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SAT Essay Samples | Low vs High-Scoring Examples

The SAT Essay is often used as an extra way to impress admissions officers with your overall academic preparedness. But what does a good essay look like vs a bad one? To make life easier, the College Board has provided some helpful SAT essay samples that you can study over.

Besides helping you get into college, here are a number of other SAT Essay benefits to consider .

SAT Essay Samples Prompt

Expect to see prompt directions like the ones below:

“As you read the passage below, consider how Paul Bogard uses:

• evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
• reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
• stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.”

SAT Essay Samples Passage

“ Adapted from Paul Bogard, “Let There Be Dark.” ©2012 by Los Angeles Times. Originally published December 21, 2012.

At my family’s cabin on a Minnesota lake, I knew woods so dark that my hands disappeared before my eyes. I knew night skies in which meteors left smoky trails across sugary spreads of stars. But now, when 8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way, I worry we are rapidly losing night’s natural darkness before realizing its worth. This winter solstice, as we cheer the days’ gradual movement back toward light, let us also remember the irreplaceable value of darkness.

All life evolved to the steady rhythm of bright days and dark nights. Today, though, when we feel the closeness of nightfall, we reach quickly for a light switch. And too little darkness, meaning too much artificial light at night, spells trouble for all.

Already the World Health Organization classifies working the night shift as a probable human carcinogen, and the American Medical Association has voiced its unanimous support for “light pollution reduction efforts and glare reduction efforts at both the national and state levels.” Our bodies need darkness to produce the hormone melatonin, which keeps certain cancers from developing, and our bodies need darkness for sleep. Sleep disorders have been linked to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression, and recent research suggests one main cause of “short sleep” is “long light.” Whether we work at night or simply take our tablets, notebooks and smartphones to bed, there isn’t a place for this much artificial light in our lives.

The rest of the world depends on darkness as well, including nocturnal and crepuscular species of birds, insects, mammals, fish and reptiles. Some examples are well known—the 400 species of birds that migrate at night in North America, the sea turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs—and some are not, such as the bats that save American farmers billions in pest control and the moths that pollinate 80% of the world’s flora. Ecological light pollution is like the bulldozer of the night, wrecking habitat and disrupting ecosystems several billion years in the making. Simply put, without darkness, Earth’s ecology would collapse…

In today’s crowded, louder, more fast-paced world, night’s darkness can provide solitude, quiet and stillness, qualities increasingly in short supply. Every religious tradition has considered darkness invaluable for a soulful life, and the chance to witness the universe has inspired artists, philosophers and everyday stargazers since time began. In a world awash with electric light…how would Van Gogh have given the world his “Starry Night”? Who knows what this vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren?

Yet all over the world, our nights are growing brighter. In the United States and Western Europe, the amount of light in the sky increases an average of about 6% every year. Computer images of the United States at night, based on NASA photographs, show that what was a very dark country as recently as the 1950s is now nearly covered with a blanket of light. Much of this light is wasted energy, which means wasted dollars. Those of us over 35 are perhaps among the last generation to have known truly dark nights. Even the northern lake where I was lucky to spend my summers has seen its darkness diminish.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Light pollution is readily within our ability to solve, using new lighting technologies and shielding existing lights. Already, many cities and towns across North America and Europe are changing to LED streetlights, which offer dramatic possibilities for controlling wasted light. Other communities are finding success with simply turning off portions of their public lighting after midnight. Even Paris, the famed “city of light,” which already turns off its monument lighting after 1 a.m., will this summer start to require its shops, offices and public buildings to turn off lights after 2 a.m. Though primarily designed to save energy, such reductions in light will also go far in addressing light pollution. But we will never truly address the problem of light pollution until we become aware of the irreplaceable value and beauty of the darkness we are losing.”

SAT Essay Samples Directions

Here is how the essay directions will be worded format-wise on test day.

“Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved. In your essay, analyze how Bogard uses one or more of the features in the directions that precede the passage (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with Bogard’s claims, but rather explain how Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience.”

Essay Sample Response (Low Scoring)

“In “Let there be dark,” Paul Bogard talks about the importance of darkness.

Darkness is essential to humans. Bogard states, “Our bodies need darkness to produce the hormone melatonin, which keeps certain cancers from developing, and our bodies need darkness for sleep, sleep. Sleep disorders have been linked to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression and recent research suggests are main cause of “short sleep” is “long light.” Whether we work at night or simply take our tablets, notebooks and smartphones to bed, there isn’t a place for this much artificial light in our lives.” (Bogard 2). Here, Bogard talks about the importance of darkness to humans. Humans need darkness to sleep in order to be healthy.

Animals also need darkness. Bogard states, “The rest of the world depends on darkness as well, including nocturnal and crepuscular species of birds, insects, mammals, fish and reptiles. Some examples are well known—the 400 species of birds that migrate at night in North America, the sea turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs—and some are not, such as the bats that save American farmers billions in pest control and the moths that pollinate 80% of the world’s flora. Ecological light pollution is like the bulldozer of the night, wrecking habitat and disrupting ecosystems several billion years in the making. Simply put, without darkness, Earth’s ecology would collapse…” (Bogard 2). Here Bogard explains that animals, too, need darkness to survive.”

Essay Sample Response (High Scoring)

“In response to our world’s growing reliance on artificial light, writer Paul Bogard argues that natural darkness should be preserved in his article “Let There be dark”. He effectively builds his argument by using a personal anecdote, allusions to art and history, and rhetorical questions.

Bogard starts his article off by recounting a personal story – a summer spent on a Minnesota lake where there was “woods so dark that [his] hands disappeared before [his] eyes.” In telling this brief anecdote, Bogard challenges the audience to remember a time where they could fully amass themselves in natural darkness void of artificial light. By drawing in his readers with a personal encounter about night darkness, the author means to establish the potential for beauty, glamour, and awe-inspiring mystery that genuine darkness can possess. He builds his argument for the preservation of natural darkness by reminiscing for his readers a first-hand encounter that proves the “irreplaceable value of darkness.” This anecdote provides a baseline of sorts for readers to find credence with the author’s claims.

Bogard’s argument is also furthered by his use of allusion to art – Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” – and modern history – Paris’ reputation as “The City of Light”. By first referencing “Starry Night”, a painting generally considered to be undoubtedly beautiful, Bogard establishes that the natural magnificence of stars in a dark sky is definite. A world absent of excess artificial light could potentially hold the key to a grand, glorious night sky like Van Gogh’s according to the writer. This urges the readers to weigh the disadvantages of our world consumed by unnatural, vapid lighting. Furthermore, Bogard’s alludes to Paris as “the famed ‘city of light’”. He then goes on to state how Paris has taken steps to exercise more sustainable lighting practices. By doing this, Bogard creates a dichotomy between Paris’ traditionally alluded-to name and the reality of what Paris is becoming – no longer “the city of light”, but more so “the city of light…before 2 AM”. This furthers his line of argumentation because it shows how steps can be and are being taken to preserve natural darkness. It shows that even a city that is literally famous for being constantly lit can practically address light pollution in a manner that preserves the beauty of both the city itself and the universe as a whole.

Finally, Bogard makes subtle yet efficient use of rhetorical questioning to persuade his audience that natural darkness preservation is essential. He asks the readers to consider “what the vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren?” in a way that brutally plays to each of our emotions. By asking this question, Bogard draws out heartfelt ponderance from his readers about the affecting power of an untainted night sky. This rhetorical question tugs at the readers’ heartstrings; while the reader may have seen an unobscured night skyline before, the possibility that their child or grandchild will never get the chance sways them to see as Bogard sees. This strategy is definitively an appeal to pathos, forcing the audience to directly face an emotionally-charged inquiry that will surely spur some kind of response. By doing this, Bogard develops his argument, adding guttural power to the idea that the issue of maintaining natural darkness is relevant and multifaceted.

Writing as a reaction to his disappointment that artificial light has largely permeated the presence of natural darkness, Paul Bogard argues that we must preserve true, unaffected darkness. He builds this claim by making use of a personal anecdote, allusions, and rhetorical questioning.”

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SAT Essay Prompts (10 Sample Questions)

What does it take to get a high SAT Essay score, if not perfect it? Practice, practice and more practice! Know the tricks and techniques of writing the perfect SAT Essay, so that you can score perfect as well. That’s not a far off idea, because there actually is a particular “formula” for perfecting the SAT Essay test. Consider that every prompt has a format, and what test-takers are required to do remain the same- even if the passage varies from test to test.

The SAT Essay test will ask you to read an argument that is intended to persuade a general audience. You’ll need to discuss how proficient the author is in arguing their point. Analyze the argument of the author and create an integrated and structured essay that explains your analysis.

On this page, we will feature 10 real SAT Essay prompts that have been recently released online by the College Board. You can utilize these Essay SAT prompts as 10 sample SAT Essay questions for easy practice. This set of SAT Essay prompts is the most comprehensive that you will find online today.

The predictability of the SAT Essay test necessitates students to perform an organized analytical method of writing instead of thinking up random ideas on their own. Consider that what you will see before and after the passage remains consistent. It is recommended that you initially read and apply the techniques suggested in writing the perfect SAT Essay (🡨link to SAT Essay —- SAT Essay Overview: How to Get a Perfect Score) before proceeding on using the following essay prompts for practice.

Check our SAT Reading Practice Tests

10 Official SAT Essay Prompts For Practice

Practice Test 1

“Write an essay in which you explain how Jimmy Carter builds an argument to persuade his audience that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be developed for industry.”

Practice Test 2

“Write an essay in which you explain how Martin Luther King Jr. builds an argument to persuade his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust.”

Practice Test 3

“Write an essay in which you explain how Eliana Dockterman builds an argument to persuade her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology.”

Practice Test 4

“Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved.”

Practice Test 5

“Write an essay in which you explain how Eric Klinenberg builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to greatly reduce their reliance on air-conditioning.”

Practice Test 6

“Write an essay in which you explain how Christopher Hitchens builds an argument to persuade his audience that the original Parthenon sculptures should be returned to Greece.”

Practice Test 7

“Write an essay in which you explain how Zadie Smith builds an argument to persuade her audience that public libraries are important and should remain open”

Practice Test 8

“Write an essay in which you explain how Bobby Braun builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to invest in NASA.”

Practice Test 9

“Write an essay in which you explain how Richard Schiffman builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to work fewer hours.”

Practice Test 10

“Write an essay in which you explain how Todd Davidson builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to fund national parks.”

Visit our SAT Writing Practice Tests

What Is An Example Of A SAT Essay That Obtained A Perfect Score?

Here is an example of Practice Test 4 above and how a perfect SAT Essay in response to it looks like. This has been published in the College Board website.

Answer Essay with Perfect Score:

In response to our world’s growing reliance on artificial light, writer Paul Bogard argues that natural darkness should be preserved in his article “Let There be dark”. He effectively builds his argument by using a personal anecdote, allusions to art and history, and rhetorical questions.

Bogard starts his article off by recounting a personal story – a summer spent on a Minnesota lake where there was “woods so dark that [his] hands disappeared before [his] eyes.” In telling this brief anecdote, Bogard challenges the audience to remember a time where they could fully amass themselves in natural darkness void of artificial light. By drawing in his readers with a personal encounter about night darkness, the author means to establish the potential for beauty, glamour, and awe-inspiring mystery that genuine darkness can possess. He builds his argument for the preservation of natural darkness by reminiscing for his readers a first-hand encounter that proves the “irreplaceable value of darkness.” This anecdote provides a baseline of sorts for readers to find credence with the author’s claims.

Bogard’s argument is also furthered by his use of allusion to art – Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” – and modern history – Paris’ reputation as “The City of Light”. By first referencing “Starry Night”, a painting generally considered to be undoubtedly beautiful, Bogard establishes that the natural magnificence of stars in a dark sky is definite. A world absent of excess artificial light could potentially hold the key to a grand, glorious night sky like Van Gogh’s according to the writer. This urges the readers to weigh the disadvantages of our world consumed by unnatural, vapid lighting. Furthermore, Bogard’s alludes to Paris as “the famed ‘city of light’”. He then goes on to state how Paris has taken steps to exercise more sustainable lighting practices. By doing this, Bogard creates a dichotomy between Paris’ traditionally alluded-to name and the reality of what Paris is becoming – no longer “the city of light”, but moreso “the city of light…before 2 AM”. This furthers his line of argumentation because it shows how steps can be and are being taken to preserve natural darkness. It shows that even a city that is literally famous for being constantly lit can practically address light pollution in a manner that preserves the beauty of both the city itself and the universe as a whole

Finally, Bogard makes subtle yet efficient use of rhetorical questioning to persuade his audience that natural darkness preservation is essential. He asks the readers to consider “what the vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren?” in a way that brutally plays to each of our emotions. By asking this question, Bogard draws out heartfelt ponderance from his readers about the affecting power of an untainted night sky. This rhetorical question tugs at the readers’ heartstrings; while the reader may have seen an unobscured night skyline before, the possibility that their child or grandchild will never get the chance sways them to see as Bogard sees. This strategy is definitively an appeal to pathos, forcing the audience to directly face an emotionally-charged inquiry that will surely spur some kind of response. By doing this, Bogard develops his argument, adding gutthral power to the idea that the issue of maintaining natural darkness is relevant and multifaceted.

Writing as a reaction to his disappointment that artificial light has largely permeated the prescence of natural darkness, Paul Bogard argues that we must preserve true, unaffected darkness. He builds this claim by making use of a personal anecdote, allusions, and rhetorical questioning.

Related Topic:  SAT Requirements

This response scored a 4/4/4.

Reading—4: This response demonstrates thorough comprehension of the source text through skillful use of paraphrases and direct quotations. The writer briefly summarizes the central idea of Bogard’s piece ( natural darkness should be preserved ;  we must preserve true, unaffected darkness ), and presents many details from the text, such as referring to the personal anecdote that opens the passage and citing Bogard’s use of  Paris’ reputation as “The City of Light.” There are few long direct quotations from the source text; instead, the response succinctly and accurately captures the entirety of Bogard’s argument in the writer’s own words, and the writer is able to articulate how details in the source text interrelate with Bogard’s central claim. The response is also free of errors of fact or interpretation. Overall, the response demonstrates advanced reading comprehension.

Analysis—4:  This response offers an insightful analysis of the source text and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the analytical task. In analyzing Bogard’s use of personal anecdote, allusions to art and history, and rhetorical questions , the writer is able to explain carefully and thoroughly how Bogard builds his argument over the course of the passage. For example, the writer offers a possible reason for why Bogard chose to open his argument with a personal anecdote, and is also able to describe the overall effect of that choice on his audience ( In telling this brief anecdote, Bogard challenges the audience to remember a time where they could fully amass themselves in natural darkness void of artificial light. By drawing in his readers with a personal encounter…the author means to establish the potential for beauty, glamour, and awe-inspiring mystery that genuine darkness can possess…. This anecdote provides a baseline of sorts for readers to find credence with the author’s claims ). The cogent chain of reasoning indicates an understanding of the overall effect of Bogard’s personal narrative both in terms of its function in the passage and how it affects his audience. This type of insightful analysis is evident throughout the response and indicates advanced analytical skill.

Writing—4: The response is cohesive and demonstrates highly effective use and command of language. The response contains a precise central claim ( He effectively builds his argument by using personal anecdote, allusions to art and history, and rhetorical questions ), and the body paragraphs are tightly focused on those three elements of Bogard’s text. There is a clear, deliberate progression of ideas within paragraphs and throughout the response. The writer’s brief introduction and conclusion are skillfully written and encapsulate the main ideas of Bogard’s piece as well as the overall structure of the writer’s analysis. There is a consistent use of both precise word choice and well-chosen turns of phrase ( the natural magnificence of stars in a dark sky is definite ,  our world consumed by unnatural, vapid lighting ,  the affecting power of an untainted night sky ). Moreover, the response features a wide variety in sentence structure and many examples of sophisticated sentences ( By doing this, Bogard creates a dichotomy between Paris’ traditionally alluded-to name and the reality of what Paris is becoming – no longer “the city of light”, but moreso “the city of light…before 2AM” ). The response demonstrates a strong command of the conventions of written English. Overall, the response exemplifies advanced writing proficiency.

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Thinking about tackling the SAT Essay? Here's what you need to know: you'll be asked to read a text (typically a speech or editorial of some sort) and discuss how the author effectively builds an argument. This might be a familiar task if you’ve done it in school, but if not, don’t worry. The format is straightforward, and with some practice, you can learn how to write a great SAT essay.

What is the SAT essay?

The SAT essay is optional and costs an additional fee of $17.00. Currently, only 25 colleges and universities require the SAT essay. You can find a searchable list of school requirements for the essay here . If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should sign up for the essay. If you are not sure where you will apply, you should strongly consider signing up for the essay. Your essay score will appear on every score report you send to colleges, regardless of whether or not the school requires an essay. 

Here are 5 tips for writing a killer SAT essay, should you decide to add on that section:

1. Stay Objective

The thing to remember here is that ETS (the company that writes the test) is not asking you for your opinion on a topic or a text. So be sure to maintain formal style and an objective tone. Tip: Avoid “I” and “you.

2. Keep It Tidy

Handwriting is becoming a lost art. Unfortunately, this is one occasion where your skill with a pencil matters. Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly.

3. (Indented) Paragraphs Are Your Friend

Remember the basic essay structure you learned in school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The SAT essay graders love it! Your introduction should describe the text and paraphrase the argument being made, as well as introduce the specific elements of the passage and argument that you will discuss in the essay. Your conclusion should restate the goal of the passage/argument and sum up the points you made.

Read More: SAT Tips and Strategies

4. For Example…

Use your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples. Use short, relevant quotes from the text to support your points.

5. Don't Worry About the Exact Terms for Things

Blanking on terminology? When describing how the author builds his or her argument, “appeal to the emotions” is fine instead of specifically referencing “pathos.” And “comparison of two things” can be used instead of referring to a metaphor. If you do know the official terms, though, feel free to use them!

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FREE SAT Writing Practice Tests

All sat writing resources, free sat writing diagnostic tests, sat writing diagnostic test 1, sat writing diagnostic test 2, sat writing diagnostic test 3, sat writing diagnostic test 4, sat writing diagnostic test 5, sat writing diagnostic test 6, sat writing diagnostic test 7, sat writing diagnostic test 8, sat writing diagnostic test 9, sat writing diagnostic test 10, sat writing diagnostic test 11, sat writing diagnostic test 12, sat writing diagnostic test 13, sat writing diagnostic test 14, sat writing diagnostic test 15, sat writing diagnostic test 16, sat writing diagnostic test 17.

Our free SAT Writing Practice Tests are each a selection of 10 to 12 questions, which will give you a cross-section of topics from the Writing section of the official SAT. You might think of them as little quizzes, which you can use to hone your skills. To get a more comprehensive idea of the concepts you need to review, try one of the Full-Length SAT Writing Practice Tests. These tests simulate the writing portion of the SAT, which gives you valuable text experience and can help you learn to pace yourself so you can be sure you’ll have enough time to finish the real test. The results pages for the longer-form tests offer tons of useful feedback, including detailed explanations of the answers and links to additional concept-specific practice opportunities. The results of the complete practice tests can also help you streamline your SAT study plan by revealing the topics on which you need to focus. Once you’ve had the chance to do some review, you can gauge your progress by taking another Full-Length SAT Writing Practice Test.  Whether you need top SAT Writing tutors in New York , SAT Writing tutors in Chicago , or top SAT Writing tutors in Los Angeles , working with a pro may take your studies to the next level. SAT Writing Section What is the Writing Section of the SAT exam? The SAT Writing Section tests your ability to understand and effectively respond to writing prompts and to demonstrate your knowledge of various grammatical and semantic rules, as well as conventions about how to construct the clearest sentences and paragraphs. On the exam, you will be expected both to identify present errors and suggest preferable alternative sentence and paragraph constructions to display your knowledge of the aforementioned rule types. Varsity Tutors 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 . What kinds of multiple-choice questions appear on the SAT Writing section? In addition to the separate Essay portion of the SAT Writing section, three different question types appear on the SAT Writing section: Identifying Sentence Errors, Improving Sentences, and Improving Paragraphs. These do not appear in equal ratios, however: of the 49 questions, 25 will be Identifying Sentence Errors, 18 will be Improving Sentences, and 6 will be Improving Paragraphs. Identifying Sentence Error questions consist of a sentence with four sections of its text underlined, as well as a “No Error” option. One of the four underlined portions of the sentence may contain a grammatical or usage error; it is your job to determine whether or not the sentence contains an error, and if it does, to select the answer choice that corresponds to the section of text that contains that error. There is never more than one error in a Identifying Sentence Error sentence, and you are not tested about how to fix the grammatical error that you identify—your job is to simply point out the part of the sentence that contains the error. Improving Sentence questions present you with a sentence which is either completely or partially underlined. This sentence may or may not contain a grammatical or usage error. Of the five possible answer choices, the first one reproduces the underlined portion of the sentence exactly, while the other options each make one change to that section. It is your job to select the option that makes the sentence clear and grammatically correct. If a sentence contains no errors, you should select the option that reproduces the underlined section of the sentence exactly. Some Improving Sentence questions may reference a passage, but will direct you to at most one or two sentences for you to consider. Improving Paragraph questions test your knowledge of how to best formulate paragraphs by providing you with a passage that has its sentences numbered and then asking you about proposed changes to that paragraph. Sentence order, sentence design, and proper sentence and paragraph transitions are all fair game in this portion of the Writing Section. Questions and their answers often refer to sentence numbers so that they do not have to quote entire sentences each time they refer to them. Certain Improving Paragraph questions may give you the option of leaving an indicated sentence or a certain part of the paragraph as it is written, but not all questions give you this option. Which specific grammar concepts are covered on the SAT Writing Section? Subject-verb agreement, proper tense usage, gerunds and infinitives, parallel sentence structure, subject-pronoun agreement, the use of appropriate prepositions, similar object comparisons, active vs. passive voice, and proper use of conjunctions are among the grammatical rules you should be familiar with in preparation for the exam. The Varsity Tutors Learning Tools free SAT Practice Tests contains questions that test each of these concepts. How much is the SAT Writing Section worth on the SAT? In total, the SAT Writing Section is worth 800 points, just like the other two sections: SAT Critical Reading and SAT Math. But this section is different in that it is not composed solely of multiple-choice questions, although these do constitute a majority of the section. Additionally, there is an essay, which is always the first section on any given SAT. The essay composes 30% of the overall total SAT Writing Section score, while the multiple-choice problems make up the remaining 70%. How is the SAT Writing Section graded? For the Essay Section, two separate graders each read the essay and submit a score on a scale from 1 to 6, where 6 is the highest score an essay can receive, and 1 the lowest. Generally, these graders are grading each essay on how well it asserts and defends a particular position in response to the question asked, while providing specific and detailed examples to illustrate and support its argument; however, other factors are also taken into consideration when determining an essay’s score; these include use of proper grammar and correct spelling, as well as effective construction of a variety of sentence types. The Writing Section’s multiple-choice questions are graded like the SAT’s other multiple-choice-based sections. Correct answers are tallied, and then incorrect answers are multiplied by ¼ and subtracted from the total. Answers left blank do not count against the overall score. These portion totals are then added together to make up the overall raw SAT Writing score, which is then combined with the Essay score and reported in terms of a 200-800 scale. How many questions are on the SAT Writing Section? How much time do I have for each part of the SAT Writing Section? In total, each SAT Writing section contains 49 multiple-choice questions and an essay prompt. You are given 35 minutes to complete the multiple-choice questions, which appear in two sections, one 25 minutes long, the other 10 minutes long. You are given 25 minutes to compose an essay in response to the essay prompt. So, in total, the entire SAT Writing section takes 60 minutes to complete. There is a caveat, however, that may lead to you having to complete two writing sections on your SAT. For testing purposes, the College Board includes an additional ungraded experimental section on each one of its officially administered tests to gather data about the quality of new problems. This additional section is 25 minutes long, and tests Critical Reading, Writing, or Math. While you will notice that you complete two versions of a certain section, there is no way to tell which section is the “real” one that determines your score in that area, and which is the experimental section that does not affect your score. So, the best course of action is to treat every section as if it is affecting your score. Do I get a break during the SAT Writing section? While students are given breaks between certain sections of the SAT, they are not given breaks during any sections, and it is not recommended that you stop to rest during a section. The SAT is designed to be completed in a certain amount of time, without much extra time, and you don’t want to run the risk of not completing the section (and hence losing points) just because you stopped to take a break. How much time should I spend on each multiple-choice question on the SAT Writing Section? Given that there are 49 multiple-choice question in two separate sections (one 25 mins, the other 10 mins) on the SAT Writing section, you could easily do the math to find that you have less than a minute per question. This should be your rough guide for how to spend your time. In some cases, you will spend less time on a question, and in others, more time, but in general, you should be mindful of this limit. Last, any one-size-fits-all time-allocation recommendations will not work in all situations, but they do provide a basic guideline for effectively using the limited time you have available. Should I guess on the SAT Writing Section? Guessing on the SAT Writing Section’s multiple-choice questions is advisable or inadvisable for the same reasons it would be for any other multiple-choice question on the exam. Incorrect multiple-choice answers receive a penalty of ¼ of a point which, in sum, can add up. In contrast, blank answers do not count towards your overall score, so they do not count against you at all whatsoever. A good rule of thumb is to use your knowledge of grammar, proper sentence and paragraph construction, and other semantic rules to eliminate three of the five answer responses. If you can confidently do this, then you might want to guess between the remaining answers. Studying for the SAT Writing Section: Essay Should I read the whole quotation and question before writing my the SAT Writing essay? Always read the entire essay prompt on the SAT before responding to it! Reading the entire question is always essential for formulating and asserting an effective position on some issue. Often, the questions are more complicated than they initially seem, and you want to make sure not to read your own questions into them (and then spend 25 minutes answering a question not asked). Rereading the question two or three times is a good idea that helps you be sure that you didn’t misread or misunderstand it. Often, however, students spend too much time reading and rereading the quotation to mine it for ideas about what to write. Know that this essay is not about explicating the quotation included; the authors of the test include the quotation, instead, to give you food for thought. You should be using your own experiences, knowledge and ideas to fashion your essay, not just the content of the quotation. How should I study for the SAT Writing section's essay writing portion? While it may seem difficult to study for an essay-based section, you can effectively prepare for the SAT Essay section by doing the following five things: 1.) Read up on the SAT Essay and learn about what makes it unique when compared to other standardized tests’ essay sections. 2.) Read over a few SAT Essay prompts and try out one or two by taking them in 25 minutes, just like the real exam section. Having a qualified, competent friend, teacher, or tutor read over this essay and provide you with feedback will help you figure out what you need to work on in particular. 3.) After you have a better sense of what you need to work on, you should then brainstorm examples you might draw on from your life. You might draw examples from books you have read, recent news stories you have seen, friends’ experiences that you have heard about, or other events you know about. Sometimes you can even draw examples from popular media like movies and music. Take a sample SAT Essay prompt and brainstorm ideas that you might use to respond to it or a similar question. 4.) Focus on honing your ability to write a strong, coherent, and relevant thesis statement. You can improve this skill by reading SAT Essay Prompts and quickly formulating a position that you could support in an essay, one that you could develop and pursue for at least two to three body paragraphs. Using too simplistic of a thesis statement and realizing that you have run out of material to discuss halfway through the SAT Essay on test day is a terrible position to be in. Reviewing the basic format of an SAT Essay might be helpful too, but if you have already been recently writing timed essays, this step may be superfluous. 5.) Complete at least two to three more full essays and focus on what kinds of examples you might need to develop an inventory of. Having a solid example tool box will be endlessly useful to you on test day, as you can use many different examples for different kinds of essays, and will not have to spend as much time trying to hurriedly come up with examples. How should I use my time when writing the essay on the SAT Writing section? You shouldn’t tackle any SAT question without thinking about how you are approaching it, and the same can be said for the SAT Essay. For this section, it’s crucial that you be aware of how you are using your time, and make efficient use of it. Like other timed writing assignments, the SAT Essay portion of the Writing Section requires you to quickly understand the question being asked of you, take a position, formulate your examples, outline, draft, and revise. You are given only twenty-five minutes in which to write your essay, so consider organizing your time like this: Reading Question and Formulating a Position: 2-3 minutes Brainstorming Reasons, Commentary and Paragraph Structure: 4 minutes Drafting the Essay - 15-17 minutes Revising and Editing - 2 minutes Keep in mind that eyeing your watch every two seconds to ensure that you’re on track will not be of help to you, and will, in fact, hurt your progress on the essay. But having a general sense of how you should be progressing will prevent you from leaving the essay section with little more than a well-developed outline. Can I use a prewritten essay on the SAT Writing section? No, you cannot use a prewritten essay on the SAT; however, arriving with a fresh example bank ready and waiting in your short-term memory is just as good. Also, if you’ve been practicing responding to SAT prompts, then it should be a piece of cake to tackle a new one, because you can tackle each prompt in the same way: by reading the prompt, taking a position, briefly outlining that position with examples, drafting your essay from your outline, and finally, revising and editing your essay. How is the SAT Writing section's essay section graded? The essay composes 30% of the overall total SAT Writing Section score, while the remaining multiple choice sections make up the remaining 70%. Each essay is given a score between 1 and 6 by two independent graders. Each SAT essay is graded on how effectively it asserts a position in a thesis statement in response to the question asked, and how well it supports that thesis statement with details and examples. Other aspects of the essay including spelling, grammar, and sentence variety are also taken into consideration when determining an essay’s grade. In addition to the SAT Writing practice tests and  SAT Writing tutoring , you may also want to consider taking some of our  SAT Writing flash cards . Studying for the SAT Writing Section: Multiple-Choice Questions How should I study for the Improving Sentences, Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Paragraphs portions of the SAT Writing Section? Use the following tips to study effectively for the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions: 1.) Refamiliarize yourself with English grammar, style, and usage conventions, as all of the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions test your understanding of grammar, style, and usage rules in some way. Focusing on the rules and conventions that you don’t completely understand or that underlie problems you often miss is the most efficient way to raise your SAT Writing score. However, thinking about the grammar rules should only be part of the study process. 2.) Start practicing each type of question that appears on the SAT Writing section. Don’t rush through these, though! When you miss a question, figure out where you went wrong, or what point you misunderstood. If you don’t spend enough time analyzing the questions you miss, your studying will not be as effective. Varsity Tutors offers free SAT Writing Practice Tests for you to use in preparing for the SAT's Writing section. Our free SAT Writing Practice Tests are written by teachers, professors, content specialists, and tutors. Explanations are given for each question, so if you miss a question, you can find out where you went wrong. Varsity Tutors also offers free SAT Writing Diagnostic Tests, free SAT Writing Flashcards, and free SAT Writing Questions of the Day, as well as other free SAT Writing resources. 3.) Eventually, take a complete 25-minute SAT Writing Section and then check your overall score. Identify which kinds of questions you tend to get wrong and focus on improving your performance in those particular areas (i.e. those particular grammar rules or question types). This is the best way to improve your score. See if you can confidently explain not only why the correct answer is correct in any given problem, but also why incorrect answers are incorrect. 4.) Make sure to take at least two or three full practice tests before taking the actual exam. This way you can develop a tolerance for the somewhat exhausting task of completing the whole test in one sitting. e essay section with little more than a well-developed outline. Can I use a prewritten essay on the SAT Writing section? No, you cannot use a prewritten essay on the SAT; however, arriving with a fresh example bank ready and waiting in your short-term memory is just as good. Also, if you’ve been practicing responding to SAT prompts, then it should be a piece of cake to tackle a new one, because you can tackle each prompt in the same way: by reading the prompt, taking a position, briefly outlining that position with examples, drafting your essay from your outline, and finally, revising and editing your essay. How is the SAT Writing section's essay section graded? The essay composes 30% of the overall total SAT Writing Section score, while the remaining multiple choice sections make up the remaining 70%. Each essay is given a score between 1 and 6 by two independent graders. Each SAT essay is graded on how effectively it asserts a position in a thesis statement in response to the question asked, and how well it supports that thesis statement with details and examples. Other aspects of the essay including spelling, grammar, and sentence variety are also taken into consideration when determining an essay’s grade. Studying for the SAT Writing Section: Multiple-Choice Questions How should I study for the Improving Sentences, Identifying Sentence Errors and Improving Paragraphs portions of the SAT Writing Section? Use the following tips to study effectively for the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions: 1.) Refamiliarize yourself with English grammar, style, and usage conventions, as all of the SAT Writing section’s multiple-choice questions test your understanding of grammar, style, and usage rules in some way. Focusing on the rules and conventions that you don’t completely understand or that underlie problems you often miss is the most efficient way to raise your SAT Writing score. However, thinking about the grammar rules should only be part of the study process. 2.) Start practicing each type of question that appears on the SAT Writing section. Don’t rush through these, though! When you miss a question, figure out where you went wrong, or what point you misunderstood. If you don’t spend enough time analyzing the questions you miss, your studying will not be as effective. Varsity Tutors offers free SAT Writing Practice Tests for you to use in preparing for the SAT's Writing section. Our free SAT Writing Practice Tests are written by teachers, professors, content specialists, and tutors. Explanations are given for each question, so if you miss a question, you can find out where you went wrong. Varsity Tutors also offers free SAT Writing Diagnostic Tests, free SAT Writing Flashcards, and free SAT Writing Questions of the Day, as well as other free SAT Writing resources. 3.) Eventually, take a complete 25-minute SAT Writing Section and then check your overall score. Identify which kinds of questions you tend to get wrong and focus on improving your performance in those particular areas (i.e. those particular grammar rules or question types). This is the best way to improve your score. See if you can confidently explain not only why the correct answer is correct in any given problem, but also why incorrect answers are incorrect. 4.) Make sure to take at least two or three full practice tests before taking the actual exam. This way you can develop a tolerance for the somewhat exhausting task of completing the whole test in one sitting.

Free SAT Writing Practice Tests

Practice tests by concept, identifying sentence errors practice test, identifying agreement errors practice test, identifying modifier-word modified agreement errors practice test, identifying noun-noun agreement errors practice test, identifying pronoun-antecedent agreement errors practice test, identifying subject-verb agreement errors practice test, identifying no errors or other errors practice test, identifying other errors practice test, identifying sentences that contain no errors practice test, identifying phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, identifying conjunction errors practice test, identifying correlative conjunction errors practice test, identifying other conjunction errors practice test, identifying subordinate conjunction errors practice test, identifying modifier placement errors practice test, identifying ambiguous modifier errors practice test, identifying dangling modifier errors practice test, identifying misplaced or interrupting modifier errors 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practice test, identifying adjective and adverb errors practice test, identifying comparative and superlative errors practice test, identifying other adjective and adverb errors practice test, identifying other usage errors practice test, identifying conventional and idiomatic usage errors practice test, identifying errors involving commonly confused words practice test, identifying preposition errors practice test, identifying pronoun errors practice test, identifying pronoun errors: ambiguity practice test, identifying pronoun errors: case practice test, identifying pronoun errors: inconsistent usage practice test, identifying pronoun errors: incorrect usage practice test, identifying verb errors practice test, identifying other verb errors practice test, identifying verb mood errors practice test, identifying verb tense errors practice test, identifying verb voice errors practice test, improving paragraphs practice test, analyzing, combining, and moving content practice test, analyzing content practice test, identifying sentence purpose practice test, identifying sentence relationships practice test, other content analyses practice test, separating, combining, or moving sentences practice test, combining sentences practice test, moving sentences practice test, separating sentences practice test, improving and correcting sentences practice test, rewriting a full sentence practice test, avoiding ambiguity and redundancy in a full sentence practice test, sentence improvements and errors practice test, increasing the effectiveness of a full sentence practice test, rewriting a sentence fragment practice test, avoiding ambiguity and redundancy in a sentence fragment practice test, correcting grammatical errors in a sentence fragment practice test, increasing contextual relevance in a sentence fragment practice test, increasing the effectiveness of a sentence fragment practice test, revising introductions and transitions in a sentence fragment practice test, revising word choice, style, and tone in a sentence fragment practice test, rewriting a single word practice test, correcting single-word grammatical errors practice test, increasing the contextual relevance of a single word practice test, increasing the effectiveness of a single word practice test, revising a single word of introductions and transitions practice test, revising a single word to avoid ambiguity and redundancy practice test, revising word choice, style, and tone practice test, inserting or deleting content practice test, deleting content practice test, inserting content practice test, improving sentences practice test, correcting agreement errors practice test, correcting modifier-word modified agreement errors practice test, correcting noun-noun agreement errors practice test, correcting pronoun-antecedent agreement errors practice test, correcting subject-verb agreement errors practice test, correcting other errors and recognizing no errors practice test, correcting other errors practice test, recognizing sentences that contain no errors practice test, correcting phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, correcting conjunction errors practice test, correcting correlative conjunction errors practice test, correcting other conjunction errors practice test, correcting subordinate conjunction errors practice test, correcting modifier placement errors practice test, correcting ambiguous modifier errors practice test, correcting dangling modifier errors practice test, correcting misplaced or interrupting modifier errors practice test, correcting other phrase, clause, and sentence errors practice test, correcting ambiguity and redundancy errors practice test, correcting parallel structure errors practice test, correcting sentence fragment and sentence combination errors practice test, correcting punctuation errors practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas practice test, correcting punctuation errors: comma splices practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas for dependent clauses practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas for introductory or interrupting phrases practice test, correcting punctuation errors: commas in lists practice test, correcting punctuation errors: other commas practice test, correcting punctuation errors: other punctuation practice test, correcting apostrophe errors practice test, correcting colon errors practice test, correcting other punctuation errors practice test, correcting quotation mark errors practice test, correcting semicolon errors practice test, correcting word usage errors practice test, correcting adjective and adverb errors practice test, correcting comparative and superlative errors practice test, correcting other adjective and adverb errors practice test, correcting other usage errors practice test, correcting conventional and idiomatic usage errors practice test, correcting preposition errors practice test, correcting pronoun errors practice test, correcting pronoun errors: ambiguity practice test, correcting pronoun errors: case practice test, correcting pronoun errors: inconsistent usage practice test, correcting pronoun errors: incorrect usage practice test, correcting verb errors practice test, correcting other verb errors practice test, correcting verb mood errors practice test, correcting verb tense errors practice test, correcting verb voice errors practice test.

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Free SAT Practice Questions

Doesn't everyone love the word "free"? This could not be truer—especially in the world of test prep. Practice makes perfect—or at least that's how the old saying goes—and free SAT practice means the world to ambitious students with high-scoring goals. If you're looking for a thorough breakdown of how to solve particular SAT question types, then we've got the free practice that could be a real game-changer in your course of study. Our step-by-step explanations illustrate for you what to expect from what each SAT question, revealing question-specific hurdles and common test-related traps.

Each of our free 60 practice questions is accompanied with a detailed explanation to clarify why a particular answer is correct, but even taking it one step further and entailing why the others are incorrect. We believe a well-rounded approach to understanding the SAT is crucial for success, which is why our breakdowns of important sample questions facilitate more than one way to arrive at the right choice. In the end, the only way to find out your trouble spots and successes is to practice, practice, practice—so why not get cracking on what we have to offer so you can ensure your destiny with a high score.

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1 . Question

What percentage does 90 represent in relation to 360?

2 . Question

7 added to 4 times a quantity y is equal to 62. Which equation represents this condition?

• a. 7(4y) = 62
• b. 7 – 4y = 62
• c. 7 + 4y = 62
• d. 4y – 7 = 62

3 . Question

For a cost of $57, how many pounds of avocados were bought at a rate of $19 per pound?

4 . Question

The table displays three sets of values for x and their corresponding f(x) values for a linear function f. What equation accurately represents the definition of f(x)?

• a. f(x) = 6x + 65
• b. f(x) = 8x + 65
• c. f(x) = 65x + 73
• d. f(x) = 73x + 81

5 . Question

If \frac{x}{15}=20 , what is the value of \frac{15}{x} ?

6 . Question

What is the equation that defines line p in the xy-plane, given that it passes through the point (-4, 6) and has a slope of 6?

• a. y = 6x + 30
• b. y = 6x – 30
• c. y = 6 + 30x
• d. y = 6x – 30x

7 . Question

2.5b + 5r = 80

The provided equation expresses the connection between the quantity of biscuits (b) and raisins (r) that a reviewer business can handle in a single day. If the business is tending to 16 raisins on a specific day, what is the capacity for biscuits that it can manage on the same day?

8 . Question

In a specific rectangular area, the length-to-width ratio is 45 : 15. If the width of the region grows by 8 units, how should the length be adjusted to uphold this ratio?

• a. It must decrease by 24.5 units.
• b. It must increase by 24.5 units.
• c. It must decrease by 24 units.
• d. It must increase by 24 units.

9 . Question

In a circle with center O, the arc XY measures 105°. What is the degree measure of the angle XOY that corresponds to this arc?

10 . Question

In a right triangle, the side lengths are 3\sqrt3 , 2\sqrt3 ,and \sqrt{70} units. What is the area of the triangle in square units?

*Enter in just the number for your answer.

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Prepare for your SAT with Test-Guide.com. We offer 4 full-length exams and 32+ practice sets. Everything is updated for the SAT Digital Exam.

Official SAT PDF Practice Exams

If you want to study using PDFs, use the links below. These are full-length practice exams provided by the CollegeBoard.

Overview of the SAT

The SAT is an entrance exam used by colleges and universities to help make decisions about admissions.

The SAT is administered by the CollegeBoard and is given 7 times per year. The exam is a timed, mainly multiple-choice exam, taken by students in high school.

Beginning in the spring of 2024, the SAT will be going fully digital. The digital SAT (DSAT) will have some formatting and content changes to it, along with some other changes. You can review those changes below.

New SAT (Digital SAT)

This exam will be given to students starting in spring of 2024.

Old SAT (Written Exam)

This exam will be given to students up until spring of 2024.

The biggest difference between the old SAT and the digital SAT is that the digital SAT is taken completely online and has combined some sections to streamline the exam.

Scoring of the SAT

You will receive a score for math and a score for reading/writing. Each of those scores will be between 200 and 800 .

Your total score will be the sum of those two scores. You can receive a total score between 400 and 1600 on the SAT.

The average SAT score is 1060. Learn more about good SAT scores .

Registering for the SAT and Test Dates

You can register for the SAT online via the CollegeBoard site .

You will need to do the following when registering for the SAT:

• Have a Valid Photo ID
• Upload a Photo of Yourself When Registering Online
• Pay Registration Fees
• Print Your Admission Ticket

It will cost your $60 to take the SAT. There may be some additional fees like canceling, changing test center, etc..

The SAT is typically given 7 times per year. The exam is given on Saturdays. You can expect the exam to be given in these months:

• Early March
• Late August
• Early October
• Early November
• Early December

You can find exact dates on the official website .

Steps for Using SAT Practice

When using our free SAT practice tests, we recommend the following steps to get the most out of your time:

• Take 1 practice exam from each subject.
• Determine which subject you struggled the most with.
• Focus on that 1 subject moving forward. Take additional practice exams in that subject, study important concepts, and invest in a course if need be.
• Take a practice exam on that subject again and see where you stand. Continue to focus on that subject if you need more help or move on to another subject if you did well on this practice exam.
• Repeat steps 3 and 4 for other subjects.

Benefits of Using SAT Practice Questions

There are many benefits to using SAT questions during your prep process. Some of those benefits include:

Help With Timing

The SAT exam is a timed test. Keeping a steady pace is critical to achieving a high score.

You can improve your decision making and your time by taking practice exams.

Test Familiarity

All standardized tests, including the SAT, have their own unique way of presenting questions and answer choices.

You will gain more familiarity and comfort with the SAT question style as you take more practice quizzes. On the real exam day, there will be no surprises.

Efficient Studying

When you take many practice exams, you will get a sense of your test strengths and weaknesses.

Many students mistakenly spend time working on their strengths while ignoring their weaknesses.

Knowing which subjects you struggle with will help you focus your study time.

Work On Problem Solving

Tests like the SAT measure your ability to solve problems, not just memorize information. It is critical to have strong problem-solving abilities.

The answer explanations provided in our score reports can help you understand how to solve problems that you may be struggling with.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the sat going to the digital format.

The SAT will be switching to the digital format in the spring of 2024.

How many questions are on the SAT?

There are 154 questions on the old SAT (written version).

There are 98 questions on the new SAT (digital version).

How much time do you have to take the SAT?

You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to take the old SAT (written version).

You will have 2 hours and 14 minutes to take the new SAT (digital version).

Can I use a calculator on the math section of the SAT?

There will be 1 math section in which you can use a calculator and 1 math section in which you cannot use a calculator on the old SAT (written version).

You will be permitted to use a calculator on all math modules on the new SAT (digital version).

What is a good way to practice for the SAT?

We recommend taking 1 practice exam for each subject. You can then determine which subject gave you the most trouble and focus your studies on that subject.

• Authored By: Adam Groden
• Last Updated: January 19, 2024

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SAT Essay Examples For High Scoring Student

Sat essay examples.

Just like with essays on other exams, the secret to excelling on the SAT essay section is by pre-planning the examples and evidence that you wish to use. But you might be wondering how it can be done on the new SAT essay as the whole point of the essay is to use information from the given passage while answering and you don’t know about the essay ahead of time.

Well, the truth is that while the specifics of each example depend on the passage and obviously change with each exam, the pattern of the examples you choose to discuss can be defined, and therefore, planned ahead of time. 

In this blog, we will discuss a few good SAT essay examples that will help you in formulating almost any essay SAT gives you. By practicing examples of the most common types of essays asked on SAT, you will cut down on planning time during the exam and increase the amount and quality of content you can write in a limited time. This will help build your confidence and enable you to walk into any SAT essay exam with a positive attitude.

If you are looking for an answer to the question, “Is there an essay on the SAT?”, here it is: The College Board in January 2021 announced that the essay portion of the SAT will no longer be asked after June 2021. Some schools with school day testing still offer the SAT essay section. Therefore, now it’s no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school offers it during SAT School Day Testing. 

While the SAT Essay scores were already made optional by most colleges, this means that the SAT Essay cancelled section is now not required by the College Board. It will also probably result in changes in college applications such as not considering the essay scores for ACT or SAT anymore, in addition to requiring more writing samples for placement. 

For every passage, you should play for its particular strengths. If there are a lot of statistics or facts involved, you can discuss those in your essay. If it dwells more on personal appeals or anecdotes to emotion, you can discuss those. But if you struggle with analysing in a limited amount of time, it is best to memorize these types of examples beforehand so that you get a helpful checklist to get through while you read the essay prompt. This will point you in the right direction.

Below we have discussed a few examples of SAT essays on different topics such as evidence and reasoning that you can use as stellar evidence to support your thesis. We have also guided you on how you can use the evidence type to support your thesis across a range of SAT essay prompts for each example. After you go through the blog, you will realize how helpful pre-planned high-scoring student SAT essay examples are. 

Example of Evidence

The most fundamental technique that the author uses to build an argument is by supporting his points with the help of evidence. Many different kinds of evidence can be used by the author to support his/her claim. But here we will discuss a single one (facts and statistics) that is commonly seen in official SAT Essay prompts. 

Example 1: Facts and Statistics

Using facts and statistics to bolster one’s argument is one of the most reliable techniques authors use to build an argument. It is more commonly seen in essays written about social studies-related and scientific topics where specific facts and data are readily available.  

How to Identify it?

Statistics are usually found in the form of specific numbers about the topic under study. It may be shown in the form of tables, percentage, or as a way to communicate other information. Below are a few examples of statistics from an official essay prompt of SAT , “Let There Be Dark” written by Paul Bogard. 

Example: In United States, 8 children born out of 10 will never get to know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way

Example: In Western Europe and the United States, the increase in the amount of light in the sky is about 6% on an average year

Non-numerical information can also be used to depict factual evidence. You will often encounter facts being presented with references to the research survey, study, expert, or other sources from which they have been derived. Below is another example from the same topic.

Example: The World Health Organization already classifies working during night shifts as potentially carcinogenic for humans. 

Why is it Persuasive?

Statistics and facts are persuasive argument building methods as the author is not just making up random points for why the argument could be possibly right. There is actually some data, statistics, research, or other types of reliable information that backs up the author’s argument. 

In the above examples, Paul Bogard reveals specific information regarding the issues with light pollution (when he says that most children in the United States won’t be fortunate enough to see the Milky Way) to back up his argument that light pollution is a real issue. He then proceeds to present information indicating how light pollution is a major problem (working during the night is carcinogenic for humans).

By presenting valid facts and information instead of just forcing a subjective opinion and beating about the bush, Paul Bogard empowers the reader to connect the dots themselves. This gives the reader a power or ownership over the argument, rendering it more persuasive. This is because the reader concludes the same statements even on his own, rather than blindly trusting Bogard on telling them what to think. 

Example Type 2: Anecdotes

Another technique often used by authors as an alternative to presenting evidence with facts or statistics is using the anecdote. This type of evidence can be found more commonly in speeches or other types of SAT essay prompts that are personally directed towards the reader. 

An anecdote refers to a short story about a real event or a person. It is when an author goes about discussing their own personal experiences or that of someone else they know or have heard of. Below is an anecdote example from an official SAT essay prompted that has been taken from the foreword by Jimmy Carter, a former U.S. President. 

One of the most humbling and unforgettable experiences of our lives happened on the coastal plain. During our trip, we had expected to see the caribou. However, to our amazement, we saw the migration of thousands of caribou along with their newborn calves.

The sweep of tundra surrounding us was flooded with life in a matter of a few minutes with the sounds of clicking hooves and grunting animals filling the air. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the dramatic procession of the herd of the Porcupine caribou. We now understand why this special birthplace has been described as “America’s Serengeti” by many. 

Although anecdotes are not facts or statistics, they can be a reliable technique to express information because it’s more interesting for the reader to go through the anecdote rather than read dry, boring facts. People tend to trust the experiences more if they can personally relate or connect with them, although it does not always mean that the statement is true.

In the example stated above, instead of talking about the statistics supporting the creation of wildlife refuges, rather an anecdote is used by Jimmy Carter to represent the same point using illustrations of the wonders of nature, which works more effectively. By allowing the readers to vicariously experience this majestic event of the migration of the caribou, Carter stimulates the empathetic sense of the reader towards wildlife preservation and therefore makes it more likely for the reader to agree with him on the topic of wildlife preservation. 

Conclusion  

We hope that the essay prompts given above help you in your SAT preparation and in getting a SAT good essay score. Don’t forget to check out our other blogs on how to prepare effectively for the SAT.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. why is it helpful to prepare sat essay examples.

The SAT essay examples will help you get a sat good essay score as they have several things in common with the exam pattern:

• All of these passages try to convince the reader of the veracity of the claim of the author. 
• All of these are around the same length.
• All of these can be analysed and written about in a relatively short time period 

2. How can essay example practice help to get a good SAT essay score?

By practising these essay examples you will have a decent idea ahead of time regarding argument-building techniques that will help you greatly on the test day and increase your overall SAT essay score. 

3. Will the techniques used by the author on the SAT be complex?

The main techniques used by the author won’t be too complex. This is because you just can’t afford the time to analyse and write about complicated techniques. Therefore, you can prepare yourself beforehand with SAT essay examples found across persuasive passages on many common topics.

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SAT Pattern Strategy Sample Essays 

​first and second edition.

SAT ESSAY TEST 1: SAMPLE RESPONSES

Sample Response 1: Score 1/1/2 In this passage the author writes about the unfairness of the personality test. Also how people trying to answer the tests might say one thing because they think that the employers want them to, such as unique or orderly, or might say the other thing for the same reason. An example the author gives is “Imagine the thought processes of the nervous test-takers.”Also if the candidates prefer jogging or volleyball.

I can tell that the author has strong opinions about these test because she uses word such as “highly unscientific” and “not terribly reliable.” She states that some questions can be fun, for example magazines and social media questions that try and figure out the personality of the reader. The author is trying to state that the test can’t determine the performance at a job or whether your good or bad. You could answer a question one way depending on your mood, or your culture. The author says that the tests are like a sorting hat. One hat can’t tell you how your personality or how well you can work it all depends on the person and who he/she wants to be.  

The response indicates that the student absorbed the main idea and some details of the text. The student does a good job of selecting quotes to demonstrate the author’s “strong opinions.” However, overall the student must work on demonstrating and understanding the author’s claims and supporting details.

Analysis: 1

The student is on the right track when her or she ties together two examples of diction, “highly unscientific” and “not terribly reliable,” and connects these to the author’s “strong opinions.” The student needs to keep moving toward analysis of the author’s strategies, rather than simply summarizing the information or adding personal opinion.

The writing includes clear and coherent topic sentences and a variety of sentence structures. The student’s organization of ideas will likely become clearer when he or she includes more analysis. The student can raise his or her writing score by learning more vocabulary to sum up and discuss texts. Finally, the student should budget a few minutes at the end of the test session to check for sentence fragments and spelling errors.  

Sample Response 2: Score 4/4/4 In “Misusing Personality Tests,” Susanna Heckman makes a case against the use of personality assessments in hiring. She includes facts but mainly appeals to the reader’s emotions and ethical standards. She does so by using rhetorical devices such as allusion, parody, and irony, to express her concerns that the tests are random and unfair.

Throughout the essay, the author identifies the human need to “sort and label” personalities. The allusion to the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter sets up an image that helps orient the reader to the idea of sorting and labeling people, since many people are familiar with the books and movies, and know that the hat put students into one of four “houses,” which was like a family. But the comfortable idea of going into a roomful of people who are basically like you is then juxtaposed with the idea that personality tests claim to “pin down …personality traits, laying them out for inspection like a butterfly in a glass case.” That image is not so comfortable, because it makes the reader feel vulnerable. The simile appeals to the reader’s emotions by putting in a little fear of the personality assessments.

Once establishing an emotional conflict for the reader, Ms. Heckman questions the concept of personality tests for serious purposes. She uses parody when she compares the supposedly scientific personality assessments to the kinds of fun quizzes that are online and in magazines, adding exclamation points for fake excitement. She also points out that even people who do not believe in astrology most likely know their own Zodiac “sign,” which shows that they have paid attention to the system of sorting people at some point in their lives. The author draws on common, everyday experiences that most people do not take seriously in order to persuade readers that they should not take the personality assessments seriously, either.

The author also appeals to ethos when she talks about how “baffling” the personality assessments can be. She speculates about the reasoning that people may go through as they try to answer the strange questions, first offering a long line of reasoning and then saying, “or vice-versa.” This juxtaposition shows how confusing and subjective the questions can be, which makes the reader feel a sense of injustice. This attitude only grows when the author points out that the assessments try to determine how honest someone is but ask questions that are impossible to answer honestly. This perception of unfairness persuades the reader to agree with the author when she concludes that the test interpretations may be “highly unscientific.” 

After planting the idea in the reader’s mind that personality tests as offered now are not useful, the author points to “psychological research” to explain why any self-reported assessment will always have limitations. This knowledge increases the reader’s identification with the author when she says that it is “perplexing” that HR departments are using them. The author has waited to the end of the passage to report how public and private funds are supporting the personality-assessment industry. The author has already persuaded the reader on a personal level, but now the significance of the issue becomes clear. The reader may now agree with the author that the tests are not only useless and unfair, but in addition, a wasteful expense.

Evaluation Reading: 4

The response demonstrates that the student has an excellent understanding of the passage. The student uses quotations and paraphrases throughout, discussing what the author is claiming and how it connects to other information. For example the student writes in paragraph 3 that “Once establishing an emotional conflict for the reader, Ms. Heckman questions the concept of personality tests for serious purposes.”

Analysis: 4

The response comprises an insightful analysis of the passage. The student includes in-depth discussions of strategies employed by the author (“allusion, parody, and irony”) and describes how they ultimately persuade by appealing to the reader’s emotions and sense of fairness. The student also points that the author waits until the conclusion to mention the personality-assessment industry, and speculates that this strategy enhances the reader’s concern by lifting it from the personal to the public sphere. Overall, the student accomplished a thorough analysis.

The student makes good use of transitional phrases to express connections between ideas fluidly (i.e., “This perception of unfairness persuades the reader to agree with the author when she concludes that…”). The response is well organized: the student discusses the strategies outlined in paragraph 1 in the body.   

SAT ESSAY TEST 2: SAMPLE RESPONSES

Sample Response: Score 1/2/2 Extraterrestrials depiction has become a huge concept not only with children, but with directors, editors, and adults. In the passage of Gerdisch he claims that the depiction towards extraterrestrial are poorly and vaguely done. Through the use of rhetorical devices and diction he expresses a desire to change science fiction idea and image towards these aliens, by using examples of movies the audience could relate too.

Questioning has been a part of science and Gerdisch in passage questions about this exotic beings. The use of this element in his passage such as “What might these exotic being, intelligent or not, look like?” In our world today who really knows if we have evidence of such things. Gerdisch asks this question to bring his audience into a focus to drive their mind into common image of an alien, which could most likely be wrong depiction. However, its what the people see through the media. 

Another use of a rhetorical device in his passage is his question “So why sacrifice the idea that humans are unique for the reassurance and familiarity of an anthropomorphic extraterrestrial.” Through Gerdisch questioning he brings his audience to another term in their focus to imagine these aliens and understand the concept of how entertainment and media have build this images upon the screen so human like that science fiction can no longer prove extraterrestrial evidence. But may also raise the question that is the government hiding evidence? Is the poorly depicted images, so human-like, just to make us, humans, not afraid and feel comfortable, as Gerdisch states through his questioning.

The response shows that the student could best improve his or her score by  re-reading the source text. The student says that the author “claims that the depiction towards extraterrestrial are poorly and vaguely done,” which is not exactly the same as the author’s main argument that science fiction writers make extraterrestrials too human-like. Further, the student does not show that he or she understands the point of the quotation in the response’s third paragraph.

Analysis: 2

The student demonstrates some understanding of the analytical task. The response might have earned a higher score by focusing on larger strategies. The student points out that the author uses rhetorical questions to focus the reader’s attention on particular ideas, which is a good insight; but then the student struggles to explain why this is persuasive. The student only briefly mentions the use of examples, a strategy that the author uses throughout the text, and which may have been easier to discuss.

The student does a good job of organizing ideas, with a visible and coherent structure.  However, the response is difficult to understand at times because sentences become confusing. In all, the student could benefit from taking time after writing each paragraph to re-read his or her own work and quickly adjust phrasing to express ideas more clearly.

Sample Response: Score 4/4/4

The author of “Earthbound Imagination” presents a progressive, well-supported, and nuanced argument in favor of greater boldness in the depiction of extra-terrestrial lifeforms in science fiction. In this essay, the author—Mr. Gerdisch—draws from natural science, psychology, and popular culture to critique the tendency of science-fiction books and movies to portray extra-terrestrial life as “slightly-different-humans”, essentially mirrors of ourselves in physical form and “cultural practices.” Whereas such representations may be effective for certain purposes, Mr. Gerdisch argues that such they have been overrepresented in science-fiction, and that these representations fail to accomplish one of science-fiction’s central functions, to “cause people to question their preconceptions, not reinforce them.”      Mr. Gerdisch begins by posing questions—an effective rhetorical technique for generating interest in a topic that many readers have probably overlooked. The questions he poses are of a general character, the type of questions we have all pondered: considering the immensity of the universe, and the likelihood of extra-terrestrial life, “what might these exotic beings… look like? How might they behave?” Once the questions have been raised, Mr Gerdisch is in a position to introduce his complaint: rather than embrace the opportunity to stretch our imaginations, science-fiction has tended to depict these hypothetical beings as disguised versions of ourselves.

Although he is critical of them, the author provides explanations for these practices. By doing so, he clarifies the issue. He demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon he is attempting to change, which strengthens his analysis. Rather than simply criticizing the practice, he expresses empathy with the motivations that have created it. He demonstrates his understanding over the course of an extended example—the enormously successful movie Star Wars. His choice of movie is all-the-more effective in that it is widely known and loved. The aliens of Star Wars are representative of the central problem—its aliens mostly look like humans. Earlier in the paragraph, he suggests one of the motivations for such a treatment. Science fiction, he writes, is often an instrument for exploring “social, political, or religious issues” that actually exist in human societies. In other words, science-fiction is often used to create alternate versions of human reality. A variation on this motivation is presented through the character of Chewbacca, a specific example of a humanoid alien from Star Wars. According to the author, science-fiction creates anthropomorphic extra-terrestrials in order to make them more accessible and thus more popular.      For Mr. Gerdisch, these justifications are not enough. He argues that the purpose of science-fiction is the treatment of “big, important questions about where we came from and where we are going,” and that simple humanoid representations of aliens waste an important opportunity. His essay ends by presenting examples of works that have challenged our conventional notions, such as Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the original Star Trek series. His concluding paragraph notes the importance of science-fiction on a real human advance—space travel—to once again inspire his readers to seek more in their books and movies than “small green men with large heads”.      Throughout the essay, Mr. Gerdisch utilizes a conversational tone to convince readers of his position. He expresses disappointment with the phrase “that’s a shame”, and empathy with the phrases “don’t get me wrong” and “fair enough”. He leads the reader to his side through the effective use a rhetorical question in paragraph five. The strength of the essay, however, is its strong line of reasoning. It presents a balanced treatment of the question of extra-terrestrial life-forms in science-fiction, explaining underlying tendencies, and calling for a shift, rather than an overturning, of the status quo.

Throughout the response, the student makes use of quotations and paraphrases to show thorough understanding of the text. The response describes how the author’s central claims connect to supporting details (i.e., “A variation on this motivation is presented through the character of Chewbacca…”) The response interprets the author’s intent even regarding small phrases (i.e., “that’s a shame.”) 

The response outlines several of the author’s persuasive strategies and explains them insightfully. For example, the student points out the reason that the author explains the very practices with which he disagrees: this strategy “brings clarity ”and “lends credence to the issue.” The student chooses support from the text strategically, providing an excellent overall evaluation, concluding that the essay’s strength is its “strong line of reasoning.”

The student demonstrates great command of the language, using sophisticated vocabulary and a highly effective progression of ideas. Sentence structures and lengths are varied, creating statements that smoothly explain difficult ideas (i.e., extraterrestrials in books and movies are “essentially mirrors of ourselves”) and catch the reader’s attention (i.e., “For Mr. Gerdisch, these justifications do not suffice.”)

SAT ESSAY TEST 3: SAMPLE RESPONSES

Sample Response: Score 2/1/2

The Graphic novel shows a historical prespective on speech ballons and how they have had a long and fascinating history. Speech ballons show the emotion the character is trying to express wheather it is showing rage towards another or showing compassion. 

The though bubble is extremely effective it indicates the communication without having to write much. For example during WWII Walt Disney did many propaganda pictures to convince people what Germany was doing was wrong and to encourage Americans to join the army why? , because he showed a illustration along with a speech ballon to send a simple message to everyone. 

In this passage the author says “…icicle ballons to indicate a frosty exchange, and color ballons to express mood.” That shows the reader how the caracters in a passage are feeling. In the novel Who censored Roger Rabbit, it shows a bridge between comic’s and animated films How? It shows a murdered cartoon whose final words are in a speech ballon under his dead body. Speech ballon as you can see symbolic a very important idea or feeling and examples are given in this passage weather it be the de Lire Sur La Bible or on newspaper. 

The student does a good job showing an understanding of the text’s main idea; the response’s first line includes an overall summary of the text, correctly stating that it is a historical overview of the topic. The second sentence describes one reason the author gives for the popularity of speech balloons. The quote that the student uses in the third paragraph, however, seems haphazard because the student does not quite explain its specific relevance.    

The student needs to practice analyzing rather than summarizing. In addition, the student may be accustomed to assignments that ask for his or her opinion on an issue, backed up with outside examples (as in using the Walt Disney example), but the SAT prompt calls for writing about only the one provided text.

The student shows signs of becoming a strong writer with a little more practice. He or she makes good use of vocabulary (“historical,” “rage,” “compassion”) and a good effort at sentence variation. The student needs to work on organizing thoughts into two or three points and describing them in topic sentences. The student also needs to avoid using phrases directly from the text unless they are identified as quotations.

The author of “The Graphic Novel: A Historical Perspective” reveals how the speech balloon has grown from a means of conveying written messages in visual art to a versatile and pervasive means of communication. By presenting this history, the author suggests that the development of the speech balloon influenced the acceptance of the graphic novel as a serious form of art. Moreover, the author uses history and interesting diction to suggest that speech balloons allow people to experiment with the presentation of information.

By exploring the ways that speech balloons have been used in the past, the reader can better understand how and why they are used today. For example, many readers will be surprised to learn that speech balloons originated in 13th century France. By including this information, the author connects the speech balloon to “respectable” medieval art that is studied by scholars. This information makes it easier for the reader to believe the author’s central claim: the speech balloon contributed to people considering “comic books and graphic novels serious art forms.” 

Discussing the history of the speech balloon also helps the reader understand why speech balloons have become so pervasive in modern society. According to the author, graphic novelists were experimenting with the function of the speech balloon long before it was used for text messages or studied in neurobiology. When the author explains that the comic Pogo “shows characters physically manipulating speech balloons in humorous ways,” the audience can appreciate the versatility of speech balloons and understand why they appear so often in popular culture and day-to-day communication. 

Finally, the author’s vivid diction serves to interest the reader in the topic and then underscore the speech balloon’s many uses. For instance, the author’s claim, “icicle balloons…indicate a frosty exchange,” manages to concisely convey the connection between the balloon’s appearance and its function. Moreover, the author’s inclusion of colloquial phrases, such as when he refers to the speech balloon as “this little device,” helps establish a conversation tone with the reader; yet the author’s use of academic terms, such as “imbue” and “rebus,” adds academic authority to his writing. 

The author of the passage appreciates that readers must understand something’s origins in order to appreciate how it functions in the present; relating the history of the speech balloon reveals how it achieved such versatility today. The author’s inclusion of well-researched history and vivid language allow him to deliver his central claim clearly and concisely while keeping the reader interested. 

The student says that the text shows that the history of the speech balloon has made it “a versatile and pervasive means of communication”—a compact and excellent summary. He or she uses quotations to explain the central ideas of the text throughout the response. In short, the student demonstrates thorough comprehension.

The response focuses on the strategy of providing historical background, and why it is effective in understanding the use of the speech balloon today. For example, regarding the origins of the speech balloon the student says that “by including this information, the author connects the speech balloon to ‘respectable’ medieval art that is studied by scholars.” The analysis pinpoints and explains the author’s main strategy in a sophisticated manner.

The writing earns top marks because the student develops ideas in an organized manner, with a central claim at the beginning and a clear progression of ideas. A coherent introduction, orderly paragraphs, and cogent conclusion make it easy to read and understand. Vocabulary is precise, with sophisticated words such as “colloquial,” and sentence structures are varied. Further, the response shows a strong command of the conventions of standard written English; there are no grammar or spelling errors.

SAT ESSAY TEST 4: SAMPLE RESPONSES

Sample Response: Score 1/2/1 In the passage, the author Ricki Lewis persuades her audience by using examples of relevant movies and books; the use of humor to gain credibility for her point that science concepts are being misused in literature causing problems.

Just how the audience may become confused is connected to many movies. Lewis gives an example of misused science concept in The Day After Tomorrow. Weather is a huge hazard the world lives with; however, the movie makers just use it to make money and entertainment. About 95% of the people who watch it will not understand the true science, which makes it problematic. people will have there mind wrapped around that this science concept are true or partly true to science. Although, Lewis does state “scientific accuracy just doesn’t matter.” To a point of giving false science, science does matter. Lewis also uses examples of books and how characters are these well educated professors, or just people, who with there scientific knowledge they are able to save the world from disaster. Lewis proves that the science used in these books is nonsense, which makes the audiences feel, “What is the true science then?”

Even though its quite a strong subject, Lewis builds humor into her passage to show that science could be use correctly. She states “The last thing our science-phobic world needs is another mad scientist—even a fictional one.” She gives the audience a laugh by giving them a view that most movies and books are just entertainment and for science are not to be believed. However, that scientist or people should not be based on nonsensical science concepts.

The student may need to spend more time reading the source text. The student’s response would have scored much higher overall if the student had better comprehended the title and beginning of the text (i.e., that the author was reviewing a novel) and to the conclusion (that the author wishes the novelist had portrayed some positive contributions of geneticists.) Another sign of rushed reading was that the student uses a quote from the author (“scientific accuracy just doesn’t matter”) without explaining its context, which makes the reader unsure why the student has included it.

The response is a good effort to explain what the author does and how it affects the reading audience (“Lewis proves that the science used in these books is nonsense, which makes the audiences feel, ‘What is the true science then?’”)The student should work on identifying the author’s strategies even more specifically, in other words describing in more detail how Lewis proves her points.

In the response, the main problem is clarity. It is sometimes unclear how thoughts connect to each other, and whether the student is slipping into personal opinion, or explaining the effect of the author’s strategy. The student can improve clarity in his or her responses by practicing using more precise vocabulary, as well as learning more about using phrases and commas.

Sample Response: Score 4/3/3 The book Inferno, by Dan Brown, is the topic of Ricki Lewis in the essay, “Dan Brown’s Inferno: Good Plot, Bad Science.” She is getting ready to give a talk on the novel, about an insane geneticist, and she has decided that it gets an “A” in style but an “F” in genetics. Lewis uses her own factual knowledge to prove how the book is wrong regarding it’s plot, and she builds her argument against the book with stylistic and reasoning methods. 

The reader can tell that Lewis is a scientist because she does not need to refer to an authority in order to state that the facts are wrong. Right away, she makes a strong case because she says that Brown confuses “cerebellum with cerebrum, and PET scans with CT scans,” which seem like very basic mistakes. She lists more mistakes as she goes on to point out the most illogical parts at the end. She says that Brown mixes up natural selection with genetic enhancement. When she writes about that, the reader almost feels embarrassed for Brown, because he is so famous.

The author is very blunt and choppy at the end, so it has stylistic impact. She is talking about how Brown explains the science, and she calls it “hand-waving—throw out a bunch of terms that presumably readers won’t recognize to make it sound like it makes sense. It doesn’t.” Also, she says that the world that is already “science-phobic” does not need “another mad scientist—even a fictional one.” So these features make the reader believe that she has the final word, and Dan Brown could not argue against her.

The reasoning element comes into play when Lewis wonders why Brown didn’t include a subplot about something good achieved by genetics. She says that Brown is so famous, and he had an opportunity to teach people, but he did not use it. He could have written in a subplot about how a family saves its child from a genetic disease, according to Lewis. Her argument is logical because she raises a good point.

Overall, Lewis uses her own facts, combined with blunt style and logical reasoning to explain why Dan Browns novel gets an “F” in science. She kind of implies that he may scare people about genetics in ways that they don’t need to be scared, because it’s not possible to do the things he shows people doing.  

The student quickly establishes that he or she understands the article’s central idea by claiming that the article’s author “has decided that it [Inferno] gets an ‘A’ in style but an ‘F’ in genetics.” The student’s summaries are accurate and concise and make excellent use of quotes from the article. The student’s skillful use of quotations and ability to connect the author’s ideas within the response indicate a strong understanding of the source material. 

Analysis: 3

The student’s analysis remains focused and relevant to the source material. For example, in paragraph 2 of her response, the student explains that the author appeals to her authority as a scientist when criticizing Dan Brown; in the last sentence of the paragraph, the student briefly elaborates on this idea by explaining the impact the author’s strategy has on the reader. However, for a more comprehensive analysis, the student could further explore the ways in which the author’s stylistic decisions influence the reader or support the article’s central idea. 

The student consistently uses clear phrasing and simple but precise diction. Additionally, the student’s response is structured well, presenting a clear progression of ideas. The student could improve his or her response by including a greater variety of sentence structures; using sentence structures that are more sophisticated may allow the student to convey a more complex and nuanced analysis of the source material.

SAT ESSAY TEST 5: SAMPLE RESPONSES

Sample Response: Score 2/1/1 The passage “The Other Side of American Football” it talks a lot about the negative outcomes that can occour playin the three different levels of football. Things like conccusions, broken bones, and diseases like CTE. 

“In the 2005/2006 season more than 500,000 injuries happened in just high school.” This means that as young as these kids are they are damaging their brains and bodies. Some kids after high school play college. At this level they are stronger so if they keep getting injured their injuries could be chronic or con lead to death because of the damage to the brain. This passage talks about how the damage of the brain is caused by hard tackles and the lack of protection to the players. Players after death have show CTE which is a disease to the brain by bruising it, some players at early ages have shown the brain of an elderly person such as 80 – 90 years old. 

The author uses facts from people who had brain damaged or people who died from playing football. This author used lots of facts and true history to support his claim of banning football. 

Reading: 2 

The student starts with a nice summary of the author’s evidence, and does a good job of restating the text’s factual information. The reading score would have been higher if the response had focused on describing the author’s purpose before the last line.

The student needs to practice analyzing rather than summarizing. The student is on the right track by pointing out at the end of the response that the author “used a lot of facts and true history,” but in order to get a higher score, the student must expand upon and explain the effects of the strategy on the reader.

Reading the response, one cannot help but feel that the student simply wrote summarizing sentences while reading through the source text. But the College Board is looking for more organization, such as a “central claim” at the beginning of a student response, followed by a “discernible progression of ideas.” In other words, students must begin by describing the author’s goal, and then think up two or three topic sentences for the beginning of distinct paragraphs.

Sample Response: Score 4/4/4 Joseph Stalin famously claimed, “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic,” implying that tragedy relies on being able to connect a name, a face, or a list of accomplishments to the deceased. In the article “The Other Side of American Football” Meyer ensures that the reader sees the tragedy of football-related mental illnesses by recounting the admirable achievements and bright futures of football players only to reveal that their premature deaths are linked to football-related injuries. Meyer's appeals to statistics and medical diagnoses serve to underscore his appeals to the reader’s emotion, which are conveyed via multiple accounts of premature deaths. 

Meyer's central claim, that “America must ban high school football, restrict it in college, and must radically change the professional game,” would seem extreme if not for the damning evidence presented throughout his article. The information in paragraph 1 alone is enough to raise alarm in even the staunchest football advocate. Moreover, the way Meyer presents the information hints at the severity and pervasiveness of football-related head injuries: five deaths are recounted in as many sentences. The brevity of the deceased players’ lives is highlighted by the brevity of Meyer's accounts. 

Meyer does not just rely on tragic personal accounts to drive home his central claim. He invokes statistics and medical diagnoses to heighten the emotional impact of the deaths discussed throughout the article. Even if the tragic personal anecdotes were absent from the article, fact alone would appall the reader. In paragraph 2, Meyer reveals that CTE, a pervasive football-related head injury, does not just kill the players it effects, it also drives them to insanity. Symptoms of CTE include “depression,” “violent outbursts,” and “dementia.” And the tragic consequences of these symptoms are revealed throughout the article. Meyer's account of Dave Duerson’s death highlights the insidious manifestation of CTE’s symptoms, which ruined Duersons’ life and likely led to his death. 

The multiple accounts of football player deaths because of CTE would raise concern in any compassionate reader, yet the staggering statistics relayed in paragraph 4 horrify. These statistics cause the reader to question how a sport can be condoned if it kills approximately ten high school students and causes 50,000 serious injuries each year. These statistics recall Meyer's rhetorical question, “What kind of country sacrifices the lives of young athletes so it can watch a game?” Based on the evidence he presents, the answer is resoundingly, “America.” Ultimately, Meyer's use of tragic accounts, horrifying medical diagnoses, and shocking statistics brings attention to the issue of football-related head injuries. Moreover, these same elements, conveyed persuasively by the author, justify his central claim—football must undergo radical changes to better ensure the safety and mental wellbeing of its players. After all, no rational modern society should trade human life for entertainment. 

This response demonstrates a clear understanding of the prompt. The student correctly describes the author’s main point, which is that the toll that football takes on people’s lives is too dear and that America’s relationship with the sport must change. The student pulls relevant quotes from the prompt when needed (“America must ban high school football, restrict it in college, and must radically change the professional game”), and follows the author’s argument across the different forms of evidence—statistical, medical, and personal—he presents in support of his assertions.

The student displays mastery of the analytic task. Not only does he follow the author’s argument over different forms of evidence, as noted above, he correctly assesses the impact of each type of evidence (Meyer does not just rely on tragic personal accounts; He invokes statistics and medical diagnoses to heighten the emotional impact). The student also makes note of sophisticated stylistic elements (The brevity of the deceased players’ lives is highlighted by the brevity of Meyer's accounts) and persuasive rhetorical techniques (These statistics recall Meyers’ rhetorical question) employed by the author to really drive home his point.

Nevertheless, it is an ideal for which students can strive. The essay begins with a powerful and (more importantly) relevant outside quote (Joseph Stalin famously claimed) and strong introductory paragraph, and concludes with another strong paragraph which both summarizes the analysis and reinforces the author’s central point in light of this analysis (Moreover, these same elements, conveyed persuasively by the author, justify his central claim). Sentence structures are sophisticated and varied, as is the use of vocabulary (staunchest; insidious manifestation; resoundingly).

SAT ESSAY TEST 6: SAMPLE RESPONSES

Sample Response: Score 1/1/1 Chloe Medosch talks about how urbanization is leading to a decline of the older trees. She talks about how 87% of hollow-bearing trees population will decline over the next 300 years. how does she know this, yes it is an average but things can change in the 300 years either for better or worse. Chloe Medosch seems to be like a friendly environmental person because she talks about how she cares about the animals life and the fact that some animals live in trees and if the trees are dying the animals life can be in danger. 

She mentions Canaberra Australia and how the population is projected to double. She also mentions that due to that terrestrial environment could occure, what does she mean by saying that? Does she say it to notify us that something bad is going to happen or is it to let us know that a good change is going to occur? The author also mentions in the passage that they are getting data about how fast the new trees are growing and how the old trees are being taken down or dieing. This is trying to let the reader know that she isn’t the only one trying to save the trees and that there are more people concerned about the trees and how urbanization is slowly leading to the cause of trees getting cut down or dying because we as humans want to build more buildings in places where trees are planted so we cut them down without thinking about the damage we are doing to nature. 

She mentions how we can save the trees not only for the animals but also for us because we need the oxygen. She talks about how we can develop strategies with the research available on how to protect old trees and how to help trees to grow. The last thing she mentions is that “We are not the only living beings on Earth.” She says this because it is easy for us to forget about the animals, but that we should always keep in mind that we need them. 

The student does show an understanding of the text’s overall point, that tree populations are in danger, but does not mention that the author is mainly reporting on a study that predicted tree loss around one city. The student can improve by focusing very carefully on the title and the first few paragraphs of a source text in order to make sense of it. 

The response is mostly summary; the student needs to more thoroughly interpret the author's use of techniques. The student begins to do this by mentioning the author's use of data, but ends up summarizing the data rather tahn analyzing why the author thinks that the data will persuade the reader. 

The student is "questioning the text," as evidenced by  the interior questions in the second paragraph. As the student prepares for the SAT Essay Test, however, he or she must instead write claims and then support those claims with evidence from the text. The student should also work on sentence structure and punctuation in order to avoid run-on sentences. 

Sample Response: Score 4/4/3 People think about saving trees in the forest but sometimes we have to think about our own backyard. Chloe Medosch in her article “Out on a Limb: Dwindling Trees in Cities,” uses data, reasoning, and an emotional call to action to give readers more concern about the trees around cities. Medosch is very persuasive that people need to work together on saving trees or planting them.

Medosch uses data from a study in Canberra, Australia where they figured out the average number of trees, and how much they were dying or getting taken out, and how fast the younger ones were growing. Then they predicted what would happen if everything kept going just the same, and they found out that trees with hollows could decline 87 percent over the next 300 years. Or they could even die out within 115 years. The specific numbers sound really convincing because they don’t seem like guesses. So we have to face the reality of the numbers.

Medosch also uses reasoning to make her case about trees. She says that “Only with a combined management strategy, including planting more hollow-bearing trees and forming more hollow-bearing habitats, would the population of trees increase over 250 years…” Medosch wants cities to plan so that they can make sure that they are planting enough trees which seems simple and appeals to the reader’s logic. The reader can see that there is a solution. Medosch also brings the concept of innovation into the discussion, saying that “urbanization brings new innovation,” such as putting up nesting boxes.

Finally, Medosch uses emotional facts and words to bring the reader on board. At the very beginning she says that we need the old trees for oxygen, but also 180 animal species depend on hollow trees for living. Later she says that losing the trees is “a terrifying thought,” and then she mentions that birds, bats, squirrels and others live in the trees. Mentioning these animals, plus ourselves and the oxygen, makes the reader feel that the trees are important and feel anxious about losing them.

Trees are important, not just to birds and animals but to all of us. When our cities grow and take over areas with large, old trees, we need to think about the future. We won’t be here, but other people will. Chloe Medosch uses powerful writing strategies to make us want to save trees and plant new ones.

The student demonstrates a strong understanding of a passage that includes complex numerical concepts such as extrapolation. He or she accurately paraphrases the data and the concepts presented (Then they predicted what would happen if everything kept going just the same) while correctly representing the author’s central assertion (Medosch is very persuasive that people need to work together on saving trees).

The student successfully accomplishes the analytic task. He or she not only summarizes the use of data as evidence, but also describes their presentation in light of the effect they are intended to have on the reader (The specific numbers sound really convincing because they don’t seem like guesses; seems simple and appeals to the reader’s logic). This response addresses all three important aspects of the argument’s delivery—evidence, reasoning, and style—and their emotional and intellectual impact (makes the reader feel that the trees are important and feel anxious about losing them).

The essay is clear and well-structured. The various points are helpfully organized into paragraphs, with functional introductory and concluding paragraphs. The concluding paragraph, however, is mostly a restatement of previously made points, and the essay as a whole suffers from repetitive sentence structure (Medosch uses data; Medosch also uses reasoning; Finally, Medosch uses emotional facts) and in this respect would be improved by greater variety in syntax. The student could also improve by using more sophisticated diction. For example, saying, "in addition to" rather than "plus" sounds more academic. 

​Third Edition

SAT ESSAY TEST 1: SAMPLE RESPONSE

Sample Response: Score 4/3/4

In the essay, “I hate personality tests,” the blogger known as Stubborn Mule argues that personality tests do not reflect real personality traits of participants. In this essay, the author focuses on appeals to emotion and the use of facts to persuade readers of his or her claim. In particular, the author relies on diction to relate to the reader in a humorous manner that undermines the validity of personality tests.

In the first paragraph of the essay, Stubborn Mule uses words like “fancy” and “lucky” in a sarcastic fashion to evoke his or her frustration with personality tests. In addition, the author compares personality tests to astrology to discredit the former’s effectiveness at predicting cognitive and behavioral patterns. The author uses diction in this paragraph to connect with the audience; he or she creates a friendly and entertaining tone that helps readers identify with his or her perspective. By engaging with the reader in this way, Stubborn Mule strengthens the overall argument.

In addition to connecting with the audience on a personal level, the author also uses facts and scientific evidence to persuade readers of his or her point. Particularly effective is the author’s mention of the “Forer effect.” By referencing a well-known psychological study, Stubborn Mule provides compelling evidence that people easily relate to any personality type, regardless of its origin or accuracy. This example further undermines the efficacy of personality tests and reinforces the author’s central claim.

In the concluding paragraph, the author acknowledges a differing perspective by conceding that personality tests have “more substance… than astrology.” This rhetorical strategy is not as effective as other strategies the author uses because its inclusion is insincere. Stubborn Mule does not seem dedicated to exploring how or why these tests are more accurate indicators of behavior. Instead, he or she seems to express only his or her frustration and fails to build a solid counterargument to the legitimate value that personality tests offer.

Throughout the essay, the author uses diction to create a connection with the reader. Sarcasm is an especially powerful strategy that encourages the reader to support Stubborn Mule’s position. Though the author concedes that personality tests have some value, this acknowledgement actually weakens the author’s claim. To compensate for this shortcoming, Stubborn Mule builds a convincing argument with his use of facts and reasoning. The inclusion of the “Forer effect” especially lends credibility to the author’s point.

Evaluation Reading: 4 The student demonstrates thorough comprehension of the blog entry, accurately describing the author’s central idea that personality tests do not reflect real personality traits of participants , and identifies the main supporting strategies of sarcastic humor and scientific facts.

Analysis: 3 The student insightfully focuses on two of the author’s main strategies to discredit personality testing: the use of sarcastic humor, and an explanation of the Forer effect. The response could

have been strengthened with more discussion of how the author makes use of these. For example, the student says that By referencing a well-known psychological study, Stubborn Mule provides compelling evidence that people easily relate to any personality type, regardless of its origin or accuracy , a point that could have been explained more fully. Even so, the overall analysis is clear and perceptive.

Writing: 4 The response is well organized, with a central claim, logical flow of focused ideas, and clear transitions. Diction and sentence variation are excellent; for example, the student discusses what in the passage further undermines the efficacy of personality tests , and determines that a strategy is less effective because its inclusion is insincere .

SAT ESSAY TEST 2: SAMPLE RESPONSE

The author of “Earthbound Imagination” presents a progressive, well-supported, and nuanced argument in favor of greater boldness in the depiction of extra-terrestrial lifeforms in science fiction. In this essay, the author—Mr. Gerdisch—draws from natural science, psychology, and popular culture to critique the tendency of science-fiction books and movies to portray extra-terrestrial life as “slightly-different-humans”, essentially mirrors of ourselves in physical form and “cultural practices.” Whereas such representations may be effective for certain purposes, Mr. Gerdisch argues that such they have been overrepresented in science-fiction, and that these representations fail to accomplish one of science-fiction’s central functions, to “cause people to question their preconceptions, not reinforce them.”      Mr. Gerdisch begins by posing questions—an effective rhetorical technique for generating interest in a topic that many readers have probably overlooked. The questions he poses are of a general character, the type of questions we have all pondered: considering the immensity of the universe, and the likelihood of extra-terrestrial life, “what might these exotic beings… look like? How might they behave?” Once the questions have been raised, Mr Gerdisch is in a position to introduce his complaint: rather than embrace the opportunity to stretch our imaginations, science-fiction has tended to depict these hypothetical beings as disguised versions of ourselves.

Although he is critical of them, the author provides explanations for these practices. By doing so, he clarifies the issue. He demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon he is attempting to change, which strengthens his analysis. Rather than simply criticizing the practice, he expresses empathy with the motivations that have created it. He demonstrates his understanding over the course of an extended example—the enormously successful movie Star Wars. His choice of movie is all-the-more effective in that it is widely known and loved. The aliens of Star Wars are representative of the central problem—its aliens mostly look like humans. Earlier in the paragraph, he suggests one of the motivations for such a treatment. Science fiction, he writes, is often an instrument for exploring “social, political, or religious issues” that actually exist in human societies. In other words, science-fiction is often used to create alternate versions of human reality. A variation on this motivation is presented through the character of Chewbacca, a specific example of a humanoid alien from Star Wars. According to the author, science-fiction creates anthropomorphic extra-terrestrials in order to make them more accessible and thus more popular.      For Mr. Gerdisch, these justifications are not enough. He argues that the purpose of science-fiction is the treatment of “big, important questions about where we came from and where we are going,” and that simple humanoid representations of aliens waste an important opportunity. His essay ends by presenting examples of works that have challenged our conventional notions, such as Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the original Star Trek series. His concluding paragraph notes the importance of science-fiction on a real human advance—space travel—to once again inspire his readers to seek more in their books and movies than “small green men with large heads”.      Throughout the essay, Mr. Gerdisch utilizes a conversational tone to convince readers of his position. He expresses disappointment with the phrase “that’s a shame”, and empathy with the phrases “don’t get me wrong” and “fair enough”. He leads the reader to his side through the effective use a rhetorical question in paragraph five. The strength of the essay, however, is its strong line of reasoning. It presents a balanced treatment of the question of extra-terrestrial life-forms in science-fiction, explaining underlying tendencies, and calling for a shift, rather than an overturning, of the status quo.

Throughout the response, the student makes use of quotations and paraphrases to show thorough understanding of the text. The response describes how the author’s central claims connect to supporting details (i.e., “A variation on this motivation is presented through the character of Chewbacca…”) The response interprets the author’s intent even regarding small phrases (i.e., “that’s a shame.”) 

The response outlines several of the author’s persuasive strategies and explains them insightfully. For example, the student points out the reason that the author explains the very practices with which he disagrees: this strategy “brings clarity ”and “lends credence to the issue.” The student chooses support from the text strategically, providing an excellent overall evaluation, concluding that the essay’s strength is its “strong line of reasoning.”

The student demonstrates great command of the language, using sophisticated vocabulary and a highly effective progression of ideas. Sentence structures and lengths are varied, creating statements that smoothly explain difficult ideas (i.e., extraterrestrials in books and movies are “essentially mirrors of ourselves”) and catch the reader’s attention (i.e., “For Mr. Gerdisch, these justifications do not suffice.”)

SAT ESSAY TEST 3: SAMPLE RESPONSE

In her Essay, “Here are some more reasons why liberal arts matter,” Cecelia Gaposchkin explains why liberal arts are an important part of a well-rounded education. Ms. Gaposchkin acknowledges counterarguments, provides examples of industries that rely heavily on liberal-arts disciplines, and uses logical reasoning to convince readers that liberal arts are important in their own right.

One key strategy employed by Ms. Gaposchkin in relaying her opinion is the recognition of other viewpoints. From the start, she asserts that many view STEM disciplines as “practical [and] technical.” She also concedes that “some disciplines might prepare for certain types of problem solving… more strongly than others.” These counterarguments are cogent and relevant to the author’s own claim. Their inclusion provides a logical springboard for Ms. Gaposchkin’s case and strengthens the declarations made later in the passage; the use of counterarguments makes the essay feel like a debate, and her points are directly opposed to the rhetoric of her rivals.

When Ms. Gaposchkin presents her own argument, she uses a strongly logical approach. She declares the value of liberal arts lies in learning “how to think, not simply what to know.” She backs this up by reminding us that “information itself is now so easily acquired through Google.” These points provide the core of her argument: that liberal arts disciplines are both valuable and practical. The logic here supports the central claim and candidly retorts the counterpoints she concedes throughout the essay.

Another strong point of Ms. Gaposchkin’s essay is the incorporation of examples. “Whole industries do in fact exist that are not based on STEM premises,” she posits. The list includes several sectors that are recognized as major contributors to a strong economy. In addition to industries that are independent of STEM curricula, Ms. Gaposchkin mentions that many STEM-centric business also rely on nontechnical employees. These examples build on the logic presented previously and provide sound support to the author’s main idea. By utilizing examples in this way, Ms. Gaposchkin shows that her premise is applicable to the real world.

Throughout her essay, Cecelia Gaposchkin argues that liberal arts are a valuable course of study. Though some of her points are rather weak, the overall essay does a good job convincing readers of the main premise. The use of examples and logical reasoning are especially helpful in persuading the audience. Most importantly, however, Ms. Gaposchkin creates a sense of debate by continually referring to counterarguments. Her use of logic and examples directly responds to each counterargument. This style thoroughly convinces the reader of her thoughtful analysis.

Evaluation Reading: 4 The response demonstrates a complete understanding of the essay’s central argument and its structure. For example, the student reflects on how the use of counterarguments make the essay feel like a debate .

Analysis: 4 The student identifies three main persuasive strategies used in the essay and discusses the value of each using specific examples from the text. The student’s explanations, for example, include noting that including counterarguments provides a logical springboard for the author’s arguments, and that her examples build on the logic presented previously and show that her premise is applicable to the real world .

Writing: 4 The writing is sophisticated. The student makes a few minor mistakes. However, assessors understand that minor mistakes will occur in a timed test, and this response’s varied vocabulary and sentence structure, as well as its clear organization, easily earn it a “4.”

SAT ESSAY TEST 4: SAMPLE RESPONSE

Sample Response: Score 2/3/4

In his essay, “Why do we fall for fake news?” S. Shyam Sundar discusses several facets of the fake news phenomenon and provides reasons for its power in the age of digital media. Mr. Sundar relies heavily on logical reasoning, but also presents evidence in the form of scientific studies performed by himself and other researchers.

To begin his evaluation of fake news in the media, Mr. Sundar takes a historical approach. He examines the rise of the internet and the presence of news media prior to the popularity of online new outlets. This provides compelling evidence for the role of the internet in propagating fake news. Mr. Sundar specifically points out the role of “Usenet newsgroups where hoaxes where shared.” Though fake news was common in the early days of the internet, Mr. Sundar points out that television, radio, and newspapers were still prominent; the circulation of news through these formats curtailed the spread of misinformation due to “gatekeepers,” who rigorously fact-checked information.

Mr. Sundar uses the information presented early on and builds on the facts using logical reasoning. He points out the fact that “politicians and celebrities have direct access to millions of followers.” These famous people, Mr. Sundar adds, rarely check the veracity of the news they share. He reasons that, in this way, people are exposed to a variety of news sources, many of which are fake. This strategy helps the reader understand why online media is a cesspool of misinformation; it provides context for Mr. Sundar’s arguments and creates a logical transition to the introduction of Mr. Sundar’s own research.

Approximately half of Mr. Sundar’s essay examines research that verifies the information introduced earlier. Here, Mr. Sundar considers another reason why people believe fake news: personalized news feeds. The research here exposes bias in the way many people interpret news sources and easily convinces the reader that social media (and online media in general) engenders this kind of bias.

Mr. Sundar’s essay convincingly persuades readers of his point: that online media has led to an increase in the circulation of fake news. He uses multiple strategies that effectively assure the audience of his argument. His use of historical information and facts regarding the current state of news culture show the reader how and why fake news has become so prominent. Finally, Mr. Sundar’s inclusion of peer-reviewed research ensures wide acceptance of his claim.

Evaluation 2/3/4 Reading: 2 The response indicates that the student read the essay a little too quickly. The student begins by correctly describing its central argument as fake news’ power in the age of digital media. The student also correctly identifies the connection the author makes between personalized news feeds and bias. However, while the essay primarily offers reasons that people are vulnerable to falsehoods on social media, the student reads

that as claims about the amount of fake news itself, incorrectly stating the author’s main purpose is to evaluate online news media and to persuade the reader that online media has led to an increase in the circulation of fake news.

Also, when the author mentions “politicians and celebrities” as potential links in chains of sources which readers do not check, the student reads that as the author claiming that famous people rarely check the veracity of the news they share.

Analysis: 3 The student identifies the author’s main strategies: use of facts and logical explanations to build context, and scientific research to support claims. Regarding the first, the student is somewhat clear describing the role of logic: if gatekeepers are bypassed, more fake facts will appear. The student is more explicit about the effectiveness of referring to authoritative research that exposes bias in the way many people interpret news sources and easily convinces the reader that social media (and online media in general) engenders this kind of bias.

Writing: 4 The student response is very well-written. It is free of errors in grammar or punctuation, well-organized, and uses sophisticated vocabulary such as prominent, rigorously, and engendered.

SAT ESSAY TEST 5: SAMPLE RESPONSE

Sample Response: Score 4/4/4 Joseph Stalin famously claimed, “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic,” implying that tragedy relies on being able to connect a name, a face, or a list of accomplishments to the deceased. In the article “The Other Side of American Football” Meyer ensures that the reader sees the tragedy of football-related mental illnesses by recounting the admirable achievements and bright futures of football players only to reveal that their premature deaths are linked to football-related injuries. Meyer's appeals to statistics and medical diagnoses serve to underscore his appeals to the reader’s emotion, which are conveyed via multiple accounts of premature deaths. 

Meyer's central claim, that “America must ban high school football, restrict it in college, and must radically change the professional game,” would seem extreme if not for the damning evidence presented throughout his article. The information in paragraph 1 alone is enough to raise alarm in even the staunchest football advocate. Moreover, the way Meyer presents the information hints at the severity and pervasiveness of football-related head injuries: five deaths are recounted in as many sentences. The brevity of the deceased players’ lives is highlighted by the brevity of Meyer's accounts. 

Meyer does not just rely on tragic personal accounts to drive home his central claim. He invokes statistics and medical diagnoses to heighten the emotional impact of the deaths discussed throughout the article. Even if the tragic personal anecdotes were absent from the article, fact alone would appall the reader. In paragraph 2, Meyer reveals that CTE, a pervasive football-related head injury, does not just kill the players it effects, it also drives them to insanity. Symptoms of CTE include “depression,” “violent outbursts,” and “dementia.” And the tragic consequences of these symptoms are revealed throughout the article. Meyer's account of Dave Duerson’s death highlights the insidious manifestation of CTE’s symptoms, which ruined Duersons’ life and likely led to his death. 

The multiple accounts of football player deaths because of CTE would raise concern in any compassionate reader, yet the staggering statistics relayed in paragraph 4 horrify. These statistics cause the reader to question how a sport can be condoned if it kills approximately ten high school students and causes 50,000 serious injuries each year. These statistics recall Meyer's rhetorical question, “What kind of country sacrifices the lives of young athletes so it can watch a game?” Based on the evidence he presents, the answer is resoundingly, “America.” Ultimately, Meyer's use of tragic accounts, horrifying medical diagnoses, and shocking statistics brings attention to the issue of football-related head injuries. Moreover, these same elements, conveyed persuasively by the author, justify his central claim—football must undergo radical changes to better ensure the safety and mental wellbeing of its players. After all, no rational modern society should trade human life for entertainment. 

This response demonstrates a clear understanding of the prompt. The student correctly describes the author’s main point, which is that the toll that football takes on people’s lives is too dear and that America’s relationship with the sport must change. The student pulls relevant quotes from the prompt when needed (“America must ban high school football, restrict it in college, and must radically change the professional game”), and follows the author’s argument across the different forms of evidence—statistical, medical, and personal—he presents in support of his assertions.

The student displays mastery of the analytic task. Not only does he follow the author’s argument over different forms of evidence, as noted above, he correctly assesses the impact of each type of evidence (Meyer does not just rely on tragic personal accounts; He invokes statistics and medical diagnoses to heighten the emotional impact). The student also makes note of sophisticated stylistic elements (The brevity of the deceased players’ lives is highlighted by the brevity of Meyer's accounts) and persuasive rhetorical techniques (These statistics recall Meyers’ rhetorical question) employed by the author to really drive home his point.

Nevertheless, it is an ideal for which students can strive. The essay begins with a powerful and (more importantly) relevant outside quote (Joseph Stalin famously claimed) and strong introductory paragraph, and concludes with another strong paragraph which both summarizes the analysis and reinforces the author’s central point in light of this analysis (Moreover, these same elements, conveyed persuasively by the author, justify his central claim). Sentence structures are sophisticated and varied, as is the use of vocabulary (staunchest; insidious manifestation; resoundingly).

SAT ESSAY TEST 6: SAMPLE RESPONSE

Application Prompts for 2024-2025

Your essay and short answer responses help us get to know you.

We’ve selected the following prompts for the UNC-specific portion for the first-year and transfer applications for 2024-2025. We’re proud of the Carolina community and how each student makes us better through their excellence, intellect, and character. In reading your responses, we hope to learn what being a part of the Carolina community would mean to you.

Short answer prompts

We’d like to know how you’d contribute to the Carolina community and ask that you respond to each prompt in up to 250 words.

• Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. This could be your current community or another community you have engaged.
• Discuss an academic topic that you’re excited to explore and learn more about in college. Why does this topic interest you? Topics could be a specific course of study, research interests, or any other area related to your academic experience in college.

Common Application essay

You’ll choose one Common Essay prompt to respond to in 250-650 words. These prompts are common to all schools who accept the Common Application, and you can view the prompts here. Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don’t feel obligated to do so. The Common Application also has an optional section where you’ll have the opportunity to write about how COVID-19 has affected you.

Your responses will be evaluated not only for admission, but also for possible selection for scholarships and other special opportunities. We look forward to learning more about you!

Advice for Your Application

First-year application, transfer application.

Study Abroad

Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students: IELTS Writing Task 2

Updated on Jul 18, 2024, 11:48

The  IELTS Writing section is designed to evaluate your writing skills and consists of two tasks. The task 1 varies between the IELTS General Training and Academic tests.

In the  Academic test , Task 1 requires you to summarise, describe, or explain data from  graphs , charts, or diagrams, whereas, in the  General training test , you will write a  letter . Both versions share Task 2, which involves writing an essay.

In  IELTS Writing Task 2 , you are required to write a well-structured essay in response to a given prompt. The prompt may ask you to discuss a point of view, present an argument, or solve a problem. This task assesses your ability to present ideas clearly, support your arguments with relevant examples, and use appropriate language. Mastering the writing section is essential for achieving a high overall IELTS score.

In the IELTS Writing section, an “advantages and disadvantages essay” requires you to discuss both the positive and negative aspects of a given topic. 

The topic "Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students" is a common topic in the IELTS exam. Mobile phones are very common among students. They have benefits like quick access to information, better communication, and helpful apps for learning. But they also bring challenges, like distractions during studying, problems focusing, and worries about too much screen time affecting health. This essay will explore both the merits and demerits of mobile phones for students, giving a complete picture of how they affect education and personal life.

On This Page

1. Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students: How to Answer

Essays must always start with a clear introduction that restates the question and states your opinion. Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea with examples or arguments.

2. Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students: Sample Essay

Let's explore essay samples for Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students below.

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Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students: How to Answer

When approaching  IELTS Writing Task 2 , it's crucial to adhere to specific guidelines to maximise your score potential. First and foremost, clearly understand the task prompt and ensure your response addresses all parts of the question. Maintain a coherent structure throughout your essay, comprising an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

Start with a clear thesis statement in the introduction that directly addresses the essay question. Each body paragraph should focus on a single main idea supported by examples, data, or arguments. Use cohesive devices such as linking words and phrases to connect ideas and maintain coherence. Additionally, demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures to showcase your language proficiency. 

Finally, conclude by summarising your main points and offering a concluding thought or recommendation if appropriate. Always aim for clarity and coherence in your response to achieve a higher band score in IELTS Writing Task 2.

The topic will look like this: 

Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students Word limit: Make sure you keep it in 250 words!

Here's how you can structure and answer your essay on the topic:

Introduction:

Begin your essay by introducing the topic and its relevance. Mention that mobile phones have become an integral part of modern life, especially for students. Briefly outline the main points you will discuss in the body paragraphs: the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones for students.

Advantages:  Start with a paragraph discussing the merits of mobile phones for students. Highlight how mobile phones facilitate communication, making it easier for students to stay in touch with family and friends. Discuss how mobile phones provide access to educational resources and information, aiding in research and learning. Additionally, mentions how mobile apps can enhance productivity through tools for organisation and note-taking.

Disadvantages:  Follow with a paragraph exploring the drawbacks. Address concerns such as distractions caused by notifications and social media, which can negatively impact academic focus. Discuss issues related to cyberbullying and privacy concerns that arise from excessive use of mobile phones. Highlight potential health risks associated with prolonged screen time and improper posture.

Conclusion:

Summarise the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. Emphasise that while mobile phones offer significant advantages for students, they also present challenges that need to be managed responsibly. Suggests that a balanced approach, incorporating guidelines for usage and awareness of risks, is crucial. End with a thought-provoking statement about the evolving role of mobile phones in education and society.

This structure should help you organise your thoughts effectively and present a well-rounded discussion on the topic.

Read more about  IELTS Writing 6 – Tips And Tricks To Improve Beyond Band 6 in IELTS .

Merits And Demerits Of Mobile Phone For Students: Sample Essay

In today's digital age, mobile phones have become ubiquitous, especially among students. This essay explores both the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones for students, highlighting their impact on academic performance, social interaction, and overall well-being.

Mobile phones offer several benefits to students. Firstly, they provide instant access to a wealth of information through the internet. Students can quickly research academic topics, enhancing their learning beyond traditional classroom boundaries. Secondly, mobile phones facilitate communication, allowing students to stay connected with peers and family, which can be crucial for emergencies or collaborative projects. Moreover, educational apps and platforms available on smartphones enable personalised learning experiences catering to diverse learning styles and preferences.

However, mobile phones also present challenges. One significant drawback is the potential for distraction. Notifications from social media and messaging apps can divert students' attention during study sessions, impacting concentration and productivity. Furthermore, excessive mobile phone use has been linked to decreased physical activity and poor sleep patterns among students, contributing to health issues such as obesity and fatigue. Moreover, the accessibility of inappropriate content online raises concerns about cyberbullying and exposure to unsuitable material, affecting students' emotional well-being.

In conclusion, while mobile phones offer undeniable advantages in terms of information access, communication, and educational tools, their misuse can harm students' academic performance and health. Therefore, it is essential for students to use mobile phones responsibly, balancing their benefits with mindful management of usage time and content consumption. Educators and parents play a crucial role in guiding students towards responsible mobile phone use, ensuring that these devices contribute positively to their academic and personal development.

Read more about  IELTS Connectors for Task 1 & Task 2: Linking Words for IELTS Writing 2024

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Q. What is not allowed in IELTS writing?

Ans. In the IELTS Writing test, it's crucial to avoid informal language, contractions (e.g., can't, won't), and abbreviations. Additionally, plagiarism—copying directly from the question or any other source—and using offensive language or discriminatory remarks are strictly prohibited. Your responses should focus on addressing the task requirements directly and maintaining a formal tone throughout.

Q. What are the different tasks in the IELTS Writing test?

Ans. The IELTS Writing test comprises two tasks. Task 1 involves describing visual data such as graphs, charts, or diagrams and presenting key trends or comparisons. Task 2 requires candidates to write an essay discussing a given topic, presenting arguments, opinions, or solutions to issues. Task 2 carries more weight in terms of scoring and requires deeper analysis and coherent argumentation.

Q. How long should I spend on each task in the IELTS Writing test?

Ans.  It is recommended to allocate approximately 20 minutes to Task 1 and 40 minutes to Task 2 in the IELTS Writing test. This division allows sufficient time for planning, organising ideas, writing, and reviewing your responses. Effective time management ensures that you can address all aspects of the tasks and meet the assessment criteria effectively.

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SAT Sample Questions: Every Single Question Type Explained

Why all the lingo? Why all these divisions and subdivisions by topic and type? Well, this guide will explain the logic behind the different terms and walk you through every single question type, with real SAT sample questions.

As you know, there are three types of sections on the SAT: reading, writing, and math. Each section has its own breakdown of major question types, all detailed below. Read on to discover exactly what types of questions you'll encounter on the SAT and get lots of sample SAT questions.

What's the big idea?

Because you don't want to spend any precious time on interpreting directions come test day, you should make sure to familiarize yourself with the standard instructions on the SAT. Each question type has its own set of instructions , so it's important to know how to approach each one efficiently.

It's also useful to understand what skills each task is designed to test : not only what content is covered but also how you're expected to apply your knowledge.

The reading section is divided into two main categories: sentence completions and reading passages. Let's go through the different types of questions you'll see for each with sample SAT reading questions.

Sentence completions

You should know right off the bat that this task will be gone when the SAT redesign takes effect in 2016. For now, though, it's an important component of the test. Out of 67 reading questions, 19 are sentence completions.

You'll be faced with a series of incomplete and unrelated sentences , each one missing a word or two. Your mission (should you choose to accept it or not) is to choose the word or words that will best round out each sentence .

The sentence completion category of questions can be further subdivided one of two ways: one-blank vs. two-blank sentence completions, or vocab-based vs. logic-based sentence completions. Note that these are two separate systems of organization; a question will have either one blank or two, and it will test either vocab or logic.

One-blank sentence completions

These are classic, prototypical sentence completions. One word (or, occasionally, one very short phrase) has been removed from the sentence.

Two-blank sentence completions

These questions contain the added layer of a second missing word (or phrase).

Vocab-based questions

These questions are designed specifically to test your understanding of words—often obscure ones. The sentences are fairly straightforward , and the test hands you definitions or descriptions of the missing terms. Often, a simple independent clause is linked by a comma or colon to a phrase that reiterates the very same information.

Logic-based questions

The sentences featured in these questions have many more twists and turns. The vocabulary may be basic or more complex, but either way you're not likely to find any definitions handed to you. The point is to see if you can infer the meaning of the sentence without the help of the most crucial content words.

It's common to see words that imply a contrast or contradiction , such as but, while, although, or despite, in this type of sentence.

Great! So...how do I deal with these?

For any given question, if you're already familiar with all of the words, examine the logic of the sentence carefully . Be on the lookout for crucial structure words , especially those that signal a contrast or contradiction. Eliminate any answer that contains a word that doesn't fit. Continue to narrow down until you have your answer.

But what if you don't know all of the words ? There are ways to work with that! In fact, check out this great article on how to attack sentence completion questions strategically without swallowing a thesaurus .

Out of 67 reading questions, 48 are passage-based. There are single passages that stand alone and double passages presented as pairs . Passages vary considerably in length, from about 100 to about 850 words. Questions fall into three main categories: extended reasoning , literal comprehension , and vocabulary in context .

Extended reasoning

These questions are aimed at assessing your global understanding of passages. There are five basic types of extended reasoning question:

• Big picture questions ask explicitly about a passage's main idea or primary purpose. Check out our complete guide to mastering big picture questions .
• Inference questions ask you to make inferences based on information suggested by, but not explicitly stated in, a passage. Check out our complete guide to mastering inference questions .
• Function questions ask you to figure out how a specific portion of the passage functions as part of the whole. Check out our complete guide to mastering function questions .
• Author technique questions ask about the use of literary devices in the passage. Check out our complete guide to mastering author technique questions .
• Analogy questions ask you to draw an analogy between ideas expressed in the passage and ideas drawn from another source. Check out our complete guide to mastering analogy questions .

Literal comprehension

These questions test your understanding of information that's given directly in the passage . You'll be asked to refer to a specific point in the passage and select the answer that best explains that portion of the text.

Basically, you won't have to go beyond what's written , though you will have to recognize the same information restated in different ways . You can also check out our complete guide to mastering literal comprehension questions .

Vocabulary in context

These questions test your vocabulary, including your understanding of secondary or nonstandard definitions of words. For instance, "bright" could refer to a luminescent object in one scenario and to a clever child in another. The good news is that you have context to help you figure out how the word is being used in any particular passage.

For more information, check out our complete guide to mastering vocabulary in context questions .

I wish there were a one-size-fits-all formula for the SAT reading passages. I really do. Unfortunately, though, that's not the case.

Some people prefer to give the passage a thorough read, then attack the questions. Others like to give the questions a quick skim before they pick apart the passage. As you consider what strategies might serve you best, definitely check out our detailed guide to reading passages on the SAT .

That's SAT reading for you, in a nutshell. Don't stop there , though; there's much more to learn. Be sure to check out our complete guide to the entire reading section .

Before we delve too far into writing, I need to offer a disclaimer. The writing section of the SAT is getting a complete makeover starting in 2016. The information below refers to its current iteration . If you're preparing for the new test, head on over to our complete guide to the redesigned SAT .

For now, however, there are four types of writing tasks: the essay and three varieties of multiple choice questions. Those are called identifying sentence errors, improving sentences, and improving paragraphs. We'll give you a bunch of sample SAT writing questions.

As you are probably aware, there is precisely one essay question on the SAT. It accounts for 30% of your writing score. Generally speaking, SAT essay prompts are quite broad and philosophical . You need to take a stance on some issue and defend it.

Essay prompts can be divided into a few different categories:

• Morality questions ask you to comment on an issue of right and wrong and evaluate possible human behaviors.
• Opinions and values questions ask you to weigh in on which of two options is inherently better than its counterpart.
• Success and achievement questions ask you to discuss different routes to and implications of human accomplishment.
• Society and culture questions ask about the status of today's human world.
• Knowledge, learning, and creativity questions ask you to assess some aspect of wisdom or growth.
• Counterintuitive statement questions ask you to discuss the viability of a seemingly paradoxical suggestion.
• Cause and effect questions ask you to gauge whether one reality results from another or not.

If you're interested in a more detailed discussion of these categories, check out our article dedicated to examples of each type or our comprehensive list of what you might encounter on the test .

There will always be a brief quotation or commentary included to help contextualize the debate, followed by an explicit question.

One thing to know is that, while the quotation may be helpful in getting your creative juices flowing, it's not a necessary component of your essay .

The key to a high-scoring essay is a thesis that takes a strong stance on the issue at hand. You'll also want a handful of concrete examples from your own life, from history, from literature, from current events, from pop culture...from anywhere, really, as long as they ground your argument in good, solid evidence.

There's a lot more to know about crafting the essay, so be sure to check out our articles dedicated to the topic. Start with our step-by-step breakdown of the writing process . Then consider reading advice on how to get a 12 on the SAT essay or tips on improving your essay score .

Multiple choice

Multiple choice questions account for the other 70% of your writing score. The first two multiple choice tasks, identifying sentence error and improving sentences, test the same basic topics. These are discussed in depth in our article on the content of the SAT writing section .

Identifying sentence errors

There are 18 of these questions on the test. You're going to see a series of sentences. In each sentence, four words or short phrases will be underlined . At the end of each sentence you'll see the phrase, "No error". Anything that's underlined is a potential error and corresponds to an answer choice. There will never be more than one mistake in a sentence, and there will never be a mistake that isn't underlined.

Your job is to find the mistake (if there is one). If there's no mistake, choose "No error": this applies to about one question out of every six.

These questions tend to be the quickest grammar problems, so it's a good idea to knock them out first .

Read the full sentence. Does anything leap out as grammatically wrong? Is it underlined? If nothing strong strikes you as an obvious error, look at each underlined word or phrase and think about what it's likely to be testing. Remember: problems with verbs are most common, followed by problems with pronouns .

For a more thorough exploration of these techniques, check out our full article on identifying sentence errors strategies .

Improving sentences

There are 25 of these questions on the test. Once again, you're going to see a series of sentences. In each sentence, one word or phrase will be underlined (or maybe even the entire sentence). The underlined portion of the sentence contains a potential error .

Your job is to choose, from among the answer choices, the most suitable alternative to the underlined phrase . Choice A is always an exact replication of the original phrasing; it's like the "No error" option for this task and applies to about one question out of every six.

Be aware that these questions take a little more time than identifying sentence errors. But note that the last section of the test contains only improving sentences questions and nothing else, so you can't always opt to save them for later.

Read the full sentence. Does anything leap out as grammatically wrong? If so, how would you correct it? Look for an answer choice similar to what you anticipated .

If the sentence seems all right on a first read, though, examine the underlined portion of the sentence and try to figure out what it's likely to be testing. Still not finding anything? If time permits, try placing each answer choice in the context of the sentence and reading it over again.

For a more thorough exploration of these techniques , check out our full article on improving sentences strategies .

Improving paragraphs

There are 6 of these questions on the test. This task is rather similar to improving sentences; however, some questions ask for a broader analysis of the passage . In other words, you need to think about the big picture as well as the nitty-gritty details.

There are seven sub-categories of improving paragraphs questions. Note that not all seven will be on any given test.

• Improving sentences questions are, as you might suspect, just like normal improving sentences questions.
• Transition questions ask about creating the smoothest, most logical flow from one point to the next; often, it's a question of a single word or two.
• Organization questions ask you to move around the sentences within a passage.
• Conciseness questions rely on the idea that shorter is sweeter on the SAT, as long as no crucial information is left out.
• Meaning and purpose questions ask about why the author wrote a particular portion of the passage in a specific way or about the major idea behind the passage as a whole.
• Eliminating and adding sentences questions ask about the value of inserting or deleting information.
• Specificity questions ask you to recognize that sometimes the author's initial word choice can be improved upon by making the diction of the passage more precise.

First, skim the passage. This is not an in-depth read: just a quick gander to get the general gist. Mark anything that seems really off : grammar errors, transitions that don't make sense, etc.

Next, dive into the questions! Don't be afraid to look back at the passage frequently to reestablish a sense of context. Also, remember to check out our article on the absolute best strategies for approaching this task .

And that's SAT writing. It's really just the tip of the test prep iceberg, though, so be sure to look at our complete guide to the entire writing section .

First and foremost, math questions come in two basic varieties: student-produced response questions , or grid-ins, and multiple choice questions . I'll show you sample SAT math questions for each.

Student-produced response questions

There are 10 of these questions. What makes them unique is that there are no answer choices provided to you; you must write down and bubble in your response. It's a relatively easy process, but I'm going to break it down for you, step by step—just in case you're curious.

You can grid in whole numbers, decimals, and fractions ranging in value from 0 to 9999. You can't grid in negative numbers or mixed numbers, but improper fractions are okay.

There are four boxes in a row at the top of the grid: write your answer in those boxes, one digit or symbol per box. Underneath each box is a column containing a series of bubbles, each representing a digit or other character as printed within the bubble. Fill in the bubble that corresponds to what you wrote in the box at the top of each column . You can write your answer starting in any column, space permitting—it doesn't matter whether you're aligned to the left or to the right. Leave any columns you're not using totally blank .

Multiple choice questions

Yep, these are just your standard, run-of-the-mill, multiple choice questions. There are 44 of them.

There are four main categories of math questions, all of which are eligible to be tested by multiple choice or by grid-in:

Numbers and operations

Algebra and functions, geometry and measurement, data analysis, statistics, and probability.

There are 11-13 of these questions. They cover topics like properties of integers , number lines , and elementary number theory , etc. Definitely check out our articles on integers , sequences , and fractions and ratios .

There are a whopping 19-21 of these questions. They cover topics like systems of equations , functions , and quadratic factoring , etc. Take a look at our articles on single variable equations , systems of equations , and functions .

There are 14-16 of these questions. They cover topics like triangles , circles , and coordinate geometry , etc. Be sure you read our articles on triangles , polygons , circles , lines and angles , lines and slopes , and solid geometry .

There are 6-7 of these questions. They cover topics such as statistics , elementary probability , and geometric probability , etc. Don't forget to take a look at our articles on statistics and probability .

Make sure you understand the question. One of the toughest things about the SAT is its frequently deceptive wording .

Check your assumptions at the door. Remember that drawings are not to scale and avoid jumping to conclusions.

Always identify your own personal best method of solving . There's more than one way to solve a problem, and math can get creative; it's not a one-size-fits-all scenario .

Keep track of your work— write it down ! Also, use your calculator judiciously. It's a great tool, but it can be dangerous to rely on it too much.

Try plugging in an answer or another sensible value if you're not comfortable proceeding algebraically. Take a moment to review our articles on how and when to plug in answer choices and how and when to plug in other values .

Review and practice mathematical concepts on a regular basis . A good place to start is our complete guide to SAT math content .

What's next?

Now that you understand the kinds of problems you'll be facing, it's time to brush up on the content of the test and establish a regular practice regimen .

Not convinced of how important this process can be? We have articles that specifically address why you need to prepare for the SAT and how many hours you should expect to commit , as well as the bigger picture of how long the process is going to take .

Are you ready to get started? Get answers to your questions about when you should start studying , creating a study plan as a sophomore or junior , and creating a study plan as a rising senior .

Not sure how to set a goal score? Read our article on deciding where to set your sights for the SAT .

If you'd like help identifying which types of questions need the most work and how you can drill them, you may wish to consider a program with PrepScholar.

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Vero is a firsthand expert at standardized testing and the college application process. Though neither parent had graduated high school, and test prep was out of the question, she scored in the 99th percentile on both the SAT and ACT, taking each test only once. She attended Dartmouth, graduating as salutatorian of 2013. She later worked as a professional tutor. She has a great passion for the arts, especially theater.

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