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SAT Reading and Writing skill page

SAT Transitions Practice

Choose transition words by reading the relationship between ideas, not by how the sentence sounds.

Practice transitions in DolphinPractice questions
10-14 min practice time3 questions on pageExpression of Ideas
Practice time10-14 min
Question bank3 questions
Best forExpression of Ideas

What this tests

What to know for this SAT skill

Dolphin question bank

Practice your skill

Question 1 of 3Easy

Xin Wang and colleagues have discovered the earliest known example of a flower bud in a 164-million-year-old plant fossil in China. The researchers have named the new species Florigerminis jurassica. They believe that the discovery pushes the emergence of flowering plants, or angiosperms, back to the Jurassic period, which occurred between 145 million and 201 million years ago.

According to the text, how old was the fossil that Wang and colleagues discovered?
  1. 150 million years old
  2. 145 million years old
  3. 164 million years old
  4. 201 million years old
Show answer and solution
Correct answerC. 164 million years old

Solution walkthrough

  1. Choice C is the best answer because it gives the age for the fossil discovered by Wang and colleagues that is directly supported by the text.
  2. According to the text, Xin Wang and colleagues discovered a 164-million-year-old plant fossil.
  3. This plant fossil included a flower bud, which the researchers believe provides evidence that flowering plants emerged in the Jurassic period, which falls between 145 million and 201 million years ago.
Why the other choices miss
Choice A is incorrect because the text states that Wang and colleagues discovered a 164-million-year-old flowering plant fossil in China, not one that is 150 million years old. Although 150 million years ago would fall within the Jurassic period, according to the text it isn’t the age of the discovered fossil. Choice B is incorrect because the text states that Wang and colleagues discovered a 164-million-year-old flowering plant fossil in China, not one that is 145 million years old. Although 145 million years ago would fall at the end of the Jurassic period, according to the text it isn’t the age of the discovered fossil. Choice D is incorrect because the text states that Wang and colleagues discovered a 164-million-year-old flowering plant fossil in China, not one that is 201 million years old. Although 201 million years ago would fall at the beginning of the Jurassic period, according to the text it isn’t the age of the discovered fossil.
Question 2 of 3Medium

At two weeks old, the time their critical socialization period begins, wolves can smell but cannot yet see or hear. Domesticated dogs, can see, hear, and smell by the end of two weeks. This relative lack of sensory input may help explain why wolves behave so differently around humans than dogs do: from a very young age, wolves are more wary and less exploratory.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
  1. in other words,
  2. for instance,
  3. by contrast,
  4. accordingly,
Show answer and solution
Correct answerC. by contrast,

Solution walkthrough

  1. Choice C is the best answer. “By contrast” logically signals that the information in this sentence—that dogs can see, hear, and smell by the end of two weeks—contrasts with the preceding information (that wolves can smell but not see or hear at the same age).
Why the other choices miss
Choice A is incorrect because “in other words” illogically signals that the information about domesticated dogs in this sentence paraphrases the information about wolves in the previous sentence. Instead, the information about dogs contrasts with what came before. Choice B is incorrect because “for instance” illogically signals that the information about domesticated dogs in this sentence exemplifies the information about wolves in the previous sentence. Instead, the information about dogs contrasts with what came before. Choice D is incorrect because “accordingly” illogically signals that the information about domesticated dogs in this sentence is in accordance with, or results from, the information about wolves in the previous sentence. Instead, the information about dogs contrasts with what came before.
Question 3 of 3Easy

Riley Black—the author of critically acclaimed books such as My Beloved Brontosaurus (2013)—is best known for writing about dinosaurs, but she has also conducted hands-on fieldwork. her fieldwork has included paleontological digs in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, and her dinosaur fossil discoveries can be seen at places such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
  1. Regardless,
  2. Subsequently,
  3. Specifically,
  4. Conversely,
Show answer and solution
Correct answerC. Specifically,

Solution walkthrough

  1. Choice C is the best answer. The first sentence makes a general point that Riley Black has conducted hands-on fieldwork.
  2. The next sentence gives specific examples of that fieldwork by naming the digs in Utah, Montana, and Wyoming and by mentioning her fossil discoveries. 'Specifically' is the best transition because it introduces precise details about an idea that has already been mentioned.
  3. 'Regardless' is incorrect because the second sentence does not continue in spite of the first. 'Subsequently' is incorrect because the sentences are not arranged as a time sequence.
  4. 'Conversely' is incorrect because the second sentence does not contrast with the first; it supports and develops it.

Avoid these traps

Common mistakes on this skill

Choosing by tone instead of logic

A transition can sound natural but still create the wrong relationship between sentences.

Ignoring the sentence before the blank

The right transition depends on both sides of the blank, not just the sentence that follows.

Confusing contrast and cause

Words like "however" and "therefore" point in opposite logical directions.

Study plan

How to practice this skill in Dolphin

  1. Read the sentence before and after the blank.
  2. Name the relationship: contrast, cause, continuation, example, or conclusion.
  3. Eliminate transitions with the wrong relationship.
  4. Reread the full sentence with the answer choice to confirm the logic.
Practice transitions in Dolphin

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FAQ

Questions about SAT Transitions Practice

What are SAT transition questions testing?

They test whether you can identify the logical relationship between ideas in a short passage.

Should I memorize transition word categories?

Yes. Grouping words by logic, such as contrast or cause, makes elimination much faster.

What is the biggest transition mistake?

The biggest mistake is choosing a word that sounds polished but does not match the passage relationship.