What the exam asks
- Where: in the Craft and Structure block at the start of each module, right after Words in Context. There are usually 2–3 per module, ordered from easiest to hardest.
- Three stems:
| Stem | What you decide |
|---|---|
| “Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?” | The job of the whole text |
| “Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?” | Why one sentence or phrase is there |
| “Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?” | The sequence of moves the text makes |
- The real test underlines the targeted sentence. Courselo shows it in bold (“the bolded sentence”).
- Texts: science and social-science research, commentary on art and history, and literary excerpts (prose, poetry, drama).
- Hard items feature dense arguments, verbs that differ subtly (qualify vs. refute), literary irony and “true but not the function” distractors.
Core ideas
Purpose is a verb
Every choice has the shape “To [verb] [something]” or “It [verb]s …”. Read the verb first. The content of a choice can be accurate while its verb is wrong.
| Verb | The author or sentence… | Clue in the text |
|---|---|---|
| describe, explain | presents information neutrally | No judgment words, no “should” |
| argue, contend | takes a position | Evaluative words, “must,” “should,” a thesis |
| illustrate, exemplify | gives an example of a general point | “for instance,” a specific case after a general claim |
| elaborate | adds detail to the previous point | Continues without changing direction |
| qualify | limits a claim without rejecting it | “but only,” “real but less complete,” “in some cases” |
| concede | admits a point for the other side | “admittedly,” “did find … but” |
| challenge, refute | disputes or disproves | “yet,” “otherwise,” “contrary to,” evidence against |
| introduce | sets up a question or a puzzle | “puzzled,” “curious pattern,” “why did …?” |
| speculate | proposes a possible explanation | “may,” “could,” “perhaps” |
Main purpose covers the whole text
The right answer matches the text’s overall job and its scope. Test each choice against the first and last sentences: if it ignores either one, it is too narrow. Calibrate the stance too: a text that describes a debate does not argue for one side.
When a text lays out one view and then a different one (often a researcher’s or critic’s new reading), the main purpose usually centers on the view it ends on. The earlier views are set-up.
Function: why is this sentence here?
Compare the target sentence with the sentence before and the sentence after. Its function is always relational.
| Role | Typical wording |
|---|---|
| Background or context | “For decades, scientists assumed …” |
| Claim or thesis | “X, she argues, is …” |
| Evidence or example | Numbers, a study, “for instance” |
| Concession | “She did find …” or “Admittedly …” before a “but” |
| Counterclaim or challenge | “Her counts suggest otherwise …” |
| Limitation | “The study could not determine …” |
| Conclusion or implication | “Thus,” “this suggests,” “in other words” |
Structure: map the moves
Label each sentence in two or three words, then read the labels as a sequence. Common SAT patterns:
- common belief → evidence against it
- question → two possible answers → evidence favoring one
- older method → new tool → the tool’s advantage
- observation → experiment → explanation
- finding → limitation → next study
- artist’s method → critic’s interpretation
- standard view → concession → counterevidence → qualified conclusion
Structure choices often differ only in counts (one answer or two) and verdicts (favors, disproves or rejects). Check both against your map.
Literary texts
In fiction and poetry, purposes usually concern a character’s state or a moment: to convey anxiety, to depict a disappointment, to reveal self-deception. A targeted sentence often creates contrast (expectation vs. reality), reveals character through action, or produces irony: when a character is described one way and then acts another, the function is to undercut that self-image.
Worked examples
Exam technique
- Read the whole text before the question. Purpose depends on every sentence, especially the last.
- Label each sentence in a word or two: background, claim, evidence, concession, limit, conclusion.
- Predict the answer: “The purpose is to ___,” or “This sentence is here to ___.”
- Check each choice’s verb first, then its object. Eliminate wrong verbs, choices that are too narrow (one detail), too strong (argue for describe, refute for qualify) or true but not the sentence’s job.
- For targeted sentences, reread the sentences on either side. Signal words such as however, for instance, did … but and could not determine reveal the relationship.
Timing: about 60–75 seconds per item. Labeling feels slow at first but saves rereading.
Common mistakes
Quick recap
- Three stems: main purpose, function of a targeted sentence, overall structure (usually 2–3 per module).
- Purpose is a verb: check it first, then the object.
- A main purpose must cover the whole text and match the author’s actual stance.
- Function is relational. Compare the sentence with its neighbors and name its role.
- For structure, label each sentence and match the sequence, including the counts and the verdict.
- In literature, look for contrast between expectation and reality, and for irony.
- Eliminate choices that are too narrow, too strong, true but not the job, or the wrong person’s view.