Transitions: A Simple SAT Writing Guide

Transitions are words or phrases that connect ideas in a passage. They help the reader understand the relationship between sentences and paragraphs. The SAT tests transitions in the Writing section, which is 64 minutes long and has 44 questions. Students need to identify the correct transition word to complete a sentence.

The most common transition words are however, therefore, meanwhile, and thus. However indicates a contrast, therefore indicates a result, meanwhile indicates a pause, and thus indicates a conclusion. The SAT also tests less common transitions like nevertheless, nonetheless, and meanwhile. Students should learn to recognize these words and understand their meanings.

To identify transitions, read the sentence and look for the relationship between the ideas. If the sentence is comparing two ideas, the transition word is likely however or nevertheless. If the sentence is concluding an idea, the transition word is likely thus or therefore. The tradeoff is that learning transitions takes time, but it can improve scores by 50 points on the Writing section.

The best way to practice transitions is to take practice tests. The Digital SAT is section adaptive, so practicing transitions can help students get a harder second module. Students can also practice transitions by reading passages and identifying the transition words. This takes 10 minutes a day, but it can improve scores by 100 points on the Writing section.

On the test, read the sentence carefully and look for the relationship between the ideas. Eliminate answer choices that do not make sense. If a sentence is concluding an idea, the correct answer is likely thus or therefore. The test is 2 hours 14 minutes long, so students need to manage their time and answer questions quickly.

Mastering transitions is a simple way to improve SAT Writing scores. It takes 10 minutes a day to practice transitions, but it can improve scores by 100 points. The tradeoff is that practicing transitions is boring, but it is worth it to get a higher score. Students can start practicing transitions this week and see an improvement in their scores.