Transcript SAT Review Class

SAT I Verbal Review
Alan Reinstein
Wednesdays--Newton South—3:15-5:15 p.m.
1/29—Overall Intro + Critical Reading (mult. choice)
2/5—Writing Skills (multiple choice)
2/12—Essay section
[2/19—no class—WINTER VACATION]
2/26—All together—Essay writing and more practice
questions
Text:
The Official SAT Study Guide
CollegeBoard SAT
SAT Format: 10 Sections
1 25-min Essay (always first section)
2 25-min Critical Reading (24 Questions)
1 20-min Critical Reading (19 Questions)
1 25-min Writing Skills (35 Questions)
3 Mathematics Sections (2 25-min, 1 20-min)
1 25-min Experimental/Variable Section
1 10-min Writing Skills (14 Questions)
2 10-min Breaks (after Sections 3 & 6)
(4 hours, 5 minutes)
Writing Skills Sections
 Three types of questions:
 1. Improving sentences--(25 questions) select
the most effective version of a sentence
 2. Identifying sentence errors--(18 questions)
find the error in the sentence
 3. Improving paragraphs--(6 questions) correct
the flaws in an essay
Writing Skills Sections
Chapter 8--About the Writing Section
• Look at the table on pg. 101-2: The
Characteristics of Effective Writing
with examples.
– All voices…
Common Problems in Grammar &
Usage
 Common Problems in Grammar:
 Sentence Fragment examples:
 When the troll bounced off the banister
 Muttering over the cauldron
 To harvest mandrakes nocturnally.
 In our preparation of the purple potion.
 Or lurk beneath the balustrade.
Common Problems in Grammar:
 The Run-On Sentence:
 The wizards tasted the potion, they found the mixture
tasty.
 The troll is very hungry I think he is going to pounce.
Problems with Agreement
 Subject-Verb Agreement
 A cluster of grapes (was, were) hanging just out of the fox’s
reach.
 The elixir in these bottles (are, is) brewed from honey.
 The walrus, with the carpenter, (is, are) eating all the
oysters.
 The way you’re wrestling those alligators (is, are) causing
them distress.
Problems with Agreement
• Pronoun-Verb Agreement:
– Each of the songs Wendy sang (was,
were) off key.
– Neither of the orcas (pack, packs) a
punch.
– Neither her three companions nor
Dorothy (was, were) happy about
carrying Toto.
• Neither Dorothy nor her three companions
(was, were) happy about carrying Toto.
Problems with agreement
 Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement:
 Each of the bronco-busters was assigned to
(his or her, their) own horse.
 The walrus and the carpenter relished (his,
their) outing with the oysters.
Pronouns: Problems with Case
 Nominative Case: I, we, he, she, it, they,
you, who
 Ludovic and (me, I) stole the Grey Poupon.
 The only contestants still tossing eggs were
Bernice and (he, him).
Pronouns: Problems with Case
 The Possessive Case: mine, ours, his,
hers, theirs, yours; my, our, his, her, its,
their, your, whose
 Please remember that the walrus takes
only salt in (he, his) tea, while Christopher
Robin and I prefer honey in (our, ours) and
the Duchess enjoys a drop of sugar in (her,
hers)
Pronouns: Problems with Case
• The Objective Case: noun or a
pronoun receives action of verb:
– William Yeats, by (who, whom) the
cabin was built, was a better poet than
carpenter.
• WHO/WHOM:
– WHO = HE (SHE)
– WHOM = HIM (HER)
Problems with Modifiers
 Unclear Placement of Modifiers.
 The advertisement stated that a used
cauldron was wanted by an elderly witch with
stubby legs.
 The owl and pussycat bought a wedding ring
from a pig which cost one shilling.
 The seals agreed on Sunday to go for a stroll
with the walrus.
Problems with Modifiers
• Dangling Modifiers
– Walking down the Yellow Brick Road,
the Castle of Great Oz was seen.
– Time passed very enjoyably, singing
songs and romping with Toto.
– Although only a small dog, Dorothy
found Toto a big responsibility.
Improving Sentences
 Look at page 145- Answer #’s 1-3--two minutes
Improving Sentences Tactics
Ch. 10 pgs. 137-150
1.
Read entire sentence before looking at choices
1.
Know that the right answer will be among the
choices

[Choice A is always the unchanged section from the
original sentence.]
1.
Read each choice with the entire sentence; don’t
read the choices on their own
1.
Look for common problems
Improving Sentences tactics
5. Read all five versions ALOUD while you’re
practicing
5. Read more slowly than you normally do to pay
closer attention
5. Be sure subject + verbs agree
5. Mark questions that you don’t do in your test
booklet.
Improving Sentences practice
 P. 149 #1-8 (4 min.)
Identifying Sentence errors, p 161
Sample Questions
 P. 161 1-4
 Look at the explanations that follow
Identifying Sentence Errors Tactics (Ch.
11 p 154-5)
1. Read each sentence quickly but carefully
1. Consider each question as a cluster of truefalse question
1. Read aloud during practice
1. Examine A-D and consider the change that may
be necessary
Identifying Sentence Errors Tactics (Ch. 11 p
154-5)
5.
Look for most common mistakes
5.
Look for errors in idioms
5.
Remember that some sentences have no error
5.
Correct error when you practice
5.
Move quickly through these questions b/c other question
types will require more time
5.
Mark questions you skip in booklet
Identifying Sentence Errors practice
 P. 166-67 #1-8 (4 min)
Improving Paragraphs Tactics
1. Read the essay thoroughly to
determine its overall meaning
before you look at the questions
1. Read more slowly that you usually
do to pay closer attention
1. Try all the options before deciding
Improving Paragraphs Tactics
4. Make sure that your answer about a
particular sentence makes sense in context
5. Mark questions you skip in your booklet
Improving Paragraphs
Ch 12
 Sample questions 1-6, p. 178-179
 Review answers in following pages
Ch. 13 Practice for Writing Section
• Pgs. 407-412
• 25 min.
Sample Test #6, section 6
• Pp 718-723 of book
• Take the test--> 25 mins
• score yourself (answers at end of
test)