What are Idioms on the Digital SAT?
Idioms are fixed expressions that must follow a specific structure to sound correct in formal English. The test often checks whether the right preposition, verb form, or phrase pattern is used, and these mistakes can be surprisingly easy to miss. As these idioms rely on common usage instead of a rule you can memorize, students sometimes choose what “sounds right” instead of what’s actually correct.
The challenge here is that everyday speech often includes many casual or slightly incorrect versions of idioms, and those versions tend to sneak into incorrect answer choices. The Digital SAT expects you to recognize the polished, standard form used in academic writing, which is why idioms still matter even though the test format has changed.
Why Idioms Matter on the Digital SAT?
Idioms are tested within the Reading and Writing section’s short editing questions, where you’re asked to improve clarity and correctness. The test isn’t checking whether you know funny sayings or figurative language. It’s checking whether you can recognize formal, standard phrasing that fits the tone of academic writing. Most idiom errors involve minor tweaks to prepositions or verb structures. These details can completely change whether a sentence reads smoothly, and students who practice idiom patterns tend to avoid common mistakes on the test day.
Examples of Incorrect and Correct SAT Idioms
Many idioms appear inside longer sentences where the incorrect version feels almost acceptable. The SAT might change one word, but if that word breaks the idiom, the sentence becomes incorrect. Studying examples helps you see the structure rather than depending on instinct. Always compare the incorrect and correct versions side by side. This makes the differences clearer and enables you to understand what the Digital SAT prefers.
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| capable for managing data sets | capable of managing data sets |
| regard the findings to be reliable | regard the findings as reliable |
| decided doing more research | decided to do more research |
| in contrast with previous studies | in contrast to previous studies |
How Idioms Appear on the Digital SAT and What to Expect?
Idiom questions on the Digital SAT appear as short editing tasks in the Reading and Writing section. The test presents a sentence that looks mostly correct, and you choose the version that follows standard idiomatic usage. These questions focus on structure rather than meaning, and they reward students who recognize common patterns. Most idiom questions involve small wording issues that are easy to miss if you rely only on what sounds natural. Here are some common issues you see in these types of questions:
- a preposition that does not match the idiom
- a verb followed by the wrong preposition
- a verb that should take a gerund but uses an infinitive, or the reverse
- a phrase that leaves out part of the idiomatic structure
- a wording choice that feels informal or slightly out of place
While you will not see many idiom questions on the test, they are usually quick wins once you know the patterns. They do not require long passages or deep interpretation. A single word is often the only thing that needs to be corrected. Small hints in formality and structure help you identify the right answer almost immediately.
Types of SAT Idioms
Idioms on the Digital SAT follow patterns that recur across many questions. Once you understand these patterns, the entire topic becomes easier and much less confusing. Students often think idioms are random or that they require memorizing long lists, but the truth is that most idioms in SAT questions belong to a few predictable categories. Because these patterns can be subtle, enrolling in a structured SAT Prep Course is often the most effective way to systematically master them alongside other essential grammar rules.
This section explains the 3 major types of SAT idioms, why they matter, and how to study them effectively. Taking time to learn these types will pay off on test day because idiom questions often feel tricky until you understand the patterns behind them.
Prepositional Idioms
Prepositional idioms involve certain words that must always be followed by a particular preposition. If the preposition changes, the entire idiom becomes incorrect, even when the meaning seems close. This is one reason prepositional idioms appear often in idioms for SAT questions. They take something familiar from everyday conversation and adjust it slightly to see if you notice the difference.
If a preposition sounds odd or slightly off in a sentence, that is usually a sign that you are looking at an idiom error. To study this type, read the idioms as single units. For example, think of, interested in, as a single phrase rather than two separate words. This makes the incorrect version easier to spot. With enough exposure, these combinations will begin to feel natural to you. Here are some common prepositional idioms for the SAT.
| Prepositional Idioms |
|---|
| interested in capable of consistent with independent of |
Verb Preposition and Verb Preposition Noun Idioms
Some verbs require specific prepositions to complete their meaning. Others require a verb, a preposition, and a noun in a particular order. These patterns appear often in idioms in SAT questions because they are easy for the test to disguise. The sentence looks grammatically normal, but a small shift in the order or the connecting word makes the idiom incorrect. For example, attribute X to Y may not feel intuitive at first, but it is the only correct form. The Digital SAT relies on these subtle patterns to create tricky questions.
The easiest way to study these idioms is to group them by structure. This helps you understand which pieces belong together. Once you memorize even a small set of these idioms, your accuracy improves because the errors become easier to identify.
| Common Verb Preposition Structures | Common Verb Preposition Noun Idioms |
|---|---|
| attribute X to Y prohibit X from Y compare X with Y contrast X with Y |
credit X with Y regard X as Y associate X with Y distinguish X from Y |
Gerund and Infinitive Idioms
Some verbs must be followed by a gerund, which ends in “ing,” and others must be followed by an infinitive, which begins with “to.” These idioms appear frequently in idioms in SAT editing questions because both versions can sound acceptable in everyday language. For example, the test might pair ‘avoid’ with an infinitive or match ‘decide’ with a gerund, and both combinations are incorrect.
Studying gerund and infinitive idioms helps you in more than just idiom questions. It also improves your understanding of sentence structure and grammar as a whole, since many writing errors on the SAT involve choosing the right verb form.
| Common Gerund Idioms | Common Infinitive Idioms |
|---|---|
| avoid doing consider doing appreciate doing suggest doing |
decide to do plan to do choose to do attempt to do |
The Only SAT Idioms List You Ever Need
Now that you have seen how idioms work and how the Digital SAT uses them, we bring to you a comprehensive and complete list of idioms for SAT that you can use for practice and review. These idioms appear consistently in high-quality SAT prep materials, and represent patterns that students should know before the test day.
Use this list as a quick reference. You can turn it into flashcards, save it as a personal study sheet, or create a simple SAT idioms list PDF to review later. The goal here is not to reteach the patterns but to give you the full set in one place.
- capable of
- interested in
- consistent with
- independent of
- familiar with
- responsible for
- influence on
- concerned with
- afraid of
- essential to
- rely on
- focus on
- agree with
- deal with
- belong to
- depend on
- talk about
- look at
- wait for
- contribute to
- take advantage of an opportunity
- serve as a mentor
- see as a strength
- identify with a community
- consider as a possibility
- regard as a priority
- present as evidence
- describe as an improvement
- define as a challenge
- treat as a concern
- avoid making errors
- consider revising the plan
- discuss improving performance
- suggest reviewing the data
- appreciate having support
- enjoy working in groups
- finish preparing materials
- recommend taking notes
- practice solving problems
- delay completing the task
- decide to join the team
- plan to expand the program
- attempt to solve the issue
- refuse to accept the claim
- choose to participate
- hope to improve results
- fail to meet expectations
- agree to present findings
- expect to complete the project
- prepare to analyze the data
SAT Idiom Practice Questions (With Explanations)
Practicing idioms in the same format used on the Digital SAT is one of the fastest ways to build accuracy. These practice items also show you how the test blends idioms into everyday academic sentences, which makes the real exam much easier to navigate. Each explanation highlights why the correct option fits standard usage and why the other choices do not. Use this practice to strengthen your instincts, and then challenge yourself with a full-length SAT Practice Test to ensure you can spot these errors quickly under timed conditions.
Passage:
Because opportunities to transfer to universities are critical for success, Jerry Vallen was an ______ increasing the admission of transfer students from two-year colleges to four-year universities, making this a priority in his role as the founding dean of the hospitality school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1967.
Question
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
| A. advocate of | |
| B. obstacle to | |
| C. inspector for | |
| D. observer of |
Explanation
Look for clues in the text to determine which word has a meaning that best completes the sentence.
The text indicates that "opportunities to transfer to universities are critical for success" before noting that "increasing the admission" of two-year college students to four-year universities was a "priority" during Vallen's time as the dean of the hospitality school.
Advocate = a supporter of a cause. (Ex. Sonia is an advocate of recycling programs because she wants to protect the oceans from pollution.) Vallen prioritized increasing transfer student admissions, which demonstrates his support of them. Therefore, the answer that best completes the text is advocate of.
(Choice B) Obstacle = something that interferes with progress or achievement. (Ex. Tuition costs are an obstacle that keeps some students from attending college.) Vallen's priority was to increase university admissions of junior college students; he wouldn't want to interfere with this goal.
(Choice C) Inspector = a person employed to examine something. (Ex. Andy works as an inspector for the health department.) Vallen didn't examine the need to increase transfer student admission; he worked to improve it as the school's founding (first) dean.
(Choice D) Observer = a person who watches or notices something. (Ex. Margeaux was an observer of human behavior in public settings.) Vallen didn't notice an increase in students transferring to four-year universities; instead, he used his position as the dean to make it happen.
Things to remember:
Clues in the text will help to reveal which answer completes the sentence best.
Passage:
According to the US Census Bureau, the financial benefit of owning rather than renting a residence is ______ other reasons that influence people to move. Three other considerations affect the decision more: getting a new job, establishing one's own household, and living in a nicer dwelling.
Question
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
| A. superior to | |
| B. equivalent with | |
| C. outweighed by | |
| D. illustrative of |
Explanation
Look for clues in the text to determine which answer best fits what's being discussed.
Although people do consider the financial benefits of moving to a new place, three other considerations "affect the decision more": getting a job, having one's own place, and living in a nicer residence.
Because these other considerations have a greater influence on the decision, people count them as more valuable than financial benefit. "Outweigh" means to exceed the value of, so the desire for financial benefit is outweighed by other concerns.
(Choice A) "Superior" means of higher rank or quality. (Ex. Olympic gold medals are superior to silver ones.) This answer would state that financial benefits are more important than the other things that people consider when deciding to move, which is the opposite of what the text states.
(Choice B) "Equivalent" means of equal value. (Ex. Six is equivalent to a half dozen.) The text states that other considerations count more than the financial benefits, so the reasons aren't valued the same.
(Choice D) "Illustrative" means designed to show something. (Ex. Gabriela's reckless speed was illustrative of her impatience.) The financial benefits of moving don't illustrate (detail) the other concerns listed, such as getting a new job, having one's own residence, and living in a nicer place—these considerations are separate from financial concerns.
Things to remember:
Choose an answer with a meaning that makes sense in the sentence given the context.
Passage:
Researchers analyzed the genetic material in skeletal fragments of prehistoric cave hyenas, a subspecies of spotted hyena that roamed Eurasia 3 million years ago. They discovered that the cave hyena is _______ the modern sub-Saharan African spotted hyena, a species with ancestry dating back 10 million years, revealing that the two have shared ancestors.
Question
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
| A. protected by | |
| B. connected to | |
| C. liberated from | |
| D. reliant on |
Explanation
Evaluate the information before and after the blank to determine the relationship between these ideas. Then choose the answer that best expresses that relationship.
Prior to the blank, the text indicates that skeletal fragments of the prehistoric cave hyena were used for genetic analysis. After the blank, the modern sub-Saharan spotted hyena is introduced as a species that shares an ancestor with the prehistoric cave hyena.
Having shared ancestry indicates that these two species of hyena are linked. Therefore, the answer that best expresses their relationship is connected to.
(Choice A) The text doesn't discuss a time when the modern sub-Saharan African spotted hyena would have protected or defended the prehistoric cave hyena.
(Choice C) None of the details in the text suggest that the modern sub-Saharan African spotted hyena trapped the prehistoric cave hyena, such that it would need to be liberated or freed.
(Choice D) The text doesn't provide any details to indicate that the prehistoric cave hyena was reliant (dependent) on the modern sub-Saharan African hyena.
Things to remember:
Choose the answer the best expresses the relationship between the information before and after the blank.
Idioms for SAT: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to memorize dozens of idioms?
You do not need to memorize long lists of idioms for SAT success. The Digital SAT only tests a small set of common idiom patterns, mostly involving prepositions, verb structures, and gerund or infinitive forms. Learning the most common idioms for the SAT, especially the ones used in formal writing, is more helpful than trying to memorize everything you see online.
How many idiom questions typically appear on the SAT?
You will usually see only 2-4 idiom questions per module in the RW section of the Digital SAT. Even though idioms in SAT questions are not common, they are quick points when you know the patterns. As they require only a small correction in structure, many students consider them some of the easiest questions to master.
What is the best way to practice idioms for the SAT?
The best way to practice idioms for SAT improvement is to study them in groups and work with short editing questions that mirror the Digital SAT format. Focus on recognizing patterns rather than memorizing long lists. Reviewing exam-like SAT practice questions helps you see how idioms appear in real test settings and builds the confidence to spot them quickly on test day.
Do idioms affect the overall difficulty level of the Digital SAT?
Idiom questions are easier than many other Reading and Writing items because they focus on structure rather than interpretation. Even advanced students sometimes miss them due to casual phrasing, but once you learn common patterns, these become quick accuracy boosters. They are often the fastest items to answer correctly, which helps you manage time across the section.
Can I rely on what sounds right when choosing idioms on the SAT?
Relying on sounding right alone is risky because everyday speech often employs many informal idioms that are not suitable for academic writing. The Digital SAT expects standard usage, so the phrasing that feels familiar is often the wrong choice. A better approach is to check for the specific structures you studied, especially the prepositional and verb-based idioms that follow consistent patterns.
