What is it?
On the SAT reading section, “structure” questions assess your understanding of the organization and flow of a passage. These questions focus on how the passage is structured, the relationship between different parts of the passage, and the author’s purpose in presenting information in a certain way. By analyzing the structure of the passage, you can gain insights into the author’s intentions, the logical progression of ideas, and the overall effectiveness of the writing.
Structure questions may ask you to:
- Identify the main idea or central theme of a passage.
- Determine the purpose of a particular paragraph or section.
- Recognize the order in which ideas are presented.
- Understand the relationship between different ideas or evidence.
- Identify transitions or connecting words that signal shifts in the passage.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the passage’s organization.
To answer structure questions effectively, you need to closely read the passage, paying attention to the overall structure, the organization of paragraphs, and the logical flow of ideas. Look for key details, topic sentences, and transitions that provide clues about the passage’s structure. Understanding the author’s purpose and the relationships between ideas will help you choose the most accurate answer.
It’s important to remember that structure questions require careful analysis and inference rather than relying solely on explicit information provided in the passage. By analyzing how the passage is structured and understanding the author’s intentions, you can successfully navigate through structure questions and select the best answer choice.
Some example question lead-ins for “structure” questions on the SAT reading section may include:
- Based on the passage, which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?
- How does the author structure the passage in order to achieve a specific effect?
- Which choice provides the most appropriate transition between paragraphs X and Y?
- In paragraph Z, the author includes the information primarily to serve which of the following purposes?
- Which choice best summarizes the main idea of the passage as a whole?
- How does the author’s use of headings contribute to the overall structure of the passage?
- The organization of the passage suggests that the author is primarily interested in discussing which of the following topics?
- Which choice provides the best conclusion for the passage?
These question lead-ins prompt you to analyze the structure of the passage, the author’s intentions, and the relationship between different parts of the text. They require you to carefully consider how the passage is organized and the purpose behind the chosen structure.