Category Archives: Test Taking Tips

February inspired me to write a tutorial on fixing dangling modifiers in the SAT Writing section. In honor of October, I want to address the problem of parallelism.

SAT Writing loves to test your knowledge of parallelism. The section loves it so much, in fact, that it tests parallelism in three different forms! For SAT Writing, you need to know how to use parallelism when writing lists, making comparisons, and when using word pairs (e.g., “not only… but also…”). In this blog entry, I will focus on the rules of parallelism for writing lists. I will address the others in blog entries to come.

List parallelism questions come up most often in the Error Identification portion of the Writing test. However, you may run into them in the Improving Sentences portion too.

What is parallelism? Parallelism is a grammatical principle invoked to maintain balance within a sentence. In grammar, parallelism basically means that similar words, phrases, and clauses must take the same form. Confused? Let’s move on to an example…

I like reading, sleeping and to make art.

This is a pretty friendly sentence: it’s direct and tells us a little bit about what the author likes! Only trouble is that the items in this list aren’t in parallel form. Corrected:

I like reading, sleeping and making art.

Or:

I like to read, to sleep and to make art.

Either correction to this sentence is great. It does not matter if we present our hobbies as a series of verbs that end in “ing” (gerunds), or as a list of “to + verbs” (infinitives). All that matters is that we pick one form at the beginning, and stick with it throughout the list.

For the sake of practice, let’s look at a few more examples of good/bad parallelism. After that, we’ll go through a hard-level question from a real SAT.

Bad Parallelism!
Before the SAT, you should eat a healthy breakfast, sleep adequately, and don’t forget your admission ticket!

Good Parallelism!
Before the SAT, you should eat a healthy breakfast, get adequate sleep, and remember your admission ticket!

Bad Parallelism:
As soon as Katrina gets home, she studies biology, bakes cookies, and then she will play basketball.

Good Parallelism!
As soon as Katrina gets home, she studies biology, bakes cookies, and plays basketball.

Bad Parallelism!
The knight was charming, brave, and he had a great body!

Good Parallelism!
The knight was charming, brave, and physically fit!

Bad Parallelism!
Indian summer, Armageddon and being affected by climate change are all possible explanations for this unseasonably warm weather.

Good Parallelism!
Indian summer, Armageddon, and climate change are all possible explanations for this unseasonably warm weather.

Ok, I think you get the idea…

Let’s conclude by solving this hard-level question from a real SAT:

All species of sea turtles are endangered because of overharvesting of adults, their eggs being disturbed, and destruction of nesting habitats. 

(A)   of overharvesting of adults, their eggs being disturbed, and destruction of nesting habitats
(B)   of the adults being overharvested, their eggs disturbed, and destroying nesting habitats
(C)   the overharvesting of adults, disturbance of their eggs, and destruction of nesting habits
(D)   the adults are overharvested, their eggs are disturbed, and their nesting habits are destroyed
(E)    being overharvested as adults, their eggs being disturbed, and destruction of nesting habits

Even though this is a hard-level question, we should immediately recognize that it’s testing our knowledge of parallel structure. Why? Because the underlined portion is a list, of course.

According to the principle of parallelism, each item in this list must take the same form. In the first and third items (“overharvesting of adults” and “destruction of nesting habitats“), the verb comes before the noun. However, in the second item (“their eggs being disturbed“) the noun comes before the verb. Ugh! This list is one ugly mishmosh of un-parallel parts!

To fix this sentence, look for the answer choice that presents each item of the list in parallel form. When you have selected your answer, hit the link below to see if you’re correct!

Answer and Explanation

Love it or hate it, SAT Critical Reading is important. Not only do college admissions officials pay great attention to SAT Critical Reading scores, but studying for SAT Critical Reading can actually help you learn to process & comprehend college-level texts—important skills for success in college and beyond. In this blog entry, I will describe how to use active reading strategies to help you become a better reader. If you practice these strategies regularly, I guarantee your reading level will advance and you will score more points on the SAT.

What is active reading?

Active reading means using strategies to increase one’s comprehension and retention of a text.

Active readers probe the limits of a text. They habitually “read between the lines,” which means they make inferences and uncover meanings buried beneath the literal wording of a text. Active readers ask questions, make connections, and examine an author’s use of language to work through what they don’t immediately understand.

SAT passage-based reading questions require students to make inferences and identify the implied meanings of challenging texts; therefore, becoming an active reader is crucial for SAT success.

How to become an active reader:

1) Define a set of goals for reading.

Defining a set of goals not only helps us stay focused as we read, but it also prepares us to monitor our comprehension. If you know precisely what you aim to get from reading, it will be easier for you to supervise your understanding of a text.

Lucky for you, the SAT hands you a prepackaged set of goals, articulated in the questions asked about each passage. As an active SAT passage reader, your goals are to understand:

— The subject of the passage – What is the author writing about?
— The argument of the passage – What position does the author take on the subject? What is the passage trying to show or describe?
— The structure of the passage – What supporting points does the author use to back up the argument?  How do different parts of the passage relate to each other and contribute to the meaning as a whole?
— The tone of the passage – How does the author feel about the subject he/she is writing about?

Fiction passages, which make up 10% of the passages on each SAT, present a slightly different challenge. In addition to the above-mentioned goals, active readers seek to understand:

— The relationships between characters – What do the different characters think of each other? Do the character’s feelings toward each other change during the story? What devices are used to convey this relationship?
— The use of figurative language in the passage – Why does the author describe things the way he/she does? What impressions do these descriptions create? How do these descriptions reinforce and/or add to the overall meaning of the passage?

2) Take notes as you read

Everyone has fleeting impressions, questions, and thoughts about what they read. Forcing yourself to take notes is a great way to slow down your reading process and give yourself time to fully think through each question or thought. In addition, highlighting, underlining, and annotating texts helps you stay focused as you read. Finally, taking notes is a great way to mark information you may need to look at again in the future.

Good notes concern:

Questions about the text – Mark sections that are confusing, surprising, or that you may want to reflect on later. Also think about and write down a short response to these questions—even if you’re unsure.
— New vocabulary words – It’s a great idea to underline new vocabulary and write definitions in the margins.
— Anything that pertains to your goals for reading –If you’re reading a fiction SAT passage, for instance, you’ll want to mark and reflect on the purpose of figurative language.
— Important points – Always mark sections that state the main idea of a reading.
— Predictions about what will happen next – How do you think the text will end, and what is causing you to think this?
— Connections between the text and things from your daily life – Does a story’s plot remind you of a movie? Does the main character remind you of your mom? Use things from your everyday life to put the text into terms you understand.
— Anything that makes you think! — Any thought, question or idea you have is likely important and worth reflection.

3) Reflect after reading

It is super important to properly digest everything you read. Here are some strategies to help you make sense of texts once you have read them.

— Keep a reading journal – Writing about your impressions will help you think more deeply about what you have read. To begin, just write whatever comes into your head without stopping or thinking about it. Once you’ve arrived at a thought or question you wish to pursue, try to write 2-pages arguing a claim or exploring this question.
— Relate the text to your personal life – Ask yourself: Do the characters in the text remind you of anyone you know? Have you ever been in a situation similar to one described in the book? What does the language of the text reveal about our culture/society, and do you agree with the author’s point of view?
— Discuss texts with teachers, parents, or friends – Discussing books and articles with others allows us to consider points and ideas we wouldn’t have thought of alone. Also, having to defend ideas in a debate/disagreement is a great way to get yourself thinking deeply.

And, to sum it all up…

Getting into the habit of reading actively is super important, but takes practice. If you regularly use the strategies listed above to read difficult texts, I guarantee your comprehension skills and reading level will improve. In turn, you will find it easy to attack the Passage-Based Reading questions on the SAT.

Glossary:
These Key SAT Words are Expertly Identified by Sentia Tutors

Arcane: Obscure information known by a few people

Tuesday’s blog post hinted that young adult literature is a surprisingly good place to pick up SAT vocabulary. As a follow up, I want to explore our most enchanting YA resource: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Brimming with Latin-based names and incantations, Harry Potter is a fun and helpful guide to Latin roots you’ll find on the SAT.

How many Latin roots can you find in Harry Potter? Here are the roots of 10 spells (with related SAT vocabulary!) to get you started:

1. Confundo (Confundus Charm) — This spell, which causes the victim to become confused, comes from the Latin root, con, which means “with.” In this case, con implies a mixing up of sorts. All things are thrown together to become muddled, enmeshed, and indistinguishable… confused.

SAT Words with the Root con:

• contiguous: sharing an edge or boundary; touching
• consensus: agreement, accord
• conjecture: an inference based upon guesswork

2. Crucio (Cruciatus Curse) – This is a curse of torture or pain. Derived from the Latin root, cruci meaning “cross,” or “torture,” the Crucio curse should be avoided at all costs!

SAT Words with the Root cruci:

• excruciating: very painful; extreme
• crucible: a severe, searching test or trial
• crucify: to treat with gross injustice; persecute; torment; torture

3. Deletrius – A spell that makes things disappear or vanish. This spell has the Latin root, de, which means “away from,” “removing,” or “down.”

SAT Words with the Root de:

• deleterious: harmful; injurious
• depreciation: a decrease in value
• destitute: abandoned; forsaken

4. Expecto Patronum (Patronus Charm) – This spell is used to repel dementors. Patronum is based on the Latin root, patr, which means father. By extension, we can also take patr to indicate protectiveness and high rank.

SAT Words with the Root patr:

• patrician: a person of noble rank; an aristocrat
• patricide: the act of killing one’s father
• patriarch: father

5. Expelliarmus (Disarming Charm) – A disarming spell; often used to force opponents to drop their wands. This spell contains the Latin roots ex, meaning, “off,” “away from,” or “out,” and arma, which means “weapons.”

SAT Words with the Root ex or arma:

• exonerate: to free from blame or guilt
• expunge: delete; remove
• armistice: a temporary suspension of hostilities; a truce
• armature: armor

6. Impedimenta (Impediment Jinx) – This jinx trips, freezes, binds, or otherwise blocks an opponent’s approach. Fittingly, this walk-stopping jinx contains the root, ped, Latin for “foot.”

SAT Words with the Root ped:

• Expedite: to speed up the progress of; to accelerate
• Pedestrian: Undistinguished; ordinary; conventional
• Impede: To hinder the progress of

7. Imperio (Imperius Curse) – One of the three “Unforgivable Curses,” the Imperius Curse places the subject in a dream-like state in which he/she is completely subject to the will of the caster. Using this curse can result in life imprisonment in Azkaban. Imperio comes from the root impero, which means “command.”

SAT Words with the Root impero:

• imperious: domineering and arrogant
• imperative: absolutely necessary or required

8. Lumos – A spell that produces a narrow beam of light that shines from the tip of a wand, Lumos derives from the Latin, lum or luc, meaning “light.”

SAT Words with the Root lum or luc:

• elucidate: to make clear or plain
• luminary: a famous, inspiring person
• pellucid: transparent; translucent

9. Morsmordre (Dark Mark) – Morsmorde is a spell that produces the Dark Mark—symbol of Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. It comes from the Latin root, mort, meaning death. Notice that mort is the root of Voldemort’s name, as well.

SAT Words with the Root mort:

• mortify: to humiliate
• remorse: sincere and deep regret
• moribund: approaching death

10. Wingardium Leviosa (Levitation/Hover Charm) – One of the first spells taught to Hogwarts students, Wingardium Leviosa lifts objects so they float in the air. Wingardium contains the Latin root arduus, meaning “high” or “difficult,” and Leviosa sprouts from lev, which means “lift” or “light.”

SAT Words with the Root arduus or lev:

• arduous: laborious; difficult; requiring great exertion
• alleviate: to relieve; to lessen
• levity: lightness of mind, character or behavior

Sitting at my desk, I examine neatly-penned flashcards. Bright green walls. Soft light. LED clock dimly glows: 8:00 pm.

1. Erudite: Characterized by great knowledge or learning; scholarly
2. Perspicacious: Very insightful
3. Innovator: A person who introduces something new

Though I don’t consciously realize it, my brain is associating this vocabulary with my surroundings. This means that every time I sit at my desk, I am subtly prompted to recall the material I learned there the night before. The space functions as a sort of mnemonic–a memory jumper–that helps me remember key information.

Unfortunately, however, no one takes standardized tests at their bedroom desk. So where should I study for maximum results? According to a New York Times article, students that vary their study spot retain more information. Varying one’s study spot forces the brain to make multiple associations with the same material, thus contributing to general retention.

On the flip side, Gina Carroll explains, having a regular, consistent study spot can help with organization and motivation. The theory is similar: Your mind will subtly associate your desk with the act of studying. You’ll be able to focus, and get productive faster. Plus, you’re guaranteed a quiet, well-lit study environment with all materials on hand. What could be better?!

I’ll tell you: arranging 3-5 study spots that you turn to at different times. Perhaps that nice coffee shop with the relaxing music and delicious coffee cake? Or the secluded desk by the window of your school library? When its warm outside, you can even head to your favorite park. Just be sure to switch between the different spots, and not to pick anywhere too distracting.

Whenever you see an introductory modifying clause on any SAT Writing section, your grammar antenna should start freaking out. Why? Chances are these questions are testing something very specific… something I itch to divulge.

What is an introductory modifying clause? An introductory modifying clause modifies the subject of the sentence’s main clause. For example:

Thrilled with her scores on the SAT, Alison quickly began working on her application to Harvard.

Here, the underlined portion of the sentence is the introductory modifying clause, because it modifies, or tells us something about, Alison. Because the introductory modifying clause describes Alison, “Alison” must come immediately after the comma.

Let’s take a look at a level 5 question from an actual SAT:

Prized for their brilliance and durability, people will spend thousands of dollars on high-quality diamonds.

• (A) Prized for their brilliance and durability, people will spend thousands of dollars on high-quality diamonds.
• (B) Prized for their brilliance and durability, thousands of dollars are spent by people on high quality diamonds.
• (C) Prizing them for their brilliance as well as their durability, thousands of dollars can be spent by people on high quality diamonds.
• (D) Prizing the brilliance and durability of high-quality diamonds, people will spend thousands of dollars for them.
• (E) Prizing high-quality diamonds for their brilliance and durability are what makes people spend thousands of dollars for them.

Even though the entire sentence is underlined, you should immediately recognize that “Prized for their brilliance and durability,” is an introductory modifying clause. Thus, you need to ask yourself: what is this clause describing?

Answer: High-quality diamonds.

Well, self, does the phrase, “high-quality diamonds” come immediately after the comma?

Answer: No, the word, “people” does. How ridiculous! People are not praised for their brilliance and durability!

Normally, we’d improve this sentence by searching for the answer choice that correctly places “high-quality diamonds” beside the introductory modifying clause. For this level 5 question, however, we’ll need to alter the modifier, itself. Take a look a the answer choices. For each, you’ll need to look at the introductory modifying clause, ask yourself what it is describing, and double check that the subject of the modifier comes immediately after the comma. When you’ve selected an answer, hit the link below to see if you’re correct.

Answer and Explanation