PITHY PARTING WISDOM
Congratulations on making it through another chapter. You’re getting there!
We know you’re getting sick of hearing this, but one of the best things you
can do to prepare for this section is to take as many Writing and Language Tests
as you can get your hands on. By the time you are done, you will have seen
every type of question the Serpent can throw at you, and you are less likely to be
surprised.
The other secret tool is your ear. If you grew up speaking English as a first,
second, or even third language, then you have been hearing the conventions of
English for a long time. The best way to tap into that experience, however, is less
through your eyes than through your ears. Read the passage out loud (or
whisper-read, if you don’t want to become the least popular kid in the testing
center). After you’ve picked your answer, read it again. This is called the “ear
test,” and it is one of your most effective weapons for taking on this section.
Finally, your absolute best preparation, for this test and also the Reading Test
and the optional (not optional) Essay, is to read challenging writing. We know
we’ve made this point before, but it bears repeating. Not only is reading quality
writing one of the most effective ways to boost your awareness of the
conventions of English, it is also the most pleasurable.
Oh, also be careful of the writing on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. The
grammar used on those social networking services is enough to make any self-
respecting English teacher implode.