SAT Reading Quick Tip: Find the Key Word or Phrase

Sentence completions can be difficult because of vocabulary. But students make them more difficult by approaching them incorrectly. Most students try to force each answer choice until it fits in the sentence. What ends up happening is that it starts to feel like every answer works. So what should you do instead?

The fix is simple: by actively looking for key words or key phrases! The best part is that these keys are ALWAYS CLEARLY and DIRECTLY stated in the problem.

1. Read the entire sentence.
2. Circle who/what the sentence describes.
3. Most importantly: underline HOW that person/thing is described. This is the key word or phrase.
4. The right answer will CLEARLY and DIRECTLY match the entire underlined key word or phrase.

Here's an example:

Answer: C