The SAT is divided into ten sections: three Critical Reading sections, three Writing sections, three Math sections, and one unscored Experimental section, which looks just like one of the other nine sections. The Writing Essay section always comes first, but the remaining nine multiple-choice sections can appear in any order.
|
Critical Reading (3 sections) |
|
Length |
20 or 25 minutes |
|
Format |
Multiple Choice |
|
Questions |
16-19 (20 minute section)
24-28 (25 minute sections) |
|
Question Types |
Reading Comprehension
Sentence Completion |
|
Topics Tested |
Reading
Sentence Structure
Vocabulary |
|
Writing (3 sections) |
|
Length |
10 or 25 minutes |
|
Format |
Student-written Essay
Multiple Choice |
|
Questions |
1 (Essay section)
14 (10 minute Multiple Choice section)
32-35 (25 minute Multiple Choice section) |
|
Question Types |
Long-form Essay
Identifying Sentence Errors
Improving Sentences
Improving Paragraphs |
|
Topics Tested |
Writing
Grammar
Sentence and paragraph structure |
|
Math (3 sections) |
|
Length |
20 or 25 minutes |
|
Format |
Multiple Choice
Student-produced Responses |
|
Questions |
16-20 |
|
Question Types |
Problem Solving (multiple choice)
Grid-ins (student-produced responses) |
|
Topics Tested |
Arithmetic and number properties
Algebra
Geometry
Data analysis
Probability and statistics |
|
Experimental (1 section) |
|
Length |
25 minutes |
|
Format |
Multiple Choice |
|
Questions |
Varies |
|
Question Types |
Varies according to section type |
|
Topics Tested |
Critical Reading, Writing, or Math |