Chariot Learning
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Our Curriculum
    • Areas Chariot Learning Serves
  • Services
    • SAT & ACT Prep
    • SAT/ACT TestFlip
    • Academic Coaching
    • Subject Tutoring
    • Strategic Reading Club
    • Proctored Practice Tests
    • GRE Prep
    • College Essay Coaching
    • Roots2Words
  • Calendar
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact
February 25, 2019 by Mike Bergin

Organization Questions on the SAT & ACT

While the multiple-choice grammar sections of the SAT & ACT stand out as fairly straightforward in terms of testing content, test takers generally find themselves surprised by two major observations:

First, most native English speakers struggle with the fundamental mechanics of their mother tongue.
Second, grammar entails more than just mechanics, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Obviously, students seeking the highest scores on these sections need to sharpen their grammar skills before test day. The SAT & ACT test the rhetorical aspects of communication represented by the SAT subscore category Expression of Ideas: thesis, organization, transitions, word choice, style, and tone.

Organization questions stand out as consistently challenging, but what makes them so tough? These questions ask test takers to identify the proper place in a passage for a selected sentence or paragraph. Answering these questions correctly requires insight into the point an author is trying to make and how that information unfolds sequentially. To ace the Organization questions most other students get wrong, consider the following three elements of a passage:

1. TIME CLUES
Obviously, indicators of chronological order heavily influence the determination of proper organization. Look for mention of days, months, seasons, and years.

2. TRANSITIONS
Signal words like before and after or first, second, and third provide clear chronological guidance for anyone able to find them. Also seek out transitions that signal cause and effect; if it isn’t obvious, the cause precedes the effect. In the same vein, contrasting items and examples follow whatever they are presented in reference to. Transition words and phrases carry a lot of the organizational weight in most writing.

3. CONTENT
Don’t just focus on the superficial signals of organization. To identify where a paragraph fits in a passage, you must understand the point of each paragraph and then order those points sequentially. The same concept applies to sentences in a paragraph. For example, if a sentence or paragraph furthers the discussion of a topic, it must follow the introduction of that topic.

Clearly, any test question that demands application of both grammar mechanics and reading comprehension will require more time and effort than those that challenge only a single skill set. However, test takers willing to put in the work will consistently pick up the points that others miss. Remember that only one answer choice can be objectively correct, then pay attention to the time clues, transitions, and passage content that support the one right answer.

ACT grammar SAT

Previous articleHow to Breathe When Feeling StressedNext article The Case for the April ACT
Mike Bergin
Tens of thousands of students a year prep for the SAT & ACT through programs Mike Bergin created or organized. After more than 25 years of intensive experience in the education industry, he's done it all as a teacher, tutor, director, curriculum developer, blogger, podcaster, and best-selling author. Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative individualized education can and should be.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Helping high schoolers with tests, school, and life is what Chariot Learning is all about. Let us know how we can help you!

Latest Posts

  • Early Testing Game Plan for the Class of 2025
  • What Does ‘Smart’ Mean in the 21st Century
  • How to Read Percentiles
  • Do SAT & ACT Subscores Matter?
  • Evaluating College ROI

What is TestFlip?

Learn about the ultimate in self-directed supplemental SAT/ACT prep, powered by Chariot Learning:

  • Set goals that are *almost* out of reach.
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    Set goals that are *almost* out of reach.
  • Get up and try again.
    by chariotlearning 5 days ago
    Get up and try again.
  • You have no idea what you can "survive" until you have no choice!
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    You have no idea what you can "survive" until you have no choice!
  • Be patient when becoming someone you haven
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    Be patient when becoming someone you haven't been before.
  • Decide. Commit. Succeed.
    by chariotlearning 2 days ago
    Decide. Commit. Succeed.
  • It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
    by chariotlearning 4 hours ago
    It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
  • Do not waste time thinking about what you could have done differently. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and
    by chariotlearning 1 week ago
    Do not waste time thinking about what you could have done differently. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and
  • Being intelligent is not a felony but may get you in trouble anyway ;)
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    Being intelligent is not a felony but may get you in trouble anyway ;)

Subscribe to Mike’s Podcast

Subscribe to Tests and the Rest

PARENT GROUP AND NEWSLETTER

Are you an Upstate New York parent with questions about college admissions, testing, and scholarships? The Upstate NY College Conversations Facebook group is for you. Join today!

And also sign up for College Road, our free email newsletter delivering expert educational advice, test news, admissions action steps, special offers, and more.

Upcoming Events

  1. SAT/ACT Extended Class – Summer Mornings 2022

    July 6 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
  2. SAT/ACT Online Flipped Class – July 2022

    July 6 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
  3. Practice SAT – Brighton (7/8/22)

    July 8 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  4. Practice ACT – Pittsford Library (7/12/22)

    July 12 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  5. SAT/ACT Extended Class – Summer Evenings 2022

    July 12 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

View All Events

Testimonials

Thank you so much for all of your fabulous work with Sam – it’s so helpful having that “one and done” perfect score! :)

Terry, Pittsford mom

Read more testimonials...
© 2022 Chariot Learning, LLC. All rights reserved.