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The Improving Paragraphs questions follow the Error Id questions on the 25-minute grammar section of the
SAT. They are always questions 30-35. Made up of easy and medium questions...
the Improving Paragraphs section should never be left undone.
Make sure you leave enough time for it, even if that means skipping the more difficult Error ID problems.
What it is: You are being asked to revise a student’s rough draft of an essay. Every sentence is numbered.
Sometimes you will be asked to refer back to the passage, but often ETS reproduces the sentence below the
question.
How to Tackle: Always keep in mind the 19 grammar rules and remember that clear and concise is preferred.
Step 1: If time allows, read the entire essay. Don’t get bogged down by the wordy and
incorrect grammar, just read the passage for a sense of the student’s main idea and tone.
Read it quickly, as you aren’t dealing with a reading comprehension passage.
Step 2: Determine if you are on a specific question or a general question.
Specific questions ask you to revise a sentence or combine two sentences. On specific questions, it is a good
idea to read the sentences before and after the given sentence in order to remain true to the context and flow of
the passage.
General questions ask you to omit or add a sentence and refer to the passage as a whole. If you have not read
the entire essay, you may miss the general questions.
On Improving Paragraphs questions, answer choice (A) is not a restatement
of the given sentence, unless ETS states (A) (As it is now).