<p>Hey! I just need help raising my critical reading score and writing score by at least 150 points, so it reaches above 700 each. I am excellent in math and can almost guarantee above 750, but my CR and Writing scores are ruining my SAT. I've searched and i have heard about some good books. Can someone please give recommendations for improving writing and critical reading, based on past experience. Maybe some of you have increased you own score by this much. I really really want to improve my score by 300. I'm sure its possible because I will be deeply dedicated to my work. Thanks for the help and support!</p>
<p>i hope this thread will be able to help others as well</p>
<p>Have you tried using a Prep Book? They tend to have fairly extensive overviews of all the rudiments of "proper" grammar and whatnot, and nearly all of them have practice SAT's which you can then use to apply what you've learned. The same can be said for the CR portions as well, I suppose.</p>
<p>Some people have had some luck memorizing those enormous vocab lists, but I didn't bother with one and I managed to ace all the vocab sections purely as a result of casual reading. If the former doesn't work for you, try the latter.</p>
<p>Reading has also managed to improve my diction and syntax, as I can now copy the prose and style of most of the authors that I've read, so that would help with the essay portion.</p>
<p>Any particular parts within the CR and W sections that you're having difficulty with?</p>
<p>oh yea. I have the exact same problem.</p>
<p>Same problem here. I have just ordered RocketReview and Grubers! I hope they can help. I think I will dedicate my summer to doing more practice tests, especially those from the blue book.</p>
<p>thx for the advice. I'm actually looking for effective prep books that will be helpful in writing and cirtical reading.</p>
<p>Barron's 2400. It's a book. Go buy it. It's actually quite good, if you're to put effort into doing it. The writing section there helped me tremendously. They do a spectacular job with getting the grammar section. :D I used to get 7-9 grammar questions wrong on practice tests, but after doing Barron's, I now get 2-3 wrong. And be comforted that the writing section is the easiest one to raise the score. </p>
<p>For critical reading...it's a little more difficult. If you're planning to take the October/November SAT, my best recommendation is this. READ. READ. READ. read newspapers, essays, memoirs, whatever non-fiction you can get your hands on. (and no, Harry Potter does NOT help.) Newspapers and essays are especially good because they carry hard to medium vocabulary. READ. also, when you read, read for meaning and always think of what the author is trying to achieve, what his/her purpose is. Annotate if you can. I know it sounds exceedingly dull, but READING hard essays and other nonfiction is the fastest way to increase your passage reading skills and also speed up your reading time. You have all summer, so READ. really, it helps. </p>
<p>If you need help, I would recommend borrowing several essay anthologies from the public library, like "100 greatest American essays of the century" edited by Joyce Carol Oates. If you want to raise your CR score, you have to be determined to work, because READING is by far the best way that can really boost your critical reading skills 150 points or more.</p>
<p>.....or study linguistics. I especially suggest reading Language</a> Log, a blog kept by well-published linguists, because the blog will teach you think</a> critically about language. Wikipedia has some fascinating articles on grammatical topics as well.</p>
<p>Remember, a native-speaker subconsciously always knows all the grammar rules of his or her native language (he or she wouldn't be a native speaker otherwise). The key is learning <em>grammatical analysis</em> and those who have done analysis often will be more "fluent" in it, and not everyone is trained in grammatical analysis.</p>
<p>does anyone else have any book suggestions that would improve CR scores over time?</p>
<p>The best thing you can do for CR and W is to GET WORKBOOKS!
All the major test prep companies sell CR and W workbooks that just focus on those two topics.
One of the best ways to improve your scores is just to constantly practice. Take at least one 25 min section of CR or W every weekday for at least 1 month before the test. Believe it or not, most of the answers on the CR actually do make sense. For the writing section, memorize the grammar rules. Kaplan taught me that there are apparently only 5 things that can ever be wrong with a sentence. This brought my writing score up from maybe 650 to 800. </p>
<p>As a poster above mentioned, it is a very good idea to read a lot before your test. Anything you can get your hands on: magazines (economist, businessweek, etc.), nonfiction lit, newspapers, etc. However, it is also ok to read some FICTION books as well. Remember, the SAT uses fiction as well as nonfiction in its passages. Make sure that these fiction books are at least somewhat intellectual. Avoid a lot of the current fiction. 1984 by Orwell is one of my favorites and a good choice to help improve your score.</p>
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For the writing section, memorize the grammar rules. Kaplan taught me that there are apparently only 5 things that can ever be wrong with a sentence.
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<p>Fives types of analysis I suppose. </p>
<p>If you aren't inclined to memorise every single supposed "rule" in grammar (though according to linguistics, grammar is more than a set of rules), remember that you are a native speaker and so subconsciously know the "rules" -- much of it really depends on your attention. Watch agreement, think about what role each element plays in a sentence, etc. ("What would the sentence mean without it?") </p>
<p>Reading depends on critical analysis of style, tone, intent and audience, so think beyond the pure content.</p>
<p>what workbooks are helpful? I mean there are so many options. Kaplan, Barrons. SparkNotes...etc.</p>
<p>ooops, make that essay anthology "The Best American Essays of the Century" edited by Joyce Carol Oates.</p>
<p>I have the same problem.
It's really a pleasure to read you guys' valuable advice.</p>
<p>thx for the help</p>