1.2 Reading, Language & Essay Strategy

Active Reading for Informational and Literary Passages

Because every RLA answer must be grounded in the text, the highest-leverage habit is active reading — reading with a question in mind rather than passively scanning. A reliable routine works for both passage types:

1. Glance at the question stems first so you know what to hunt for (main idea, a specific detail, an inference, a word's meaning).
2. Read the whole passage once for the gist, then reread only the lines a question points to.
3. Answer from the passage, never from memory — the test rewards text evidence and punishes "common sense" the author never states.

For the informational texts (about 75% of passages), lock onto the author's central claim or main idea, then map the structure using transition words: because/therefore signals cause and effect, however/whereas signals compare and contrast, first/next/finally signals sequence. Separate fact from opinion, and ask why the author wrote the piece — to inform, to argue, or to persuade.

For the literary texts (about 25%), track the narrator and each character's motivation, notice tone and mood (the author's attitude versus the feeling created in the reader), and watch for figurative language — simile, metaphor, personification — that hints at an implied theme. Remember the key contrast: informational passages usually state a main idea, while literary passages imply a theme you must infer.

Time Management Across the Three Sections

Pacing decides many borderline scores. Budget roughly one minute per multiple-choice item, leaving reading time for the passage itself, and protect the full 45 minutes for the essay:

The cardinal error is over-investing in one stubborn question. If an item stumps you after about 90 seconds, make your best guess, flag it, and move on — you can revisit flagged items before the section ends. Because unused time never transfers between sections, do not rush the multiple choice hoping to "save" minutes for the essay; the essay clock is separate.

Drop-Down Grammar and Editing Strategy

Language-conventions questions most often appear as drop-down items inside a draft passage: a word or punctuation mark is replaced by a menu, and you choose the version that is correct. The winning technique is to read the entire sentence with each option inserted and pick the one that is both grammatically correct and concise. High-frequency tested rules:

• Subject–verb agreement: ignore interrupting phrases. In "The city council, along with the mayor, ___ planning to vote," the subject is the singular council, so the verb is is, not are — the phrase along with the mayor does not change the number.
• Pronoun case: after a preposition use the object form. "Between you and me" is correct; "between you and I" is a classic trap.
• Run-ons and comma splices: two independent clauses cannot be joined by a comma alone — use a semicolon or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
• Commonly confused words: affect (verb) vs effect (noun); their / there / they're; its (possessive) vs it's (it is); than (compare) vs then (time).

Two cautions: "No change needed" is a real, sometimes-correct option — do not invent an error just to change something. And when two options are both grammatical, prefer the most concise one, because RLA rewards clear, economical writing.

The Extended Response and the 3-Trait Rubric

The Extended Response gives you two short source passages that take opposing positions on one issue. Your job is to decide which argument is better supported by evidence — not which side you personally agree with — and to defend that judgment using details quoted or paraphrased from the passages. Aim for a 4–6 paragraph, roughly 250–350 word response: an introduction naming which argument is stronger, body paragraphs that analyze specific evidence, and a brief conclusion. Your essay is scored on three traits, each worth 0–2 points (6 raw points before scaling):

Scoring uses both automated and human review. An essay that is blank, off-topic, written in a language other than English, or a mere copy of the prompt earns a 0 and can drag your whole RLA score below 145 — which is why the essay is never optional.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Writing an opinion essay. The ER asks which argument is better supported, not what you believe. Analyze the evidence.
• Importing outside knowledge. Every reading answer must be backed by the passage; extra facts you "know" are traps.
• Leaving items blank. No guessing penalty means an omission is a wasted point.
• Over-editing. Choosing a "fix" when the sentence is already correct and "No change needed" applies loses easy points.
• Confusing summary with analysis, and main idea with theme — summary restates while analysis interprets; a main idea is stated while a theme is implied.
• Blowing the clock on one hard item, then running short on the essay.