sat practice essay 5

SAT Practice Test #5 Section 2: Writing

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During Sunday's stream, you'll take an SAT Reading section live with Vade, one of CollegeVine's SAT tutors. You and Vade will go through the section one question at a time and after each question, Vade will provide an in-depth breakdown of how to get to the correct answer (and how to avoid the most common mistakes). You'll also read each passage side-by-side and learn how to extract useful information while reading as quickly as possible.

Sunday's stream will cover Section 2 (Writing) of the Official SAT Practice Test #5. You can download the test section that will be used in the livestream by clicking here .

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Free SAT Practice Questions

Doesn't everyone love the word "free"? This could not be truer—especially in the world of test prep. Practice makes perfect—or at least that's how the old saying goes—and free SAT practice means the world to ambitious students with high-scoring goals. If you're looking for a thorough breakdown of how to solve particular SAT question types, then we've got the free practice that could be a real game-changer in your course of study. Our step-by-step explanations illustrate for you what to expect from what each SAT question, revealing question-specific hurdles and common test-related traps.

Each of our free 60 practice questions is accompanied with a detailed explanation to clarify why a particular answer is correct, but even taking it one step further and entailing why the others are incorrect. We believe a well-rounded approach to understanding the SAT is crucial for success, which is why our breakdowns of important sample questions facilitate more than one way to arrive at the right choice. In the end, the only way to find out your trouble spots and successes is to practice, practice, practice—so why not get cracking on what we have to offer so you can ensure your destiny with a high score.

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Thinking about tackling the SAT Essay? Here's what you need to know: you'll be asked to read a text (typically a speech or editorial of some sort) and discuss how the author effectively builds an argument. This might be a familiar task if you’ve done it in school, but if not, don’t worry. The format is straightforward, and with some practice, you can learn how to write a great SAT essay.

What is the SAT essay?

The SAT essay is optional and costs an additional fee of $17.00. Currently, only 25 colleges and universities require the SAT essay. You can find a searchable list of school requirements for the essay here . If there is any chance that you might apply to one of those schools, you should sign up for the essay. If you are not sure where you will apply, you should strongly consider signing up for the essay. Your essay score will appear on every score report you send to colleges, regardless of whether or not the school requires an essay. 

Here are 5 tips for writing a killer SAT essay, should you decide to add on that section:

1. Stay Objective

The thing to remember here is that ETS (the company that writes the test) is not asking you for your opinion on a topic or a text. So be sure to maintain formal style and an objective tone. Tip: Avoid “I” and “you.

2. Keep It Tidy

Handwriting is becoming a lost art. Unfortunately, this is one occasion where your skill with a pencil matters. Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly.

3. (Indented) Paragraphs Are Your Friend

Remember the basic essay structure you learned in school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The SAT essay graders love it! Your introduction should describe the text and paraphrase the argument being made, as well as introduce the specific elements of the passage and argument that you will discuss in the essay. Your conclusion should restate the goal of the passage/argument and sum up the points you made.

Read More: SAT Tips and Strategies

4. For Example…

Use your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples. Use short, relevant quotes from the text to support your points.

5. Don't Worry About the Exact Terms for Things

Blanking on terminology? When describing how the author builds his or her argument, “appeal to the emotions” is fine instead of specifically referencing “pathos.” And “comparison of two things” can be used instead of referring to a metaphor. If you do know the official terms, though, feel free to use them!

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SAT Practice Test

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Congrats on taking our SAT Sample Quiz. Take one of our full-length SAT practice tests or one of our study sets. Everything is 100% free!

1 . Question

What percentage does 90 represent in relation to 360?

2 . Question

7 added to 4 times a quantity y is equal to 62. Which equation represents this condition?

• a. 7(4y) = 62
• b. 7 – 4y = 62
• c. 7 + 4y = 62
• d. 4y – 7 = 62

3 . Question

For a cost of $57, how many pounds of avocados were bought at a rate of $19 per pound?

4 . Question

The table displays three sets of values for x and their corresponding f(x) values for a linear function f. What equation accurately represents the definition of f(x)?

• a. f(x) = 6x + 65
• b. f(x) = 8x + 65
• c. f(x) = 65x + 73
• d. f(x) = 73x + 81

5 . Question

If \frac{x}{15}=20 , what is the value of \frac{15}{x} ?

6 . Question

What is the equation that defines line p in the xy-plane, given that it passes through the point (-4, 6) and has a slope of 6?

• a. y = 6x + 30
• b. y = 6x – 30
• c. y = 6 + 30x
• d. y = 6x – 30x

7 . Question

2.5b + 5r = 80

The provided equation expresses the connection between the quantity of biscuits (b) and raisins (r) that a reviewer business can handle in a single day. If the business is tending to 16 raisins on a specific day, what is the capacity for biscuits that it can manage on the same day?

8 . Question

In a specific rectangular area, the length-to-width ratio is 45 : 15. If the width of the region grows by 8 units, how should the length be adjusted to uphold this ratio?

• a. It must decrease by 24.5 units.
• b. It must increase by 24.5 units.
• c. It must decrease by 24 units.
• d. It must increase by 24 units.

9 . Question

In a circle with center O, the arc XY measures 105°. What is the degree measure of the angle XOY that corresponds to this arc?

10 . Question

In a right triangle, the side lengths are 3\sqrt3 , 2\sqrt3 ,and \sqrt{70} units. What is the area of the triangle in square units?

*Enter in just the number for your answer.

All SAT Practice Tests

If you want some more in-depth prep, use a free SAT practice test listed below.

• Practice Exams = Timed and Full-Length
• Practice Sets = Not Timed and Smaller Sets of Questions

SAT Practice Exam #1

SAT Practice Exam #2

SAT Practice Exam #3

SAT Practice Exam #4

SAT Math Practice Sets

SAT Reading & Writing Practice Sets

If you want some additional help with prepping for the SAT, consider using  SAT prep courses .

Official SAT PDF Practice Exams

If you want to study using PDFs, use the links below. These are full-length practice exams provided by the CollegeBoard.

Overview of the SAT

The SAT is an entrance exam used by colleges and universities to help make decisions about admissions.

The SAT is administered by the CollegeBoard and is given 7 times per year. The exam is a timed, mainly multiple-choice exam, taken by students in high school.

Beginning in the spring of 2024, the SAT will be going fully digital. The digital SAT (DSAT) will have some formatting and content changes to it, along with some other changes. You can review those changes below.

New SAT (Digital SAT)

This exam will be given to students starting in spring of 2024.

Old SAT (Written Exam)

This exam will be given to students up until spring of 2024.

The biggest difference between the old SAT and the digital SAT is that the digital SAT is taken completely online and has combined some sections to streamline the exam.

Scoring of the SAT

You will receive a score for math and a score for reading/writing. Each of those scores will be between 200 and 800 .

Your total score will be the sum of those two scores. You can receive a total score between 400 and 1600 on the SAT.

The average SAT score is 1060. Learn more about good SAT scores .

Registering for the SAT and Test Dates

You can register for the SAT online via the CollegeBoard site .

You will need to do the following when registering for the SAT:

• Have a Valid Photo ID
• Upload a Photo of Yourself When Registering Online
• Pay Registration Fees
• Print Your Admission Ticket

It will cost your $60 to take the SAT. There may be some additional fees like canceling, changing test center, etc..

The SAT is typically given 7 times per year. The exam is given on Saturdays. You can expect the exam to be given in these months:

• Early March
• Late August
• Early October
• Early November
• Early December

You can find exact dates on the official website .

Steps for Using SAT Practice

When using our free SAT practice tests, we recommend the following steps to get the most out of your time:

• Take 1 practice exam from each subject.
• Determine which subject you struggled the most with.
• Focus on that 1 subject moving forward. Take additional practice exams in that subject, study important concepts, and invest in a SAT prep course if need be.
• Take a practice exam on that subject again and see where you stand. Continue to focus on that subject if you need more help or move on to another subject if you did well on this practice exam.
• Repeat steps 3 and 4 for other subjects.

Benefits of Using SAT Practice Questions

There are many benefits to using SAT questions during your prep process. Some of those benefits include:

Help With Timing

The SAT exam is a timed test. Keeping a steady pace is critical to achieving a high score.

You can improve your decision making and your time by taking practice exams.

Test Familiarity

All standardized tests, including the SAT, have their own unique way of presenting questions and answer choices.

You will gain more familiarity and comfort with the SAT question style as you take more practice quizzes. On the real exam day, there will be no surprises.

Efficient Studying

When you take many practice exams, you will get a sense of your test strengths and weaknesses.

Many students mistakenly spend time working on their strengths while ignoring their weaknesses.

Knowing which subjects you struggle with will help you focus your study time.

Work On Problem Solving

Tests like the SAT measure your ability to solve problems, not just memorize information. It is critical to have strong problem-solving abilities.

The answer explanations provided in our score reports can help you understand how to solve problems that you may be struggling with.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the sat going to the digital format.

The SAT will be switching to the digital format in the spring of 2024.

How many questions are on the SAT?

There are 154 questions on the old SAT (written version).

There are 98 questions on the new SAT (digital version).

How much time do you have to take the SAT?

You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to take the old SAT (written version).

You will have 2 hours and 14 minutes to take the new SAT (digital version).

Can I use a calculator on the math section of the SAT?

There will be 1 math section in which you can use a calculator and 1 math section in which you cannot use a calculator on the old SAT (written version).

You will be permitted to use a calculator on all math modules on the new SAT (digital version).

What is a good way to practice for the SAT?

We recommend taking 1 practice exam for each subject. You can then determine which subject gave you the most trouble and focus your studies on that subject.

• Authored By: Adam Groden
• Last Updated: January 19, 2024

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, a massive collection of free sat practice tests.

SAT Strategies , SAT General Info , New SAT

Whether you're building your own SAT prep program or just supplementing a class, finding SAT practice tests and questions can pose a serious challenge. This article will go through every type of practice SAT test, how to best use them, and, most importantly, where to find them.

What You Need SAT Practice Tests For

Before we get into the many different sources of SAT practice tests, let's talk about why you need a deep well of practice material to draw from and the different ways you'll use these resources.

Real Practice Tests

A key part of SAT prep is taking full-length practice tests in realistic conditions . Since you want to mimic the SAT experience as closely as possible, you'll need to use real SATs. Using official tests for SAT practice questions also gives you a better prediction of your score and can help you determine what areas you need to focus on.

You'll want to use at least three tests for this purpose and make sure they're the most current version of the SAT (from 2016 onward).

Question Analysis

Official SAT questions have their own style and logic, which other test writers aren't always great at imitating. Unsurprisingly, then, the best way to understand the SAT is to study with actual SATs.

As part of your test prep, spend some time looking really closely at official SAT questions and thinking about what they're asking and how each question is constructed. The more familiar you become with the unique structure and language of SAT questions, the less daunting the test will seem.

Subject Practice

The final type of SAT prep is practicing with the various types of test questions to hone your section-specific strategies and grasp of the content. Subject-targeted practice will also ensure that you know how to employ your math and grammar knowledge effectively to answer SAT-style questions.

Though official SAT questions are the ideal materials for this type of practice, it's less important that you focus exclusively on real SAT questions . Using unofficial materials to practice general strategies will help you save official SATs to use as full practice tests.

Now that you know what you'll need SAT practice tests for, let's go through the different places you can find each type of them—starting with official College Board tests.

Where to Find Current and Old Official SATs

As I described above, there are a number of types of practice that you should only use official SAT questions for. As such, they're the most valuable type of SAT prep material and you'll want to build up as large of a collection as possible .

I've divided these tests up by which version of the SAT they are:

• Current (2016 and onward)
• Old 2400-scale format (2005-2016)
• Very old format (pre-2005)

You'll want to focus mostly on the current tests, but the other versions can still provide helpful extra practice. For more info on how to get the most out of older SAT practice tests, check out our complete guide to old SATs .

Most of these materials are free, but I've included the best materials for sale as well. After all, spending $10-$20 dollars on great practice tests can be well worth the investment!

Current SAT Practice Tests

Below are all the official practice SATs for the current version of the exam.

10 Official Free Practice Tests

The College Board has released 10 practice SATs for the current version of the test. You can download them below or take them online at Khan Academy (see next section for more details):

• Practice Test 1: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 2: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 3: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 4: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 5: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 6: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 7: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 8: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay
• Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay

Unfortunately, the practice tests in The Official SAT Study Guide, 2020 Edition are the same as those above (except that the book doesn't include practice tests 2 and 4), so these are really all you have in the way of full official new SATs. Plan accordingly!

Official SAT Prep at Khan Academy

There are a bunch of official SAT practice questions available as part of Khan Academy's free SAT prep . You'll need to sign up for an account to access these resources, but it's completely free and tracks your progress over time.

The lessons and practice questions are all divided by type, so they're very helpful for more targeted studying. While the strategies and suggestions aren't super useful for the Reading and Writing sections, there's a lot of Math content if you want to brush up on any concepts you might have missed or forgotten. You can see a sample question below:

Practice Questions on the SAT Website

Finally, there are some extra practice questions available on the College Board website:

• 24 Reading questions with two passages
• 22 Writing and Language questions with two passages
• 30 Math Calculator questions
• 18 Math No Calculator questions

Keep in mind that some of these questions also appear in The Official SAT Study Guide .

Although the 2016 overhaul involved big changes to the format of the test , previous versions of the SAT can still provide you with helpful study material.

Free Full Practice Tests

There are four older practice tests you can download for free:

• SAT Practice Test (2013-2014) Questions | Answers
• SAT Practice Test (2012-2013) Questions | Answers
• SAT Practice Test (2007-2008) Questions | Answers
• SAT Practice Test (2004-2005) Questions | Answers

Unfortunately, these tests don't have explanations for the answers, so you'll have to figure out why the correct answer is correct on your own or ask a friend, family member, or tutor for help.

If you really run out of practice materials, you can turn to the pre-2005 SATs:

• SAT Practice Test (2003-2004) Questions | Answers
• SAT Practice Test (2002) Questions + Answers
• SAT Practice Test (2001) Questions + Answers

You'll notice some question types that no longer exist on the SAT, so make sure that you know which questions to use and which to ignore .

The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd Edition

This official book offers 10 more full official old SATs and can be worth buying if you're studying aggressively and need some extra practice tests. Just remember that they are all in the old format, so there will be some irrelevant content and question formats. You can get this prep book used for just a couple dollars, or new for around $25.

Other Resources for Official SAT Practice Tests

You might also be able to find official SATs through unofficial channels. Try searching for "old SAT practice test" or a similar phrase on Google and clicking through the results. If you're lucky, you might find some PDFs of previously administered SATs (though they'll likely use the old test format). Be aware that there's no guarantee these are real SATs.

One helpful website you can use for this purpose is CrackSAT.net . They offer a huge collection of (what they claim to be) official SATs and practice questions. While the website can be tricky to navigate, it's definitely worth looking at if you want more realistic-looking SAT questions to practice with.

Ready to go beyond just reading about the SAT? Then you'll love the free five-day trial for our SAT Complete Prep program . Designed and written by PrepScholar SAT experts , our SAT program customizes to your skill level in over 40 subskills so that you can focus your studying on what will get you the biggest score gains.

Click on the button below to try it out!

Where to Find (and How to Use) Unofficial SATs

Sadly, there aren't a ton of official SAT practice tests available, so if you're planning 40+ hours of studying, you'll probably need some supplementary materials. Note that practice materials not sanctioned by the College Board can vary wildly in quality: some are very similar to the actual SAT, whereas others don't even share the same basic structure as the test!

I've collected the most helpful resources and provided some suggestions on how to get the most out of them in your SAT prep. This list is extensive but not exhaustive —there are a lot of SAT books and tests out there. Be aware, however, that many of them aren't very high quality, so use your judgment when deciding whether to incorporate something you find into your prep.

Unofficial SAT Prep Books

SAT prep books are a good alternative for extra content review and practice. Their questions aren't always quite right—for example, they might cover material you don't really need to know or are easier or harder than those on the real SAT—but prep books can be a great resource for both reviewing concepts and trying out different strategies.

I've provided some suggestions for general SAT prep books below. These each cost about $30, but you might be able to find them used for much cheaper or free at your local or school library. Just make sure that they aren't written in before you check them out. Also, note that many of the best SAT books cover only one subject, so buying books can get expensive quickly.

Best Book for High Scorers: SAT Premium Study Guide (Barron's)

Barron's SAT book has a lot of in-depth study material that's particularly helpful for high scorers looking to fine-tune their test-taking strategies and ensure that they know every concept that might appear on the test.

That said, the questions (especially those for Reading) tend to be much more difficult than those on the actual SAT, so this prep book isn't a good choice for students who get easily frustrated.

You'll get a total of eight full-length practice tests (five in the book and three online) with this book.

Best Book for Low Scorers: Kaplan's SAT Prep Plus 2023

Kaplan's SAT Prep Plus 2023 , as well as its other SAT prep books, are better for students who need a basic foundation on what to expect on the test and how to approach it. The questions skew easier, so it doesn't provide great preparation for the more challenging aspects of the exam.

This book is a good place to start if you have a low baseline score and want to increase it by a lot, since it will let you save official tests and more challenging practice for later in the process.

This book offers five full-length SAT practice tests (two in the book and three online).

Free Online Practice SATs from Test-Prep Companies

Since these tests are free, they're often (though not always) of a lower quality than the tests in books. If you really need more free practice materials, stick to using these for untimed content review and don't worry if something seems weird or unusual.

If you're a high SAT scorer, trying to figure out how the test is different from an official SAT can be a good exercise and will help you understand exactly what makes the real thing tick.

Ivy Global offers two free SAT practice tests, which are pretty decent in terms of quality. As you can see in the example below, both tests mimic the style of the official test very closely. Given the scarcity of materials for the current version of the SAT, these practice test PDFs could be a helpful addition to your prep—as long as you keep in mind that neither are official resources.

MajorTests.com

This website has a large selection of SAT practice questions divided by type. They're in the same basic styles as old SAT questions, though the online format is less streamlined than that of the College Board or Khan Academy websites. You can see an example below:

These SAT questions are best used sparingly —to test knowledge of math and grammar content and to practice general strategies (such as plugging in answers or numbers ). Keep in mind that they might contain some errors.

Varsity Tutors

The format on these SAT practice questions isn't especially accurate, and they sometimes ask about concepts that aren't tested on the SAT. I generally wouldn't recommend using them, but you can if you really want more questions to help test your general SAT knowledge. Here's an example of a question:

Other Free Unofficial SAT Practice Tests

Big test-prep companies, such as The Princeton Review and Kaplan, often offer a free practice test if you register for an account on their website. Sometimes you can even sign up to take the practice SAT at one of their test centers.

As always, keep in mind that the quality of the practice SAT will vary wildly, and the company might aggressively pitch you their services.

Making an SAT Study Plan: 3 Essential Tips

Now that you know where to start compiling the materials you'll need to prepare for the SAT, let's discuss how best to use these resources in a study plan . For more details on how to plan your SAT prep, check out our guide on how to build a prep plan that fits your schedule .

#1: Find Your SAT Baseline Score

Make sure to take a real SAT to determine your baseline score —unofficial diagnostic tests won't give you a realistic sense of what the SAT is like or what your actual strengths and weaknesses are. Take the test in a quiet room without any distractions, and be sure to follow the official time limits .

#2: Practice Skills and Review Content With Supplementary Materials

Because there's a limited number of official SATs available, you should supplement these tests with practice materials focused on specific subjects or question styles, including the official questions on Khan Academy and the SAT website, as well as those from unofficial sources.

Making strategic use of these materials will allow you to try out new strategies and drill specific skills without having to worry about how many full official tests you have left.

#3: Focus On Using Official SATs as Full-Length Practice Tests

Again, because your supply of official SATs is limited, you want to use them judiciously. Don't waste these tests by taking them in bits and pieces or while you're distracted or stressed out.

Instead, use most of the official SAT practice tests as full-length practice tests under real testing conditions: timed, all in one sitting, in a quiet room, etc. Once you've taken a test, take time to carefully go over the questions you missed and the ones you guessed on, analyzing why you got each one wrong and how the question is actually solved.

Remember to also save one or two official SATs for the end of your prep schedule!

What's Next?

Taking an SAT practice test is only the first step— you also need to go over your answers. Make sure that you know the best way to review your mistakes .

If you want to focus on a specific SAT section, check out our guides to the best practice materials for Reading , Math , and Writing .

Want to improve your SAT score quickly? Try our 20-hour SAT prep plan or our one-month SAT study plan , depending on how much time you have left before test day.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?

Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more.

Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions, official SAT practice tests, and personal feedback on your essays from an expert instructor.

Check out our 5-day free trial:

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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