SAT Skills Insight

Register Next Tests:
6/1

Using SAT Skills Insight

Select a score band

Manage order and relationships of sentences and paragraphs

Skills needed to score in this band

SKILL 1: Recognize coherence between sentences and fill in gaps when needed

SKILL 2: Recognize the need for transition words to link sentences in a paragraph

1
Recognize coherence between sentences and fill in gaps when needed
Example
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

View Passage

(1) Have you ever been to a poetry slam? (2) I saw the event listed on the schedule of the Downtown Summer Festival, and I decided to go just to satisfy my curiosity. (3) Even before sitting down, the decision was to stay only for a few minutes. (4) I have always loved poetry, but even good poems can sound dull when people read them aloud in a flat, singsong voice.

(5) The slam—a talent show for poets—was going to be anything but dull. (6) The people signed up to read were performing their own poems, acting, shouting, waving their arms, even darting around the room to the rhythm of the words. (7) Volunteers from the audience acted as judges, giving each poet a score.

(8) Sometimes the judges agreed, but often the scores were far apart. (9) To my surprise, the people in the audience booed or cheered the poets, the judges, and even the referee. (10) They were not exactly unruly. (11) The words and the body language of the poets was causing the energy level in the room to go sky-high.

(12) After a few rounds, so being when only the finalists were left, the judges then announced the name of the poet with the highest score. (13) This year’s winner, a boy who performed a poem about white-water rafting compared to the rough but beautiful ride of life, was a student from my school. (14) I can hardly wait for next year’s slam.

Which of the following sentences is best to insert between sentences 1 and 2?
Answer Choices

(A) Sometimes people who don’t like to read poetry find out that they enjoy listening to it when it is read aloud.

(B) The first one I attended was in my own hometown.

(C) People from all around the state come to the Downtown Summer Festival.

(D) Students, in particular, are attracted to poetry readings.

(E) The range of events offered this year at the Downtown Summer Festival was more impressive than ever.
Reveal Answer
2
Recognize the need for transition words to link sentences in a paragraph
Example
The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

View Passage

(1) Have you ever been to a poetry slam? (2) I saw the event listed on the schedule of the Downtown Summer Festival, and I decided to go just to satisfy my curiosity. (3) Even before sitting down, the decision was to stay only for a few minutes. (4) I have always loved poetry, but even good poems can sound dull when people read them aloud in a flat, singsong voice.

(5) The slam—a talent show for poets—was going to be anything but dull. (6) The people signed up to read were performing their own poems, acting, shouting, waving their arms, even darting around the room to the rhythm of the words. (7) Volunteers from the audience acted as judges, giving each poet a score.

(8) Sometimes the judges agreed, but often the scores were far apart. (9) To my surprise, the people in the audience booed or cheered the poets, the judges, and even the referee. (10) They were not exactly unruly. (11) The words and the body language of the poets was causing the energy level in the room to go sky-high.

(12) After a few rounds, so being when only the finalists were left, the judges then announced the name of the poet with the highest score. (13) This year’s winner, a boy who performed a poem about white-water rafting compared to the rough but beautiful ride of life, was a student from my school. (14) I can hardly wait for next year’s slam.

The slam—a talent show for poets—was going to be anything but dull.
Answer Choices

(A) Consequently, I knew that

(B) Later, I reasoned that

(C) Finally, I was anxious to see if

(D) I could see, however, that

(E) Nevertheless, I thought if
Reveal Answer

< Prev Skill Group | Next Skill Group >

Skills needed to score in the next band

There are no specific suggestions for improvement for this skill group in this particular score band. However, we encourage you to review the suggestions and examples in other score bands.

Next Score Band