What Is the SAT Essay?

College Board

  • February 28, 2024

The SAT Essay section is a lot like a typical writing assignment in which you’re asked to read and analyze a passage and then produce an essay in response to a single prompt about that passage. It gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your reading, analysis, and writing skills—which are critical to readiness for success in college and career—and the scores you’ll get back will give you insight into your strengths in these areas as well as indications of any areas that you may still need to work on.

The Essay section is only available in certain states where it’s required as part of SAT School Day administrations. If you’re going to be taking the SAT during school , ask your counselor if it will include the Essay section. If it’s included, the Essay section will come after the Reading and Writing and Math sections and will add an additional 50 minutes .

What You’ll Do

  • Read a passage between 650 and 750 words in length.
  • Explain how the author builds an argument to persuade an audience.
  • Support your explanation with evidence from the passage.

You won’t be asked to agree or disagree with a position on a topic or to write about your personal experience.

The Essay section shows how well you understand the passage and are able to use it as the basis for a well-written, thought-out discussion. Your score will be based on three categories.

Reading: A successful essay shows that you understood the passage, including the interplay of central ideas and important details. It also shows an effective use of textual evidence.

Analysis: A successful essay shows your understanding of how the author builds an argument by:

  • Examining the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and other stylistic and persuasive techniques
  • Supporting and developing claims with well-chosen evidence from the passage

Writing: A successful essay is focused, organized, and precise, with an appropriate style and tone that varies sentence structure and follows the conventions of standard written English.

Learn more about how the SAT Essay is scored.

Want to practice? Log in to the Bluebook™ testing application , go to the Practice and Prepare section, and choose full-length practice test . There are 3 practice Essay   tests. Once you submit your response, go to MyPractice.Collegeboard.org , where you’ll see your essay, a scoring guide and rubric so that you can score yourself, and student samples for various scores to compare your self-score with a student at the same level.

After the Test

You’ll get your Essay score the same way you’ll get your scores for the Reading and Writing and Math sections. If you choose to send your SAT scores to colleges, your Essay score will be reported along with your other section scores from that test day. Even though Score Choice™   allows you to choose which day’s scores you send to colleges, you can never send only some scores from a certain test day. For instance, you can’t choose to send Math scores but not SAT Essay scores.

Until 2021, the SAT Essay was also an optional section when taking the SAT on a weekend. That section was discontinued in 2021.

If you don’t have the opportunity to take the SAT Essay section as part of the SAT, don’t worry. There are other ways to show your writing skills as part of the work you’re already doing on your path to college. The SAT can help you stand out on college applications , as it continues to measure the writing and analytical skills that are essential to college and career readiness. And, if you want to demonstrate your writing skills even more, you can also consider taking an AP English course .

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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:

SAT essay tips

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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Tips about how to write the SAT essay

Tips on How to Write the SAT Essay

Sat essay: the passage, 4 sat essay passage tips.

  • Written for general audiences . Understanding the passage doesn’t require any special knowledge of content or vocabulary. They are the kinds of passages any high school student should be able to understand and analyze.
  • Focused on a reasoned argument . On the SAT, arguments have nothing to do with conflicts, disagreements or fights. A reasoned argument is simply an author’s topic with their conclusion and the evidence they use to back it up. Your job is to analyze how they build their argument to persuade their readers of their point of view.
  • Published works . All passages are taken from existing works; none are made up specifically for the SAT. Topics can include excerpts from political speeches, historical documents, personal calls for action, and the like. The essay prompts for the four tests in the current SAT Official Guide are a call for conservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., an essay on the pros and cons of students using digital media, and a first-person essay on the benefits of natural darkness
  • Analysis of subtle subject matter . You’ll have to do some real thinking to understand the important points in the essay. Writers rarely state ideas in simple sentences such as “I think everyone should vote.” More likely the idea will be conveyed in a more subtle form, such as “The right to vote freely and without intimidation is a fundamental hallmark of a democracy and a way to make one’s political choices heard.” Making connections and inferences will be important in analyzing the passage’s subject matter.

[ RELATED : What’s tested on the SAT Reading and Writing section ]

SAT Essay: The Directions

As you read the passage below, consider how [the author] uses evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims., sat essay directions example 1, 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 directions example 2, write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [his/her] audience that [author’s claim]. in your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features listed above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of [his/her] argument. be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage. your essay should not explain whether you agree with [the author’s] claims, but rather explain how the author builds an argument to persuade [his/her] audience., 5 essential sat essay directions tips.

Your task is to analyze the argument, so you’ll need to focus on the author’s conclusion, and to consider how the author builds that argument. Note that the testmaker gives you a head start here, suggesting that you include analysis of evidence, reasoning, and stylistic elements.

  • How nice that they included more guidance in the second set of directions! The testmaker pretty much tells you what the essay is about. Use these directions to pinpoint the author’s argument.
  • Even nicer—the testmaker encourages you to use the features in the first set of directions, but note that you can develop your own.
  • Focus on relevant features. The passage author may add some tangential information which is not important to their primary argument. Don’t spend any time on these. You may not have enough time to write everything that you think of, so prioritize your points and include those which are most pertinent to the argument and how the author develops it.
  • Your essay won’t include a personal point of view. As the instructions say, “Your essay should not explain whether or not you agree with (author’s) claims.” “Claims,” by the way, is another word for argument, which is another way of saying what the author thinks and why. Be very careful here. Don’t analyze the essay for your own opinion, but only for the argument itself and how the author supports it. If you write about your own opinion, you’ll get a low score on the essay.

You’ll have 50 minutes to write the essay, which will come at the end of the SAT. You’re given two double-sided, lined pages to write on, so be sure you can include everything you want to say in that space, but don’t feel you need to fill up all the pages. Writing just for the sake of taking up space is a bad idea, and one the readers will recognize and penalize you for.

Because the format and directions for the SAT essay are always the same (but the passage changes), you can memorize them and practice writing essays.  Pay close attention to doing exactly what the instructions say, spend some time thinking before writing, prioritize your points, and write clearly and well (more about that in yet another blog), and you’ll score well on this optional, but important part of the SAT.

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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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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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Congrats on taking our SAT Sample Quiz. Take one of our full-length SAT practice tests or one of our study sets. Everything is 100% free!

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

x f(x)
0 65
1 73
2 81

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.

All SAT Practice Tests

If you want some more in-depth prep, use a free SAT practice test listed below.

  • Practice Exams = Timed and Full-Length
  • Practice Sets = Not Timed and Smaller Sets of Questions

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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.

SectionNumber of QuestionsTime Limit (Mins)
Reading & Writing5464 (Two 32-Minute Modules)
Math4470 (Two 35-Minute Modules)

Old SAT (Written Exam)

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

SectionNumber of QuestionsTime Limit (Mins)
Reading5265
Writing & Language4435
Math (With calculator)3855
Math (Without calculator)2025

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.

An overview of the digital SAT exam and what is included on 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.

sat essay preparation

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

sat essay preparation

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Master the SAT Essay: Your Guide to Format, Tips, and Practice

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  • Updated on  
  • Jun 25, 2024

Ace-Your-SAT-Essay-Essential-Tips-Sample-Questions-and-a-Winning-Format

SAT Essay Example: The SAT essay is often viewed as a daunting hurdle on the path to college admissions. However, this crucial component of the test presents a valuable opportunity to showcase critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Beyond simply summarising a provided passage, the SAT essay demands a deeper engagement with the author’s arguments, requiring students to dissect persuasive techniques, identify underlying assumptions, and potentially even propose counterarguments.

We have compiled some SAT essay examples to help you better come to grips with such questions. That said, read the complete blog to learn more about these questions with the help of some SAT essay examples. 

What Is the SAT Essay?

The SAT Essay section presents an opportunity for test-takers to showcase their preparedness for the analytical and written demands of college coursework and future careers. It closely resembles a typical college writing assignment, tasking students with a close reading and analysis of a provided passage followed by a structured essay response to a prompt directly connected to the passage. 

This section serves a dual purpose: firstly, it grants students a platform to demonstrate their proficiency in reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and written communication; secondly, it offers valuable feedback on these very areas, allowing students to identify strengths and target aspects requiring further development.

The task itself reflects the types of writing assignments students will encounter throughout their academic careers, demanding a critical examination of source material, the formulation of a cogent argument, and the articulation of ideas clearly and concisely. 

SAT Essay Example PDF: Sample Questions and Answers (Download for Free)

SAT Essay Example: Here are some sample questions that you can practice to ace your SAT essay questions. Download the free PDF from the link given below and practice the questions. Doing so will give you a solid understanding of the types of questions that can be asked, ensuring you are better equipped to tackle such questions on the day of the exam. 

Click on the link below to download the PDF for SAT essay sample questions (with answers) for free!

What is the Format of an SAT Essay?

The SAT Essay adheres to a well-defined structure, designed to assess a student’s ability to effectively analyze and respond to a written argument. Within this framework, students are presented with the opportunity to showcase their critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing skills.

Introduction

The essay begins with a concise and informative introduction. This opening paragraph should provide a brief overview of the passage’s main argument or thesis. Here, students should demonstrate their comprehension of the author’s central point and purpose. Following this introduction, the essay transitions into the body paragraphs, each one dedicated to a specific aspect of the author’s argumentative strategy.

Body Paragraphs

The core body paragraphs serve as the crux of the essay. Within each paragraph, students are tasked with dissecting a distinct element employed by the author to persuade the audience. This analysis should delve into specific techniques utilized by the author, such as the use of evidence, appeals to logic or emotion, or the incorporation of counterarguments. To bolster their analysis, students must provide concrete textual evidence from the passage to substantiate their claims. Effective use of transitions between paragraphs ensures a smooth flow of ideas and a logical progression of the analysis.

The concluding paragraph serves to bring the essay to a satisfying close. In this final section, students should reiterate the main argument of the passage and summarize the key points discussed in the body paragraphs regarding the author’s persuasive techniques. The conclusion may also offer a final thought or reflection on the author’s overall effectiveness in achieving their persuasive goals.

By adhering to this structured format, students taking the SAT Essay can present a well-organized and persuasive analysis of the provided passage. This structure allows them to effectively showcase their critical thinking and writing skills in a way that directly aligns with the expectations of college-level writing assignments.

How to Write an SAT Essay? 

The SAT Essay presents a valuable opportunity for test-takers to demonstrate their preparedness for the rigours of college-level writing and critical analysis. While seemingly daunting at first glance, crafting a compelling SAT essay becomes a manageable task when approached strategically. Here, we will explore a series of steps designed to guide students through the process of constructing a well-developed and insightful essay response.

  • The foundation for a successful SAT essay lies in a thorough understanding of the passage and the prompt itself. Students should dedicate a significant portion of the allotted time to attentively reading the provided passage.
  •  During this initial reading, it is crucial to grasp the author’s central argument, the evidence used to support it, and the overall tone and purpose of the writing. Taking notes or underlining key points can be helpful in solidifying comprehension.
  • Once comfortable with the passage, students should meticulously analyze the essay prompt. The prompt typically poses a specific question about the author’s argumentative strategies. 
  • Identifying the key elements of the prompt is paramount, as it dictates the direction and focus of the essay response. Underlining keywords within the prompt can help ensure a clear understanding of what the essay graders are looking for.
  • The next step involves crafting a strong thesis statement. This concise sentence should encapsulate the central argument of the essay, outlining the key techniques employed by the author to persuade the audience. 
  • An effective thesis statement serves as a roadmap for the entire essay, guiding the analysis and ensuring a focused response.
  • The concluding paragraph serves to bring the essay to a satisfying close. Students should reiterate the main argument of the passage and summarize the key points discussed regarding the author’s persuasive techniques. 
  • The conclusion may also offer a final thought or reflection on the effectiveness of the author’s strategies, but it should avoid introducing any entirely new ideas.

What are the Most Common Types of SAT Essay Questions? 

There are primarily four types of SAT essay questions that aspirants should keep in mind. These questions typically revolve around analysing the persuasive techniques used in a provided passage. These questions are of the following types:

  • Evidence: How does the author use evidence to support their claims? What types of evidence are employed (e.g., statistics, anecdotes, expert opinions)? How effectively does the evidence bolster the author’s argument?
  • Logical Reasoning: Does the author’s argument follow a sound logical structure? Are there any logical fallacies present? How does the author connect evidence to their central point?
  • Appeals: What persuasive appeals does the author utilize (e.g., appeals to logic, emotion, or ethics)? How effective are these appeals in convincing the audience?
  • Rhetorical Strategies: Does the author employ specific rhetorical strategies to enhance their argument (e.g., use of figurative language, parallelism, tone)? How do these strategies contribute to the overall persuasiveness of the passage?

Keeping abreast of such question types will help you develop a strong foundation for approaching any prompt with ease. Focusing on honing your critical thinking skills and the ability to identify and analyse persuasive techniques will equip you to tackle any passage effectively.

So that was all about SAT essay examples. Hope the blog has answered your queries regarding the topic. 

Ans. As of June 2024, the College Board eliminated the mandatory essay section from the SAT. However, some individual schools may still require or recommend the SAT Essay as part of their application process. It’s crucial to check the specific requirements of each college or university you’re interested in attending.

Ans. The SAT Essay assesses your reading comprehension, analytical writing, and persuasive writing skills. You are presented with a passage that argues a particular point of view. Your task is to analyse the author’s argument and identify the key points and the methods used to support them. 

Ans. You can practice analysing argumentative passages, honing your reading comprehension skills, and strengthening your writing abilities. Many resources are available online and in test prep materials, including sample prompts and scoring guidelines.

Visit the Leverage Live page of Leverage edu or contact our study abroad experts at 1800-57-2000 to strengthen your scores and application to secure your spot in your dream college. 

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Shubham Das

Shubham Das has been working as an educational content writer for the past two years and has a background in filmmaking & screenplay/ teleplay writing. He is fascinated by the human psyche, literature and cinema.

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How to Improve Your SAT Writing Score with Effective Revision

The SAT Writing and Language section can be challenging, but with the right strategies and effective revision, you can significantly improve your score. Whether you’re aiming for a perfect score or just looking to boost your current performance, understanding how to revise your work is key. This article will guide you through essential tips and techniques to enhance your SAT Writing score through effective revision.

Key Areas to Focus on During Revision in SAT Writing Section

When revising for the SAT Writing section, focus on the following key areas:

  • Grammar and Usage: Ensure that you have a strong understanding of grammar rules. Common issues include subject-verb agreement, verb tense consistency, pronoun usage, and parallel structure. Revising these areas can help you avoid frequent errors.
  • Sentence Structure: Pay attention to sentence structure and variety. Avoid run-on sentences and fragments. Ensure that your sentences are clear and logically organized. Revising for sentence structure can improve the flow and readability of your writing.
  • Punctuation: Proper punctuation is essential for clarity. Review the rules for using commas, semicolons, colons, and apostrophes. Correct punctuation errors can enhance the precision of your writing.
  • Word Choice: Choose words that convey your message clearly and accurately. Avoid using overly complex words that might confuse the reader. Revising for word choice can help you express your ideas more effectively.
  • Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure that your writing is clear and to the point. Avoid unnecessary words or overly complex sentences. Revising for clarity and conciseness can make your writing more impactful.

Effective Revision Techniques for the SAT Writing Section

Now that you know what to focus on, here are some effective revision techniques to improve your SAT Writing score:

Practice with Official SAT Questions

One of the best ways to revise is by practicing with official SAT Writing questions. The College Board provides sample questions and practice tests that closely mirror the actual exam. Practicing with these questions helps you familiarize yourself with the test format and identify areas where you need improvement.

Review Common SAT Writing Errors

Certain errors are commonly tested in the SAT Writing section. These include issues like misplaced modifiers, faulty parallelism, and incorrect verb forms. By reviewing these common errors, you can learn to spot them quickly and avoid making similar mistakes on test day.

Use the Process of Elimination

When revising your answers, use the process of elimination to narrow down your choices. Identify the incorrect answers first, which can help you focus on the correct option. This technique is particularly useful for questions where multiple answers seem plausible.

Time Yourself

Effective revision also involves practicing under timed conditions. The SAT Writing and Language section is time-limited, so it’s important to manage your time effectively. Practice completing questions within the allotted time to build your speed and accuracy.

Analyze Your Mistakes

After completing practice questions or tests, take the time to analyze your mistakes. Understand why you got a question wrong and how you can avoid similar errors in the future. This reflective practice can be one of the most powerful revision tools.

Seek Feedback

If possible, seek feedback on your writing from teachers, tutors, or peers. They can provide valuable insights into areas where you might need improvement. Constructive feedback can help you refine your revision strategy and focus on your weak points.

Use Revision Checklists

Create a revision checklist based on the common errors and areas you need to work on. As you revise, tick off each item on the list to ensure that you’ve covered all the important aspects of your writing. Checklists can help you stay organized and focused during revision.

Incorporate Reading into Your Revision

Reading high-quality writing, such as editorials, articles, and literature, can indirectly improve your SAT Writing score. Exposure to well-written material can help you develop a stronger sense of grammar, sentence structure, and style, which you can apply to your own writing.

Revise Regularly

Consistent revision is key to improvement. Set aside dedicated time each week to revise for the SAT Writing section. Regular practice will reinforce your learning and help you retain important concepts.

Additional Tips for Last-Minute Revision

If you’re close to your test date, here are some last-minute revision tips to help you maximize your score:

Focus on Your Weakest Areas

In the final days leading up to the exam, concentrate on revising your weakest areas. Whether it’s grammar rules or sentence structure, targeting these areas can help you make the most significant improvements in a short time.

Use Flashcards for Quick Revision

Create flashcards with key grammar rules, common errors, and tips for improving writing clarity. Review these flashcards in the days before your exam for a quick refresher.

Practice with Timed Tests

Take at least one full-length, timed practice test in the days before your exam. This will help you gauge your timing and identify any last-minute areas that need attention.

Stay Calm and Focused

Finally, it’s important to stay calm and focused during your revision. Stress can hinder your ability to retain information and perform well on the test. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation, to keep your mind clear and focused.

Also Read: Recent 100+ SAT Exam Math Questions 2024: Download Free Practice Test Top 10 SAT Tips to Help You Study and Ace the Exam in 2024 SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know Lowest SAT Score Accepted 2024 | Minimum SAT Score Requirements for Top Colleges

Improving your SAT Writing score is achievable with the right approach to revision. By focusing on key areas like grammar, sentence structure, and clarity, and by employing effective revision techniques, you can enhance your writing skills and perform better on test day. Remember that consistent practice and reflection on your mistakes are essential to your progress. With these strategies in hand, you’ll be well-equipped to boost your SAT Writing score and achieve your target.

How to Improve Your SAT Writing Score-FAQs

How can i improve my sat essay score.

1: State Your Thesis Clearly. 2: Don’t Forget to Include a Conclusion and an Introduction. 3: Make Sensible Word and Language Choices. 4: Utilize Only Details Found in the Passage. 5: Concentrate on Important Information in Your Essay. 6: Before reading the passage, read the prompt.

Is it possible to get 800 in SAT English?

Additionally, the separate Reading and Writing test scores are combined to create the single 800 Reading + Writing score on the SAT. Strictly speaking, the 800 Reading and Writing score requires a flawless 40/40 exam result, which is what I mean when I talk about a perfect Reading test score.

What is a good SAT writing score?

It’s safe to say that if you score a 3 or below, your essay score is definitely lower than average; if you score a 4-6, your score is pretty average; and if you score a 7 or above, your score is significantly higher than average because so many people score in the middle on the SAT Essay Reading and Writing exam.

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6 SAT Essay Examples to Answer Every Prompt

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Just as with most essays, the major secret to excelling on the SAT essay is to pre-plan the examples and evidence you want to use.

"But wait!" I hear you cry. "Can you do that on the new SAT essay? Isn’t the point of the essay that you’re supposed to be using information from the passage in your answer, which you don’t know about ahead of time?"

The answer: Yes and no. While the specifics of each example will obviously change, depending on the passage, the types of examples you choose to discuss (and the way you explain each example builds the author’s argument) can be defined, and thus prepared for, ahead of time.

In this article, we give you 6 good SAT essay examples you’ll be able to find in nearly every prompt the SAT throws at you. By assembling a collection of these reliable types of evidence that can be used to answer most prompts, you'll cut down on planning time and significantly increase the amount you can write, making you able to walk into every SAT essay confident in your abilities.

feature image credit: 1 to 9 mosaic , cropped/Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 .

Struggling to get the SAT score you need?   We can help! Our self-paced, adaptive online program lets you study at your own pace while targeting your unique strengths and weaknesses. If that's not enough, our expert tutors can provide further support one-on-one or in group classes.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

Why You Can Prep SAT Essay Examples Before Test Day

The SAT essay prompts have several important things in common:

  • They’re all passages that try to convince the reader of the veracity of the author’s claim
  • They’re all around the same length (650-750 words)
  • They’re all meant to be analyzed and written about in a relatively short period of time (50 minutes)

This means that you can have a pretty good idea ahead of time of what types of argument-building techniques you might see when you open the booklet on test day.

The main techniques the author uses aren't going to be overly complex (like the first letter of every word spelling out a secret code), because you just don’t have the time to analyze and write about complex techniques. B ecause of that, you can prepare yourself with SAT essay examples that’ll be likely found across persuasive passages about many different issues .

Naturally, for each passage you're going to want to play to its particular strengths—if there are a lot of facts/statistics, make sure to discuss that; if it dwells more on personal anecdotes/appeals to emotion, discuss those. However, if you struggle with analysis in a short period of time, memorizing these categories of examples ahead of time can give you a helpful checklist to go through when reading the SAT essay prompt and point you in the right direction.

Below, we've chosen two examples of evidence, two examples of reasoning, and two examples of stylistic/persuasive elements you can use as stellar evidence to support your thesis .

For each example below, we also show you how you can use the type of evidence to support your thesis across a range of prompts. This flexibility should prove to you how effective pre-planned examples are.

So, without further ado, onto our list of multipurpose support for any SAT Essay prompt.

Examples of Evidence

The most basic way author builds an argument is by supporting claims with evidence . There are many different kinds of evidence author might use to support her/his point, but I'm just going to discuss the two big ones I've seen in various official SAT Essay prompts. These two types of evidence are Facts and Statistics and Anecdotes .

Example Type 1: Facts and Statistics

Employing statistics and facts to bolster one's argument is one of the most unassailable methods authors can use to build an argument. This argument-building technique is particularly common in essays written about scientific or social studies-related topics, where specific data and facts are readily available.

How Can You Identify It?

Statistics usually show up in the form of specific numbers related to the topic at hand —maybe as percents, or maybe as a way to communicate other data.

Here are a couple of examples of statistics from an official SAT essay prompt, "Let There Be Dark" by Paul Bogard :

Example : 8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way

Example : In the United States and Western Europe, the amount of light in the sky increases an average of about 6% every year.

Factual evidence can also be in the form of non-numerical information. Often, you'll see facts presented with references to the research study, survey, expert, or other source from which they're drawn. Here's another example from "Let There Be Dark":

Example : Already the World Health Organization classifies working the night shift as a probable human carcinogen[.]

Why Is It Persuasive?

Facts and statistics are persuasive argument building techniques because the author isn't just making up reasons for why his/her argument could possibly be true— there's actually something (data, research, other events/information) that backs up the author's claim .

In the case of the examples above, Bogard presents specific data about issues with light pollution (8 in 10 children won't be able to see the Milky Way, light in the sky increases 6% annually) to back up his statements that light pollution is real, then goes on to present further information that indicates light pollution is a problem (working the night shift puts humans at risk for cancer).

By presenting information and facts, rather than just opinion and spin, Bogard empowers the reader to connect the dots on her own, which in turn gives the reader ownership over the argument and makes it more persuasive (since the reader is coming to the same conclusions on her own, rather than entirely relying on Bogard to tell her what to think).

Example Type 2: Anecdotes

Another form of evidence that is often used as an alternative to actual facts or statistics is the anecdote. This type of evidence is most often found in speeches or other sorts of essay prompts that are written as a personal address to the reader.

An anecdote is a short story about a real person or event . When an author discusses own personal experience or personal experience of someone they know or have heard of, that's anecdotal evidence.

Here's an example of (part of) an anecdote from an official SAT essay prompt that was adapted from a foreword by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter :

One of the most unforgettable and humbling experiences of our lives occurred on the coastal plain. We had hoped to see caribou during our trip, but to our amazement, we witnessed the migration of tens of thousands of caribou with their newborn calves. In a matter of a few minutes, the sweep of tundra before us became flooded with life, with the sounds of grunting animals and clicking hooves filling the air. The dramatic procession of the Porcupine caribou herd was a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife spectacle. We understand firsthand why some have described this special birthplace as “America’s Serengeti.”

Even though anecdotes aren't statistics or facts, they can be powerful because it’s more relatable/interesting to the reader to read an anecdote than to be presented with dry, boring facts. People tend to put more faith in experiences if they can personally connect with the experiences (even though that doesn't actually affect how likely or not a statement is to be true).

In the example above, rather than discussing the statistics that support the creation of wildlife refuges, Jimmy Carter instead uses an anecdote about experiencing the wonder of nature to illustrate the same point—probably more effectively.

By inviting the reader to experience vicariously the majesty of witnessing the migration of the Porcupine caribou, Carter activates the reader's empathy towards wildlife preservation and so makes it more likely that the reader will agree with him that wildlife refuges are important.

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Examples of Reasoning

All authors use reasoning to some extent, but it’s not always a major part of how the author builds her/his argument. Sometimes, though, the support for a claim on its own might not seem that persuasive—in those cases, an author might then choose to use reasoning to explain how the evidence presented actually builds the argument.

Example Type 3: Counterarguments and Counterclaims

One way in which an author might use reasoning to persuade the reader to accept the claim being put forward is to discuss a counterargument, or counterclaim, to the author's main point. The discussion (and subsequent neutralization) of counterarguments is found in prompts across all subject areas.

A counterargument or counterclaim is simply another point of view that contradicts (either fully or partially) the author's own argument. When "some might claim," "however," or other contrast words and phrases show up in an essay prompt, the author is likely presenting a counterclaim.

Here's an example of an effective presentation (and negation) of a counter claim from an official SAT essay prompt, "The Digital Parent Trap" by Eliana Dockterman :

“You could say some computer games develop creativity,” says Lucy Wurtz, an administrator at the Waldorf School in Los Altos, Calif., minutes from Silicon Valley. “But I don’t see any benefit. Waldorf kids knit and build things and paint—a lot of really practical and creative endeavors.”

But it’s not that simple. While there are dangers inherent in access to Facebook, new research suggests that social-networking sites also offer unprecedented learning opportunities.

So how does bringing up an opposing point of view help an author build her argument? It may seem counterintuitive that discussing a counterargument actually strengthens the main argument. However, as you can see in the brief example above, giving some space to another point of view serves to make it seem as if the discussion’s going to be more “fair.” This is still true whether the author delves into the counterargument or if the author only briefly mentions an opposing point of view before moving on.

A true discussion of the counterargument  (as is present in Dockterman's article) will   also show a deeper understanding of the topic than if the article only presented a one-sided argument . And because the presence of a counterargument demonstrates that the author knows the topic well enough to be able to see the issue from multiple sides, the reader's more likely to trust that the author's claims are well-thought out and worth believing.

In the case of the Dockterman article, the author not only mentions the opposite point of view but also takes the time to get a quote from someone who supports the opposing viewpoint. This even-handedness makes her following claim that "it's not that simple" more believable, since she doesn't appear to be presenting a one-sided argument.

  

Example Type 4: Explanation of Evidence

In some cases, the clarity with which the author links her evidence and her claims is integral to the author's argument. As the College Board Official SAT Study Guide says,

Reasoning is the connective tissue that holds an argument together. It’s the “thinking” — the logic, the analysis — that develops the argument and ties the claim and evidence together."

Explanation of evidence is one of the trickier argument-building techniques to discuss (at least in my opinion), because while it is present in many essay prompts, it isn't always a major persuasive feature. You can pretty easily identify an author's explanation of evidence if the author connects a claim to support and explains it , rather than just throwing out evidence without much ceremony or linking to the claim; however, whether or not the explanation of the evidence is a major contributing factor to the author's argument is somewhat subjective.

Here's a pretty clear instance of a case where an author uses explanations of each piece of evidence she discusses to logically advance her argument (again from the Dockterman passage):

And at MIT’s Education Arcade, playing the empire-building game Civilization piqued students’ interest in history and was directly linked to an improvement in the quality of their history-class reports. The reason: engagement. On average, according to research cited by MIT, students can remember only 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear and 50% of what they see demonstrated. But when they’re actually doing something themselves—in the virtual worlds on iPads or laptops—that retention rate skyrockets to 90%. This is a main reason researchers like Ito say the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation of a two-hour screen-time limit is an outdated concept: actively browsing pages on a computer or tablet is way more brain-stimulating than vegging out in front of the TV.

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Unfortunately, the explanation the Official SAT Study Guide gives for how to discuss an author's "reasoning" is a little vague:

You may decide to discuss how the author uses (or fails to use) clear, logical reasoning to draw a connection between a claim and the evidence supporting that claim.

But how exactly you should go about doing this? And wh y is it persuasive to clearly explain the link between evidence and claim?

In general, when an author explains the logic behind her argument or point, the reader can follow along and understand the author’s argument better (which in some cases makes it more likely the reader will agree with the author).

In the Dockterman example above, the author clearly lays out data ( Civilization leads to improvements in history class), a claim (this is because of engagement with the game and thus the subject material), provides data that back up that claim (retention rate skyrockets when students do things for themselves), and links that smaller claim to a larger concept (actively browsing pages on a computer or tablet is way more brain-stimulating than vegging out in front of the TV).  This clear pattern of data-explanation-more data-more explanation enables the reader to follow along with Dockterman's points. It's more persuasive because, rather than just being told " Civilization leads to improvements in history" and having to take it on faith, the reader is forced to reenact the thinking processes that led to the argument, engaging with the topic on a deeper level.

Examples of Stylistic/Persuasive Elements

This final category of examples is the top layer of argument building. The foundation of a good argument is evidence, which is often explained and elucidated by reasoning, but it is often the addition of stylistic or persuasive elements like an ironic tone or a rhetorical flourish that seals the deal.

Example Type 5: Vivid Language

Vivid language is truly the icing on the persuasive cake. As with explanations of evidence, vivid language can be found across all topics of essay prompts (although it usually plays a larger role when the passage is lacking in more convincing facts or logic).

body_icingonthecake.jpg

Vivid language is pretty easy to spot—it shows itself in similes, metaphors, adjectives, or any words that jump out at you that don’t seem to have purely functional purposes . Here are a couple of examples—the first is Paul Bogard again:

…show that what was a very dark country as recently as the 1950s is now nearly covered with a blanket of light.

This example is relatively restrained, using the metaphor of "a blanket of light" to add emphasis to Bogard's discussion of light pollution. A more striking example can be found in another official SAT essay prompt, adapted from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech "Beyond Vietnam—A Time To Break Silence":

Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube.

Vivid language is an effective argument building device because it puts the reader in the author’s shoes and draws them into the passage . If used in moderation, vivid language will also make the topic more interesting for the reader to read, thus engaging them further.

In the excerpt taken from Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech above, the phrase "demonic destructive suction tube" is startling and provocative, meant to rouse the audience's indignation at the injustice and waste of the Vietnam war. If King had left out the second part of the sentence and only said, "Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money," his point would not have had as big of an impact.

Example Type 6: Direct Addresses and Appeals to the Reader

The last category I'll be discussing in this article are direct addresses and appeals to the reader. These stylistic elements are found across all sorts of different passage topics, although as with the previous category, these elements usually play a larger role when the passage is light on facts or logic.

Direct addresses and appeals to the reader are wordings or other stylistic devices specifically designed to provoke a response (often emotional) in the reader . This category covers many different elements, from appeals to emotion to rhetorical questions. Here's an example of an appeal to emotion, taken again from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech:

Perhaps a more tragic recognition of reality took place when it became clear to me that the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home. It was sending their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinarily high proportions relative to the rest of the population.

And here's an example of a rhetorical question (from the Paul Bogard article):

Who knows what this vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren?

Appealing to the emotions , as Martin Luther King, Jr. does in his speech, is an alternate route to persuasion, as it causes readers to emotionally (rather than logically) agree with the author . By describing how the war was causing "their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and die," King reminds the reader of the terrible costs of war, playing upon their emotions to get them to agree that the Vietnam War is a mistake, particularly for the poor.

Rhetorical questions , on the other hand, get the readers to step into the author's world. By reading and thinking about the author's question, the reader engages with the topic on a deeper level than if the reader were just given a statement of what the author thinks . In the case of the Bogard example above, the rhetorical question draws the reader into thinking about his/her descendants, a group of people for whom the reader (presumably) only wishes the best, which then puts the reader into a positive mood (assuming the reader likes his/her descendants).

As you can see, these examples of different argumentative techniques can be extracted from a lot of different article types for a wide range of topics . This is because the examples themselves are so meaningful and complex that they can be used to discuss a lot of issues.

The main point is, you don't have to wait until you see the prompt to develop an arsenal of types of argument-building techniques you can use to support your points. Instead, preparing beforehand how you’ll discuss these techniques will save you a lot of time and anxiety when the test rolls around .

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What's Next?

If you're reading this article, you probably want to excel on the SAT essay. We've written a bunch of detailed guides to make sure you do.

Start to scratch the surface with our 15 tips to improve your SAT essay score .

Follow our step-by-step guide to writing a high-scoring essay and learn how to get a perfect 8/8/8 on the SAT essay .

Took the old SAT and not sure how the new essay compares to the old? Start with our article about what’s changed with the new SAT essay , then follow along as we  investigate the SAT essay rubric .

Want to score a perfect SAT score? Check out our guide on how to score a perfect SAT score , written by our resident perfect scorer.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?   We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.   Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next.   Check out our 5-day free trial today:

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Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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    Register Now for the SAT. Search test dates and nearby test centers before you register. Registration for the testing year 2024-25 is now open. Use these testing dates to plan to take the SAT. Dates and Deadlines. Find places near you that are offering the SAT. Remember: If you can't find a test center near you, consider other dates.

  24. 6 SAT Essay Examples to Answer Every Prompt · PrepScholar

    Here are a couple of examples of statistics from an official SAT essay prompt, "Let There Be Dark" by Paul Bogard: Example: 8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way. Example: In the United States and Western Europe, the amount of light in the sky increases an average of about 6% every year.