SAT Idioms: Complete List | Grammar for Digital SAT PDF Download

What is an Idiom?

An idiom is a phrase or expression that doesn't follow straightforward rules, and each one is distinct in its own way. Typically, idioms are seen as expressions with figurative meanings that are distinct from their literal meanings, such as "beat around the bush," "in over (one's) head," or "at the drop of a hat." However, the SAT Writing and Language test does not assess these types of informal idioms. Instead, it evaluates your understanding of different kinds of idioms.

How Are Idioms Tested in SAT Writing and Language?

Although the SAT does not assess idioms that have figurative meanings, it may test you on two other types of idioms: prepositional idioms and idioms with gerunds/infinitives.

Prepositional Idioms

Prepositional idioms involve knowing which prepositions to use with a specific word in the context of a sentence. There is no set rule to determine the correct preposition; instead, you need to be familiar with the phrase or rely on your intuition about which preposition "sounds right." For instance, you should say "interested in" instead of "interested at" something, and "focus on" rather than "focus at" something. Below is an example sentence that uses a prepositional idiom:

• Because he laughed when his friend fell down, Justin was accused of being devoid at sympathy.

During your SAT, you might come across a sentence that does not violate any particular grammar rule, but contains an idiom error. For instance, in the sentence "The room was devoid at furniture", the phrase "devoid at" is incorrect as the appropriate idiom is "devoid of". Therefore, the corrected version of the sentence would be "The room was devoid of furniture".

• Because he laughed when his friend fell down, Justin was accused of being devoid of sympathy.

The expression "devoid of" means without. Familiarity with the given expression greatly helps to identify an idiom error. There is another type of idiom that may be tested on the SAT.

Idioms with Gerunds or Infinitives

Idioms that use gerunds or infinitives are common in English language. Gerunds are verbs that function as nouns and end in "ing," while infinitives are verbs used as nouns and are constructed with "to" plus a verb. Examples of gerunds include running, jumping, and thinking, while examples of infinitives include to run, to jump, and to think.

It is important to use the correct preposition and form of the verb when using idioms with gerunds or infinitives. For instance, the idiomatic expression "capable of being" is preferred over "capable as being," and "mind being" is preferred over "mind to be." However, in some cases, depending on the context, either a gerund or an infinitive may be used.

Here's an example:

• I struggle to do geometry.

Or, you can also write:

• I struggle doing geometry.

Both sentences are correct. Here is a sentence with an idiom error:

• Bob insists at being annoying.

Do you recognize the idiom error? Do you know the right idiom? This is the corrected version of the sentence:

• Bob insists on being annoying.

Again, there is no rule to learn that lets you know that the phrase should be "insists on being" instead of "insists at being." This is another example of an idiom error:

• Julie tends being worrisome.

Check out the sentence after the idiom error is corrected:

• Julie tends to be worrisome.

Real Examples

Here are a couple of idiom questions from the College Board's practice tests.

Explanation: The infinitive "to be" is incorrectly used with the verb "serves." In this sentence, the proper idiomatic expression is "serves as." The correct answer is B.
See if you can figure out this idiom question:

Explanation: The correct idiomatic expression is "as a means of." The answer is B.

Why Are Idiom Questions Difficult/Easy?

Why They're Difficult

Idiom questions can be difficult because they test your understanding of specific idiomatic expressions, which do not follow standard grammar rules or patterns. While there are thousands of idioms, it is not practical to memorize all of them, making it challenging to identify errors for ESL students with less exposure to these expressions.

Why They're Easy
However, idiom questions can also be easy because you can rely on what "sounds right" to determine the correct answer. Unlike other grammar questions that require applying a specific rule, knowing the specific idioms tested on the exam can enable you to spot any errors easily.

SAT Tips for Idiom Questions

• If a preposition, gerund, or infinitive is underlined, check for idiom errors.
• The question may be testing idioms if the answer choices are all prepositions.
• Keep a list of idioms that appear on practice tests.
• Review and familiarize yourself with the list of idioms below.

Complete List of SAT Writing Idioms

While the English language boasts thousands of idioms, SAT idiom questions are likely to feature prepositional idioms or idioms with gerunds/infinitives. Below, I have compiled a list of common prepositional idioms and idioms with gerunds/infinitives, including those that have appeared on the College Board's practice tests. It is not necessary for you to commit every idiom on this list to memory. Since there are typically only a couple of idiom questions on the SAT Writing and Language subsection, dedicating hours to memorizing hundreds of idioms would not be the most efficient use of your study time. However, I do suggest that you periodically review this list to become more familiar with these phrases. By doing so, you can improve your intuitive understanding of idioms and more readily identify idiom errors on the SAT.

Here's my thorough list of idioms:

Idioms from SAT

• as a means of 
• serve as
• wait for
• in order to be

Prepositional idioms

• About
• anxious about
• ask about
• bring about
• curious about
• hear about
• think about
• talk about
• worry about

Against

• advise against
• argue against
• count against
• decide against
• defend against
• go against
• rebel against

As

• celebrate as
• regard as
• see as
• view as

At

• aim at
• arrive at
• laugh at
• look at
• succeed at

By

• accompanied by
• amazed by
• confused by
• followed by
• go by
• impressed by
• organized by
• struck by

For

• advocate for
• ask for
• blame for
• famous for
• known for
• last for
• meant for
• named for
• necessary for
• pay for
• ready for
• responsible for
• tolerance for
• strive for
• wait for
• watch for 

From

• abstain from
• different from
• excuse from
• far from
• obvious from
• protect from

Into

• enter into
• look into
• inquire into
• read into

In

• engage in
• fall in love
• in A as in B
• interested in
• succeed in 
• take in

On 

• base on
• draw on
• focus on
• impose on
• insist on
• move on
• prey on
• rely on

Over

• argue over
• rule over
• talk over
• think over

Of

• approve of
• capable of
• certain of
• characteristic of
• combination of A and B
• cure of
• deprive of
• die of 
• a fan of
• in danger of
• in the hope of
• in recognition of
• made up of
• a model of
• an offer of
• on the border of
• remind of
• a selection of
• a source of
• suspicious of
• take advantage of
• an understanding of
• a wealth of

To

• able to
• accustomed to
• adapt to
• adhere to
• admit to
• adjacent to
• agree to
• as opposed to
• belong to
• central to
• come to
• contribute to
• devoted to
• in addition to
• in contrast to
• listen to
• object to
• prefer A to B
• partial to
• reluctant to
• reply to
• see to
• similar to
• a threat to
• try to (NOT try and)
• unique to

With 

• agree with
• bargain with
• correlate with
• familiar with
• identify with
• in keeping with
• interfere with
• sympathize with
• trust with

Gerunds Vs. Infinitives

• Verbs Followed by a Gerund
• accuse of
• admire for
• allow
• appreciate
• capable of
• complete
• concentrate on
• confess to
• consider
• delay
• describe
• discourage from
• discuss
• dislike
• effective at
• enjoy
• escape
• finish
• forbid
• imagine
• insist on
• permit
• plan on
• postpone
• refrain from
• report
• resent
• resume
• stop
• tolerate 

Prepositions Followed by a Gerund

• before
• after
• without

Verbs Followed by an Infinitive

• agree
• attempt
• choose
• condescend
• dare
• decide
• deserve
• encourage
• expect
• fail
• intend
• love
• mean
• neglect
• offer
• plan
• prepare
• promise
• refuse
• scramble
• seem
• strive
• swear
• tend
• threaten
• want