Digital SAT Reading & Writing - What You Need To Know

With the arrival of the Digital SAT in March 2024, the Reading & Writing Section of the test is completely changing. Here is what you need to know about these upcoming changes.

Digital Interface: Embracing Technology

One of the most obvious changes is the transition from paper to a digital interface. Test-takers will navigate through reading passages and writing prompts using a computer. You will need to provide your own laptop or tablet to take the test. The College Board does offer a loaner program though they recommend applying to it well before the test date.

Make sure to download the Bluebook App before test day, so that you can try it out. Best case scenario is that you take an entire practice test on the Bluebook app before you take the real thing!

Adaptive Testing: Tailored to Individual Skills

The digital SAT Reading & Writing section will incorporate adaptive testing technology, a feature that adjusts the difficulty of questions based on a student's performance. This adaptive approach aims to provide a more accurate assessment of a test-taker's abilities, ensuring that the exam reflects a student's true skill level.

The way the adaptive works is that the first section of the Reading & Writing Test will be the same for everyone. Then, based on how you score on this first test, you will be given easier or harder questions on the second test. If you do well on the first test, you have the potential to score higher on the second test as these harder questions will earn you more points.

Interactive Elements: Engaging Content

To make the test more interactive and engaging, the digital format will introduce multimedia elements in the Reading & Writing section. Expect to encounter charts, graphs, and other visual aids within reading passages, challenging students to interpret information in various formats.

Two Sections Combined: Reading & Writing

With the old paper test, there were three sections: 1) Writing & Language; 2) Reading; and 3) Math. The Digital test brings together what was formerly two separate sections, Writing & Language and Reading, into one single section called Reading & Writing. This new single section combines many of the same skills from the two old sections, but its format is completely different than the two old sections.

The Biggest Strategy Change: Shorter Passages

The old paper test had long passages with several questions accompanying them. The Digital test now has short passages, no more than 1-2 paragraphs long, with only one question accompanying each passage. This shift in format means that new strategies are needed to approach this section effectively.

Test Hack! - Read the question before you read the passage. With the shorter passages, you can now easily read the question first. This comes with huge advantages, and you should absolutely read the question before you read the passage.

Reading the question first allows you to identify the question type and knowing the question type will change the way you approach the passage. Further, by knowing what the questions is asking, and in turn, what you are looking for, you will be able to read the passage with purpose and efficiency.

Learn Your Grammar Rules!

Grammar questions are some of the most common types of questions you will see on the Digital SAT Reading & Writing Section. Additionally, when compared with questions in this section that test reading comprehension, grammar questions are much less subjective because they are testing you on your knowledge of concrete grammar rules rather than on more subjective analytical skills.

For both of these reasons, learning and reviewing basic grammar rules is one of the easiest and most practical ways to improve your score on the Reading & Writing section. My new Digital SAT Reading & Writing Grammar Guide will not only take you through all of the grammar rules that you will need to know, but it also includes general test strategies and study hacks for the new Reading & Writing section.

There are some major differences between the two Reading + Writing & Language Sections of the old paper SAT and the new combined Reading & Writing Section of the Digital SAT. Because this section is about to change so much, many of the previous strategies from older books out there need to be updated. The Digital SAT Reading & Writing Grammar Guide is the second in my series of guides, after the first Digital SAT Calculator Guide, meant to give you the updated strategies you need to succeed on the new Digital Test!

The guide is available for purchase here: Grammar Guide

For a limited time, you can also get the guide for free by signing up to be a Mathstronaut. As a Mathstronaut, you will receive exclusive offers, discount codes, and early access to workshops, master courses, prep guides, and 1-on-1 sessions: Become a Mathstronaut!