The SAT is undergoing major changes in 2016, and the more familiar SAT Critical Reading section and SAT Writing section are each taking on a new form. Instead of these two distinct sections, the new SAT includes a single section called Evidence-Based Reading and Writing; this section includes a Writing subsection and a Language and Reading subsection. In the Writing and Language subsection, you will be asked to stand in as an editor. This part of the SAT asks you to recognize errors and make changes in a provided passage. The passages you will face are constructed specifically for this test, with intentional errors appropriately placed. Graphics like tables and charts accompany certain questions on this section of the revised SAT; when answering these, you will be asked to draw conclusions and connections between prose passages and the graphics. When facing such questions, it will do you little good to memorize the obscurities of English grammar or linguistic conventions, and it will not likely be useful to memorize countless vocabulary words; instead, you will have to make decisions about sentence construction and word choice at a level that might be expected in college classes or in a career. 

The 2016 SAT’s Writing and Language Test is made up of 44 multiple-choice questions that you are given 35 minutes to answer. Most of the questions on this section of the revised SAT will concern expression and the conventions of standard written English. Other questions may ask about evidence, context-based word meaning, and the meaning of subject-specific written materials. These later three topics appear both on the Writing and Language section and the Reading section. Whether you need SAT Writing tutoring in Atlanta, SAT Writing tutoring in Houston, or SAT Writing tutoring in San Francisco, working one-on-one with an expert may be just the boost your studies need

Questions concerning expression will challenge you to take a provided passage and assess its use of words, rhetorical style, tone, sequence, and transitions. You will have to determine where and how modifications are best made to enhance the overall delivery of the message. Similarly, the questions testing your ability to use standard written English will use passages that you must study and modify. In these questions, however, you will be asked to assess a passage’s grammar and sentence structure, as well as offer modifications to enhance to delivery of its message.

The ability to convey ideas and deliver arguments clearly and concisely is critical to success in many required college courses; furthermore, employers value such ability enormously in potential employees. You have developed your ability to communicate effectively over the course of your entire high school career, and the SAT Writing and Language Test is your opportunity to demonstrate your skills. Instead of considering your SAT test date as a stressful day you would like to ignore, consider the SAT Writing and Language section an opportunity to showcase your skills and impress college admissions officers and potential employers. Varsity Tutors also offers resources like a free SAT prep book to help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an SAT Writing tutor.

If you’re looking for a way to start incorporating SAT Writing review into your schedule, Varsity Tutors’ SAT Writing Flashcards can help you study whenever and wherever it is most convenient for you. Available on our Learning Tools website or through the free Varsity Tutors app, our free SAT Writing Flashcards cover each of the concepts and topics that you are likely to meet with on test day. Our SAT Writing Flashcards are organized by concept, so it’s easy to find questions that test the exact concepts on which you most need to focus. Each SAT Writing question is paired with a complete explanation walking you through the steps you need to take to arrive at the correct answer. If you miss a question, you can turn it into an opportunity to correct missteps before they unwittingly become misunderstandings and bad habits. Varsity Tutors’ free SAT Writing Flashcards can help you prepare for your exam in a way designed to suit your particular schedule and skill set. In addition to the SAT Writing flashcards and SAT Writing tutoring, you may also want to consider taking some of our SAT Writing practice tests!