There are many different strategies out there for solving SAT Reading and Writing questions, but succeeding on this section really only requires mastery of one fundamental rule.
That rule is this: There’s only one 100% correct answer choice, and all the others can be eliminated without any ambiguity.
Read on to find out how this applies to your test-taking strategy and how you can use the rule to improve your scores.
Reasons for the Fundamental Rule
In this section, I'll go over some background information on the rule and explain why it makes sense.
Why Is There No Ambiguity in Answers on the SAT Reading and Writing Section?
As you know, the SAT is a standardized test. Standardized tests market themselves as objective measures of academic skill; without this objectivity, they lose their relevance.
Even a subject like reading, where answers are typically more subjective, must be tested using questions that have only one objectively correct answer. The test would be greatly weakened if people could challenge the questions all the time and argue convincingly that more than one answer could be correct. The College Board would have to throw out all the questions that were disputed, leaving them with less data to calculate scores and a reputation for unreliability.
How Does the College Board Make Sure Ambiguity Never Happens?
The answer to every Reading and Writing question can be found directly in the text of the passage. Since the College Board can’t allow any room for interpretation, questions must find ways of restating information that’s already in the text.
Questions might might use phrases like “most nearly means” or “is best described as” to trick you into thinking more ambiguously about the answers and giving too many of them a fair shot. Don’t let this happen to you! Always remember: ONE ANSWER CHOICE TO RULE THEM ALL.
Types of Wrong Answers
Let's go over the four types of incorrect answer choices you might see on the test and how to spot them!
Type #1: Extra Information or Slightly Off
Be a sleuth for extra details in answer choices that aren't backed up by the passage. Even one unsupported descriptive word can make an answer incorrect.
Sometimes, an answer will have two parts. If one part works and the other part doesn't, you still need to eliminate it! Make sure you look at both parts of the answer carefully and cross it out if you think either part doesn’t fit.
Type #2: Opposite
Even if you don’t know the exact answer to the question, you will be able to tell if relationships in the passage were reversed. These answer choices can be tricky because if you’re reading quickly, you might not catch that things are in the wrong order. That's why it’s so important to double check your answers!
Type #3: Irrelevant or Concept Jumble
Irrelevant answers can be tricky because they prey on students’ tendency to overthink the question and twist any choice into a plausible answer. If something seems unrelated to what you read, it’s wrong. Don’t doubt yourself!
Similar to these are concept jumble answer choices, which create weird amalgams of stuff you read in the passage but don’t actually say anything relevant to the question. Again, if you’re going too fast these can be a problem for you. Never choose an answer just because it contains key words.
Type #4: Plausible Interpretation
These ones can be tough to eliminate, especially if you’re used to viewing literature in the context of English classes where many interpretations are valid. Again, you should only rely on direct evidence to answer Reading and Writing questions.
Even if the answer seems like it could represent a valid perspective on the passage, if it isn’t supported directly by the text, you need to eliminate it.
ALWAYS.
Process of Elimination in Action: Sample Question
Now let's take a look at a real SAT Reading and Writing question and figure out which three choices can be eliminated. Here's the section of the passage you'll need to read to answer the question:
This passage discusses the debate some astronomers have over whether the evidence of liquid water on ancient Mars points to a prolonged period of warm, wet conditions or a brief period of melting on a longtime frozen planet. Researchers Cardenas and Lamb believe the wet, warm scenario is correct.
Now, let's answer the question! Remember, we need to find concrete evidence for the answer we end up choosing.
Choice A: This is an example of an opposite answer. A "massive but short lived influx" of liquid water isn't the same as a long period of warm, wet conditions. Rather, it would point to the opposite theory of a brief thaw on an otherwise very cold planet.
Choice B: This is an irrelevant answer that misses the point of the passage. Lava isn't mentioned at all in the passage so this choice doesn't provide support for either theory.
Choice C: This choice is promising. Choice C provides direct support for the researchers' conclusion about a prolonged warm, wet period. If the basin once contained an ocean of liquid water for "an extended time," that supports Lamb and Cardenas' "warm and wet" scenario.
Choice D: This is another irrelevant answer. The dimensions of the basin and if it was formed by an asteroid or comet have no bearing on if it was filled with liquid water or not or how long it was filled with water. That kind of data could support the "warm and wet" theory or go against it. As it stands, this choice is irrelevant.
Ok, based on my notes about each answer, choices A, B, and D can all be eliminated. That means choice C must be the correct response! Choice C has direct evidence backing it up, and it matches our original interpretation of the lines perfectly.
Let’s Review!
The fundamental rule of SAT Reading and Writing is that there is only ONE absolutely correct answer choice, and the rest can be eliminated!
You can detect incorrect answer choices by watching for:
- Answers that contain extra information or are slightly off
- Answers that represent the opposite of the relationship described in the passage
- Answers that are irrelevant or are just a mish-mash of concepts found in the passage
- Answers that are plausible interpretations of the passage, but are not supported by any direct evidence
As long as you remember that the correct answer must restate something in the passage, you should be able to eliminate three out of four answer choices on most Reading and Writing questions and end up with a great score!
What's Next?
We've got a lot of useful guides you can use to raise your SAT section scores. For Math, read my detailed guide to improving your SAT Math score.
Also, check out our advice on how to read passages effectively and stop running out of time.
If you already have a good Reading and Writing score, but you want to make it great, read our article on how to get an 800!
