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Find the clear statement of argument or
thesis
Identify the kind of argument being made
Vivid language or vivid metaphors
Mark shifts in point of view or tone
Parallel syntax
Underline unknown words with context clues
Bold claims or false statements
CONTROL THE PASSAGE; DON’T LET IT
CONTROL YOU!
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Answer every question in which you can
eliminate at least one or two answers
Leave blank answers you don’t have time to
finish
Context clue
◦ Often times the unknown word will be placed with a
passage with a certain image; that should be
enough to give you a clue as to the answer
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Questions are sequential from the beginning
of the passage to the end, not from easiest to
hardest
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Pronoun antecedents
◦ “It refers to which of the following nouns?”
◦ To answer this question, substitute each word in its
place
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Familiar but unfamiliar vocabulary
◦ “In colonial times, it was important to husband the
food supply during the winter.”
◦ “our future would be better insured if we carefully
husband our natural resources.”
◦ Best answer: to use, to marry, to conserve to waste
or to join?
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Roman Numeral Questions
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Figures of Speech
◦ Consider the Roman Numerals FIRST. Decide which ones are
correct, then move to the A, B, C choices OR Find the Roman
Numeral you know is wrong and then eliminate those answers
◦ Questions clarify an unknown with something that is known and
add a layer of meaning
◦ “The new CEO entered the board room with the flair of a matador”
 This analogy makes all of the following inferences EXCEPT:
A. The new CEO is the center of attention.
B. The new CEO is in a high risk profession.
C. The new CEO faces a substantial opposition from others.
D. The new CEO exudes power and strategy.
E. The new CEO is an effective delegator of responsibility
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Main Idea Stems
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“the author’s primary focus”
“The intent of the passage”
“The anticipated outcome of the argument”
Don’t be fooled by the partial idea distractor
Tone/Mood questions
◦ Defined by connotation/diction or imagery
◦ Review your tone words and know them for the test
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Footnotes can:
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Identify a source
Define terms
Add facts or details
Clarify confusion
Set the record straight
READ FOOTNOTES!
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Parallel Syntax
◦ Provides good momentum, gives drive and energy
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Rhetorical Questions
◦ The reader is being manipulated into giving the
answer the writer wants
◦ Function as transitions
◦ Organizational techniques from discussion to
solution
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Clauses and Phrases
◦ Clauses are either dependent (fragments added on) or
independent (full sentences added on)
◦ Phrases do not have verbs
◦ Think about what the clause and phrase is doing for the
writer to the reader
◦ Track this with punctuation
 Commas= “add ons” that are dependent; usually to clarify,
provide examples, or add more context/description
 Semicolons = “add ons” that are independent; usually of
equal value
 Dash = interrupts a thought with more info, not necessarily
related to precious thought
 Parenthesis = Creates an “aside” moment that provides an
additional thought from the author
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Loose Sentence
◦ Independent clause followed by a dependent clause
◦ Sentence reaches syntactical closure early
◦ Relieves tension and allows the reader to explore the
rest of the sentence without urgency.
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Periodic Sentence
◦ Dependent Clause followed by an Independent Clause
◦ carry high tension and interest
◦ Reader must wait until the end of the sentence to
understand the meaning.
◦ There is no “closure” until the end of the sentence.
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Read and annotate the question stem
◦ Underline words like “except, best, primarily”
◦ Make sure you know what each question is asking
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Your answer
◦ Think of an answer before looking at the
distractors.
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ZAP: Rule out certain answers
◦ Eliminate answers that are clearly wrong. “X”
words/phrases/clauses that make answers wrong.
◦ Remember, the entire answer must be right.
◦ “Zero in And Pick” from the answers you have left.
◦ Skip it if you can’t narrow to 2-3 choices.
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Remember, the choices have one CORRECT
answer and 4 WRONG ones. You run the risk
of misreading the passage if you look at
these answers.
IF YOU MUST LOOK: glance at the question
stems only to avoid confusion.