The SAT Reading and Writing section has 54 questions (2 modules × 27, 32 minutes each). Every question is one short passage (25-150 words) with one 4-option question. The questions test 10 skills in 4 domains: Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas, Standard English Conventions and Expression of Ideas. They appear in exactly that order in every module, so you always know where each type sits.
The 4 domains and question counts
The figures come from College Board's specifications and refer to the 50 scored questions. Passages come from literature, history/social studies, the humanities and science; some include a table, bar graph or line graph.
| Domain | Skills (question types) | Share / questions |
|---|---|---|
| Craft and Structure | Words in Context, Text Structure and Purpose, Cross-Text Connections | ≈28% / 13-15 |
| Information and Ideas | Central Ideas and Details, Command of Evidence (textual and quantitative), Inferences | ≈26% / 12-14 |
| Standard English Conventions | Boundaries; Form, Structure, and Sense | ≈26% / 11-15 |
| Expression of Ideas | Rhetorical Synthesis, Transitions | ≈20% / 8-12 |
The order of questions in a module
- Craft and Structure first, then Information and Ideas, then Standard English Conventions, and Expression of Ideas last.
- Within Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas and Expression of Ideas, questions on the same skill are grouped and run from easiest to hardest.
- Standard English Conventions questions run from easiest to hardest whatever rule they test.
- In practice: the grammar block in the middle is usually quick - do not get stuck on a hard Inferences question; flag it and come back.
Craft and Structure: words and text structure
- Words in Context - the most precise word for a blank, or what a word means in the passage. Strategy: fill the blank with your own word first ("contrast", "intensify"), then compare the choices.
- Text Structure and Purpose - what a passage or one sentence does. Ask why the author wrote it: an example, an objection, a conclusion or an introduction?
- Cross-Text Connections - two passages: how would the author of Text 2 respond to Text 1? Sum up each text's main claim in one short sentence and compare.
Information and Ideas: evidence from the text
- Central Ideas and Details - the main idea or a specific detail. Avoid broad choices that the passage never states.
- Command of Evidence (textual) - which quotation or finding best supports a claim. Pin down the claim first, then test each choice against it.
- Command of Evidence (quantitative) - the right conclusion from a table or graph. Find each number on the graph yourself and watch the condition in the question (year, group).
- Inferences - the sentence that logically completes the passage. Pick the choice that follows from the text without claiming more than it says.
Standard English Conventions: grammar
- Boundaries - punctuation between parts of a sentence: period, semicolon, colon, comma + and / but / so. Two independent clauses cannot be joined by a comma alone.
- Form, Structure, and Sense - subject-verb agreement, pronouns and their antecedents, verb tense, modifier placement, singular and plural, possessives.
- Strategy: read the part before the blank and the part after it separately - is each an independent clause? Then choose the rule. If two choices follow the same rule (say, a period and a semicolon), they cannot both be right - find the difference.
Expression of Ideas: improving the writing
- Transitions - the linking word between sentences: however, therefore, for example, in addition, similarly. Decide the relationship first - contrast, cause and effect, example or continuation - then choose the word.
- Rhetorical Synthesis - a student's bullet-point notes and a goal ("compare the two studies", "introduce the topic to an audience"). Only the choice that meets the stated goal is right, even if the others are also factually true.
Timing and overall strategy
- Average pace: about 71 seconds per question (32 minutes for 27 questions).
- Read the question first: it tells you what to look for in the passage.
- Cross out choices (Bluebook has a cross-out tool): extreme, unsupported or off-target choices go first.
- Never leave a blank - wrong answers do not cost points.
- After every mock, count your mistakes by skill: five Boundaries errors, for example, are the fastest points to win back.
Frequently asked questions
- Are there long passages? No, each passage is 25-150 words with one question.
- Is there an essay? No, the section is multiple choice only.
- Do I need to memorise rare words? Words in Context tests high-utility academic words - the meaning in context matters, not obscure vocabulary.
