Separate what a passage discusses from what the writer does with that information. A sentence can introduce a claim, illustrate it, qualify it, or challenge an earlier assumption.
Key Rules
Identify the main claim before describing the role of one sentence.
Use an action verb: introduce, support, contrast, explain or qualify.
Check the relationship between the target sentence and the sentences immediately around it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Summarizing a sentence’s subject instead of explaining its function.
Calling a qualification a complete rejection of the main claim.
SAT Strategy Tips
→Ask what the passage would lose if the target sentence disappeared.
→For overall purpose, choose an answer that covers the entire passage rather than one detail.
Example Question
A passage claims urban gardens can reduce summer heat. It then describes a neighborhood where temperatures fell after a garden was planted. What is the role of the neighborhood example?
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