Learn the Strategy!
Here is a brief summary of the strategies for solving “structure” type questions on the SAT reading section:
- Read the passage carefully and identify the main organizational structure used by the author.
- Pay attention to any explicit or implicit cues in the passage that indicate the structure, such as signal words or transitional phrases.
- Eliminate answer choices that do not align with the primary organizational structure used in the passage.
- Understand the definitions and characteristics of different organizational structures commonly used in writing, such as chronological order, cause and effect, compare and contrast, and problem and solution.
- Consider the overall flow and progression of ideas in the passage to determine the most prevalent organizational structure.
- Look for patterns and relationships between different parts of the passage to help identify the structure.
- Focus on the main purpose or objective of the passage and how the information is presented to guide your answer selection.
- Be cautious of answer choices that may contain partial elements of the correct structure but do not represent the primary structure used throughout the passage.
- Utilize the process of elimination to eliminate incorrect answer choices and increase your chances of selecting the correct answer.
- Double-check your answer choice to ensure it accurately represents the primary organizational structure used by the author.
Remember, practice is key when it comes to mastering these types of questions. Familiarize yourself with different organizational structures and regularly practice analyzing and identifying them in various passages to improve your skills in solving “structure” type questions on the SAT reading section.