SAT March 2012 Countdown: 2

Essay:

• Read the Prompt
• Read the Quote
• Read the Prompt again.
• Think for 1 minute (don't write).
• Brainstorm. Focus, focus, focus your complementary examples and connect these specific examples to BIG CONCEPTS. Organize. (2 minutes)
• Write (20 min)
• Intro Paragraph:
• Thesis plus preview of your examples (Think DEVIL'S ADVOCATE--knock out objection to your thesis in your intro).
• 3 body paragraphs. Topic sentence plus 4-7 sentences of concrete detail.
• 2 body paragraphs is acceptable, but not advisable--write as much as you can to demonstrate the mastery of your tipic.
• Transition between paragraphs.
• Conclusion.
• LAST 2 MINUTES: Fix errors and upgrade vocabulary--(replace to be/to have with stronger verbs).

Writing Section (multiple choice)

The Fist of No Error (see above and sidebar)

• Subject/Verb agreement (number)
• Tense (verb tense and aspect)
• Pronoun (number, case, antecedent)
• Adjective/Adverb (modifiers; infinitive/gerund)
• Diction (correct word ex: affect/effect;phrasal verb & correct prepostition)
• Misplaced Modifiers (modifying phrases and clauses)
• "Patterns": comparison, parallelism, list made of similar parts of speech
• Conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, correlative ; also relative pronoun clauses

Improving Sentences

Improving Paragraphs

Identifying Sentence Errors