SAT Mock Writing and Language Assessment Test

Writing and Language Test
35 MINUTES, 44 QUESTIONS

Directions: Each passage below is accompanied by a number of questions. For some questions, you
will consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of ideas. For
other questions, you will consider how the passage might be edited to correct errors in
sentence structure, usage, or punctuation. A passage or a question may be accompanied by
one or more graphics (such as a table or graph) that you will consider as you make revising
and editing decisions.

Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of a passage. Other questions will
direct you to a location in a passage or ask you to think about the passage as a whole.

After reading each passage, choose the answer to each question that most effectively
improves the quality of writing in the passage or that makes the passage conform to the
conventions of standard written English. Many questions include a “NO CHANGE” option.
Choose that option if you think the best choice is to leave the relevant portion of the
passage as it is.

1. 

2. Which choice best maintains the style and tone of the passage?

3. 

4. 

5. The writer wants to include information from the graph that is consistent with the description of compost in the passage. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

6. The writer wants to support the paragraph’s main idea with accurate, relevant information from the graph. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

7.

8.

9.

10. Which choice provides the most effective transition from the previous paragraph?

11.

12. Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion?

13.

14. Which choice most effectively completes the explanation of a possible origin of the lion dance? 

15. Which choice most effectively concludes the paragraph?

16.

17. 

18. Which choice provides information that is most consistent in style and content with the information about the symbolism of the tortoise?

19. To make this paragraph most logical, sentence 5 should be placed 

20. 

21. 

22.

23. Which choice best fits with the tone of the rest of the passage?

24. 

25. At this point, the writer is considering adding the following graph.

Should the writer make this addition here?

26.

27.

28. To make this paragraph most logical, sentence 6 should be placed

29. Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion? 

30. 

31. 

32.

33. Which choice provides the best supporting example for the main idea of the paragraph?

34.

35.

36. Which choice provides the most precise description of the phenomenon depicted in the previous sentence?

37.

38. 

39. Which choice provides the most effective transition between ideas in the paragraph?

40.

41. At this point, the writer is considering adding the following.

and perform their experiment without traveling
into space

Should the writer make this addition here?

42. 

43. Which choice most effectively establishes that the UCSD students’ approach had solved a problem, mentioned earlier in the passage, relating to burning fuel on Earth?

44.