SAT Language Test: Syllabus, Mean Score, Sample Papers
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SAT Language Test: Syllabus, Mean Score, Sample Papers

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Rituparna Nath

Content Writer at Study Abroad Exams

SAT Language Test is a 60-minute, 80 to 85 multiple-choice questions exam and you can choose which, among the offered Languages you can take for your SAT Language subject tests, is based on a series of reading passages that the candidates are asked to answer multiple-choice questions. The SAT writing and language test consists of 11 questions about each of 4 reading passages for a total of 44 questions, for which there would be 35 minutes. There are SAT Korean, French, Chinese, Italian, German, Latin, Japanese, and Spanish Subject Tests.

Language Spanish French Chinese Italian German Latin Japanese Korean
No. of Questions  85 85 70-75 80-85 85 70-75 80 80

SAT Language Test: Overview

Here is an overview of what skills are tested on these SAT Foreign Language Subject Tests:

  • The knowledge of which words, in particular, represents a specific part of speech.
  • The ability to recognize some fundamental idioms in cultural contexts.
  • The capability of selecting the most appropriate expression or word to complete a sentence is the grammatically correct way. Some of these problems are expressed as parts of a larger paragraph.
  • The understanding of concepts such as tone, style, themes, supporting ideas, main ideas, the temporal and spatial setting of a passage. These selections will be derived from letters, flyers, ads, articles, magazines, newspapers, historical works, fiction, and other written mediums.
  • The ability to comprehend spoken language in order to determine what is being presented or expressed.

The languages of the SAT subject test include 2 different segments: Language Listening test and Language Reading test.

Language Listening Language Reading
Chinese French
French German
German Modern Hebrew
Japanese Italian
Korean Latin
Spanish Spanish

Sectional Details of SAT Language Tests

The different Language tests for SAT are spread out in different schedules. Hence, preparing for a certain SAT language test would require careful planning. Below table below provides you the information necessary to know about the test.

Subject test name Duration Number of question Topics covered Skills Required Test conducting months
Spanish Reading 60 minutes 80 questions Reading Comprehension (33%) Paragraph completion (33%) Vocabulary and Structure (33%) Excellent vocabulary Strong grammatical knowledge Proper understanding of tone and style May, June, August, October, and December
Spanish Listening 60 minutes (20 minutes for listening and 40 minutes for Reading) 85 questions Pictures, rejoinders, and selections for the listening section (40%) Vocabulary and structure Paragraph completion Reading comprehension for the reading section (60%) Ability to select proper words and expression Compact understanding of spoken language Strong sense of grammar and vocabulary May
French Reading 60 minutes 80 questions Vocabulary in context (30%) Structure (30%–40%) Reading comprehension (30%–40%) Fundamentals of French Compact understanding with strong grammatical knowledge Ability of connecting and relating different points May, June, August, October, and December
French Listening 60 minutes (20 minutes for listening and 40 minutes for reading) 85 questions For the listening part (35%): Pictures - 8–12 questions, Short dialogues - 6–12 questions, Long dialogues - 10–15 questions For the reading part (65%): Vocabulary - 16–20 questions, Structure - 16–20 questions, Reading comprehension - 20–25 questions In-depth knowledge of the language from fundamentals to idioms and other complex parts Ability to understand spoken dialogues Ability to relate points Grammatical knowledge May
Chinese Listening 60 minutes (20 minutes for listening and 40 minutes for reading) 70-75 questions Listening comprehension (33%) Usage (33%) Reading comprehension (33%) Ability to understand spoken Mandarin Chinese dialogues Ability to complete sentences with accurate grammar, and vocabulary May
Italian Reading 60 minutes 80-85 questions Vocabulary in context (30%) Structure in text (30%) Reading comprehension (40%) High-frequency vocabulary with idiomatic knowledge Grammar and vocabulary knowledge Understanding of reading materials on diverse subjects June
German Reading 60 minutes 85 questions Vocabulary in context and structure in context (test on grammar) (50%) Reading comprehension (50%) Knowledge of basic language with idioms Proper word selection Ability to relate main ideas with supporting ideas. Ability to understand simple to difficult passages June
German Listening 60 minutes (20 minutes for listening and 40 minutes for reading) 85 questions Listening section (35%): Type One with short dialogues/monologues. Type Two with longer dialogues and monologues. Reading section (65%): Vocabulary in context Structure in context Reading comprehension Understanding of parts of speech Ability to understand spoken German Ability of connecting ideas Grammatical accuracy Strong vocabulary May
Modern Hebrew Reading 60 minutes 85 questions Vocabulary in context (30%) Structure in text (30%) Reading comprehension (40%) Understanding of parts of speech Ability of connecting ideas Grammatical accuracy with sufficient vocabulary June
Latin Reading 60 minutes 70-75 questions Grammar and syntax (30%) Derivatives (5%) Translation and reading comprehension (65%) Appropriate understanding of grammatical forms of Latin words Translation skills June and December
Japanese Listening 60 minutes (20 minutes for listening and 40 minutes for reading) 80 questions Listening comprehension (35%) Usage (30%) Reading comprehension (35%) Ability to understand spoken Japanese and to complete sentences appropriately with proper grammatical skills . May
SAT Korean Listening 60 minutes (20 minutes for listening and 40 minutes for reading) 80 questions Listening comprehension (35%) Usage (30%) Reading comprehension (35%) Ability to understand spoken Korean and to complete sentences logically with proper grammar May

SAT Language Average Score

There were 20 different tests in 2020, in which subject tests were offered, 12 of which being in foreign languages. Students were required to bring a CD player to take the language with listening tests. The below table shows the tests and scores.

Test Subject Mean Score Standard deviation Number of students appeared
SAT Subject Test in Chinese with Listening Chinese 761 66 4,925
SAT Subject Test in French French 634 121 6,800
SAT Subject Test in French with Listening French 664 113 1,533
SAT Subject Test in German German 636 124 621
SAT Subject Test in German with Listening German 629 121 479
SAT Subject Test in Modern Hebrew Modern Hebrew 614 145 344
SAT Subject Test in Italian Italian 677 114 488
SAT Subject Test in Japanese with Listening Japanese 704 116 1,317
SAT Subject Test in Korean with Listening Korean 764 64 1,891
SAT Subject Test in Latin Latin 632 109 2,483
SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening Spanish 660 108 2,914

SAT Writing and Language Test

assess your ability to revise and edit texts about a range of topics. SAT writing and language consists of four passages with 11 questions each. You will be provided with 35 minutes to complete the SAT language test. Here is the brief of writing and language test:

  • The writing section is now called Writing and language
  • This section focuses on both little picture editing-grammar, word choice, punctuation, and big picture editing- flow, organization, and tone.
  • All of the questions are passage-based
  • Your SAT writing and language score will be combined with your Reading score to make one verbal score, on a range from 200-800.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.

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