SATs Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield SATs facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the following is a key element in constructing a strong argumentative essay? → Providing clear evidence and logical reasoning
2. Identify the sentence with correct use of 'affect' and 'effect.' → Stress can affect your sleep quality.
3. A slippery slope argument assumes that: → A small first step will inevitably lead to extreme negative consequences.
4. A passage states that a novel 'subverts expectations by presenting the villain as the most empathetic character.' 'Subverts' most nearly means: → Undermines or overturns
5. The word ADVERSARIAL most nearly means: → involving opposition or conflict
6. Why would you purchase prepared food? → You'd prefer not to prepare it yourself.
7. A writer wants to describe the severity of a problem before proposing a solution. Which paragraph ORDER best reflects standard argumentative essay structure? → Introduction (with thesis) → Problem evidence → Counterargument → Solution → Conclusion
8. In a right triangle, one leg is 3 and the hypotenuse is 5. What is the length of the other leg? → 4
9. Which of the following strategies can help strengthen the clarity of your argument in an essay? → Using clear and concise language, backed by strong evidence
10. Which option correctly completes the sentence using parallel structure? 'The candidate promised to lower taxes, _____, and protect civil rights.' → to create jobs
11. What is the circumference of a circle with diameter 10? → 10π
12. Which revision makes this sentence clearest? 'The reason for the delay was because the parts were missing.' → The delay occurred because the parts were missing.
13. Which equation has no real solution? → x² + 4 = 0
14. How does the author support their argument? → The author uses statistics and expert opinions to support their argument.
15. Which word best describes someone who FABRICATES a story? → invents or makes it up
16. Which of the following sentences correctly uses a colon? → I need to buy the following: milk, eggs, and bread.
17. How do you solve a problem involving percentages? → Multiply the percentage by the total value and divide by 100.
18. Solve for x in the equation 5x - 3 = 12. → x = 3
19. The word INFER most nearly means: → to conclude from evidence
20. Two parallel lines are cut by a transversal. One angle measures 65°. What is the measure of the co-interior (same-side interior) angle? → 115°
21. In a literary passage, a character described as 'stoic' most likely: → Remains calm and shows little outward emotion
22. Which of these sentences is most clear? → He clearly explained it to me.
23. An author repeatedly uses the phrase 'we must act now' throughout a persuasive passage. This repetition is best described as: → Anaphora used to create urgency and reinforce a call to action
24. A teacher says, 'Either students study harder or test scores will keep falling.' Which assumption is built into this statement? → Studying harder is the only way to improve test scores.
25. Which sentence demonstrates correct parallel structure? → She likes hiking, swimming, and running.
26. Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe to show singular possession? → The dog's bone was buried in the yard.
27. A passage describes how the printing press 'democratized knowledge.' This phrase suggests the printing press: → Made information accessible to a much wider segment of the population
28. The word MELANCHOLY most nearly means: → a feeling of deep sadness
29. In SAT Writing, 'DELETE the underlined portion' is often the best answer when the underlined text is: → Redundant or irrelevant to the passage
30. The terminal side of a 690° angle in standard position lies in which quadrant? → Quadrant IV