HOW I GOT 790 ON THE *SAT ENG READING & WRITING SECTION* | strats, section tips & free resources!

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

• The presenter improved their SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (English) score through a repeatable, tool-assisted reading process, careful answer selection, grammar rule learning via free resources, and extensive practice using free official question banks.
• Key mindset:
  • The answers are always in the text (no outside knowledge).
  • Read every word/sentence, because SAT questions often hinge on subtle wording.
• Test-taking tools and “thinking like College Board” (via explanations) are treated as major advantages.
• Instead of memorizing a large SAT vocabulary list, the presenter focuses on tracking frequently appearing unknown words and using context clues.

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Detailed strategies / methodology (organized roughly in the order the video presents them)

A) Setup & tools (Bluebook and full practice tests)

• In Bluebook immediately enable tools, especially:
  • Highlighting tool (for marking the passage while reading)
  • Crossing out tool (for eliminating wrong answers efficiently)
• The presenter emphasizes these tools were “extremely useful” and under-discussed.

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B) Reading section: how to approach passages

• Highlight while reading every time

  • Click and drag across the passage.
  • Use one consistent color to save time (switching colors is “time-consuming”).
  • Sometimes highlight the parts that correspond to what the question is asking for.

• Do not use outside knowledge

  • Even if you recognize the topic, treat the passage as if you know nothing beyond what’s written.
  • If something isn’t stated in the text, it’s not the answer—the SAT tests comprehension of the text, not external facts.

• Read every word / don’t skip

  • Don’t skip sentences or words even if something feels obvious.
  • Hard questions may require details you think are irrelevant.
  • Preferred approach: understand the full paragraph first, rather than “pick at” details after seeing the question.

• Use scratch paper

  • Use it especially for longer, science-heavy paragraphs with multiple ideas/variables.
  • Take very brief relationship notes (e.g., arrow-style relationships like A → B and an “up arrow” for increasing).
  • Notes help you:
    • keep your brain focused
    • understand relationships between ideas
    • eliminate answer choices more effectively

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C) Answering questions: choice selection workflow

• Before looking at choices, think of the answer in your head

  • This reduces distraction from misleading options.

• Then read answer choices carefully

  • Consider every word; one word can change meaning and make an option wrong.

• Common wrong-answer patterns described

  • Too narrow/specific compared to what the passage says
  • Too broad/generalized beyond what the text supports
  • Flipped cause/effect or relationship
    • Example: if notes show B causes A is wrong, then eliminate options implying the opposite (e.g., “A causes B” vs “B causes A”).

• Be suspicious of extreme words

  • Words flagged as risky: always, never, all, only
  • Not guaranteed wrong, but treated as “more suspicious” than neutral language.

• If unsure between two choices

  • Pick the most likely option, flag it, and return during review.

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D) Vocabulary questions (early in the Reading/Writing module)

• The presenter argues against memorizing large vocabulary lists (e.g., “top 500 SAT words”).
• Instead:
  • Compile words the presenter doesn’t know
  • Track which ones keep reappearing
  • Write them (e.g., on a sticky note) and review repeatedly until learned
• Rationale:
  • Many SAT vocab questions can be derived from context clues
  • Memorizing hundreds of words may be inefficient if they don’t match what appears on test day.

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E) Writing section: grammar learning and rule application

• The presenter felt humbled by their first practice test: grammar was not as strong as believed.

• Primary learning method: Khan Academy (free)

  • Use grammar modules and tables.
  • Screenshot or compile rules that aren’t understood yet.

• Grammar rules/tips the presenter says “always come up”:

  • Comma + “and” = treat as a period (useful for punctuation and fill-in-the-blank)
  • Period and semicolon are interchangeable (based on Khan Academy learning)
  • Transition questions: read neighboring sentences to determine relationship
    • Transition words are categorized by relationship type. Examples:
      • Emphasis: “in fact,” “indeed”
      • Exemplification: “for example”
      • Addition / furthering: “furthermore,” “moreover”
      • Comparison with different subjects: “likewise,” “similarly”
      • Cause & effect (first causes second): “because,” “accordingly,” “as such,” “to that end”
      • Contradiction: “still,” “in any case,” “rather”

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Free resources recommended (with how to use them)

1) Khan Academy SAT English (free course)

• Do the full Khan Academy English course.
• If short on time:
  • Use the course challenge
• Then:
  • Go to skill-specific lessons for topics you missed.
• Included as a “study hack” because it uses points and is presented as gamified/engaging.

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2) College Board SAT Suite Question Bank (free)

• The presenter describes it as:

  • a fully free question bank compiled by College Board (and other practice questions)
  • containing nearly 4,000 questions

• Usage approach:

  • Filter by skill areas (the presenter focuses on hardest categories)
  • Practice across difficulty levels: easy / medium / hard
  • The presenter personally did every single question

• Extra strategy while using it:

  • Read every answer explanation (even though it’s long)
    • Explanations detail why each wrong choice is wrong and why the correct one is right.
  • Goal: “start thinking like College Board”
    • By studying explanations, the presenter says their elimination methods aligned with how College Board expects you to reason.

• Difficulty pacing advice:

  • The presenter used easy questions to avoid the pitfall of doubting straightforward answers.
  • If time is limited, prioritize harder questions for maximum score improvement.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Speaker / narrator: Adora Yin
• Sources referenced:
  • College Board
  • Bluebook (SAT testing app environment)
  • Khan Academy (free SAT grammar course/modules)
  • College Board SAT Suite Question Bank (official free question bank)
• Unspecified background audio: “[Music]” segments (no distinct speaker named)