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Evidence-Based Reading Section of the SAT

The Evidence-Based Reading section of the SAT lasts 60 minutes and contains 52 questions. Your score on this section will range from 100-400 (half of the available score for the Critical Reading & Writing Section).

This section has questions based on paragraphs and graphics: one passage is chosen from world or U.S. classic literature. The second passage is either from a U.S. founding document or may be taken from the Great Global Conversation. The third paragraph is related to topics such as economics, sociology, and psychology. The last two paragraphs are usually science-based.

Command of evidence questions will provide four excerpts from the passage and ask you to determine the best evidence for the previous question. Questions about words in context will focus on secondary word meanings.

Some SAT Reading Test questions will ask you to examine hypotheses, interpret data presented in various ways, and conduct other analyses based only on what is stated or implied in the passage.

Writing and Language Section of the SAT

The Writing and Language section of the SAT lasts 35 minutes and contains 44 questions. Your score on this section will range from 100-400 (half of the available score for the Critical Reading & Writing Section).

This section tests your ability to identify and fix grammatical errors and revise words and phrases to improve the text. Some of the topics within the Standard English Conventions topic include verb agreement, punctuation use, and parallel construction. In the Expression of Ideas category, you'll be tested on the placement of sentences and the purpose of transition words or phrases within the text.

Math Section of the SAT

The Mathematics section of the SAT lasts 80 minutes and contains 58 questions. Your score on this section will range from 200-800. This section is split into two parts: one that allows calculator use and one that does not.

There are both multiple choice questions with four answer choices and short answer grid-in questions with answer choices that include digits 0–9, the period/decimal point (.), and the division/fraction bar (/). Some questions include two related parts where information from the first part is used to answer the question in the second part.

i. Math (No Calculator)

This section last 25 minutes and contains 20 questions. It contains both multiple-choice and grid-in questions.

ii. Math (Calculator Allowed)

This section last 55 minutes and contains 38 questions. It contains both multiple-choice and grid-in questions.

Essay Section of the SAT

The Essay section of the SAT lasts 50 minutes. Students are given a substantial passage (600–700 words) and will then be asked to analyze how the author built their argument; students will need to understand the techniques authors used to write persuasively. Essay prompts no longer ask for the student's stance on the subject.

The essay is scored on a scale of 2-8. This is not combined with the Reading and Writing section score of 800.