Reading Strategies for SAT

The SAT Reading Section

• 65 minutes, 52 questions
• 5 passages: 1 Literature, 2 History/Social Science, 2 Science
• 10-11 questions per passage
• Paired passages: One set (usually History or Science)

Active Reading Techniques

Before You Read: Preview

Spend 30 seconds on:

1. Read the blurb (italicized intro text)
2. Note the source/date (historical context matters)
3. Glance at questions (know what to look for)

This preview tells you:

• Topic and main focus
• Author's likely purpose
• Question types to expect

As You Read: Annotate

Mark these as you go:

Main ideas: Underline topic sentences (usually first/last of paragraphs)

Tone/attitude words: Circle words showing author's opinion

• "unfortunately," "remarkable," "merely," "crucial"

Transitions: Box transition words that signal structure

• "however," "furthermore," "in contrast," "for example"

Key details: Star specific data, dates, names, examples

Confusing parts: Question mark in margin (come back if needed)

After Each Paragraph: Pause

Ask yourself: "What was the main point of that paragraph?"

Mental summary: One sentence max
Example: "Paragraph 2 = scientists discovered the cause"

This helps with:

• Big picture questions
• Purpose/function questions
• Staying focused

The Two Reading Approaches

Approach A: Full Read First (Traditional)

Process:

1. Read passage carefully (5 min)
2. Answer questions (8 min)

Best for: ✓ Strong readers who retain details
✓ Literature passages (narrative flow matters)
✓ Those who get distracted hunting for answers

Keys to success:

• Read actively with annotations
• Don't zone out
• Trust your comprehension

Approach B: Questions First (Strategic)

Process:

1. Read question stems (NOT answer choices) (1 min)
2. Skim passage for structure (2 min)
3. Answer line-reference questions first (3 min)
4. Answer general questions (5 min)

Best for: ✓ Those who struggle with long passages
✓ Science passages (fact-heavy)
✓ When short on time

Keys to success:

• Don't get lost in details on skim
• Mark where line-reference answers are found
• Piece together main idea from questions

TRY BOTH in practice to see which works for YOU!

Question Type Strategies

Big Picture Questions

Question types:

• "The main purpose of the passage is..."
• "The passage primarily serves to..."
• "Which best describes the overall structure..."

Strategy:

• Save for LAST (after reading whole passage)
• Eliminate answers that are too narrow (minor detail)
• Eliminate answers that are too broad (goes beyond scope)
• Your paragraph summaries help here

Detail Questions

Question types:

• "According to the passage..."
• "The author states that..."
• "In lines 23-27, the author mentions..."

Strategy:

• Go back to the passage!
• Read 2-3 sentences before and after the line reference
• Answer is stated directly (not inferred)
• Avoid trap answers that use passage words but distort meaning

Inference Questions

Question types:

• "It can reasonably be inferred..."
• "The passage suggests..."
• "The author implies..."

Strategy:

• Must be supported by passage (not outside knowledge)
• Usually one step beyond what's directly stated
• Avoid extreme inferences (going too far)
• "Most likely" means 90% sure, not 100%

Vocabulary in Context

Question types:

• "As used in line 42, 'brilliant' most nearly means..."

Strategy:

• Read the sentence (and maybe one before/after)
• Substitute each answer choice
• DON'T use dictionary definition — use context!

Example:
"The scientist's approach was brilliant, solving what others thought impossible."

• Not "shiny/bright" ✗
• Yes "exceptionally clever" ✓

Function/Purpose Questions

Question types:

• "The author mentions X in order to..."
• "The example in lines 30-35 serves primarily to..."

Strategy:

• Ask: WHY did the author include this?
• Connect to the paragraph's main idea
• Common purposes: support claim, provide example, introduce objection, transition topics

Evidence Questions (Paired)

Question types:

• "Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?"

Strategy:

Method 1: If you're confident in previous answer

• Find lines that directly support it
• Must explicitly state/imply your answer

Method 2: If you're unsure about previous answer

• Check each evidence choice
• See what answer to #X it supports
• Work backwards to verify

Dual Passage Questions

Question types:

• "Both passages..."
• "Unlike Passage 1, Passage 2..."
• "How would the author of Passage 2 respond to lines 15-18 of Passage 1?"

Strategy:

• Read Passage 1 completely first
• Answer Passage 1-only questions
• Read Passage 2
• Answer Passage 2-only questions
• THEN answer comparison questions
• Make chart: What does each author think?

Passage-Specific Strategies

Literature/Fiction

What to track:

• Characters and relationships
• Setting and mood
• Conflict or tension
• Character development/change
• Narrative perspective (1st person? 3rd?)

Common questions:

• Character motivation/feelings
• Tone and mood shifts
• Narrative technique
• Meaning of descriptions

History/Social Science

What to track:

• Author's argument/claim
• Evidence supporting claim
• Historical context (from blurb)
• Counterarguments addressed

Common questions:

• Author's purpose
• Main argument
• How evidence supports claim
• Author's attitude toward topic

Science

What to track:

• Hypothesis/research question
• Experimental methods
• Results/findings
• Conclusions drawn
• Any limitations mentioned

Common questions:

• Purpose of experiment
• What results show
• How data supports conclusion
• Comparing two theories

Pro tip: Don't worry if you don't understand all science terminology — answers are in the passage!

Eliminating Wrong Answers

Wrong answer types:

Too Extreme

• Uses words like "always," "never," "only," "all"
• Passages rarely make absolute claims

Too Narrow

• Focuses on minor detail when question asks about main idea
• Mentions one paragraph when question is about whole passage

Too Broad

• Goes beyond passage scope
• Makes claims not supported by text

Opposite

• Contradicts what passage says
• Common trap on tone questions (positive vs negative)

Distortion

• Uses words from passage but twists meaning
• Combines unrelated concepts
• Most tempting wrong answers!

Not Supported

• Sounds reasonable but isn't stated or implied
• Requires outside knowledge
• Remember: Answer is ALWAYS in the passage

Common Reading Mistakes

❌ Using outside knowledge — only use what's in passage
❌ Not going back to passage — verify before answering
❌ Choosing answers with passage words — look for meaning match, not word match
❌ Over-inferring — answer is usually more straightforward than you think
❌ Ignoring line references — they're there to help you!
❌ Rushing the passage — spending 2 minutes reading, then getting questions wrong

Difficult Passage Strategies

If passage is really hard:

1. Don't panic — everyone finds one passage hard
2. Do line-reference questions first — you can answer these even if you don't fully understand passage
3. Save main idea for last — piece it together from questions
4. Eliminate obviously wrong answers
5. Make educated guesses — no penalty!
6. Move on — don't let one passage tank your whole score

Time-Saving Tips

✓ Read questions first (just stems, not choices) — know what to look for
✓ Do passages in order that works for YOU — start with easiest passage type
✓ Skip and come back — if a question is taking too long
✓ Trust your paragraph summaries — don't reread entire passage for main idea
✓ Don't overthink — first instinct often correct, especially on tone

Practice Tips

To improve reading score:

1. Read actively — practice annotating
2. Time yourself — get used to 13-minute pace
3. Review wrong answers — understand why you missed it
4. Read diverse material — history, science, literature
5. Build stamina — practice full 65-minute sections
6. Track patterns — which question types do you miss?

The Reading Mindset

Remember:

• Everything you need is in the passage — no tricks
• The answer is provable — you can point to evidence
• Don't fight the passage — understand author's perspective
• You're looking for "best" answer — not perfect answer
• Trust the process — stick to your strategy

Final tip: The SAT Reading isn't testing whether you're "smart." It's testing whether you can carefully read, understand, and analyze a passage. With practice and strategy, anyone can improve!