Current format
Part A asks students to improve a draft in context.
The passage may address historical or current events, people, places, technology, or topics in the biological, physical, and social sciences. Sentences are numbered so students can locate the exact area named in a question.
Students may return to questions within the active passage set. Once the set is submitted, they cannot return to it.
Source: NYC Guide to the SHSAT for 2027 Admissions, pages 6 and 12.
SHSAT Buddy's adaptive full-length tests let students revisit questions within the active passage set and prevent returning after the set is submitted. Fixed-form tests remain available for additional full-length practice. Compare the two practice formats.
What questions test
SHSAT revising and editing passages reward purpose and structure.
Introductions and conclusions
Add or revise statements so they clearly frame and complete the passage.
Supporting details
Add necessary evidence, remove irrelevant material, and replace vague information.
Transitions
Choose words or sentences that express the correct relationship between ideas.
Organization
Place sentences where pronouns, chronology, logic, and paragraph purpose make sense.
Precision
Replace broad wording with language that communicates the idea accurately.
Language use
Correct choices that make the draft confusing, repetitive, or difficult to follow.
A passage process
Build a map before making edits.
- 01
Read the full draft
Identify the topic, purpose, main idea, and role of each paragraph.
- 02
Summarize the structure
Use short labels such as introduction, evidence, counterpoint, or conclusion.
- 03
Return to the named sentences
Read the target plus the surrounding sentences. Passage edits depend on context.
- 04
Test the revision against the passage
Choose the option that improves the draft without adding a new problem or changing its purpose.
Decision rules
Use relationships, not surface wording.
For insertion questions
Identify what the paragraph needs. A topic sentence should preview the paragraph, while a supporting detail should develop a specific claim.
For transition questions
Name the relationship first: contrast, cause, example, continuation, or sequence. Then evaluate the choices.
For deletion questions
Ask whether the sentence contributes to the paragraph's purpose. Repetition, side stories, and unsupported details are common candidates for removal.
For placement questions
Track references, pronouns, chronology, and topic development. A sentence belongs where both its opening and closing ideas connect smoothly.
The shortest option is not automatically best. The correct revision must be clear, accurate, relevant, and complete.
Parents can set Daily Quiz to all ELA to add steady ELA practice alongside this guide, or keep the default 50/50 split of Math and ELA questions.
Original practice example
Match the transition to the relationship.
The community garden increased access to fresh vegetables. ______, it created a gathering place for neighborhood events.
Choose the transition that best completes the sentence.
The second sentence adds another benefit of the garden. “In addition” communicates that relationship directly.