45+ Common Idioms for SAT Writing: Top 10 Idioms, Most Common Preposition Idioms, and Gerund Idioms for SAT 

Idioms for SAT Writing: Idioms can help SAT test-takers come up with solid responses in SAT writing tasks that are not only well-articulated but also comprehensible. That being said, test-takers must be well-versed in the most common idioms for SAT writing to formulate good answers. In this blog, we have shared a comprehensive list of the most common idioms for SAT writing.  That being said, read the complete article to learn more about the common idioms for SAT writing. 

Top 10 Idioms for SAT Writing 

SAT Writing tasks require test-takers to come up with comprehensive answers that are well-constructed, eloquent, coherent and understandable. Idioms, in such cases, play a major role in bolstering one’s success in the SAT writing tasks. ‘Idioms’ and ‘Phrasal Verbs’ take up a majority of weightage in SAT Writing. This is why test-takers must keep abreast of the most common or frequently used idioms in SAT Writing. Let’s look at the list of some of the most common idioms to help you ace your SAT Writing. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
As a means of	Through the use of, owing to.	It can be used as a means of reducing pollution in the city.
Serve as	In the sense of act as.	The incident served as a catalyst for the downfall of his mental health.
Wait for	To stay in a particular place, and not do anything until somebody/something arrives or until something happens.	You should wait for her.
In order to be	With the aim or purpose of doing something.	In order to be rich, you’ll need to make certain sacrifices in life.
Anxious about	To be anxious or nervous about something.	He was anxious about his test results.
Ask about	to put a question to somebody to find out some information.	You should ask her about the scoring criteria of the exam.
Bring about	To cause something.	The event brought about a tremendous change in society afterwards.
Decide against	To decide not to do something.	I’ve decided against doing that to her.
Rebel against	To reject, resist, or rise in arms against one’s government or ruler.	He rebelled against his father.
Celebrate as	To mark a special day, event, or holiday.	15th August is celebrated as Independence Day in India.

50 Most Common Prepositional Idioms for SAT Writing

Prepositional  Idioms for SAT Writing: The SAT exam is intended to assess an individual’s understanding of the following sorts of idioms: prepositional idioms and gerunds/infinitives. When it comes to prepositional idioms, you should understand which prepositions to employ with a specific word dependent on the sentence’s context. There is no rule for determining the appropriate preposition to use. That being stated, see the list of the 50 most prevalent preposition idioms for SAT writing. 

Idioms with the Preposition: About 

Here are the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘about’ which you can incorporate in your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Anxious about	To be nervous about something	He was anxious about his test results.
Ask about	To ask about something	You can ask her about the accommodation prices.
Bring about	To cause something	He brings about the worst out of me.
Curious about	To be curious about something	I am curious about the new video game.
Think about	To think about something	Just think about the situation for a minute and then work upon it.

Idioms with the Preposition: Against

Refer to the table given below to go through the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘against’’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Advise against	To tell someone not to do (something)	I would advise against using such tools for writing.
Argue against	To argue or debate against someone/something	He argued against his statement of normalising AI tools for creating art.
Count against	If something counts against you, it may cause you to be rejected or punished.	The odds are counting against me.
Decide against	To decide not to do something	I’ve decided against pursuing her anymore.
Go against	To oppose something	Don’t go against the norm. People here won’t like it.

Idioms with the Preposition: As

Given below is a comprehensive list of the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘as’’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Celebrate as	To mark a special day, event, or holiday	15 August is celebrated as the independence day of India.
Regard as	Look on as or consider	The Godfather is often regarded as the highest-rated film of all time.
See as	To discern something	You can see it as a learning experience.
View as	Perspective	She was not viewed as a good woman in society.
Referred to as	To call by something/someone	He is often referred to as Bob Marley of India.

Idioms with the Preposition: At

Here are the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘at’ which you can incorporate in your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Aim at	To plan, hope, or intend to achieve something	You should always aim at the sky to be better.
Arrive at	​To decide on or find something, especially after discussion and thought	How did you even arrive at the conclusion? It’s outlandish.
Laugh at	To ridicule or make fun of something/someone.	Do not laugh at people who are already going through a tough phase.
Look at	To view someone/something	You can look at it from a different perspective.
Succeed at	To achieve something	He succeeded at securing the top scores.

Idioms with the Preposition: By

Below is a comprehensive list of the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘by’’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Accompanied by	To go with someone or to be provided or exist at the same time as something:	The food arrived swiftly, accompanied by a large basket of fresh French bread.
Amazed by	Amused by something	I was amazed by his sheer confidence.
Confused by	Perplexed by something	I got a little confused by his behaviour.
Followed by	To say what comes after something else in a list or ordered set of things	Although the battle had no real winner, it was followed by a decisive push and victory within 12 months.
Go by	To move past, in space or time:	Things will get easier as time goes by

Idioms with the Preposition: For

Refer to the table given below to go through the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘for’’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Advocate for	To recommend something	I cannot advocate for the product. I haven’t used it.
Ask for	To try to obtain by requesting:	You can ask her for an extra pen.
Blame for	To hold responsible; find fault with;	I blame her for destroying his life.
Famous for	Notable for something	He is famous for his evocative paintings.
Known for	Renowned for something	He is known for his music.

Idioms with the Preposition: From

Given below is a comprehensive list of the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘from’’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Abstain from	To choose not to do or have something	You should abstain from smoking and consuming alcohol.
Different from	Dissimilar	He is different from his peers.
Excuse from	To allow someone not to do or attend something when they normally would have to	He was excused from the band as he was not feeling well that day.
Far from	Tending to the opposite of what is expected.	She lives far away from London.
Obvious from	Easily seen	It was very obvious from her look that she liked him.

Idioms with the Preposition: Into

Here are the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘into’ which you can incorporate in your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Enter into	Enter somewhere	You can enter into the mall from the backdoor.
Look into	to inquire into; investigate; examine	You should look into the matter. I sense there is something hinky about the entire situation.
Inquire into	Investigate something	Esther does not inquire after her, Allan offers no information.
Read into	To believe that an action, remark, or situation has a particular importance or meaning, often when this is not true	Don’t read too much into what she says.
Be Into	Be interested in or involved with	He was totally into her.

Idioms with the Preposition: In

Given below is a comprehensive list of the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘in’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Engage in	To take part in something; to make somebody take part in something.	Do not engage in a fight with him. Just look at him, he is twice your size.
Fall in love	To be in love with someone or something.	He fell in love with his best friend and later married her.
In advance	Before something begins; early	I think you should tell her in advance.
Interested in	You think it is important and want to learn more about it or spend time doing it.	She is interested in playing the harp.
Succeed in	Achieving the desired aim or result.	You will succeed in the task if you adhere to my words.

Idioms with the Preposition: On 

Refer to the table given below to go through the top 5 prepositional idioms related to the term ‘on’ which you can incorporate into your SAT writing tasks. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Base on	To use an idea, a fact, a situation, etc. as the point from which something can be developed.	What are you basing this theory on
Draw on	Use one’s experience, talents, or skills as a resource.	He drew on his experience and instinct to get out of the situation.
Focus on	Concentrate on it and think about it.	You should focus on your studies.
Impose on	Force on someone	You cannot just impose your decision on me like that.
Insist on	Saying or showing that one believes that something is necessary or very important.	My source insisted on anonymity.

Most Common Gerund Idioms for SAT Writing

Gerund idioms, apart from prepositional idioms, play a major role in bolstering one’s chances of securing better scores in SAT writing tasks. One can use such idioms to construe better responses for their SAT writing questions.

You may use them to add coherence to your answers and make them understandable and well-articulated. Here are the most common gerund idioms which you can use to ace your SAT writing. 

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Accuse of	Charge with an offence or crime.	He was accused of stealing the money.
Admire for	To feel respect and approval for (someone or something).	He is admired for his honesty and truthfulness.
Allow	To let someone do something or let something happen.	She allowed him to enter her house.
Capable of	Having the ability, fitness, or quality necessary to do or achieve a specified thing.	You are capable of better work than this
Complete	Having all the necessary or appropriate parts.	You should complete your work by the end of the day.
Concentrate on	Focusing all one’s attention on a particular object or activity.	I have to concentrate on my work. Please let me focus.
Confess to	Admit that one has committed a crime or done something wrong.	I think you should confess to her about your infidelity.
Consider	Think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision.	I think you should consider other options.
Delay	Make (someone or something) late or slow.	You should not delay the work anymore.
Describe	Give a detailed account in words.	He is described as the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.

So that was all about idioms for SAT writing. Hope the blog has answered your queries regarding the topic. 

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