Part-whole relationships | The Complete SAT Course - Class 10 PDF Download

What's on the test?

In the official SAT exam, you can expect to encounter 3-5 questions that inquire about the purpose of a specific sentence, quotation, or anecdote within the passage. These questions resemble purpose questions but focus on smaller, more specific portions of the text.

Examples of such questions include:

• The question in the second paragraph (lines 8-10) primarily serves to...
• In context, the reference to _____ (lines 14-15) mainly serves to...

Your task will be to identify the specific role played by the highlighted lines. In other words, you need to determine how those lines support the main points presented in the rest of the passage. What function do they serve? What purpose are they fulfilling?

Common errors

Incorrect choices in part-whole relationship questions are frequently the result of the following errors:

• Right details, wrong purpose: Wrong choices may include key words or ideas from the selected lines but misinterpret the author's intended point. These choices can be deceptive, as they may appear to be partially correct or almost right before including one or two words that invalidate the entire choice. In other words, these words make the entire choice incorrect. It's important to remember that purpose questions are not asking for a mere summary of details; they require identifying why the author included those details in the first place.
• Extreme opinions: Incorrect choices in part-whole relationship questions often involve taking the general point the author is making and expressing it too strongly. For instance, if the author expresses mild concerns or even a neutral opinion about a theory, an incorrect choice might exaggerate the negativity, falsely claiming that the lines aggressively criticize the theory.
• Unsupported claims: Some incorrect choices may seem logical but go beyond the scope of what the relevant sentences actually cover. It is crucial not to select a choice solely based on whether you think the author would agree with the idea expressed. The purpose of the specific lines in question may not be to align with the overall viewpoint of the author.

Tips and strategies

1. Restate the question in your own words

• You can often simplify questions like these by using "how," "what," or "why" to rephrase them into a more direct and manageable form. Once you have the simplified version of the question, go back to the passage and proceed to the next tip.

2. Read around the reference and make a prediction

• Before looking at the answer choices, take your simplified version of the question back to the passage and read the surrounding text. Then, answer the question in your own words based on your understanding. Finally, uncover the options and find a choice that matches your prediction.

3. Address the right question!

• Beware of choices that accurately reflect the content of the passage but do not address the purpose of including the reference. In other words, just because a choice is true doesn't necessarily mean it answers the question. Make sure the choice you select focuses on the purpose, not just surface details.

4. Avoid overthinking!

• Unless the selected lines completely puzzled you during your initial reading, you likely already understand their purpose in context. If the lines didn't feel out of place, it means you subconsciously grasp why they belong where they are. If you can express that "why" in your own words, you have the answer to the question.

5. Identify the "ANDs" and "BUTs"

• The author often provides cues around the text that help you understand its purpose. Look for reinforcing continuation words like "therefore," "also," "additionally," or "furthermore" (ANDs), as well as contrast words like "however," "yet," "although," or "instead" (BUTs). Understanding how the lines function in their immediate context will shed light on how they relate to the passage as a whole.