The SAT format for 2026, explained.

The SAT has two sections: Reading and Writing (54 questions in two 32-minute modules, 64 minutes) and Math (44 questions in two 35-minute modules, 70 minutes), plus a 10-minute break. Testing time is 2 hours 14 minutes. Each section is adaptive, scores run 400–1600, and Math allows the built-in Desmos calculator throughout. You test in College Board's Bluebook app.

Test Ninjas Research · Updated November 11, 2026 · 8 min read

SAT format at a glance

This is the format for every 2026 SAT, including the next test date, December 5, 2026 (see all SAT test dates). It has been the SAT's format since the test went digital in March 2023 internationally and March 2024 in the U.S.

SAT timing by module. Source: College Board, How the SAT Is Structured.

	Questions	Time Limit	Avg. per question
Reading and Writing Module 1	27 questions	32 minutes	about 71 seconds
Reading and Writing Module 2	27 questions	32 minutes	about 71 seconds
10-minute break
Math Module 1	22 questions	35 minutes	about 95 seconds
Math Module 2	22 questions	35 minutes	about 95 seconds
Total	98 questions	2 hours 14 minutes (excluding break)

The SAT has two sections: Reading and Writing first, then Math. Each section is split into two modules of equal length, and there is a 10-minute break between the two sections (after Reading and Writing, before Math). The first module in each section contains a broad mix of easy, medium and hard questions, and the second module is harder or easier on average depending on how you did on the first, a process known as adaptive testing.

Each module has its own fixed clock: 32 minutes for Reading and Writing and 35 minutes for Math. Use spare time to review the current module. Unused time does not transfer to the next module, and you cannot return to a completed module. See Bluebook’s timing instructions.

Other SAT format facts

Feature	Details
Score scale	400–1600 total; 200–800 for each section, in 10-point steps
Question types	Reading and Writing: all four-choice multiple choice. Math: about 75% multiple choice, about 25% student-produced response (you type the answer)
Reading passages	One short passage (25–150 words) or a pair of passages per question
Calculator	Built-in Desmos graphing and scientific calculator, or your own approved calculator, on every Math question; a formula reference sheet is provided
Unscored questions	2 pretest questions in each module (8 of 98); you can't tell which ones they are
Navigation	Move freely and mark questions for review within a module; no going back once it ends
Guessing penalty	None; answer every question
Where you test	On a laptop or tablet in College Board's Bluebook app

Pacing: you get about 71 seconds per Reading and Writing question and about 95 seconds per Math question. Of the 98 questions, 8 are unscored pretest questions that look like the rest, so give every question your full effort.

Try one of each question type

Here are four questions written by Test Ninjas in the style of the SAT: two Reading and Writing (a vocabulary question and a grammar question) and two Math (a multiple-choice question and a student-produced response, where you type the answer). Pick an answer, then check it to see the explanation.

1. Reading and Writing · Craft and Structure

Although the committee's first report was brief, its recommendations were far from ______: each one named a specific agency, a deadline, and a budget for the work. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word?

AambitiousBurgentCvagueDcontroversial

On test day: about 71 seconds per Reading and Writing question

2. Reading and Writing · Standard English Conventions

The collection of letters written by the town's first mayor ______ now displayed in a glass case at the public library. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

AareBisCwereDhave been

On test day: about 71 seconds per Reading and Writing question

3. Math · Algebra

A tank holds 120 gallons of water and drains at a constant rate of 8 gallons per minute. Which equation gives the number of gallons, g, left in the tank m minutes after it starts draining?

Ag = 8m − 120Bg = 120 + 8mCg = 120m − 8Dg = 120 − 8m

On test day: about 95 seconds per Math question

4. Math · Advanced Math

x² − 10x + 21 = 0 If x > 4, what is the value of x in the equation above?

Your answer (type a number, decimal or fraction)

On test day: about 95 seconds per Math question

0 of 0 checked answers correct (0 of 4 answered)

Reading and Writing section

Read our in-depth SAT Reading and Writing section guide →

Reading and Writing has 54 questions in 64 minutes, split into two 32-minute modules of 27 questions. Every question is four-choice multiple choice and comes with its own short passage of 25 to 150 words (or a pair of passages), drawn from literature, history and social studies, the humanities, and science. There are no long reading passages with many questions each.

The section tests comprehension and reasoning, using evidence from texts and graphics, and the grammar and punctuation rules of Standard English.

Question Types

The Reading and Writing section consists of questions categorized into four distinct content domains:

Information and Ideas: This domain evaluates your comprehension, analysis, and reasoning capabilities. It tests your skill in identifying, interpreting, evaluating, and integrating information from textual content as well as informational graphics like tables, bar graphs, and line graphs.
Craft and Structure: This area measures your understanding of vocabulary, as well as your ability to analyze, synthesize, and reason. The focus is on comprehending the usage of high-utility words and phrases in a given context, assessing texts from a rhetorical perspective, and linking texts that are related by topic.
Expression of Ideas: This domain aims to gauge your ability to revise written content to enhance its expressive efficacy and to achieve particular rhetorical objectives.
Standard English Conventions: This segment tests your proficiency in editing written material to align with the foundational conventions of standard English, encompassing sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.

Questions in a particular domain are further divided into subcategories called skills. Different skills usually have distinctly-worded questions, but a single skill may take the form of multiple question types. The following table highlights the Reading and Writing skills:

Domain	Skill	Distribution
Information and Ideas	Central Ideas and Details Command of Evidence (Textual) Command of Evidence (Quantitative) Inferences	~26% (12-14 questions)
Craft and Structure	Words in Context Text Structure and Purpose Cross-Text Connections	~28% (13-15 questions)
Expression of Ideas	Rhetorical Synthesis Transitions	~20% (8-12 questions)
Standard English Conventions	Boundaries Form, Structure, and Sense	~26% (11-15 questions)

In each module, questions appear in the same domain order: Craft and Structure, then Information and Ideas, then Standard English Conventions, then Expression of Ideas. Within Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas, and Expression of Ideas, questions testing the same skill are grouped together. Moreover, these questions are ordered from least to most difficult, helping test-takers manage their time more effectively and showcase their abilities.

In contrast, questions in the Standard English Conventions domain are sorted solely by difficulty, irrespective of the specific rule being assessed.

Question counts above are the scored questions per test (50 of the 54). For more on the question types, see College Board's Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite.

Math section

Read our in-depth SAT Math section guide →

Math has 44 questions in 70 minutes, split into two 35-minute modules of 22 questions. About 75% are four-choice multiple choice and about 25% are student-produced responses, where you type in your answer. You can use a calculator on every question, either the Desmos graphing calculator built into Bluebook or your own approved calculator, and a formula reference sheet is available. About 30% of Math questions are set in a real-world or science context.

The section tests algebra, problem-solving and data analysis, nonlinear equations and functions, geometry, and trigonometry.

Question Types

Like Reading and Writing, the Math section also contains questions split into four domains:

Algebra: Assesses the capability to understand, solve, and construct linear equations and inequalities, as well as systems of equations.
Advanced Math: Evaluates readiness for higher-level math by testing understanding of various types of nonlinear equations, including but not limited to absolute value, quadratic, and exponential equations.
Problem-Solving and Data Analysis: Tests quantitative reasoning skills, particularly in dealing with ratios, rates, unit rates, and data interpretation.
Geometry and Trigonometry: Focuses on geometric calculations involving area, volume, angles, triangles, and circles.

Each module includes questions from all four domains, arranged from easiest to hardest. Questions in each domain are further split into skills (counts are scored questions, 40 of the 44):

Domain	Skill	Distribution
Algebra	Linear equations in one variable Linear equations in two variables Linear functions Systems of two linear equations in two variables Linear inequalities in one or two variables	~35% (13-15 questions)
Advanced Math	Equivalent expressions Nonlinear equations in one variable and systems of equations in two variables Nonlinear functions	~35% (13-15 questions)
Problem-Solving and Data Analysis	Ratios, rates, proportional relationships, and units Percentages One-variable data: distributions and measures of center and spread Two-variable data: models and scatterplots Probability and conditional probability Inference from sample statistics and margin of error Evaluating statistical claims: observational studies and experiments	~15% (5-7 questions)
Geometry and Trigonometry	Area and volume Lines, angles, and triangles Right triangles and trigonometry Circles	~15% (5-7 questions)

You know the map — now drill by section.

R&W and Math each have their own domains and traps. Jump into free daily practice for the section you want to raise first — no account required.

Browse free SAT practice →

Scoring

Questions are marked as either right or wrong, and students are not penalized for guessing. The final score for each section, ranging from 200 to 800, takes into account both the difficulty level of each question and the student's performance.

The total SAT score ranges from 400 to 1600 and is the sum of scores from two sections. Each section score is based on the scored questions from both of its modules: 50 in Reading and Writing and 40 in Math. The 8 pretest questions don't count (Assessment Framework, Table 2 and section 2.3.2).

To estimate a score range from the number of questions you got right, you can try our Digital SAT Score Calculator. For more detailed information about scoring, check our SAT score range guide.

Frequently asked questions

The SAT has 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing time: 64 minutes for Reading and Writing and 70 minutes for Math. With the 10-minute break between the sections, plan on about 2 hours and 24 minutes, plus time for check-in and instructions.

The SAT has 98 questions: 54 in Reading and Writing (27 per module) and 44 in Math (22 per module). Eight of them, two per module, are unscored pretest questions that look exactly like the scored ones, so treat every question as if it counts.

There are two: Reading and Writing, then Math. Reading and Writing covers Information and Ideas, Craft and Structure, Expression of Ideas, and Standard English Conventions. Math covers Algebra, Advanced Math, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Trigonometry. There is no separate essay.

Each section has two modules. Module 1 has a broad mix of easy, medium and hard questions. Based on how you do on it, Module 2 is either harder or easier on average. Your section score is based on the scored questions from both modules.

Yes. A built-in Desmos graphing and scientific calculator is available on every Math question, and you may bring your own approved calculator instead. A reference sheet of common formulas is also provided.

No. Each module has its own clock: 32 minutes for each Reading and Writing module and 35 minutes for each Math module. You can move freely within a module, but once it ends you cannot go back to it.

No. Wrong answers do not reduce your score, so answer every question, even if you have to guess.

No. The SAT is taken on a laptop or tablet in College Board's Bluebook app. It went digital internationally in March 2023 and in the U.S. in March 2024. Students approved for a paper-test accommodation can test on paper.

Official sources

Last verified against College Board: November 11, 2026

How the SAT Is Structured (sections, modules, timing, question counts)
Assessment Framework for the Digital SAT Suite, version 4 (September 2026) (adaptive design, pretest questions, domains, calculator, score scales)
How does timing work in Bluebook?
SAT dates and deadlines

Related SAT guides

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