I’ve been very slowly working on an Essay Guide. So frustratingly slowly. The plan is for it to be an ebook (and maybe, if people really like it, a print book at some point). And it’s still very far from being done, but it’s getting to a point where I think it’s not a waste (more…)
This is a bit of a cliche, but you really should hold your reader’s hand and guide him through your essay. Avoid reader whiplash at all costs—your grader should never have to pause to wonder how he got to where he is, because you should be there at every juncture, reminding him exactly how he (more…)
Source. What you should take away from this post: You don’t have to use examples that support your point directly You can also use reverse examples to support your point indirectly EXAMPLE: Let’s say the point you want to make is that teens to need make their own decisions and face the consequences to become (more…)
SAT essay assignments require you to take a position and support it using “reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.” In other words, you don’t just have to say what you believe, you need to try to persuade your reader to agree with you, or at the very least convince him (more…)
This is Part 5 of a multi-part series on how to write a stellar SAT essay. Check out the other parts here: [part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4] Things You’ll Learn From This Post: Paragraph 3 is identical to Paragraph 2 w/ one exception (transition) There needs to be transition between paragraphs “Like” and “Addition” transitions (more…)
This is Part 4 of a multi-part essay series. Check out those other parts first, if you haven’t already. [part 1, part 2, part 3] Deep analysis avoids claim and summary as much as possible. If you make a claim, you back it up with examples and reasoning. If you give a summary, you also (more…)
Katelyn’s 10 essay (in the comments) Because even though you only get one score, your essay can fail or succeed along 5 axes. The above is something I’m working on to try to help people understand a little better how, even if their grammar is perfect, for example, their essay score might not improve. It (more…)
I found this image all over the web but couldn’t find an original creator. 🙁 People are always asking me for the best way to increase vocabulary. Because I’m most often asked this question about a week before the test, what they usually mean by “best” is “most expeditious.” Let’s be clear: What I’m going (more…)
This is part 3 of a multi-post series on writing the 25-minute SAT essay, a paragraph-by-paragraph, sentence-by-sentence breakdown. Basically, these posts will construct a full-fledged essay template. If you haven’t checked out part 1 on the introduction paragraph, jump on over there first. And part 2 on topic sentences here. I had this convo the other (more…)
Source. This is part 2 of a multi-post series on writing the 25-minute SAT essay, a paragraph-by-paragraph, sentence-by-sentence breakdown. Basically, these posts will construct a full-fledged essay template. If you haven’t checked out part 1 on the introduction paragraph, jump on over there first. Paragraph 2 — Example 1/Analysis (approx. 7-10 sentences): (more…)
You know the 5-paragraph essay format you learned way back when? Use it. Or at least use a 4-paragraph essay where you cut out one of the body paragraphs. Of course there are other formats that can get you a nice score on this essay, but if you don’t already know them, now is not (more…)
By popular demand, here’s another essay challenge. By my own personal financial constraints, I can only award ONE winner this time. Let’s get right into it, shall we? And the great owners, who must lose their land in an upheaval, the great owners with access to history, with eyes to read history and to know (more…)
Source. Read enough SAT essays, and patterns begin to emerge. Some of them are good (I mostly still love seeing The Great Gatsby used as an example even though I’ve seen it a million times, as long as it’s appropriate for the prompt) and some not so much. Here’s a hodgepodge of common things you (more…)
I have been following the SAT Cheating Scandal pretty closely since the beginning. I don’t check in on it every day or anything, but I have a Google Alert set up, so when news breaks, I peek in. Apparently Sam Eshaghoff, the kid who took the test for all those other people, is getting his (more…)
image source It’s been over a week, and still not a day goes by that I don’t see a new article bashing The College Board for its decision to use reality TV as an essay topic. The topic caught me off guard just as it did everyone else, but I can’t justify all the hand-wringing (more…)
