IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS

1. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS SAT Prep Writing Section Ms. Amorin

2. What does the Improving Paragraphs section of the SAT consist of? • There is a reading selection that entails two-fourparagraphs • Each paragraph contains numbered sentences • Questions are asked about specific sentences • Students are expected to identify what is wrong with the sentences

3. Strategy # 1 • Quickly skim the reading passage • Students do not have to thoroughly read the paragraph • Concentration should be on the writing structure • (Note: There are more errors in the passage than you’ll be asked about)

4. Strategy # 2 • Go directly to the QUESTIONS • For many of the questions, the sentences that need to be fixed might be printed under the question, so students won’t necessarily need to go back to the paragraph to answer the questions

5. Types of QUESTIONS • Revision questions- Questions that ask you to revise sentences or parts of sentences in much the same way as “improving sentences” (grammatical/ sentence structure errors) • Combination questions- These questions ask you to combine two or more sentences to improve the quality and/or flow of the paragraph • Content Questions- These questions ask you about passage content, typically asking you to insert a new sentence or paragraph

6. Revision Questions • (Revising errors- similar to the “improving sentences” section) • Example) In context, which is the best way to revise sentence 6 (reproduced below)? Part of the problem is my skating, as in I’m not very good at it. A.) One of the problems was my limited skating ability. B.) Not skating well was a big problem. C.) A problem was that my skating . D.) Of my problems, I would say that my bad skating was the biggest. E.) Skating, I’m not very good at it, was part of my problems.

7. Combination Questions • (Combine two or more sentences to improve quality of paragraph) • Example) Which of the following represents the most effective way to combine sentences 18 and 19 (reproduced below)? The coaches at the camp really helped me a lot. They told me exactly what I needed to do to be better. A.) The coaches who helped me a lot told me exactly what I needed to be better. B.) Those coaches at the camp who told me exactly what I needed to do to be better were the ones who helped me the most. C.) Helping me a lot was the coaches, telling me exactly what I needed to do. D.) By telling me exactly what was needed to be done by telling me the coaches helped me a lot. E.) The coaches at the camp really helped me by telling me exactly what I needed to do to get better.

8. Content Questions • (Questions about content of passage; done occasionally) • Such questions may ask: • Which sentence should be inserted into the passage? • Which sentence should immediately follow or precede the passage? • What is the best description of the passage as a whole?

9. Content Questions • (Questions about content of passage; done occasionally) • Example) Which of the following sentences, if added after sentence 4, would best serve to link the first paragraph to the second paragraph? A.) I found it quite odd that I ended up loving hockey. B.) I wanted to be more than just a passionate hockey fan, though. C.) My brothers loved baseball, while my sisters were bigger fans of football. D.) Perhaps it was my uncle, a big hockey fan, who helped me to love the game. E.) Actually, hockey is not a very popular sport in the United States.

10. Important NOTES! • When looking at improving paragraphs questions, you’re going to see more than grammar rules. • Think about what the author is trying to convey(what point is the author trying to get across as clearly as possible) • Pay attention to the logic flow of ideas(order of ideas presented- logical sequence) • Avoid ambiguity (uncertainness) and wordiness(many effective revisions are short and precise- get point across as simply as possible)

11. SAT Improving Paragraphs • Video tutorial (strategies) • Click here!- video

12. Good luck on Improving Paragraphs! Fortune Favors the Bold. • CHS Motto