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SAT Reading & Writing

The Reading & Writing section has 54 questions across four domains. Each question is based on a short passage (usually just a few sentences) — much shorter than old paper-SAT passages.

Watch: Khan Academy's Reading & Writing video playlist (official)

Craft and Structure (28%, ~15-16 questions)

Tests your ability to figure out word meaning from context, understand why a passage is structured the way it is, and connect ideas across two related texts.

Worked example: A passage describes a scientist's theory as "audacious," then explains that most of her peers dismissed it as impossible before it was later proven correct. What does "audacious" most likely mean here?
  1. Look at the context clues: peers dismissed it, but it turned out to be right.
  2. That suggests the idea was bold or daring — not "audacious" in a negative "reckless" sense, but "audacious" meaning boldly original.
  3. Answer: "bold" or "daring" — not synonyms like "arrogant" or "careless," which don't fit the positive outcome described.
Tip: Never define a word in isolation. Cross out the answer choices that don't fit the tone and outcome of the surrounding sentences, even if they're valid dictionary synonyms.
Practice on Khan Academy Practice in College Board Question Bank

Information and Ideas (26%, ~13-14 questions)

Tests whether you can find the central idea of a passage, locate supporting evidence, and draw logical inferences from what's stated.

Worked example: A passage states that a city's bee population dropped sharply after a new highway was built through a wildflower field, and it has not recovered since. Which finding would most support this claim?
  1. The claim links the highway/lost field to declining bees.
  2. Supporting evidence should connect those same two things — e.g., "nearby areas with intact wildflower fields saw stable bee populations over the same period."
  3. An unrelated fact (e.g., "the city's bee population was already declining decades earlier for unrelated reasons") would weaken, not support, the claim.
Tip: Answer using only what's in the passage — not outside knowledge, even if you know more about the topic. The SAT is testing reading comprehension, not general knowledge.
Practice on Khan Academy Practice in College Board Question Bank

Standard English Conventions (26%, ~13-14 questions)

Tests grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation — things like comma usage, subject-verb agreement, and how to correctly join or separate clauses.

Worked example: Choose the correct version: "The museum, which opened in 1990 ___ has welcomed over ten million visitors."
  1. "which opened in 1990" is extra, non-essential information about the museum — it needs a comma on both sides, like parentheses.
  2. So the blank needs a comma: "The museum, which opened in 1990, has welcomed over ten million visitors."
Tip: Read the sentence with the extra clause removed entirely: "The museum has welcomed over ten million visitors" still makes complete sense — that confirms it's non-essential and needs commas on both sides.
Practice on Khan Academy Practice in College Board Question Bank

Expression of Ideas (20%, ~8-12 questions)

Tests your ability to combine or improve sentences for clarity, and to pick the best transition word to logically connect ideas.

Worked example: "The bridge was closed for repairs. ___, traffic was rerouted through downtown for six weeks." Which transition word fits best: "However," "As a result," or "For example"?
  1. The second sentence is a direct consequence of the first (bridge closed → traffic rerouted).
  2. "As a result" signals cause-and-effect, which matches.
  3. "However" would signal contrast (wrong direction), and "For example" would signal an illustration of a general point (doesn't fit here).
Tip: Before looking at the answer choices, decide for yourself: is the relationship between the two ideas contrast, cause-effect, addition, or example? Then pick the choice that matches.
Practice on Khan Academy Practice in College Board Question Bank