Important SAT Update: Transition to Digital SAT
Effective December 3, 2023, the traditional paper-and-pencil format of the SAT has been discontinued. Starting in 2024, all students are required to take the Digital SAT, ushering in substantial changes in duration, format, material coverage, and question types. This shift to the Digital SAT represents a departure from traditional testing methods. It is crucial for students, educators, and test-takers to acquaint themselves with the new examination structure. Read more about the Digital SAT here.
Format of the SAT® Reading Exam
Throughout the SAT Reading exam, you will read passages and answer multiple-choice questions. The Reading exam contains 52 questions and lasts a total of 65 minutes. The multiple-choice questions can be broken into two categories: implicit questions and explicit questions. Implicit questions will focus on information that is not directly stated in the passage. While explicit questions will focus on the information you can find stated directly in the text. Any answer choice you select should be able to be supported in the text.
Here is a breakdown of the kinds of questions you can expect from implicit and explicit questions:
What Are Implicit Questions?
Working with questions that ask about the information that is suggested in the passage can feel daunting, but you should know that you will not have to grasp at straws to find the correct answer for an implicit question. The correct answer can be supported by the information you know to be true by reading the passage. When working with implicit questions, be sure that the answer you select can be supported by information stated directly in the text. You may also use the graphics that accompany the passages to support your answer choices. Do not use outside knowledge when answering questions that focus on implied information.
Examples of Implicit Questions
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Select an answer
The passage most strongly suggests that ______- _____
- _____
- _____
- _____
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Select an answer
Which claim is supported by the graph?- _____
- _____
- _____
- _____
You can practice implicit questions by working on your inference skills.
What Are Explicit Questions?
One strategy for finding the correct answer when working with explicit questions is looking at the answer choices and finding one that accurately paraphrases the portion of the text in question. You should always go back into the text to be sure that the reading supports your answer choice. Remember, explicit questions are based on information stated directly in the passage.
Example of Explicit Questions
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Select an answer
The description in the first paragraph indicates that- _____
- _____
- _____
- _____
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Select an answer
Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?- _____
- _____
- _____
- _____
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Select an answer
In the context of the passage, the author’s use of the phrase “_____” (line __) is primarily meant to convey the idea that- _____
- _____
- _____
- _____
You can practice explicit questions by focusing on your attention to detail and overall reading comprehension skills.
As you prepare for the SAT Reading exam, consider how recognizing whether a question is an implicit question or an explicit question can help prepare you to strategize. The most important thing to remember when working throughout the Reading exam is that your answer choice should be supported by the text. Again, do not use outside information or outside knowledge when selecting your answer choice. This section of the exam is meant to assess your reading comprehension skills.
You can prepare for the SAT Reading exam and learn more about answering implicit and explicit questions using UWorld’s SAT online learning tools. Our SAT prep course offers thousands of sample questions, detailed answer explanations, and performance tracking tools to ensure that your study plan is streamlined and efficient. You can ensure that you will reach your full scoring potential by using these tools to prepare for the SAT test. Try it out!
