Idioms on the SAT

What’s an Idiom?

Idioms are one of the most difficult verbal concepts on the SAT because they do not have a logical set of rules you can game. An idiom is an expression. It’s something English speakers have said sometimes for centuries. We just absorb idioms by growing up amongst other English speakers, like osmosis. Years of repetition have made them the rule.

The easiest to spot are metaphors, like “spill the beans.” When someone says, “he spilled the beans,” we know they don’t mean clumsy Joe literally knocked over his bowl of chilli. Bigmouth Joe told a secret. He “let the cat out of the bag,” “broke the news,” “flapped his gums,” “dished the dirt,” or “took the lid off it.”

SAT Idioms

Sadly, those fun phrases WON’T be on the SAT. You will be tested on subtle conjunctions and prepositions. When we say, “I believe in unlimited texting”–that’s an idiom. I know, I know, it looks like a grammatical construction, but look closer. There’s no actually rule against saying, “I believe at unlimited texting,” but you’d be laughed out of the classroom if you did. “Believe in” just sounds right (to native English speakers, that is). And it is right. Idioms are tricky because they are memorized, not known. The ultimate guide to grammar has one of the best explanations of idioms. If you get stuck with Erica’s work Barron’s also does a fairly decent job taking you through idioms.

That’s why remembering to think of idiomatic expressions when you’re “racing against the clock,” will help make idiom test questions “a piece of cake.” Why? Because you’ll remember the key quality of an idiom: it can’t be explained by a rule, that’s just the way it’s said.

Will I know It When I See It?

The idioms on the SAT will be much harder to spot than obvious flubs like, “I want to apologize from my mistake,” instead of, “I want to apologize for my mistake.” That’s why it’s important to study and memorize these little word pairings. If you go in thinking you’ll know right from wrong when you see it, you’ll be fooled by the complicated sentence structures and fake-out errors of the SAT’s “identifying the error” questions.

You will see two types of idioms on the test:

1) Prepositions

Like the examples I’ve already shared, prepositions generally describe location.

INCORRECT: She was acquainted to the works of Nietzsche.

CORRECT: She was acquainted with the works of Nietzsche.

WRONG: He is similar as his snot-nosed brother.

RIGHT: He is similar to his snot-nosed brother.

 

2) Two part idioms

At the risk of being obvious, these idioms have two parts. For example:

Neither my friend nor I want tacos for dinner. Not only do we hate salsa, but we also fear mystery meat.

Neither/nor, Not only/but also—when you see one half, you better look for it’s mate.

INCORRECT: I was as happy than a bluebird.

CORRECT: I was as happy as a bluebird.

NOPE: Between Monday or Saturday, I prefer Saturday.

BINGO: Between Monday and Saturday, I prefer Saturday.

Why You Should Practice, Practice, Practice Your Idioms

One common mistake is to think of idioms as an aspect of grammar or a part of speech. But they are not like nouns and adjectives, which have a single definition, follow consistent laws, and can be recognized by their behavior. You can tell it’s an adjective just by seeing that it precedes a noun, even if you’ve never seen the word puissant (you can look that up later).  

Approach idioms as you would spelling or vocabulary—with flashcard drills and memorization lists. In order to tell the real thing from the counterfeit, idioms have to be memorized.

Of course, it would be impossible to memorize every single idiom in the English language. Not to mention a really inefficient use of precious study time. A better idea is to read over lists of idioms and write down the ones that are unfamiliar or tricky for you. Then work from your custom, targeted list of slippery idioms. You can make flashcards with the first part of the idiom on one side, and it’s mate or correct preposition on the other.

Say difficult idioms aloud, in multiple sentences, until they feel like second nature. One common mistake is to say “hatred for” rather than “hatred of.”  Practice saying I have a hatred of rats, or crying babies, or mayonnaise, or whatever it may be. Then practice it’s tricky opposite: “fondness for.” I have a fondness for convertibles, and a fondness for cherry soda, and a fondness for rainy days, and… you get the picture.

You should also read sample questions to get comfortable with the way idioms will be presented in the actual test. More on that below.

Identifying Sentence Errors: Where You’ll Go Wrong

In a simple sentence, the wrong answer sticks out a big red pimple. But in complex sentences with multiple clauses, blemishes can be much harder to spot. Guess what type of sentences they use on the SAT.

Here’s an actual sample Identifying Sentence Errors question from CollegeBoard:

The students have discovered (A) that they (B) can address issues more effectively through (C) letter-writing campaigns and not (D) through public demonstrations. No error (E).

Where’s the error? Did part of that sentence sound a little off to you?

The answer is (D). The key to finding that answer lies in the two-part idiom, more/than. The sentence uses the idiom incorrectly, pairing “more” with “and not.” That’s why a tiny alarm goes off when you get to (D). If you replace “and not” with “than,” that dissonance is replaced with sweet harmony.

That’s an easy Indentifying Sentence Error question, so if you struggled to find the correct answer be sure to keep practicing.

Resources for Idiom Mastery!

Now you’re ready to begin memorizing, practicing, and quizzing yourself on idioms. Here are some links to get you started.

• Comprehensive SAT Idiom List
• Common Idioms in the SAT Writing Section
• SAT Idiomatic Expressions Test
• SAT Practice Test: Idiomatic Error
• SAT Idioms and Phrases Practice Test