery
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: René Descartes: The Father of Modern Philosophy
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Novel: Introspection to Escapism
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Interning: A Bridge Between Classes and Careers
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: In Defense of Don Quixote
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Women's Ingenuity
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Working from Home: Too Good to Be True?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Is Gluten-Free the Way to Be?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Antarctic Treaty System in Need of Reform
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Finding Pluto
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Public Relations: Build Your Brand While Building for Others
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Film, Culture, and Globalization
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Vitamin C—Essential Nutrient or Wonder Drug?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Familiar Myth
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: America's Love for Streetcars
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Educating Early
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Age of the Librarian
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Unforeseen Consequences: The Dark Side of the Industrial Revolution
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Remembering Freud
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Success in Montreal
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Sorting Recyclables for Best Re-Use
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Interpreter at America's Immigrant Gateway
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Software Sales: A Gratifying Career
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Art of Collecting
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The UN: Promoting World Peace
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: DNA Analysis in a Day
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Will You Succeed with Your Start-Up?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Edgard Varèse's Influence
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: From Here to the Stars
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The UK and the Euro
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Coffee: The Buzz on Beans
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Predicting Nature's Light Show
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 20
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 21
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 22
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 23
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 24
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 25
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 26
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 27
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 28
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 29
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 30
• New SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 31
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Physician Assistants
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Maria Montessori
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Platonic Forms
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Eureka Effect
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Carrot or the Stick?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Promise of Bio-Informatics
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: What is Art?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Little Tramp
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Who Really Owns American Media?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Dangers of Superstition
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Skepticism and the Scientific Method
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Magic of Bohemia
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Careers in Engineeringd
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: An American Duty
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: Idol Worship in Sports
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test: The Secret Life of Photons
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 32: The Romani People
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 33: Into the Abyss
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 34: The Doctor Is In
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 35: Maslow's Hierarchy and Violence
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 36: Folklore
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 37: Age of the Drone
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 38: Policing Our Planet
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 39: The Bullroarer
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 40: Astrochemistry
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 41: Blood Ties
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 42: Out with the Old and the New
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 43: Extra, Extra
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 44: Parthenon
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 45: Where Have all the Cavemen Gone?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 46: Chiroptera
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 47: The Tyrannical and the Taciturn
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 48
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 49
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 50: The Giants of Theater
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 51: Gravity, It's Everywhere
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 52: Do the Numbers Lie?
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 53: Draw Your Home
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 54: The Online Job Hunt
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 55: The Glass Menagerie
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 56: For Richer or For Poorer
• SAT Writing and Language Practice Test 57: Hypocrisy of Hippocratic Humorism

New SAT SAT Writing & Language Practice Tests Pdf Download

• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 1
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 2
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 3
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 1 Answer Explanations
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 2 Answer Explanations
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 3 Answer Explanations
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 4 pdf download
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 5 pdf download
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 6 pdf download
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 7 pdf download
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 8 pdf download
• New SAT Writing & Language Practice Test 9 pdf download

More Information

• HOW TO ACE THE SAT WRITING AND LANGUAGE TEST: A STRATEGY
• Introduction to SAT Writing and Language Strategy
• The SAT Writing and Language Test-Words
• The SAT Writing and Language Test-Words and Punctuation in Reverse
• The SAT Writing and Language Test-Punctuation
• The SAT Writing and Language Test-Precision Questions
• The SAT Writing and Language Test-Consistency Questions

12 Tricky SAT Writing Questions to Inoculate Yourself

By popular demand, this is another post for those of you who always get tricked and trapped! SAT Writing this time.

The best way to conquer tricky questions is to do tricky questions.

For more tough questions and drills, check out my SAT Writing book .

The agency reports that by rigorously enforcing state regulations, industrial pollution has been successfully reduced to acceptable levels.

A) NO CHANGE B) a reduction of industrial pollution to acceptable levels has succeeded. C) they have succeeded to reduce industrial pollution to acceptable levels. D) it has succeeded in reducing industrial pollution to acceptable levels.

Originally built as a church, later converted to a mosque, and now used as a museum, Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey, is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture.

A) NO CHANGE B) later converted to a mosque and is C) was later converted to a mosque, and D) it was later converted to a mosque and is

Though the communications company offers high-speed Internet service, they charge exorbitant rates, and customers complain about long delays for technical support.

A) NO CHANGE B) they charge rates that are exorbitant C) exorbitant rates are charged by them D) it charges exorbitant rates

The island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa, is the habitat of more than 200,000 species of plants and animals, many are not found anywhere else on the planet.

A) NO CHANGE B) animals; many, not found anywhere C) animals; of which many are not found anywhere D) animals, many found nowhere

Each of the men who attended the meeting were suspected to be a spy.

A) NO CHANGE B) were suspected of being spies. C) was suspected of being spies. D) was suspected of being a spy.

The first emperor of Rome was Augustus, and many people think that it was Julius Caesar.

A) NO CHANGE B) not, as many people think, C) but many people think it to be D) not what many people are thinking,

Perched atop a sandstone mesa, Acoma Pueblo is the oldest inhabited community in North America, and its population currently about fifteen families.

A) NO CHANGE B) America, currently its population is C) America and currently has a population of D) America, whose current population is

After college, Susan King founded a publishing company but eventually reduced her role in the firm to pursue her interests in storytelling and art by creating her own books.

A) NO CHANGE B) company, and eventually reducing C) company, she eventually reduced D) company, however, she eventually reduced

Sam's photographs of the national forest express a deep interest and a respect for the beauty of nature.

A) NO CHANGE B) expresses a deep interest C) express a deep interest in D) expresses a deep interest in

Katarina could not be certain whether the voice she heard on the recording was her uncle or someone else who speaks with a heavy German accent.

A) NO CHANGE B) uncle's or someone else C) uncle's or that of someone else D) uncle's or someone else's

Writing about South Africa's dispossessed people during the period of apartheid, the plays of Athol Fugard brought him into conflict with the South African government.

A) NO CHANGE B) apartheid, Athol Fugard's plays have brought him C) apartheid, it brought playwright Athol Fugard D) apartheid brought playwright Athol Fugard

Just by unplugging your cell phone charger when you are not using it reduces carbon dioxide pollution.

A) NO CHANGE B) Just unplugging one's C) Just unplugging your D) If you just unplug your

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SAT Prep Courses & Tutoring

Free SAT Practice Questions

Doesn't everyone love the word "free"? This could not be truer—especially in the world of test prep. Practice makes perfect—or at least that's how the old saying goes—and free SAT practice means the world to ambitious students with high-scoring goals. If you're looking for a thorough breakdown of how to solve particular SAT question types, then we've got the free practice that could be a real game-changer in your course of study. Our step-by-step explanations illustrate for you what to expect from what each SAT question, revealing question-specific hurdles and common test-related traps.

Each of our free 60 practice questions is accompanied with a detailed explanation to clarify why a particular answer is correct, but even taking it one step further and entailing why the others are incorrect. We believe a well-rounded approach to understanding the SAT is crucial for success, which is why our breakdowns of important sample questions facilitate more than one way to arrive at the right choice. In the end, the only way to find out your trouble spots and successes is to practice, practice, practice—so why not get cracking on what we have to offer so you can ensure your destiny with a high score.

You have not answered any question so far. You can answer all questions in a row (click on "All Questions") or only all questions of a particular section (click on that Section) or a single selected question (click on that Question).

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10 Most Difficult SAT Questions

Here are the 10 toughest SAT questions from our New SAT Prep , as well as the 10 toughest questions from our current “old” SAT Prep . See how many you get right by checking your answers at the end of the post!

(P.S. If you can get these right, then you should check out Harvard SAT scores and Yale SAT scores …)

10 Toughest New (Redesigned) SAT Questions

These are the ten most difficult SAT practice questions you’ll find in our New SAT Prep (which helps students study for the redesigned SAT, which will debut in March 2016). Let us know how you do!

The common setup is researchers will divide subjects into two groups, one of which is allowed to use the Internet after finishing the task, the other of which must finish the task until completion. Yet another common setup allows subjects unfettered use of the Internet when trying to complete the task. Not surprisingly this last group acted 1 worse on tests of productivity. 2 Not so surprisingly the group that used 10 minutes of web access as an incentive, tended not only to finish the task sooner than the group without any web access but also 3 worked with more vigor when their Internet time was up.

A) NO CHANGE

B) the worst

D) more poorly

Tip: Carefully read the sentences that come before this question.

2. Within the context of the paragraph, the underlined portion should be changed to which of the following?

B) Unsurprisingly

C) Less surprisingly

D) What is surprising is that

Tip: The New SAT Writing section will be a lot about context. What I mean by that is to find the answer you’ll have to read the sentences before and after the sentence in which the question appears. Only that way will you have the evidence you need to support your answer.

C) they worked

D) to be working

Tip: Whenever you have the construction “not only VERB A but also VERB B”, the two verbs must always be parallel.

_____ Read the article, The Data-Driven Life , via the New York Times and answer the following questions.

4. The use of Gradgrind (eighth paragraph) as a supporting example is most problematic because it

A) conflates the accumulation of academic facts with the process of quantification.

B) undermines the main thesis of the passage by citing a dated example.

C) accepts without reservation that a trend has intensified with the passing of time.

D) provides an example of a process the author ultimately appreciates.

Tip: Think about the author’s main point. Does it make sense to use Gradgind as an example? Why not? (Your answer to that second question should match the correct answer).

5. In the tenth paragraph, the author would likely view the use of numbers to track intimate aspects of people’s lives as

A) intrusive.

B) inevitable.

C) ominous.

D) disruptive.

Tip: You will need to understand the thrust of the entire passage to be able to answer this. Don’t just jump to the conclusion that the answer must have a negative connotation.

Tip: Remember to look at the answers accompanying a question. They will sometimes give you an idea of how to approach this question. In this case, the set up of the answer choices should remind you of a certain formula.

Tip: Be very careful when factoring out each side. And look at the format of the answer choices. They should show you that you are not combining like terms per se but are using FOIL.

8. The average (arithmetic mean) of 4 different integers is 75. If the largest integer is 90, what is the least possible value of the smallest integer?

Tip: This is a logic question. Setting up an equation for average will only get you so far. Think in terms of what number could be the smallest possible value.

9. Solution X is 10 percent alcohol by volume, and solution Y is 30 percent alcohol by volume. How many milliliters of solution Y must be added to 200 milliliters of solution X to create a solution that is 25 percent alcohol by volume?

Tip: You can solve this question by setting up an equation…or you can think of this problem as a weighted average.

10. If the circle with center O has area 9π, what is area of equilateral triangle ABC?

Tip: Remember to think of the necessary steps to arrive at the answer. Once you’ve worked those steps at then apply the math. And don’t forget – the fundamental geometry formulas are always in the beginning of each math section. Answers:

10 Toughest (Old) SAT Questions

These are the ten most difficult questions you would have found in our Magoosh SAT Prep if you had taken the old version of the SAT exam (the one given until January 23, 2016). You’re still welcome to try them (they’re tricky), but you probably won’t see anything like this on the redesigned SAT. Maybe be glad you’re missing out? 🙂 Directions: Choose the words that best fit the blanks:

1. Cosmologist Martin Rees has cautioned that our present satisfaction with the big bang explanation for the creation of the universe may reflect the ——- of the data rather than the ——- of the theory.

• paucity . . validity
• genius . . accuracy
• relevance . . scope
• destruction . . core
• persuasiveness . . reality

Tip: Try to come up with your own word(s) for the blank. If you are unable to, it is okay, as a last resort, to plug the answer choices back in the blank. Sometimes meaning emerges this way and the sentence makes sense.

2. Apparently the groom was very nervous: one moment he would be ——-, rambling on to his best man about silly, meaningless things, and then abruptly he would turn ——- and could not be prompted to say anything

• garrulous . . reticent
• grandiose . . taciturn
• vociferous . . effusive
• melodious . . timorous
• munificent . . utilitarian

Tip: Match the clues with the blanks and then find a word that matches. Remember you only need to work one blank at a time, eliminating those answer choices that don’t work. Then, when you move on the other blank, you only have a few possible answers to deal with.

Directions: Choose the correct version of the sentence:

3. Regardless of the fact of the ridge-top condominiums’ aesthetics, every investor has enjoyed a high return on their investment.

• Regardless of the fact of the ridge-top condominiums’ aesthetics, every investor has enjoyed a high return.
• Regardless of the ridge-top condominium aesthetic, every investor has had a high return to enjoy.
• Regarding the aesthetics of the ridgetop condominiums, every investor has enjoyed a high return.
• Regardless of the fact of the ridge-top condominiums’ aesthetics, a high return by every investor has been enjoyed.
• Regardless of the aesthetics of the ridge-top condominiums, every investor has enjoyed a high return

Tip: Remember to retain the original meaning of the sentence – investors are enjoying an investment. If you remove investment than they are enjoying (having a good time) the high return (money). Which, while highly likely, changes the overall meaning of the sentence.

4. Included in the cost of many services and products sold in Great Britain, American tourists may not realize that they do not necessarily have to pay the value added tax (VAT).

• Included in the cost of many services and products sold in Great Britain, American tourists may not realize that they do not necessarily have to pay the value added tax (VAT).
• Included in the cost of many services and products which are sold in Great Britain, tourists from America may not realize that they do not necessarily have to pay the value added tax (VAT).
• American tourists may not realize that they do not necessarily have to pay the value added tax (VAT) that are included in the cost of many services and products sold in Great Britain.
• In addition to the cost of many services and products sold in Great Britain, American tourists may not realize that they do not necessarily have to pay the value added tax (VAT).
• American tourists may not realize that they do not necessarily have to pay the value added tax (VAT) that is included in the cost of many products and services sold in Great Britain.

Tip: Remember to make sure that the nouns in the sentence are being modified correctly. American tourists are not included in the cost of many services.

Select the answer that best answers the question:

5. The average (arithmetic mean) of 4 different integers is 75. If the largest integer is 90, what is the least possible value of the smallest integer?

6. If square ABCD has area 25, and the area of the larger shaded square is 9 times the area of the smaller shaded square, what is the length of one side of the smaller shaded square?

 Tip: If you are not sure how to set up the question algebraically you can also solve using the given information. In this case you can assume the answer is (C). So if the side of the small square is 6/5 do we end up with 25 as the area of the big square? Remember the big square has an area that is twice as big as that of the small square (in this question the algebraic approach is better).

7. Solution X is 10 percent alcohol by volume, and solution Y is 30 percent alcohol by volume. How many milliliters of solution Y must be added to 200 milliliters of solution X to create a solution that is 25 percent alcohol by volume?

8. On a certain multiple-choice test, 9 points are awarded for each correct answer, and 7 points are deducted for each incorrect or unanswered question. Sally received a total score of 0 points on the test. If the test has fewer than 30 questions, how many questions are on the test?

• Cannot be determined

Tip: This is a question based more on logic. Do not try to set up an equation but think in terms of how many 7-point questions you need and how many 9-point questions you need for the two to cancel out.

9. A computer can perform c calculations in s seconds. How many minutes will it take the computer to perform k calculations?

Tip: Assign values to k, s, and c if you have difficulty thinking through this question algebraically.

Tip: Remember to think of the necessary steps to arrive at the answer. Once you’ve worked those steps at then apply the math. And don’t forget – the fundamental geometry formulas are always in the beginning of each math section.

For this last question,  try it out in Magoosh SAT  to see the answer and video explanation!

Which exam do you think is more difficult – the current or new SAT? 🙂

Looking for answers to the most challenging Official SAT Study Guide math questions? Use our Official SAT Study Guide Question Explanations and watch test prep expert Chris Lele explain the smartest way to solve new SAT math questions.

Chris Lele is the Principal Curriculum Manager (and vocabulary wizard ) at Magoosh. Chris graduated from UCLA with a BA in Psychology and has 20 years of experience in the test prep industry. He’s been quoted as a subject expert in many publications, including US News , GMAC , and Business Because . In his time at Magoosh, Chris has taught countless students how to tackle the GRE , GMAT, SAT, ACT, MCAT (CARS), and LSAT exams with confidence. Some of his students have even gone on to get near-perfect scores. You can find Chris on YouTube , LinkedIn , Twitter and Facebook !

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100 responses to “10 Most Difficult SAT Questions”

Hello! Just want to say thank you for this interesting article! =) Peace, Joy.

Thanks for the kudos!

thanx dude got 9 of dem correct and i hav got 2300 in SAT

Great! That shows that the questions are pretty tough, and that you are very good at the SAT :).

Whoa…I got the exact same stats. THere’s really is a correlation.

Nice Dude It was pretty helpful but got just 6 so sad 🙁

Hi, Julie! 6/10 certainly isn’t bad to start out with– I’m sure that after studying for a few weeks, you could score even higher 🙂

sat exam math is so easy as compared to iits math,its almost like nothing

The general SAT math portion is meant more to test one’s thinking/problem solving skills. It is definitely not too difficult, and sometimes getting a perfect score for us seasoned tutors, is making sure we don’t make a careless error. The SAT math subject tests, on the other hand, are much more difficult, and are targeted towards those who want to study in math/science fields.

Are you Ankush Sharma from FIITJEE Chandigarh?????

Hi there I’m 13 and in 8th grade in this test I got 4/10 ….I’m feeling bad

Wow, that’s actually a great score, for someone who isn’t even required to take the PSAT. Some of the questions above are taken from GMAT and GRE tests, which are for those looking to go to graduate school (some of the smartest people around :)). So, I’d say you are doing pretty well :).

I got 9/10 correct and I have a 1960 SAT Score. These questions were helpful though

These questions are very tough — so you did well. I’m guessing you do pretty well on the quant, maybe close to 700. Even then, on the SAT, those “easy” and “medium” questions can get you to go :).

Could you please explain how to do number 10? I keep getting the answer 27 times the square root of three. Thank you.

I just answered my question, sorry ^^.

No problem! 🙂 Glad you figured it out!

I’ve been studying for a few weeks and could only get 5 right (barely)…I am so gonna to bomb the SAT…

Not at all — these are all difficult questions. Only about 25% of the questions on the SAT are this difficult. So if you are getting half of the difficult ones correct, you are probably do even better on the medium and easy questions.

Good luck–and don’t get discouraged :)!

Well, tell me if I am wrong , but there is something off about question 8. Even I came up with 16(b) at first but then I considered this situation …

Suppose Sally is as bad as a student as myself and managed to get 4/16 questions correct , earning her 4*9=36 marks .

However she skipped or got wrong 12/16 questions , losing a total of 12*7=84 marks .

So, her total score is = ta ta ra ra … negative 48. You see my point?

It seems that we already have a given piece of information: the student scored zero points on the test. The only way this is possible, given the test has fewer than 30 questions, is if there are 16 questions on the test. The question is not saying, if the test had 16 questions, then how many points must Sally have gotten? She could have gotten a bunch of different points, including, as you mentioned, -48.

Hopefully that makes sense 🙂

Im stuck on number 5 could you please explain? I was thinking that if there are no restrictions on what the other possible integers could be then couldn’t 1 be one of them and then the other two would add up to the rest? That was my thinking but I guess I was wrong. Could you please explain, thank you so much!!

So we know that the sum of the average has to be 300 (75×4) = 300. If the largest number is 90, then the next largest numbers could be 89 and 88. Remember, we want to maximize these two numbers so that the remaining number can be as small possible. This gives us 90+89+88+x = 33 (E).

Hope that makes sense 🙂

I don’t understand number 5 at all whatsoever. Could you please explain it to me? Also, regarding number 5, why is the answer not 1? The question doesn’t ask for the highest possible smallest integer that could result in the mean? It merely asks for the smallest, so 1 should be applicable, shouldn’t it?

It does seem that way, that ‘1’ should be the answer. But this is a tricky one. If we actually add up the four integers, x + 88 + 89 + 90 = 300 we get 33 for x. x cannot equal ‘1’ because the two integers in the middle have to be less than 90, and the greatest possible numbers they can equal are 88 and 89 respectively.

Hope that helps shed some light :).

I do not get number 9 at all because I tried to plug in 60 for all the values, and only choice B. worked using that method. The only way that I could see choice C. working is if there was a fraction bar between the ks and 60c like this:

ks —– 60c

Is this how it was intended to be written? I tried to follow the choices given to me using order of operations.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

#9 was the only one I got wrong and I am in 7th grade. 😛

Good job on getting most of the questions correct!

Yes, on question #9, it should be written as ks/60 (that mark is the same as the horizontal line dividing the numerator and the denominator).

Hope that helps!

Thank you very much for these very helpful questions.

I need to understand number 10 and 7, I am stuck in 7 for not knowing how many millimeters contain what percentage.

in 10 it’s because I did 9^2÷π=25.78310078, and that’s close to the correct answer but I need to understand the idea!

Thank you in advance, have a beautiful day 😀

On number 10, the key is to solve for the radius. Another important thing is on the SAT never change π to 3.14. Just keep it as π. If we know the circle has an area of 9π, then its radius must equal 3 (9π = πr^2, r = 3).

Each length of the equi. triangle is therefore 6. Using the area for equi. formula (s^2√3)/4, where s corresponds to the side of the equi. triangle, we get 9√3.

For number 7, think of the problem has a weighted average. If equal parts of each solution were put in a new container, then the resulting mixture would contain 20% alcohol. The resulting mixture, however, contains 25% alcohol. Therefore, more of solution Y has to be in the mix? How much more?

Quick way to figure this is out is find the ratio between solution Y – resulting mixture (30 – 25) = 5, and resulting mixture and solution X (25 – 10) = 15. That gives us 1:3. Therefore there is three times as much solution Y as X: 3 x 200 = 600.

Hope that makes sense!

For number 10 the answer is 12 root 3 not 9 root 3. Yes, there is a 6 however that is the diameter of circle O. Once one has the diameter, he/she could simply use the 30-60-90 triangle as a reference and find the base of the triangle, segment CB. CB comes out to be 4 root 3. Using the formula A=(1/2)base times height : [(1/2)(4 root 3)(6)] the area comes out to be 12 root 3.

Hope this helped =)

Oops, it looks like I made a very basic error there. Clearly the diameter is not the same as the length of a leg of the equilateral triangle. Morale of the story: don’t rush :).

So .. trigonometry is in the syllabus of SAT ?

Actually, it’s not. You’ll just have questions that use basic geometry. For instance, you won’t have to know how to derive the length ratio of a 30:60:90 triangle. That’s given to you at the beginning of the section.

The new SAT, the one set to debut in 2016, will have trigonometry, or so it’s rumored :).

in 10th question did not we get the height of triangle instead of it side,which is 6 units

We did! But from there we can solve for side (and thus, solve for base and get area) with the following formula:

height = [(side)*√3]/2

We know that height = 6, so we can solve for side from there, and then multiply height by side. Let me know if you have questions about the rest of the process for that problem, though. 🙂

I got 7/10 correct (yay), although, my SAT scores suck (except in math) ( ;__; )

Anyway, I don’t understand question 1. The sentence doesn’t make sense to me with those answers.

Good job! Your SAT scores can’t suck too much if you did that well :).

For #1, what the question is saying is that scientists are happy with the Big Bang theory because they simply don’t have enough data–data that could indicate the theory is not valid.

wouldn’t choice (E) also work?… I mean what context clues can you draw to get to choice (A) rather than (E)

got a 2380 on the SAT, these questions were really helpful, thx for posting them

You are welcome 🙂 — I’m happy you enjoyed the questions.

And great score!

Hey man i was wondering about the 5th question there are no restrictions about the other 3 intgers so couldnt the other 2 numbers also be 90 and 90 as 90 is the largest integer so in retrospect only one of the numbers need to be smaller than 90 90+90+90+x=300 x=30…..?

You have great instincts! The SAT could definitely trap you with something like that. But in this case, the question does specify “four different integers,” so we know there can’t be three 90s. We instead have to use 90, 89, and 88 for the three large numbers, since those are the three largest different integers allowed. Notice how one word in the question can totally change the answer—this is a perfect example of the SAT being tricky and teaches an important lesson!

Do you know of a book that has groups of questions that are ONLY the hard ones from or like the SAT or ACT? Thx.

I didn’t understand how to solve out 6,7, and 9. Also any general tips for the sat because I’m a really hard worker and still did poorly. Thanks!

Problem 6. We know the total area of the square to be 25. Since that’s the case we can also infer that each side is 5. If we call a side of the small square x and of the larger square y then we have x + y = 5 since they span the length of the larger square. The areas of each square are x² and y². We are also given that the area of square y is 9 times the area of square x so y² = 9x². Now we have a system we can solve pretty easily.

x + y = 5 y² = 9x²

Setting each equation equal to y in terms of x we get…

y = 5 – x y = sqrt(9x²) or y = ±3x

We’re only concerned about y = 3x since the length can only be positive and y = -3x will give a negative answer when setting -3x = 5 – x.

So now we have

y = 5 – x y = 3x

Setting the right sides equal to one another we have

5 – x = 3x 5 = 3x + x 5 = 4x 5/4 = x

Since x is the side length of the small square the answer is 5/4.

Problem 7. We can also solve this one with a system of equations. We have a solution X that is 200 milliliters and we know that is 10% alcohol so 20 milliliters of that is alcohol. We want to get another solution that we’ll call Z that is 25% alcohol when we add the solutions X and Y together so we can model this by the following equation…

.3y + .1(200) = .25z

The 200 is the volume of solution X which we know from the given information so we can simplify this to….

.3y + 20 = .25z

We need to relate the totals now. The last equation models alcohol content. We know that solution X is 200 milliliters so this added to solution Y will give solution Z so we have the following equation…

y + 200 = z so we can solve the following system

.3y + 20 = .25z y + 200 = z

We are looking for y so it would be quicker to put z in the first equation in terms of y and solve for y. Look at the second equation. We see that z = y + 200 so we can substitute y + 200 for z in the first equation to get

.3y + 20 = .25(y + 200) .3y + 20 = .25y + 50 .3y – .25y = 50 – 20 .05y = 30 y = 30/.05 y = 600 so the answer is 600 milliliters. We can plug this into the system to check too…

600 + 200 = 800 so z = 800 .3(600) + 20 = .25(800) 180 + 20 = 200 200 = 200 so we’ve also proved our solution.

Problem 9. A computer can perform c calculations in s seconds. How many minutes will it take the computer to perform k calculations?

If the computer does c calculations in s seconds then it does c/s calculations in 1 second and hence does 60c/s calculations in one minute so if a minute is m then k/m is the amount of calculations done per minute which is equivalent to 60c/s so we can make the equation.

K/m = 60c/s Multiplying both sides by m we get

K = (60c/s)m

Now we can multiply both sides by s now to get

And to finally isolate m we divide both sides by 60c to get.

So the answer is m = ks/60c which is answer choice C.

There won’t be too many of these problems on the SAT that are this difficult nor should they take as long as they look. I just went through them step by step so you could see how they are done.

Got 8 of them correct. Thank you for the questions Chris. And i will give my SAT exam this June. 🙂

Good luck, Ayush 🙂

Thanks and i got 7 out of them all from maths and 1 from English the first question only and i think I need major improvement in English section. I am giving my SAT exam in June this year

Good job, Chirag!

The verbal just takes a little practice. I’m sure you will do well 🙂

I got 7 correct, 2 wrong & left one. I mistook in questions 1 & 4, left 3.

I got all others correct. I’m a 10th grader & going to have my first test next June.

I hope I can get a good score at critical & writing sections, & a full mark in math’s 🙂

That’s a great start! With a little more prep you could do very well in all three sections.

Keep up the good work 🙂

Got 10 out of 10… Giving SAT this Saturday I hope a get a decent score 🙂

Well, that looks like a good start :). Good luck tmrw.

OMG! Chris you are so hansome. I think im in love lol

Thanks :). As long as my lessons and videos are instructive, I’m happy 🙂

Hi, please can you tell me how the question 6 algebraically solve thanks

This is part of Nick’s comment below. Hopefully that helps 🙂

Problem 6. We know the total area of the square to be 25. Since that’s the case we can also infer that each side is 5. If we call a side of the small square x and of the larger square y then we have x + y = 5 since they span the length of the larger square. The areas of each square are x² and y². We are also given that the area of square y is 9 times the area of square x so y² = 9x². Now we have a system we can solve pretty easily. x + y = 5 y² = 9x² Setting each equation equal to y in terms of x we get… y = 5 – x y = sqrt(9x²) or y = ±3x We’re only concerned about y = 3x since the length can only be positive and y = -3x will give a negative answer when setting -3x = 5 – x. So now we have y = 5 – x y = 3x Setting the right sides equal to one another we have 5 – x = 3x 5 = 3x + x 5 = 4x 5/4 = x Since x is the side length of the small square the answer is 5/4.

I only got the 9th one wrong, but my biggest difficulty in the SAT is the time. Are there any useful tips to do the questions faster so that I don’t run out of time.

That’s a great question, and one that is not easy to answer. For one, not sure how you approached these questions. Secondly, I don’t want to hurt your accuracy by suggesting a strategy–esp. if you are doing okay time-wise on an Official SAT test.

But I don’t want to leave you hanging, so here are a few tips:

1) Assuming that you do math questions the long way (write every step out), get used to doing more math in your head (again, make sure that accuracy doesn’t suffer). Next, revisit the problem and see if there is a shorter way to get the solution.

2) Know your grammatical errors. That way, you are scanning the sentences intelligently, looking for the mistake, instead of hopping that one just kind of “pops out” at you.

Hopefully, that helps somewhat. If not, I’d be happy to give you some more tips (just give me some more specifics on you are currently approaching problems).

Hello! This was very good practice for me! This is a really helpful website! The only question I didn’t understand was number 8; could you please help me with this?

We know that we have to find the lowest common multiple the two numbers have. That way, we can “balance” out the 9 point and 7 point questions to get ‘0’ total points. 63 is the lowest common denominator. That means 7 questions have to be 9 points (7×9 = 63) and 9 questions have to be 7 points (9×7=63). That is a total of 16 questions.

Hope that helps 🙂

Im actually studying for the shsat and i got most of these wrong. I especially want to know how to solve number ten. Thx…

Solve for the radius of the triangle to get 3. Double that to get the diameter. Notice how the diameter is the same as altitude of the equilateral triangle. Use 30:60:90 properties to reason that the small side of the triangle is 6/√3. Use (basexheight)/2 to arrive at (3×6√3)2 = (C).

How can we exactly assume that the triangle is 30:60:90? I got to 3 and the altitude.. but then what property am I forgetting to know that the triangle is one of those… thanks btw

When you split an equilateral triangle like that in half it becomes 30-60-90.

This is because all the angles in an equilateral triangle are 60. The line that splits it in half bisects the angle into two 30 degree angles. The line is also perpendicular to one side so there are two 90 degree angles. The other two angles are unaffected and remain 60 degrees. You thus get two triangles with degree measures of 30, 60, and 90.

I’m confused, you appeared to multiply by 2 instead of divide. Why?

The post is soo late… I tried to solve #5. and if the 3 other remaining integers add up to 210 (300-90), the least possible is 1 in my calculations: 209 which is the sum of remaining 2 middle integers is impossible because one of them would have to be greater than 90 to make 209 possible.

So, you have to be careful with ‘1’, because, as you noted, that would give you a number larger than ’90’, and a sum larger than 300. The best way to attack is to maximize the other two integers (giving you 89 and 88), which leaves you with 33: 33 + 88 + 89 + 90 = 300.

Hope that helps resolve any confusion 🙂

I got 9/10 right. I just CANNOT understand problem no. 7. These mixture sums always get me 🙁

Yes, they can be quite frustrating 🙂

Here’s an interesting way to work a problem: just “backsolve” using the answer choices. First off, you can figure out that the number of ml has to be greater than 200, because if you added 200 ml of Y, then that would give you a 20% solution. Since, we need a 25% solution, we know we have to have more of solution Y.

Answer (C) 400 is a good place to start backsolving. Doing so give us:

[(400)30 + (200)10]/ 600 = 12,000 + 2,000 = 14,000/600 = 23 something. Therefore, we have to choose a large number.

By the way, I get 600 by adding the total ml of both solutions (400 + 200).

Backsolving using (E), since it is an easier number to deal with than 480, I get:

[(600)30 + (200)10]/ 800 = (18,000 + 2,000)/ 800 = 25%, the answer.

This might seem long, but I wrote out all the calculation steps, something that only takes a few seconds on the calculator.

Hope that helps provide a helpful approach to a mixture problem 🙂

If 200 ml of solution x is used that means it has 20 ml of alcohol in it because 10% of 200 ml (0.1*200). Let’s say we will use y ml for solution y then 0.3*y of alcohol will be used. Since the total volume of mixture is 200+y, then (20 + 0.3*y)/(200+y) = 0.25. Solving that equation, you will get 600 m for solution y.

Do you need to memorize random words and their meaning in order to pass the reading portion? cause that how i see it. P.S. not a native speaker

Yes, memorizing words is indispensable to doing well on the verbal portion–that’s the basic truth. But memorizing words, doesn’t have to be as dull and formulaic as you might think.

Here is a post about how to make learning vocab a little less tedious:

https://magoosh.com/hs/sat/2018/sat-vocabulary-words/

i got 8 i really don’t get 1 and 3

your questions are very easy,,,,,,,,,,,,its just a speed test for me (!_!)

I took the SAT, and got a 1680 on it,but i got 9/10. The only one i got wrong was number 9 if you could explain it would help me a lot. Also if you know how to improve my writing section score it will help a lot. Thanks

Just use dimensional analysis. If you start with K calculations, set it up so the units cancel.

K calcs * (S sec/C calcs)

Here, the calcs canceled so you’re left with KS/C seconds. Next, convert seconds to minutes.

K calcs * (S sec/C calcs) * (1 min/60 sec)

Now, when you multiply that you, you are left with KS/60C

to be honest i didn’t read through just wanted to give a comment. My SAT is 4 days away and i thought i was ready now it seems like my it on head is empty. sorry i wrote this here i did because i know the wont even put on the site. you did a great work with the questions though , will try to go through it.

I got 10/10 without really getting “stuck” anywhere, but I spent much more time on a few of the math problems than I could have afforded on the test. Time is not my friend; I usually need about 15 extra minutes for each math section to answer all questions. My score on the College Board practice tests has consistently fallen in the 2200-2400 range, but the last time I took the SAT I scored only 2090 because I had to omit quite a few problems. I’m retaking it in October, and I would really appreciate any tips for better time management.

Yayaya…I got all 10 of them right. 😀 😀 Have my SAT in 11 days. Hope I do well. This was really helpful. Thanks

That’s awesome! I’m so glad you found these tough questions helpful. 🙂

Good luck on your SAT! I hope you do well.

Cheers! Rita

Are we allowed to use trigonometry on the last question?

You are allowed to use any method you care to, as long as you  get the answer :). (Of course, no cheating allowed). With this question it seems that the non-trigonometry, using 30-60-90 properties, is a much faster way of doing it. 

But if trigonometry works for you, that’s totally valid too!

Only got 7. 🙁

I would have gotten 8 if I wrote down the length of the diameter rather than hoping it would stay in my head. Well, I still have 4 years to get them right. 🙂

7/10 is pretty darn good, especially if you still have 4 years to prep. 🙂 We’ll be adding 10 new questions soon – stay tuned!

#7 of new sat test has no correct options

Thanks Sol, for catching that! That’s definitely a typo with the cubed root thrown into (C). Not quite sure how it got there, but I’m removing it now :).

I am in class 10 and its really easy.perfect 10/10

But I liked the questions.Thank you.

Can you please post more questions.

About question 1: Why “the worst” when only two groups are involved? I always the the superlatvie was reserved only for comparisons of three elements or more.

Good question! 🙂

It is true that it used to be assertively taught that a superlative cannot be used in a comparison between just two objects. If we put aside the fact that this is not commonly taught or enforced in style guides anymore, I want to point out some situations when it would be possible to say that there are grounds for ignoring it. Imagine we want to refer to the “most young” individual in a group, but we do not know if there are 2 or 3 people in the group; in this case, we could comfortably use “youngest” despite the potential mismatch. Also, for reasons of style, we might sometimes ignore this idea and say something like, “My father is the tallest of three children, and my mother is the tallest of two.”

Now, all that said, if you want to stick to a rule, you can certainly say comparatives are for 2 objects and superlatives are for 3+ objects, but you might encounter debate with people saying that technically a limit (as expressed by a superlative) exists whether or not you have 3+ objects. (Just because you are younger than your one sibling does not mean you are not also the youngest.) I hope this helps a bit, and thanks for reaching out! 🙂

I don’t understand question 8

the arithmetic mean question

Happy to help! If 90 is the largest number, no other number can be 90 or higher. We want to find the smallest possible number one of the four can be. Keep in mind, we need the average (mean) to still be 75 as well. So let’s get the biggest possible numbers and our mystery number x:

90 + 89 + 88 + x

We need to divide this by 4 to get our mean:

(90 + 89 + 88 + x)/4 = 75

Now we do some algebra, first by multiplying both sides by 4:

90 + 89 + 88 + x = 300

267 + x = 300

Now subtract 267 to get x on its own:

And that’s our answer. 🙂

I believe the answer for question 7 on the new SAT is incorrect. The answer according to Magoosh is C. However that is because they divided 9x^4 + 4t^4 by both sides. This can’t be done because 9x^4 + 4t^4 may be 0, in which case dividing by 9x^4 + 4t^4 would be 0/0, which is undefined. Am I right?

You raised some very important points! I spoke with our experts and we have adjusted the wording of the problem to take care of the correct issue you brought up. 🙂

Hi, I have researched number 7 from the new SAT questions and I can’t seem to get the answer. Could you please explain how to do it?

Hi Kaitlin,

This is certainly a difficult question! The key to understanding this is to use the difference of squares formula . This is a difficult one to type out so I wrote the problem out and you can access it here . I numbered the steps which I will explain: Step 1: recognize that the left side of the equation can be simplified using the difference of squares and factor it. Step 2: Once the left side of the equation is factored, we can see that we have the same term on both sides (9x^4+4t^2). Divide both side by this term. Step 3: The right side of the equation now simplifies to 1 because we have the same term in the numerator and denominator. Step 4: Recognize that the term on the left side of the equation can be factored again using the difference of squares. Step 5: Factor the left side of the equation again and we get our answer.

Does that make sense? Please let me know if you have any more questions 🙂

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Digital SAT Reading and Writing

Looking for sat math, unit 1: about the digital sat, unit 2: foundations: sat reading and writing, unit 3: medium: sat reading and writing, unit 4: advanced: sat reading and writing, unit 5: sat grammar practice.

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The Hardest Digital SAT Reading Questions

Hardest digital sat reading questions.

Bonus Material:   PrepMaven’s Digital SAT Reading Comprehension Diagnostic

Scoring well on the digital SAT means being prepared for everything the College Board can throw at you–including the hardest questions! This is especially important with the new adaptive scoring system, since more difficult questions are effectively worth more points. 

If you plan on taking the SAT this year, you need to know exactly what to expect. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the hardest type of SAT Reading question with analysis of real examples. By preparing yourself now, you can guarantee yourself points on the test later down the road. 

At PrepMaven, we’ve spent the last 20+ years helping students ace exams, earn top SAT and ACT scores, and earn acceptances to selective colleges. Through that time, we’ve earned perfect 5-star reviews and countless enthusiastic testimonials. Behind every one of our blog posts and guides, you’ll find decades of experience guiding students like you. 

Read on to learn more about the hardest SAT Reading questions. If you want to get a sense of how well you really know the SAT Reading material, download our free diagnostic below–it uses real sample questions updated for the digital SAT!

Download PrepMaven’s Digital SAT Reading Comprehension Diagnostic

Jump to section: Question Types on SAT Reading Hardest SAT Reading Questions Examples Hardest SAT Reading Questions Summary Next steps

SAT Reading & Writing Brief Overview 

Unlike the old SAT, there’s no separate section for Reading or Writing. Instead, the digital SAT combines both into one Reading & Writing section, split across two “modules.” You can jump to our breakdown of the SAT Sections for more info, but we’ll summarize the key bits below. 

Each module has the same structure: 32 minutes for 27 questions. The reason College Board splits the section into separate modules has to do with the “adaptive” testing system they use. In a nutshell, the second module’s difficulty will depend on your performance on the first module. 

Do better on module 1, and you’ll get harder questions on module 2. It’s important to note that you’ll still see the same types of questions, just at different degrees of difficulty. 

One key thing to remember about digital SAT scoring is that not all questions are worth the same number of points . In essence, harder questions are worth more points than easier ones, so you want to ensure that you’re prepared for the toughest questions the SAT can throw at you. For a full breakdown of the digital SAT scoring system, including how the adaptive testing works, check out our digital SAT score guide here . 

Question Types on SAT Reading

According to College Board’s official categories, the SAT Reading & Writing Section tests: 

• Information and Ideas
• Craft and Structure
• Expression of Ideas
• Standard English Conventions

The first two categories correspond to the “Reading” questions; the second two categories are the “Writing” questions. 

If that’s not confusing enough, each of the main categories has specific subcategories that–more or less–correspond to question types.

So, College Board uses “Information and Ideas” questions to test: 

• Central Ideas and Details
• Command of Evidence

And “Craft and Structure” questions to test: 

• Words in Context
• Text Structure and Purpose
• Cross-text Connections

Confused by these categories and subcategories? You’re right to be: it’s a terrible system! It’s not just that the categories are broad and generic (“Information and Ideas” isn’t all that helpful); it’s also that these subcategories don’t actually make clear what skills are being tested. 

If you want to really understand the SAT, these College Board categories are less important than the underlying skills being tested by the SAT Reading & Writing section. Understand those skills, and you’ll understand what you need to do.

That’s why we’ve done our best to translate these College Board categories into more recognizable question types (you can read more about these on our guide to SAT Reading here), but you can really think of the main question types for Reading coming down to:

• Literal Comprehension
• Logical Reasoning

Literal Comprehension questions correspond to College Board’s “Words in Context, Test Structure and Purpose, Cross Text Connections, and Central Ideas and Details” categories. 

Logical Reasoning questions are really what College Board means when they refer to “Inference” and “Command of Evidence” based questions. 

It’s these logical reasoning questions that are, by far, the SAT’s most difficult questions. Even the smartest students we work with routinely struggle to understand and approach them! That’s why we’re putting together a guide on how to crack these questions. 

Want to see how ready you are for SAT Reading questions right now, without any additional prep? Download our Digital SAT Reading Diagnostic below, which uses real College Board questions to help you understand your weak and strong points! However well you do, we promise you’ll do better by taking advantage of our free resources and guides. 

Hardest SAT Reading Questions Examples

We’re going to pick some of the toughest examples of these Logical Reasoning (or “Inferences” and “Command of Evidence”) questions, teach you how to recognize them, and break down how the SAT wants you to approach them.

SAT Reading Question Example 1:

Let’s start with an example of what College Board calls an “Inference” question, sourced from the College Board Digital SAT Question Bank: 

This kind of question can be brutal to tackle: how do you decide which of the answer choices is the “logical” one? 

The key to understanding these is to think of these passages as logical arguments . In essence, they’re made up of two pieces: evidence and a conclusion. The conclusion must always be supported by the evidence . 

When the Digital SAT asks you to “most logically complete the text,” they are always asking you for the conclusion . The only way to get to the correct answer is to identify all of the relevant evidence, and then identify which answer option matches up with it. 

So, let’s do a detailed breakdown of this question. 

Start by identifying all the evidence: 

• 2010 census has almost 2x the number of species as 2000 census. 
• This difference is only partially explainable by the new invertebrate species. 
• Another factor is that there is uncertainty about how to define microorganisms as species.
• Researchers’ decisions on how to do so are highly consequential .
• The two censuses reported similar numbers of vertebrate, plant, and algal species. 

When we say evidence, we don’t just mean the numbers and stats: the evidence is all of the relevant facts leading up to the conclusion!

So, now that we have our evidence gathered, all we need to do is compare each answer option to the evidence and ensure that it is consistent . 

Let’s take a look at our four answer choices: 

• Answer option A is inconsistent with our second piece of evidence, which specifically stated that the “new invertebrate” species could only “partially” explain the difference. 
• Answer option B is consistent with all the evidence! Remember, we need to explain why one census had so many more species than the other one, even though both had similar numbers of “vertebrate, plant, and algae species.” The difference must be in the microorganisms, since our evidence tells us that there is uncertainty in how to define microorganisms, and that the scientists are the ones who make those decisions. If the first census considered many microorganisms to be the same species, but the second census considered them all to be different species, then of course the second study would have more total species. B is correct . 
• Answer option C is inconsistent with the evidence, because it doesn’t explain why the second census had so many more species . All C talks about is differences within one species , which has no bearing on the total number of species recorded by the census. 
• Answer option D is inconsistent with the evidence because it says Coll’s study underestimated the total number of species, but we know that Coll’s study is the one that had more species than the other study. 

It’s still not an easy question, but this method is your best bet at eliminating wrong answer choices and landing on the correct one. 

The key here is not , as College Board would have you believe, “inference.” It’s just the opposite: you need to stick as close as possible to the literal evidence, and ensure the answer choice you pick matches with all the points of evidence. 

To recap the method:

When a digital SAT Reading question asks you to “logically complete the text,” you must: 

• Identify all of the evidence in the passage. 
• Identify which answer option is consistent with all the evidence. 

These can still be tricky, but using this method will dramatically improve your chances! The other way of really increasing your chances at a great or perfect score? Get one-on-one help from an SAT expert who can walk you through methods like this one, answer your questions, and teach you personalized test prep strategies. 

Our tutors are the best in the business, and we’ve got the testimonials, the reviews, and the results to prove it. If you want to work with a PrepMaven tutor, contact us today.  

SAT Reading Question Example 2:

Not all SAT Logical Reasoning questions will ask you to “logically complete” the text. But they all expect you to use the same method we’ve just discussed. Let’s take a look at an example from what College Board calls “Command of Evidence:”

This one likely seems complicated, but it’s just a matter of applying our evidence and conclusion method to a slightly different question. Do that, and you’ll be able to eliminate the wrong answer options because they’re inconsistent with the evidence and/or conclusion!

Let’s sum up the evidence again: 

• Mosasaurs were large marine animals that lived in the Late Cretaceous.
• Oxygen-18 isotopes suggest mosasaurs were endothermic.

Summed up, that’s really our only evidence. The difference is we now have a conclusion/claim to think about as well: 

• The team claims endothermy would have allowed mosasaurs to include relatively cold Polar regions in their range. 

It’s important to note that this isn’t evidence: it’s a conclusion/claim/argument/etc. that the team is making based on the evidence. 

Hint: Don’t get hung up on the science words/terms: you don’t need to know anything beyond what’s in the text. 

The question asks us to “support” their claim. All that means is that we need to pick an answer that is consistent with all the evidence and with their claim. In other words, something that makes their conclusion more likely to be true . 

Let’s take a look at the answer choices: 

• Answer option A does not make it more likely that their claim is true. It’s irrelevant: we don’t care, in this case, about these other, non endothermic marine reptiles. 
• Answer option B is inconsistent with the claim . Tricky, but think about it: the claim is that the mosasaurs could survive in the polar regions because they were endothermic. If there are equal numbers of endothermic and non-endothermic animals at the poles, then that would suggest being endothermic has nothing to do with Polar survival. 
• Aha! Now answer option C is the opposite, and is exactly what we need. It’s consistent with the evidence and the claim: if mosasaurs were found at the pole but non-endothermic animals were not, then being endothermic would seem to be what allowed the mosasaurs to survive at the poles. 
• The “D” must stand for “dud:” answer option D is irrelevant, since we don’t care about current sea temperatures. They’ve got nothing to do with mosasaur survival at the poles!

Once again, we were able to take a brutally difficult, dense question and break it down. Let’s recap:

When the question presents you with a claim and asks you about “supporting,” “weakening,” “undermining,” or “bolstering” it, here’s what you do:

• Remember: this is not a fact or evidence. This is what someone is arguing or trying to prove. 
• Identify all the facts/evidence. 
• Pick the answer option that is consistent with the evidence and (depending on the question) undermines or supports the claim. 

You can find a useful diagnostic packet of Reading question types here for free. It’s a great study resource–and it’s even more effective when paired with personalized instruction from one of our expert test prep tutors! 

Hardest SAT Reading Questions Summary

Let’s recap. The hardest part of the SAT Reading & Writing section for most students will be what College Board calls “Inference” and “Command of Evidence” questions. 

We really don’t like those terms because they don’t capture what’s actually being tested. Instead, we encourage you to think of them as Logical Reasoning questions. They test your ability to interpret, weaken, and support logical, evidence-based arguments. 

How do you recognize these question types? There are a few key giveaways: 

• Any question that asks you what “logically completes” a phrase or passage.
• Any question that uses language about “weakening” or “supporting” a conclusion, claim, hypothesis, or argument. 
• Any question that asks you to compare visual data (a chart or graph) with a text passage. 

How do you eliminate incorrect answer choices and get to the correct one?

Look for logical consistency! The right answer will align with the evidence and either support or contradict the conclusion (depending on the question). The wrong answers will not properly match up with the evidence and/or the conclusion. 

All three of these question types will come up on your SAT. No doubt about it. The only question is whether you’ll be flustered by them (like most students) or be ready for them. 

Of course, these question types–while the most difficult–are only a small part of the puzzle. Getting a high or perfect score on the SAT requires mastering every part of the test. If you’re serious about aiming for that goal, we recommend you spend some time reading our detailed breakdowns of the digital SAT. 

You can find everything you need to know about digital SAT scoring , format , and overall concepts tested by following the links to each post. Plus, you can dive deep into SAT strategy with our breakdowns of SAT Reading concepts , SAT Math questions , and SAT Grammar rules . 

This guide will help you start developing your SAT strategy for tackling the hardest reading questions, but it’s not enough on its own to help you get a top score. 

For that, you need to practice, practice, practice. We recommend starting with our free SAT Reading diagnostic quiz below, which uses real SAT questions to help you identify what you need to focus on. 

Then, sit down with one of our SAT experts to review and come up with a test prep plan tailored to your goals. Our tutors range from top-scoring undergraduates at Ivy League colleges to test-prep wizards who’ve been tutoring for decades. Whatever your goals, we’ll find the right tutor for you. 

In the meantime, explore our related strategy guides below, and happy prepping. 

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Congrats on taking our SAT Sample Quiz. Take one of our full-length SAT practice tests or one of our study sets. Everything is 100% free!

1 . Question

What percentage does 90 represent in relation to 360?

2 . Question

7 added to 4 times a quantity y is equal to 62. Which equation represents this condition?

• a. 7(4y) = 62
• b. 7 – 4y = 62
• c. 7 + 4y = 62
• d. 4y – 7 = 62

3 . Question

For a cost of $57, how many pounds of avocados were bought at a rate of $19 per pound?

4 . Question

The table displays three sets of values for x and their corresponding f(x) values for a linear function f. What equation accurately represents the definition of f(x)?

• a. f(x) = 6x + 65
• b. f(x) = 8x + 65
• c. f(x) = 65x + 73
• d. f(x) = 73x + 81

5 . Question

If \frac{x}{15}=20 , what is the value of \frac{15}{x} ?

6 . Question

What is the equation that defines line p in the xy-plane, given that it passes through the point (-4, 6) and has a slope of 6?

• a. y = 6x + 30
• b. y = 6x – 30
• c. y = 6 + 30x
• d. y = 6x – 30x

7 . Question

2.5b + 5r = 80

The provided equation expresses the connection between the quantity of biscuits (b) and raisins (r) that a reviewer business can handle in a single day. If the business is tending to 16 raisins on a specific day, what is the capacity for biscuits that it can manage on the same day?

8 . Question

In a specific rectangular area, the length-to-width ratio is 45 : 15. If the width of the region grows by 8 units, how should the length be adjusted to uphold this ratio?

• a. It must decrease by 24.5 units.
• b. It must increase by 24.5 units.
• c. It must decrease by 24 units.
• d. It must increase by 24 units.

9 . Question

In a circle with center O, the arc XY measures 105°. What is the degree measure of the angle XOY that corresponds to this arc?

10 . Question

In a right triangle, the side lengths are 3\sqrt3 , 2\sqrt3 ,and \sqrt{70} units. What is the area of the triangle in square units?

*Enter in just the number for your answer.

All SAT Practice Tests

If you want some more in-depth prep, use a free SAT practice test listed below.

• Practice Exams = Timed and Full-Length
• Practice Sets = Not Timed and Smaller Sets of Questions

SAT Practice Exam #1

SAT Practice Exam #2

SAT Practice Exam #3

SAT Practice Exam #4

SAT Math Practice Sets

SAT Reading & Writing Practice Sets

If you want some additional help with prepping for the SAT, consider using  SAT prep courses .

Official SAT PDF Practice Exams

If you want to study using PDFs, use the links below. These are full-length practice exams provided by the CollegeBoard.

Overview of the SAT

The SAT is an entrance exam used by colleges and universities to help make decisions about admissions.

The SAT is administered by the CollegeBoard and is given 7 times per year. The exam is a timed, mainly multiple-choice exam, taken by students in high school.

Beginning in the spring of 2024, the SAT will be going fully digital. The digital SAT (DSAT) will have some formatting and content changes to it, along with some other changes. You can review those changes below.

New SAT (Digital SAT)

This exam will be given to students starting in spring of 2024.

Old SAT (Written Exam)

This exam will be given to students up until spring of 2024.

The biggest difference between the old SAT and the digital SAT is that the digital SAT is taken completely online and has combined some sections to streamline the exam.

Scoring of the SAT

You will receive a score for math and a score for reading/writing. Each of those scores will be between 200 and 800 .

Your total score will be the sum of those two scores. You can receive a total score between 400 and 1600 on the SAT.

The average SAT score is 1060. Learn more about good SAT scores .

Registering for the SAT and Test Dates

You can register for the SAT online via the CollegeBoard site .

You will need to do the following when registering for the SAT:

• Have a Valid Photo ID
• Upload a Photo of Yourself When Registering Online
• Pay Registration Fees
• Print Your Admission Ticket

It will cost your $60 to take the SAT. There may be some additional fees like canceling, changing test center, etc..

The SAT is typically given 7 times per year. The exam is given on Saturdays. You can expect the exam to be given in these months:

• Early March
• Late August
• Early October
• Early November
• Early December

You can find exact dates on the official website .

Steps for Using SAT Practice

When using our free SAT practice tests, we recommend the following steps to get the most out of your time:

• Take 1 practice exam from each subject.
• Determine which subject you struggled the most with.
• Focus on that 1 subject moving forward. Take additional practice exams in that subject, study important concepts, and invest in a SAT prep course if need be.
• Take a practice exam on that subject again and see where you stand. Continue to focus on that subject if you need more help or move on to another subject if you did well on this practice exam.
• Repeat steps 3 and 4 for other subjects.

Benefits of Using SAT Practice Questions

There are many benefits to using SAT questions during your prep process. Some of those benefits include:

Help With Timing

The SAT exam is a timed test. Keeping a steady pace is critical to achieving a high score.

You can improve your decision making and your time by taking practice exams.

Test Familiarity

All standardized tests, including the SAT, have their own unique way of presenting questions and answer choices.

You will gain more familiarity and comfort with the SAT question style as you take more practice quizzes. On the real exam day, there will be no surprises.

Efficient Studying

When you take many practice exams, you will get a sense of your test strengths and weaknesses.

Many students mistakenly spend time working on their strengths while ignoring their weaknesses.

Knowing which subjects you struggle with will help you focus your study time.

Work On Problem Solving

Tests like the SAT measure your ability to solve problems, not just memorize information. It is critical to have strong problem-solving abilities.

The answer explanations provided in our score reports can help you understand how to solve problems that you may be struggling with.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the sat going to the digital format.

The SAT will be switching to the digital format in the spring of 2024.

How many questions are on the SAT?

There are 154 questions on the old SAT (written version).

There are 98 questions on the new SAT (digital version).

How much time do you have to take the SAT?

You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to take the old SAT (written version).

You will have 2 hours and 14 minutes to take the new SAT (digital version).

Can I use a calculator on the math section of the SAT?

There will be 1 math section in which you can use a calculator and 1 math section in which you cannot use a calculator on the old SAT (written version).

You will be permitted to use a calculator on all math modules on the new SAT (digital version).

What is a good way to practice for the SAT?

We recommend taking 1 practice exam for each subject. You can then determine which subject gave you the most trouble and focus your studies on that subject.

• Authored By: Adam Groden
• Last Updated: January 19, 2024

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SAT Exam Maths Syllabus 2024: Important Chapters & Preparation Tips

SAT is a standardised test widely used by American and Canadian colleges to determine the academic preparation of high school students. The SAT scores allow the evaluators to understand a student’s preparedness for college and how intelligent he/ she is. The SAT exam paper contains two parts; Maths and Reading and Writing. The total number of questions in the exam is 98; 44 in Maths and 54 in Reading and Writing. Students must prepare for both sections thoroughly.

On this page, we will be discussing the SAT exam Maths syllabus , which will cover details like the total number of questions, types of questions, frequently asked questions, list of chapters, duration of this section, and some preparation tips. Stay tuned to learn more about the SAT exam Maths syllabus.

Table of Content

SAT Exam Maths Syllabus

Sat maths section, latest sat exam pattern with score range, sat exam preparation tips.

The SAT exam maths syllabus is almost identical to the high school topics. This section of the SAY includes a total of 44 questions. Through the SAT, the accessors evaluate candidates understanding of the topics they have already covered in their high school years. In India, High School is equivalent to Class 10. So a Class 10 student who has scored more than 90% or equivalent can easily score well in his/ her SAT. However, the students must practice regularly to understand the exam syllabus and pattern better. The SAT maths syllabus mainly covers 4 topics. These are Algebra , Advanced Mathematics, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry . The table below discusses the entire SAT maths syllabus in detail.

The Scholastic Assessment Test is quite similar to other standardised tests, like the GRE, ACT, etc. Before appearing for the SAT, students must have an understanding of the entire exam pattern, its sections and other important details. In this section, we will cover all the details of the SAT Maths section.

• The SAT Maths section covers a total of 44 questions.
• Candidates have to complete this section in 70 minutes (1 hour 10 minutes).
• The 44 questions will be divided into two modules of 22 each.
• Module 1 will cover 20 operational questions and 2 pretext questions, where the time duration is 35 minutes.
• Module 2 is also similar to module 1, with 20 operational questions and 2 pretex questions.
• The scoring in this section will range from 200 to 800.
• A score of 700 is considered good, and 700 to 580 is average.

Having an understanding of the SAT exam pattern is very important from the examination point of view. Once you are aware of how many and what types of questions are asked in the SAT, it will be easier for you to not only prepare but answer effectively. The first section of the SAT is the Reading and Writing section which covers a total of 54 questions. The second section is Maths, where basic geometry and high school level 44 questions are asked. Here is a table for a better understanding of the SAT exam syllabus along with the score range.

Every exam requires preparation and since the SAT is quite a difficult exam, it requires rigorous and strategic preparation. The SAT May exam will be conducted on 4 May 2024. The last date to apply for the SAT in May is 19 April. Here are some preparation tips which will help candidates prepare for their SAT.

• The first step in the SAT preparation is to understand the SAT exam pattern and structure. This understanding will help you plan your study schedule more effectively.
• Your next step will be to create a detailed study plan, one that covers all the relevant material before the exam date. Break down your study sessions into smaller and understandable sections, and allocate time for each section of the test.
• Set a target score for yourself. For example, top universities and colleges only consider SAT scores ranging between 1500 to 1580. The bigger your benchmark is the better you will be able to prepare.
• Now is the time for consistent practice. It’s just like they say, ‘practice is the key to success’, and the SAT exam is no exception. Prepare each section and topic of the SAT exam thoroughly, solve sample questions and full-length practice tests. These will allow you to acclimatise to the real exam environment.
• If you are having a hard time in any of the topics or subjects included in the exam, you are required to give more and more time to it. The more you practice your weaknesses, the stronger you will be able to make them.
• To enhance your confidence and answer questions efficiently, you can familiarise yourself with effective test-taking strategies, such as the process of elimination, strategic guessing, and time management techniques.
• If you are struggling with specific concepts or topics, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Consider working with a tutor, joining a study group, or seeking assistance from teachers or online forums.
• The last step will be to revise all the topics you’ve been studying deliberately. A final review of your preparation will give you an idea of how well you have prepared and you can expect a better result out of it.

Also Read: SAT Exam Preparation 2024: Check Section-wise SAT Preparation Tips SAT Full Form: Detailed Information of SAT Exam SAT Exam Syllabus 2024: Section-Wise Syllabus

SAT Exam Maths Syllabus- FAQs

What is sat exam maths syllabus.

The SAT maths syllabus includes the following topics: Algebra, Advanced Mathematics, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry. This section will include a total of 44 questions, divided into two modules of 22 questions each.

Is SAT exam maths difficult?

SAT Maths can be quite challenging for students who have not studied hard in their high school or who have not prepared efficiently. However, for someone who have a better hold over mathematics formulas and equations, it will be not so difficult or challenging.

What are the minimum passing marks in the SAT exam?

There are no specific passing marks in the SAT. Candidates appearing for the SAT are given scores ranging from 200 to 800 in both sections; Reading and Writing and Mathematics. Any candidate scoring 400+ is considered pass in the exam.

What are the SAT exam fees for Indians?

The SAT fee for Indian students is 10115 rupees. Students must check the dollar-to-rupee exchange rate for more clear understanding.

Are Indians eligible for the SAT?

Indian students who are in Class 10 or have cleared Class 10 are eligible for the SAT. There is no age limit or nationality constraints for the SAT. Any student can apply for the SAT and apply for an undergraduate course in the USA or Canada.

This was all about the SAT exam Maths syllabus. We hope the above-listed information will provide you with all the details you’ve been looking for. For more information on competitive exams and academic syllabus, visit GeekforGeeks.

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Guest Essay

How the SAT Changed My Life

By Emi Nietfeld

Ms. Nietfeld is the author of the memoir “Acceptance.”

This month, the University of Texas, Austin, joined the wave of selective schools reversing Covid-era test-optional admissions policies, once again requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores.

Many colleges have embraced the test-optional rule under the assumption that it bolsters equity and diversity, since higher scores are correlated with privilege. But it turns out that these policies harmed the teenagers they were supposed to help. Many low-income and minority applicants withheld scores that could have gotten them in, wrongly assuming that their scores were too low, according to an analysis by Dartmouth. More top universities are sure to join the reversal. This is a good thing.

I was one of the disadvantaged youths who are often failed by test-optional policies, striving to get into college while in foster care and homeless. We hear a lot about the efforts of these elite schools to attract diverse student bodies and about debates around the best way to assemble a class. What these conversations overlook is the hope these tests offer students who are in difficult situations.

For many of us, standardized tests provided our one shot to prove our potential, despite the obstacles in our lives or the untidy pasts we had. We found solace in the objectivity of a hard number and a process that — unlike many things in our lives — we could control. I will always feel tenderness toward the Scantron sheets that unlocked higher education and a better life.

Growing up, I fantasized about escaping the chaos of my family for the peace of a grassy quad. Both my parents had mental health issues. My adolescence was its own mess. Over two years I took a dozen psychiatric drugs while attending four different high school programs. At 14, I was sent to a locked facility where my education consisted of work sheets and reading aloud in an on-site classroom. In a life skills class, we learned how to get our G.E.D.s. My college dreams began to seem like delusions.

Then one afternoon a staff member handed me a library copy of “Barron’s Guide to the ACT .” I leafed through the onionskin pages and felt a thunderclap of possibility. I couldn’t go to the bathroom without permission, let alone take Advanced Placement Latin or play water polo or do something else that would impress elite colleges. But I could teach myself the years of math I’d missed while switching schools and improve my life in this one specific way.

After nine months in the institution, I entered foster care. I started my sophomore year at yet another high school, only to have my foster parents shuffle my course load at midyear, when they decided Advanced Placement classes were bad for me. In part because of academic instability like this, only 3 percent to 4 percent of former foster youth get a four-year college degree.

Later I bounced between friends’ sofas and the back seat of my rusty Corolla, using my new-to-me SAT prep book as a pillow. I had no idea when I’d next shower, but I could crack open practice problems and dip into a meditative trance. For those moments, everything was still, the terror of my daily life softened by the fantasy that my efforts might land me in a dorm room of my own, with endless hot water and an extra-long twin bed.

Standardized tests allowed me to look forward, even as every other part of college applications focused on the past. The song and dance of personal statements required me to demonstrate all the obstacles I’d overcome while I was still in the middle of them. When shilling my trauma left me gutted and raw, researching answer elimination strategies was a balm. I could focus on equations and readings, like the scholar I wanted to be, rather than the desperate teenager that I was.

Test-optional policies would have confounded me, but in the 2009-10 admissions cycle, I had to submit my scores; my fellow hopefuls and I were all in this together, slogging through multiple-choice questions until our backs ached and our eyes crossed.

The hope these exams instilled in me wasn’t abstract: It manifested in hundreds of glossy brochures. After I took the PSAT in my junior year, universities that had received my score flooded me with letters urging me to apply. For once, I felt wanted. These marketing materials informed me that the top universities offered generous financial aid that would allow me to attend free. I set my sights higher, despite my guidance counselor’s lack of faith.

When I took the actual SAT, I was ashamed of my score. Had submitting it been optional, I most likely wouldn’t have done it, because I suspected my score was lower than the prep-school applicants I was up against (exactly what Dartmouth found in the analysis that led it to reinstate testing requirements). When you grow up the way I did, it’s difficult to believe that you are ever good enough.

When I got into Harvard, it felt like a miracle splitting my life into a before and after. My exam preparation paid off on campus — it was the only reason I knew geometry or grammar — and it motivated me to tackle new, difficult topics. I majored in computer science, having never written a line of code. Though a career as a software engineer seemed far-fetched, I used my SAT study strategies to prepare for technical interviews (in which you’re given one or more problems to solve) that landed me the stable, lucrative Google job that catapulted me out of financial insecurity.

I’m not the only one who feels affection for these tests. At Harvard, I met other students who saw these exams as the one door they could unlock that opened into a new future. I was lucky that the tests offered me hope all along, that I could cling to the promise that one day I could bubble in a test form and find myself transported into a better life — the one I lead today.

Emi Nietfeld is the author of the memoir “ Acceptance .” Previously, she was a software engineer at Google and Facebook.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the hardest sat reading questions ever.

SAT Reading

If you're aiming for a really high SAT score, you'll need to learn how to beat the most difficult questions on every section of the test. Here, I'll go through a few of the most difficult questions I've seen on the SAT Reading section and how to solve them.

Why exactly are they so hard? How do you tackle them? How well will you do? Challenge yourself for that top score.

Example 1: Author Technique Question

Author technique questions ask about why the author of the passage used a certain emphasis or device in his or her writing. These questions can be very difficult because you need to have a deep understanding of the author's viewpoint and how different writing techniques work to develop arguments.

Here's one of the most difficult author technique questions I have seen:

In lines 27-30, the author uses the word "conventional" several times in order to:

A. reveal the performers' frustration with modern theaters B. disparage the present-day treatment of the arts C. parody the creative efforts of contemporary artists D. emphasize the absurdity of a purely aesthetic approach to the arts

The question refers to these lines in the passage:

The trend toward preservation is significant not only because it is saving and restoring some superior buildings that are testimonials to the creative achievements of other times, but also because it is bucking the conventional wisdom of the conventional power structure that provides the backing for conventional culture centers to house the arts.

I think this question is so difficult because it requires a very specific and nuanced understanding of the author's goals and technique. It also provides answer choices that are overall pretty confusing.

Let's figure out how to solve it!

First, we need to understand the question.

Why does the author use the word "conventional" so many times in this paragraph? What's the viewpoint she is trying to support?

Clearly she is pro-preservation of historic architecture (she describes the buildings that preservation saves as "superior" and "testimonials to the creative achievements of other times", which are both good things), and conventional is being used negatively to describe the systems in place that would dismantle these cultural monuments. She is trying to emphasize how important it is not to allow the "conventional" ideas, systems, and centers to completely take over the arts.

Now let's look at the answers, remembering to be very picky and specific about eliminating any answers that are even a little bit wrong!

Choice A: reveal the performers' frustration with modern theaters

True, the phrasing does convey a certain frustration, but is it used to reveal the performers' frustration? Is it specifically about modern theaters ?

Nope. This answer makes itself too specific by mentioning performers and modern theaters , so it's gotta be wrong.

Choice B: disparage the present-day treatment of the arts

This seems correct. "Conventional" is definitely being used as an insult (to "disparage" something). And it's insulting the attitudes and structures that surround contemporary treatment of the arts in public life.

This one's a winner!

Choice C: parody the creative efforts of contemporary artists

No, this looks like an irrelevant answer. Contemporary artists are not criticized and certainly not parodied by the repeated use of "conventional". There's no mention of contemporary artists at all!

Cross it out!

Choice D: emphasize the absurdity of a purely aesthetic approach to the arts

Hmm...a "purely aesthetic approach" would mean an approach that only takes into account outside appearance. The author does seem like she might reject that sort of approach, but make sure you stick to the question. Is that why she repeatedly used "conventional"?

Pure aesthetics isn't what she's directly criticizing. It's more the unfeeling bureaucratic mindset (the "power structure") that pervades today's decisions about public cultural and artistic matters.

This answer is slightly off from the author's point, so it's not going to work!

Choice B is correct!

This question was really hard because it gave a few answer choices that made some sort of sense with regards to the author's viewpoint but that didn't directly answer the question. This is why you need to always be sure to keep reminding yourself what you are being asked: to avoid just choosing an idea you saw in the passage but that doesn't answer the specific question.

If you think it will help, write down a paraphrased wording of what the question is asking that's easier for you to understand so you can stay focused while you look at the different answer choices.

Example 2: Analogy Question

Analogy questions are also really tough. They require you to make a comparison between something in the passage and something unrelated to the passage that exemplifies a parallel relationship or theme. This means first understanding an abstract concept in the passage and then matching it to one of five other abstract concepts that sound similar.

Let's take a look at one of the hardest analogy questions:

The "mystery" discussed in lines 10-13 is most analogous to that encountered in which of the following situations?

A. Being unable to locate the source of materials used to construct an ancient palace B. Being unable to reconcile archaeological evidence with mythical descriptions of an ancient city C. Being unable to explain how ancient peoples constructed imposing monuments using only primitive technology D. Being unable to understand the religious function of a chamber found inside an ancient temple

Here's the part of the passage we need to refer to:

But finding Machu Picchu was easier than solving the mystery of its place in the rich and powerful Inca empire. The imposing architecture attested to the skill and audacity of the Incas. But who had lived at this isolated site and for what purpose?

First, let's figure out what the question is asking.

Which situation in the answer choices is most similar to the "mystery" described in the passage? So we need to figure out what the mystery is based on the passage.

Going from the first sentence, the mystery is the role Machu Picchu played in the Inca empire. We also should note descriptions of Machu Picchu in the passage to make as direct a comparison as possible. We know it had "imposing architecture" and was "isolated" but no one knows who lived there or why it existed.

Ok, let's find the most similar answer choice now!

Choice A: Being unable to locate the source of materials used to construct an ancient palace

The mystery in the passage is about the purpose of Machu Picchu in the context of the Incan Empire. It doesn't involve any confusion about HOW the city was created. This answer doesn't fit because the mystery has nothing to do with the origin of Machu Picchu, it has to do with its function.

Get rid of it!

Choice B: Being unable to reconcile archaeological evidence with mythical descriptions of an ancient city

This one doesn't work either. The content doesn't match with the mystery in the passage because there were no mythical descriptions of Machu Picchu. The mystery isn't about any sort of mismatch between the archeological reality of Machu Picchu and how it was described. It's about the fact that its purpose in the Incan empire wasn't described at all.

Cross this one out!

Choice C: Being unable to explain how ancient peoples constructed imposing monuments using only primitive technology

This one is tricky, because the mystery does involve not being able to explain Machu Picchu's existence. BUT the mystery is not about the logistics of its construction— it's about the WHY, while this situation is about the HOW.

This one is also incorrect!

Choice D: Being unable to understand the religious function of a chamber found inside an ancient temple

This answer looks promising—it talks about being unable to explain function , and the mystery is the role of Machu Picchu—synonyms! Explaining the religious function of a chamber found inside a temple is analogous to explaining the function of Machu Picchu in the Incan Empire. How does one part function in the context of the whole it belongs to?

This answer seems correct.

Choice D is the one we want!

Analogy questions like this require you to think at a pretty high level in terms of inferences because you need to make a connection to something totally outside of the passage.

However, this doesn't change the rule about looking for direct evidence for your answers. Notice how in this question we focused on the fact that the mystery was about the role of Machu Picchu. By using this evidence, we were able to find the most direct connection in the answer choices by noting that role and function are synonyms.

Example 3: Data Reasoning Question

Unlike the ACT, the SAT does not have a section devoted specifically to science. Instead, the SAT includes graphs and data in other sections of the exam, such as Reading. For data reasoning questions, the student will need to interpret the data in the figure and place it in the context of the overall passage.

Because the SAT doesn't expect high-level data analysis skills from students, most data reasoning questions aren't typically among the hardest you'll see on the Reading section. However, every now and then they have a particularly question, such as the one below. It's challenging because you must have strong graph analysis, reading comprehension, and inference skills in order to answer it correctly, and there is a lot of room for misinterpretation.

Based on figure 2, the engineers surveyed were most skeptical of the idea that in the event of a reallocation of road space, drivers would change

A. when they travel. B. their means of traveling. C. how often they make a journey. D. their driving style.

To solve this question, first let's figure out what figure 2 is showing us. Figure 2 shows data from an opinion poll of transportation engineers. According to the y-axis label, the engineers were asked whether a road space reallocation could cause people to change various aspects of their driving. There are four answer possibilities: "yes," "yes (in exceptional circumstances)," "no," and "don't know."

Now, this question specifically wants to know what aspect of driver behavior that the engineers thought least likely to change. Of the four choices, "driving style," received the smallest percentage of "yes" and "yes (in exceptional circumstances)" responses, as well as the largest percentage of "no" responses. This means that the engineers were most skeptical of drivers changing their driving style, which means Choice D is the correct answer.

Example 4: Paired Passages Question

Paired passage questions contain some of the most difficult questions on the SAT Critical Reading section because they ask you to look at arguments from different viewpoints and make inferences about the views of passage authors.

It's a real mental challenge when these questions ask you to put yourself in someone else's shoes (especially someone whose opinion is different from your own or unfamiliar to you) and then take it one step further and analyze another person's opinion from that viewpoint.

Here's one of the hardest paired passage questions I've seen:

Based on lines 63-67 ("nobody...sheep"), the author of Passage 2 would most likely appear to the author of Passage 1 as

A. a neutral observer of animal behavior B. well informed concerning research into animal intelligence C. having a deep fondness for border collies and therefore overestimating them D. having little respect for traditional scientific research

Here's Passage 1:

And here are the lines referenced in Passage 2:

"nobody could believe dispassionately in the totality of positive and negative reinforcement after seeing the pure intelligence shining in the face of a border collie intent upon helping a shepherd herd sheep"

How should we go about solving this question?

This is the type of SAT Critical Reading question where it actually is important to read and absorb the whole passage. We need to have a strong idea of how the author of Passage 1 feels about canine intelligence.

From reading the passage, it's clear that the author of Passage 1 takes a more cynical view of the issue. People are inclined to believe that dogs are intelligent because we are always around them and they are good companions, but this has no basis in scientific fact. What does this mean about the author of Passage 1's opinions on the author of Passage 2 based on the quote?

Well, it seems like he or she would probably think the author of Passage 2 was naive and falling into the trap of wishful thinking. The quote cites unscientific, emotional evidence of the intelligence of a particular dog breed.

Ok, now let's look at our choices!

Choice A: a neutral observer of animal behavior

Hmm no, I don't think so.

This is almost an opposite answer. Clearly the author of Passage 2 is biased towards believing dogs are intelligent. There's no way the author of Passage 1 would think of her as a neutral observer based on her statement about border collies.

Choice B: well informed concerning research into animal intelligence

Nothing in the quote says anything about research, so it wouldn't make sense for the author of Passage 1 to consider the author of Passage 2 well informed about animal intelligence research based on the excerpt.

This is definitely an irrelevant answer —get rid of it!

Choice C: having a deep fondness for border collies and therefore overestimating them

Hmm, this seems possible.

The author's point in Passage 1 was that people's emotional attachment to dogs causes them to overestimate their intelligence. In Passage 2, the author is clearly citing her own positively biased observations of border collies as evidence of their intelligence. The author of Passage 1 would definitely think she was overestimating border collies because of how much she likes them.

This answer makes sense.

Choice D: having little respect for traditional scientific research

This one isn't going to work —it makes too many assumptions. The quote doesn't indicate anything about the author of Passage 2's feelings towards scientific research. There's no reason the author of Passage 1 would make this specific judgment based on the excerpt.

This is a pretty tricky answer choice. It would make some degree of sense for the author of Passage 1 to believe this about the author of Passage 2 since she's citing anecdotal evidence rather than scientific facts to back up her point about border collies.

However, this answer is too nonspecific to be correct. There's nothing that directly points to the fact that the author of Passage 2 doesn't respect traditional scientific research. She certainly does respect her own (perhaps biased) judgments that aren't based in science, but that doesn't mean that she looks down on real scientific research.

Eliminate it!

Choice C is correct!

I thought this question was particularly tricky because it asked you to do some high-level inference work and provided a correct answer that might at first have seemed too specific. It also gave some other answer choices that appeared plausible but didn't fit with any evidence in the quote from Passage 2.

In these types of questions, it's important not to doubt yourself and to use process of elimination very strictly. Even if you're being asked to infer something about one passage author from the point of view of another, your inference will still be based on direct evidence from the passages.

The most difficult sentence completion questions on SAT Critical Reading will expect you to understand high-level vocabulary in both the sentence itself and the answer choices.

Even if you don't know specific definitions of all the words, process of elimination can help you get down to one or two answer choices. Remember to look for connotation in the sentence and note relationships between words and phrases so you know exactly what you're looking for.

The most difficult passage-based questions on SAT Critical Reading will ask you to understand and compare abstract concepts and points of view.

It's important to always be clear on what the question is asking first. Some choices might be relevant to information in the passage without being a direct answer to the question.

Above all, BE PICKY. The hardest questions are relying on your inability to eliminate slightly incorrect answers. If you can't find direct evidence for a choice, you have to get rid of it.

Even the hardest Critical Reading questions can be answered confidently with enough practice!

What's Next?

Want more tips on how to master the SAT Critical Reading section? Check out our article on how to get an 800!

Also, take a look at these articles for more tips if you're still struggling with running out or time or reading the passages on for Critical Reading.

Finally, here are six strategies you can use to improve your score. Take a practice test to get started!

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Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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