SAT Idioms Made Easy: Boost Your Test Score Today

SAT idiom questions differ from many other grammar questions. Why? You can’t solve idiom-based questions by applying a straightforward grammatical rule. Instead, you need to depend on your overall familiarity with English and specific phrasing. Since it’s likely that you’ll encounter a couple of idiom questions in the Writing and Language subsection of the SAT, I’ll walk you through some essential information about idioms to help boost your SAT score.

Updates to Idioms in the Digital SAT

While idioms were previously a frequent type of question on the SAT, the introduction of the new digital SAT has altered their representation.

When the SAT transitioned entirely to a digital format in 2024, several key changes were made to the Reading and Writing section. While idiom questions still appear, they are less common. Nevertheless, this guide can still help you learn everything critical about idioms for the SAT.

What Is an Idiom?

Idioms are phrases or expressions that follow their own usage patterns, often without adhering to standard grammatical rules. Uniquely, each idiom must be memorized individually. Many people think of idioms as expressions whose figurative meaning differs from their literal interpretation (e.g., "at the drop of a hat," "beat around the bush," or "in over one's head"). However, the type of idioms tested on the SAT isn’t related to those figurative idiomatic expressions.

Instead, SAT idiom questions focus on specific types of idioms that relate to grammar use.

How Are Idioms Tested on the SAT Writing and Language Section?

While the SAT doesn’t require you to identify figurative idioms such as "raining cats and dogs," there are two primary types of idioms tested in the Writing section: prepositional idioms and idioms that involve gerunds or infinitives.

Prepositional Idioms

Prepositional idioms require you to know which specific prepositions pair correctly with particular words, depending on the sentence’s context. For example, in English, it’s correct to say that someone is "interested in" something but incorrect to say "interested at" something. Similarly, we say "focus on" something rather than "focus at" something. Unfortunately, there’s no actionable rule to determine which preposition is correct. Instead, you have to rely on your familiarity with these expressions or how natural they "sound."

Let’s examine an example:

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

This sentence might resemble something you’d encounter on the SAT. While no explicit grammar rule is violated here, the phrase "devoid at" is incorrect because it doesn’t align with the proper idiomatic usage. The correct expression is "devoid of." After correction, the sentence reads:

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

The phrase "devoid of" means "without." Recognizing idiom errors often depends on your familiarity with commonly used expressions.

Let’s turn to the second type of idiom you may encounter.

Idioms with Gerunds or Infinitives

Gerunds are verbs ending with "-ing" that function as nouns, such as running, jumping, or thinking. Infinitives are verb forms preceded by "to," such as "to run," "to jump," or "to think."

What do idioms featuring gerunds or infinitives look like? One example is the correct phrase "capable of being," not "capable as being." Another example is the phrase "mind being," which is correct, while "mind to be" is incorrect. For idioms like these, it’s essential to know not only the correct preposition but also whether a gerund or infinitive should follow.

On occasion, gerunds and infinitives are both acceptable, depending on the idiom’s context. For example:

I struggle to do geometry.

Alternatively, it would also be correct to say:

I struggle doing geometry.

Let’s look at another example with an idiom error:

Bob insists at being annoying.

Here, the idiomatic error lies in using "at" instead of the correct preposition. The correct version of the sentence is:

Bob insists on being annoying.

Similarly, let’s take another sentence with a mistake:

Julie tends being worrisome.

Here’s the corrected version:

Julie tends to be worrisome.

With the verb "tends," the infinitive form ("to be") should be used instead of the gerund form ("being"). Let’s now examine idiom questions that appear on the SAT.

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 Challenging or Easy for Test-Takers?

Why They’re Difficult

Idiom questions can be tricky because, unlike other grammar-related questions, they don’t rely on clearly defined rules or patterns that apply universally. Instead, they test your familiarity with a specific set of idiomatic expressions. Since thousands of idioms exist in English, memorizing all of them isn’t practical.

Additionally, students learning English as a second language (ESL learners) may find idioms especially challenging. Without long-term exposure to English, it’s harder for learners to recognize idioms.

Why They’re Easy

Compared to some other grammar questions, idiom questions can be easier because they often rely on intuition. If a phrase "sounds right" due to your familiarity with idiomatic usage, you’re likely to choose the correct answer. Having prior exposure to idioms commonly featured on the SAT makes it much simpler to identify idiomatic errors.

SAT Tips for Idiom Questions

Here are some tips to help you master idiom questions on the SAT:

1. If a preposition, gerund, or infinitive is underlined in the sentence, check if it involves an idiom error.

2. If the answer choices in the multiple-choice options contain prepositions, be alert that the question might target idiomatic usage.

3. Keep track of idioms featured on official SAT practice tests.

4. Spend time reviewing and memorizing the idioms provided in the thorough, detailed list below.

Complete List of SAT Writing Idioms

While there are countless idioms in English, the SAT tends to focus on prepositional idioms and idioms involving gerunds or infinitives. The list below includes several idioms frequently tested by the SAT Writing section. Idioms from official College Board practice tests are listed first.

Keep in mind that it’s unrealistic to memorize every idiom on this list. Since only a few idiom-related questions might appear on the SAT Writing and Language subsection, dedicating many hours to memorizing hundreds of idioms might not be the most efficient use of your study time.

However, it’s recommended to periodically review the list below so that you can become familiar with these idiomatic expressions. Improving your understanding of idioms will make you more intuitive at recognizing errors on the SAT and allow you to answer these questions confidently.

Here’s my thorough list of idioms:

IDIOMS FROM SAT PRACTICE TESTS

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

Conclusion

Idiom questions on the SAT can initially seem tricky due to their reliance on familiarity rather than clear grammatical rules. However, with consistent review and exposure to commonly tested idioms, you can develop a strong intuition for identifying and correcting idiomatic errors. Keep in mind that these questions don't appear frequently on the test, so focus your preparation on high-priority idioms while ensuring you're comfortable distinguishing between proper and improper usage. By arming yourself with the knowledge provided in this guide and practicing regularly, you’ll increase your confidence and accuracy when tackling idiom questions on test day. Every bit of preparation counts toward achieving the SAT score you’re aiming for!