Craft and Structure
What this domain measures
Craft and Structure asks how a text is built and how its language works: what words mean in context, how figurative language creates meaning, how the passage is organized, and what the author is doing and feeling.
Vocabulary in context
Cover the answer choices mentally and ask what the word is doing in that sentence. Then pick the choice that fits the sentence, not the most familiar dictionary meaning. If the passage says a manager “fielded questions,” the meaning is handled them, not played a sport. Test by substituting the choice back into the sentence and rereading.
Connotation and figurative language
Words carry attitude. “Thrifty” and “stingy” describe similar behavior with opposite feelings. Similes, metaphors, and personification are usually there to make an abstract idea concrete or to set a tone; questions ask what the comparison suggests, not whether it is literally true.
Text structure
Common patterns: chronological, cause-effect, compare-contrast, problem-solution, and description with examples. Signal words (however, similarly, therefore, in contrast, for instance) reveal the pattern. A structure question asks why the author arranged material that way, so name the pattern and its purpose.
Point of view, purpose, and tone
Ask who is speaking (first person, third person) and why the author wrote the passage: to inform, persuade, explain, or entertain. Tone is the author’s attitude, such as amused, urgent, or critical. Do not confuse tone with topic: a passage about a serious subject can still be light in tone.
Rule of thumb
For any language question, quote the sentence, paraphrase it in plain words, then choose the answer that matches your paraphrase.