Question 155·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
Popular accounts often claim that every Renaissance masterpiece was the solitary achievement of a singular genius. In reality, many masters supervised workshops in which apprentices prepared materials and executed portions of the composition. Although master painters signed the finished works, their assistants’ contributions were substantial and sometimes decisive.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion?
For SAT questions asking about the function of a phrase or clause, always read at least the full sentence and often the one before it, then identify any signal words (like although, because, however) that show how the parts relate. Ask yourself: Is this clause conceding a point, giving an example, defining a term, contrasting ideas, or summarizing? Once you’ve named its role in your own words, eliminate answer choices that describe a different type of function or that would require information the text never actually states. Focus on how the underlined part supports or sets up the author’s main point, not just what it says in isolation.
Hints
Zoom out to the full sentence
Reread the entire sentence that contains the underlined portion. How does the clause after the comma relate to the underlined clause before the comma?
Pay attention to the word "Although"
The word at the beginning of the underlined portion is a clue. What kind of relationship does "although" usually show between two ideas?
Ask what kind of job the underlined portion does
Is the underlined clause mainly defining a term, criticizing assistants, describing a process, or introducing something that the next clause comments on or contrasts with?
Connect to the paragraph’s main point
Think about the paragraph’s overall goal: to challenge the idea that masterpieces were created by one lone genius. How does the underlined clause help the author make that point?
Step-by-step Explanation
Read the full sentence, not just the underlined part
Look at the entire last sentence: "Although master painters signed the finished works, their assistants’ contributions were substantial and sometimes decisive." The underlined portion is only the first clause of this sentence, so its role depends on how it connects to what comes after the comma.
Notice the signal word and relationship
The sentence begins with the word "Although", which typically introduces a concession (something the author acknowledges) that is then contrasted with the main point in the second part of the sentence.
Here, the structure is:
- Concession: master painters signed the works.
- Main point: assistants’ contributions were substantial and sometimes decisive.
So the underlined part is not the main idea; it sets up a contrast with the idea that follows.
Summarize what the underlined portion is doing
Put the underlined clause into your own words: it is saying, "Yes, it's true that the masters are the ones whose names are on the paintings." This fits with a typical crediting practice: the famous master signs and gets credit.
Right after that, the author emphasizes that assistants actually contributed a lot. That means the first clause is there to acknowledge the usual way credit is given so the writer can then highlight how important the assistants really were.
Match this function to the answer choices
Now compare that function to the choices:
- It is not defining a term, attacking assistants, or explaining step-by-step workflow; it is acknowledging a common practice (masters signing the works) in order to contrast it with the reality of assistants’ substantial contributions.
The choice that captures this concessive-contrast role is: A) It concedes a typical crediting practice to set up a contrast highlighting assistants' substantial contributions.