The SAT Reasoning Test is a long examination (three hours and forty-five minutes) and has three main divisions:
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Math,
Reading and
Writing.
There are 10 sections in all three for each division, and one equating section. The equating section is used to assess
questions for use in future tests. (It can be in any of the three areas and does not count toward the score).
Apart from a short essay and ten out of the 54 math questions, the questions are all five-answer multiple-choice. Each of
the divisions has a maximum score of 800, giving a maximum overall score of 2400.
The SAT Subject Tests are a series of one-hour multiple-choice tests in subjects including
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Literature,
History,
Physics,
Chemistry,
Biology,
Mathematics
and a number of languages.
(These tests used to be called SAT II, and even earlier they were called Achievement tests).
Who should take the SAT subject tests?
Not all colleges require students to sit for these tests and of those that do some require students to take two subjects and
some require three. Some courses have specific requirements (for example, students might be asked for Mathematics
Level 2 and Physics if they are applying for Engineering). Always check the specific requirements from the college
website.
A student can sit for up to three subject tests on the same day. It is not possible to sit for the SAT Reasoning Test and
SAT Subject Tests on the same day.
In many ways these tests are more straightforward than the Reasoning Test: they are based directly on the high school
curriculum and the questions are not tricky.
For more details visit the College Board website.
SAT facts
The SAT is offered seven times a year in the United States and six times at international sites. The test:
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Takes three hours and 45 minutes (testing time only—does not include breaks or administrative tasks)
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Consists of 10 separately timed sections:
o
Three sections test critical reading (70 minutes total)
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Three sections test mathematics (70 minutes total)
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Three sections test writing (60 minutes total)
o
One variable (unscored) section tests critical reading, mathematics, or writing (25 minutes total)
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Assesses subject matter learned in high school and problem solving skillsin three areas:
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Critical reading
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Mathematics
o
Writing
Includes three kinds of questions:
o
o
o
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Multiple-choice questions
Student-produced responses (mathematics only)
Essay question
Is machine-scored, except for the essay
Why should students take the SAT?
Students and parents often ask why it is important to take the SAT. Reasons include:
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All colleges accept the SAT as an objective measurement of students' college readiness.
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Used with GPAs and high school transcripts, SAT scores allow colleges tofairly compare applicants.
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Taking the SAT gives students access to scholarship opportunities.
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Most colleges require an admission test like the SAT.
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The SAT provides students with the most comprehensive performance feedback of any admission test.
Many institutions require a writing assessment for admission. Students who take the SAT automatically fulfill such requirements.
Learn more about the scholarship search tool in the student area of our site.
SAT Writing Format
FORMAT I - The one-example essay
Select one suitable illustrative example from your personal experience, or your reading, or knowledge of current affairs,
history, science etc. and use this as the basis for a discussion of the topic. The example should be specific and ‘real’
rather than invented. It is best to avoid religion or politics or anything controversial.
There is no word limit but a limited space is provided. The space you have to fill is approximately one and a half sides of
A4 paper. The space is sufficient to write a five-paragraph essay. You will have to write in pencil.
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Try to create interest in the topic.
The introduction can be general but must include a thesis statement to point the reader in the right direction.
Paragraph 2: Part I of the example
Describe the situation and cover about half the “example” here.
Paragraph 3: Part II of the example
Finish the “example”.
Paragraph 4: Discussion/analysis
Explain what your example shows. Extract the conclusions/moral lessons to show how it supports your thesis.
Paragraph 5: General conclusion
Show how the example leads to more general conclusions about the topic. (If possible, relate to material from the
introduction to round the essay off.)
Sample essay
SAT Sample essay 1 is an essay that uses this format
FORMAT II - The two-example essay
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Explain, in your own words, what the issue is. Include a thesis statement, which is a clear statement of your point of view.
Paragraph 2: Point one in support of your thesis
Explain the point you are making with the aid of a specific example.
Paragraph 3: Point two in support of your thesis
Explain the point you are making with the aid of a specific example
Paragraph 4: Qualification
Explain that, under certain circumstances, the opposite point of view might be correct. (This is to show that you are aware
of all aspects of the issue, even though you are 80-90% convinced of your thesis.) [Sometimes this paragraph is replaced
by another point and/or further discussion or reasoning.]
Paragraph 5: Reinforcement of thesis
Show how your viewpoint, despite the qualification you have just made, is more persuasive under the present
circumstances.
Writing questions on the SAT® have two formats: a direct measure in the form of an
essay and multiple-choice questions. Here is a breakdown of the questions:Question
types
# of
Questions
Time
Essay
1
25 minutes
Multiple-choice
49
35 minutes (one 25-minute
section and one 10-minute
section)
Total:
50
60 minutes
The content covered in the multiple-choice writing questions includes:
Content
# of Questions
Improving sentences
25
Identifying sentence errors
18
Improving paragraphs
6
SAT essay
The essay is always the first question on the SAT. Students are given 25 minutes to respond to the question by writing an essay in
longhand on the answer sheet, using a No. 2 pencil. The essay measures a student's ability to:
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Develop a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt
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Support a point of view using reasoning and examples from their reading, studies, experience, or observations
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Follow the conventions of Standard Written English
Students are given a prompt or assignment, which is a short (no more than 80 words long) quotation or statement on an issue that is
carefully selected to:
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Enable students to react and respond quickly in a variety of ways
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Be easily accessible to the general test-taking population, including students for whom English is a second language (ESL)
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Be free of figurative, technical, or specific literary references
Sample essay prompt
Here is a sample essay prompt:
Essay Prompt:
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Even scientists know that absolute objectivity has yet to be attained. It's the same for absolute truth. But, as many newspaper reporters have observed,
the idea of objectivity as a guiding principle is too valuable to be abandoned. Without it, the pursuit of knowledge is hopelessly lost.
Adapted from "Focusing Our Values," Nieman Reports
Assignment: Are people better at making observations, discoveries, and decisions if they remain neutral and impartial? Support your
position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
See sample essay responses to this prompt and learn more about how the essay is scored.
View more essay prompts from the most recent SAT administration.
Multiple-choice writing questions
The multiple-choice questions assess students' ability to:
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Communicate ideas clearly and effectively
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Improve a piece of writing through revision and editing
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Recognize and identify sentence-level errors
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Understand grammatical elements and structures and how they relate to each other in a sentence
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Recognize correctly formed grammatical structures
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Clearly express ideas through sentence-combining and use of transitional words and phrases
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Improve coherence of ideas within and among paragraphs
Multiple-choice writing questions are used in three areas:
1. Improving sentences
This type of question presents a sentence in which part, or all, of the sentence is underlined, followed by five choices of phrasing to
replace the underlined section. The questions assess the ability to:
1.
Recognize and correct faults in grammar and sentence structure
2.
Recognize effective sentences that follow the conventions of Standard Written English
2. Identifying sentence errors
This type of question presents a sentence with four portions underlined. The student is asked to select which of the underlined portions
represents a grammatical or usage error, or, if no errors are present, to select choice "E No error." The questions measure the ability to:
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Recognize faults in grammar and usage
1.
Recognize effective sentences that follow the conventions of Standard Written English
3. Improving paragraphs
This type of question presents a passage and asks questions about the passage. Some questions refer to particular sentences or parts of
sentences and ask the student to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask the student to consider the organization
and development of ideas in the passage. This type of question measures the ability to:
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Edit and revise sentences in the context of a paragraph or entire essay
1.
Organize and develop paragraphs in a coherent and logical manner
2.
Apply the conventions of Standard Written English
Question format, types, and content on the SAT
All critical reading questions on the SAT® are multiple-choice questions. Here is a breakdown of the question types:
Question types
# of Questions
Time
Passage-based reading
48
Two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section
Sentence completions
19
Total: 67
Total: 70 minutes
The content of critical reading questions falls into three general categories:
Content
# of Questions
Extended reasoning
42–50
Literal comprehension
4–6
Vocabulary in context
12–16
Passage-based reading questions
Reading passages are taken from different fields, including:
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Natural sciences
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Humanities
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Social sciences
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Literary fiction
Passages often have line numbers or numbered elements that are then referenced in the questions that follow. Reading passages:
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Range in length from 100 to about 850 words
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Have narrative, argumentative, or expository elements
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May be paired with related passages on a shared theme or issue
Students will be asked to:
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Determine the meanings of words from their context
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Show their understanding of information directly stated, including the main idea
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Synthesize and analyze information including:
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Identifying cause and effect
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Making inferences
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Understanding logic of analogies or arguments
Evaluate the author's assumptions and techniques
Passage-based reading sample questions are provided in the student pages of this site.
Sentence-completion questions
Sentence-completion questions measure students':
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Knowledge of the meanings of words
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Understanding of how the different parts of a sentence fit together logically
Each sentence-completion question presents students with a sentence that has one or more blanks, with each blank indicating that
something has been omitted. The students have to choose the word(s) to complete the sentence that best fit the meaning of the
sentence as a whole.