Preparing for the SAT English section can seem tough for a lot of students. It checks your skills in reading, grammar, and writing in different ways. This article is here to make the SAT English section easier to understand. We’ve put together some example questions with clear explanations to show you how to answer the kinds of questions you’ll see on the test.
We’ll cover everything from understanding stories and articles you have to read to fixing sentences with mistakes in them. Whether you’re trying to figure out what a passage is mainly about or how to use commas correctly, this article has you covered.
Question 1: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: In the late 1800s, two scientists named Edward and Othniel were looking for dinosaur bones in the American West. They were trying to find more bones than the others, which made them work very hard and discover a lot of important dinosaur bones. This time became known as the Bone Wars.
Question: What is the main point of the passage?
A) The Bone Wars made it hard for scientists to work together. B) Edward and Othniel’s competition helped find many dinosaur bones. C) Edward was a better scientist than Othniel. D) Finding dinosaur bones was not important in the late 1800s.
Answer: B) Edward and Othniel’s competition helped find many dinosaur bones.
Explanation: The passage talks about how the competition between Edward and Othniel, known as the Bone Wars, led them to discover many dinosaur bones. It doesn’t say that their rivalry made it hard for other scientists to work or that one was better than the other. It also doesn’t say that finding dinosaur bones was unimportant. Instead, it shows how their desire to outdo each other resulted in many discoveries.
Question 2: Writing and Language
Sentence: Each of the sculptures in the exhibit differs significantly in size, medium, and artistic influence.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the error in the sentence.
A) Each of the sculptures in the exhibit differs significantly in size, medium, and artistic influence. B) Every sculpture in the exhibit differs significantly in size, medium, and artistic influence. C) Each of the sculptures in the exhibit differs significantly in size, medium, and artistic influence. D) Each of the sculptures in the exhibit has differed significantly in size, medium, and artistic influence.
Answer: A) Each of the sculptures in the exhibit differs significantly in size, medium, and artistic influence.
Explanation: The original sentence has a subject-verb agreement error. When we use “each” to talk about items in a group, we’re talking about them one at a time, so the verb should be singular (“differs”) not plural (“differ”). Options B and C keep the original mistakes or introduce new ones, and D changes the tense unnecessarily. Option A corrects the mistake by matching the singular subject “each” with the singular verb “differs.”
Question 3: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: Sally loves to read. Every Saturday, she visits her local library to find a new book. She enjoys stories about adventures and mysteries the most.
Question: Based on the passage, what can we infer about Sally?
A) She likes to read science fiction. B) She visits the library daily. C) She enjoys adventure and mystery stories. D) She dislikes reading.
Answer: C) She enjoys adventure and mystery stories.
Explanation: The passage directly states that Sally enjoys stories about adventures and mysteries, making C the correct answer. There is no mention of her liking for science fiction (A), her visiting the library daily (B), or her disliking reading (D). The passage makes it clear that she has a specific preference for the types of books she reads.
Question 4: Writing and Language
Sentence: He runs faster than anyone else on the team.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the error in the sentence.
A) He runs faster than anyone else on the team. B) He runs faster than anyone else on the team. C) He ran faster than anyone else on the team. D) He runs faster than anyone else on the team.
Answer: B) He runs faster than anyone else on the team.
Explanation: The original sentence uses “then” instead of “than,” which is a common mistake. “Then” is used to talk about time, while “then” is used for comparisons. The sentence is comparing speed, so “then” is correct. Options A and C introduce verb tense issues or keep the original mistake, and D is grammatically incorrect because “faster” is not the proper comparative form. Option B corrects the mistake without introducing new ones.
Question 5: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: Tom’s favorite hobby is bird watching. He spends every morning in the park with his binoculars, observing different birds. He notes their colors, sizes, and the sounds they make in a small notebook.
Question: What does Tom do every morning?
A) Writes stories about birds B) Takes pictures of the park C) Observes and notes details about birds D) Listens to music in the park
Answer: C) Observe and note details about birds
Explanation: The passage says Tom uses binoculars to look at different birds and writes down their colors, sizes, and sounds. This means he is observing them and taking notes, which matches option C. The passage doesn’t mention him writing stories, taking pictures, or listening to music, making the other options incorrect.
Question 6: Writing and Language
Sentence: Their going to host the meeting in the large conference room because its bigger.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the errors in the sentence.
A) There going to host the meeting in the large conference room because its bigger. B) They’re going to host the meeting in the large conference room because it’s bigger. C) They’re going to host the meeting in the large conference room because its’ bigger. D) Their going to host the meeting in the large conference room because it’s bigger.
Answer: B) They’re going to host the meeting in the large conference room because it’s bigger.
Explanation: The original sentence has two common errors: a misuse of “their” instead of “they’re” (the contraction for “they are”) and “its” instead of “it’s” (the contraction for “it is”). Option B corrects both errors, using “they’re” to correctly indicate the subject and action, and “it’s” to correctly describe the reason for the choice of the conference room.
Question 7: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: Lisa is planning a garden. She wants to plant flowers that bloom all summer long, providing bright colors and attracting butterflies. Her neighbor suggests planting marigolds and zinnias because they are easy to care for and meet Lisa’s requirements.
Question: Why does Lisa want to plant marigolds and zinnias?
A) They are recommended by a friend. B) They bloom all summer and attract butterflies. C) They are the only flowers she knows. D) They require a lot of water.
Answer: B) They bloom all summer and attract butterflies.
Explanation: The passage states Lisa’s goal for her garden is to have flowers that bloom all summer and attract butterflies. Her neighbor suggests marigolds and zinnias because they fulfill these criteria. While it’s true a neighbor recommended them (A), the key reason for choosing these plants is their blooming duration and ability to attract butterflies, making (B) the most accurate answer. The passage doesn’t mention that these are the only flowers Lisa knows (C) or anything about their water needs (D).
Question 8: Writing and Language
Sentence: Everyone are excited about the new science exhibit at the museum.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the error in the sentence.
A) Everyone is excited about the new science exhibit at the museum. B) Everyone are excited about the new science exhibits at the museum. C) Every one are excited about the new science exhibit at the museum. D) Everyone be excited about the new science exhibit at the museum.
Answer: A) Everyone is excited about the new science exhibit at the museum.
Explanation: “Everyone” is a singular pronoun that refers to each person in a group, so the verb should also be singular (“is” rather than “are”). Options B and C maintain the incorrect plural verb, and D uses an incorrect verb form. Option A corrects the verb to match the singular subject.
Question 9: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: During a family dinner, Maria announced that she had been accepted into her dream university. Her family was overjoyed and immediately began planning a celebration in her honor. It was a moment of pure happiness and pride.
Question: How did Maria’s family react to her announcement?
A) They were disappointed. B) They started planning a celebration. C) They ignored the news. D) They advised her against it.
Answer: B) They started planning a celebration.
Explanation: The passage clearly states that Maria’s family was very happy about her getting into her dream university and started planning a celebration for her. This matches option B. The passage does not indicate disappointment (A), ignoring the news (C), or advising against it (D).
Question 10: Writing and Language
Sentence: The team worked hard and won the game, which made them very proud of their achievement.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the error in the sentence.
A) The team worked hard and won the game, which made them very proud of their achievement. B) The team worked hard and won the game, which made them very proud of their achievement. C) The team worked hard and won the game, which made them very proud of their achievement. D) The team worked hard and won the game, which made them very proud of their achievement.
Answer: A) The team worked hard and won the game, which made them very proud of their achievement.
Explanation: The original sentence incorrectly uses “prouder” in a context that requires an adjective, not a comparative. Option A corrects this by using “proud,” the correct form of the adjective to describe the team’s feelings. The other options either maintain the error or introduce awkward or incorrect forms.
Question 11: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: Jeff has always been fascinated by the stars. Since he was a child, he spent nights looking up at the sky, dreaming of one day exploring space. His passion led him to study astronomy in college, aiming to become an astronaut.
Question: What can we infer about Jeff’s career goal?
A) He wants to be a professional athlete. B) He dreams of becoming an astronaut. C) He plans to study medicine. D) He is interested in becoming a teacher.
Answer: B) He dreams of becoming an astronaut.
Explanation: The passage tells us about Jeff’s long-standing fascination with the stars and his decision to study astronomy in college with the aim of exploring space. This information directly supports the inference that Jeff dreams of becoming an astronaut, making option B the correct answer. The other options are not supported by any information in the passage.
Question 12: Writing and Language
Sentence: The committee was divided on their decision, but in the end, they reaches a unanimous agreement.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the error in the sentence.
A) The committee was divided on their decision, but in the end, they reach a unanimous agreement. B) The committee was divided on their decision, but in the end, they reached a unanimous agreement. C) The committee was divided on their decision, but in the end, they reaches a unanimous agreements. D) The committee was divided on there decision, but in the end, they reached a unanimous agreement.
Answer: B) The committee was divided on their decision, but in the end, they reached a unanimous agreement.
Explanation: The original sentence incorrectly uses “reaches” instead of the past tense “reached” to describe an action that was completed in the past. Option B corrects this verb tense error. The other options either maintain the original verb tense error, introduce a plural where it is not needed, or misuse “there” instead of “their.”
Question 13: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: The new community park has been a huge success. Every weekend, families gather to enjoy picnics, children play on the swings, and community events bring neighbors together. It has become a beloved spot for relaxation and socializing.
Question: What is the main purpose of the new community park?
A) To host sports competitions B) To serve as a place for relaxation and socializing C) To be used as a parking lot on weekdays D) To provide a space for concerts and large gatherings
Answer: B) To serve as a place for relaxation and socializing
Explanation: The passage describes how the park is used by families for picnics, children for playing, and for hosting community events that bring neighbors together. This information suggests that the park’s main purpose is to provide a space where people can relax and socialize, which aligns with option B. The passage does not mention sports competitions, parking, or concerts, making the other options incorrect.
Question 14: Writing and Language
Sentence: Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert proceed as planned, much to the delight of the fans.
Question: Choose the option that best corrects the error in the sentence.
A) Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert proceeded as planned, much to the delight of the fans. B) Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert proceed as planned, much to the delight of the fans. C) Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert proceeding as planned, much to the delight of the fans. D) Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert proceeds as planned, much to the delight of the fans.
Answer: A) Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert proceeded as planned, much to the delight of the fans.
Explanation: The original sentence needs to use the past tense “proceeded” to indicate that the concert went ahead as scheduled in the past. Options B and D use the present tense incorrectly, and C uses a gerund incorrectly, making the sentence awkward and grammatically incorrect. Option A corrects the verb tense to match the context.
Question 15: Reading Comprehension
Passage excerpt: Helen is an avid gardener. Her garden is full of a variety of plants, from vegetables to flowers. She spends hours every day tending to her plants, ensuring they receive the right amount of water and sunlight.
Question: What is Helen’s hobby?
A) Cooking B) Gardening C) Painting D) Reading
Answer: B) Gardening
Explanation: The passage describes Helen as someone who spends a lot of time in her garden, taking care of plants ranging from vegetables to flowers. This clearly indicates that gardening is her hobby, making option B the correct answer. The other options (A, C, D) are not mentioned in the passage and do not relate to the activities described.
Practicing with a variety of SAT English questions is crucial for students aiming to enhance their skills and achieve high scores on the test. By engaging with diverse reading passages and tackling different writing and language challenges, students can develop a deeper understanding of the test’s format, improve their ability to analyze text and refine their grammar and usage skills.
As we conclude this article, remember that success on the SAT English section comes from consistent practice, a keen eye for detail, and an understanding of the underlying rules of English language and composition. The questions provided here serve as a starting point, but expanding your study to include a wide range of materials, from classic literature to contemporary articles, can further enhance your reading comprehension and analytical skills. Additionally, paying close attention to the mechanics of your own writing, such as sentence structure, verb tense consistency, and punctuation, will improve your writing and language test scores.
Finally, approach your SAT preparation with patience and persistence. Progress may be gradual, but with regular practice and a strategic approach to learning, you can achieve your desired score. Use the questions and explanations provided in this article as a tool to identify areas for improvement, and don’t hesitate to seek additional resources or guidance when needed. With dedication and the right preparation, you can master the SAT English section and move one step closer to your college admission goals.