The Critical Reading sections in SAT have a huge focus on reading comprehension. Test takers have to read passages comprehend them and answer questions based on them. The best part about these questions is that you do not to really memorize anything for it. The answers lie within the paragraphs themselves.
The majority of the questions in these sections are reading comprehension questions. Doing well in them almost ensures a good score in the critical reading section. Still students have found it tough to do well in reading comprehension. We offer you some of the best strategies for SAT Reading Comprehension.
Strategies for SAT Reading Comprehension:
- Figure out what works for you – Some people prefer answering the questions after reading the entire paragraph while some may want to answer questions as they reading the paragraph. One approach doesn’t trump the other. Choose whatever works for you.
- Do read the passage atleast once – Even if you are the type who thinks of questions before the passage, it’s not a bad idea to read the passage for understanding. Especially for long passages, reading the passage first always helps.
- Be focused – The reading comprehension questions contain both short and long form passages. Make sure you are focused and paying attention to the passage.
- Understand the paragraph – If you are someone who likes reading paragraphs up front, try to understand the paragraph. See whether it’s a fictional piece or a news report. Make mental notes of the topic, theme, objectives and other such details. Understanding the paragraph is key to answering SAT reading comprehension questions successfully.
- Make notes – This is something test takers should do more often. Make notes while you read. You can underline the important points or write a one-line summary of paragraphs. This is especially useful for long passages. This way you will not be lost at the end of the passage. You may not want to it for short passages.
Taking practice tests along with lots of reading will help you tackle the reading comprehension section fairly easily. In fact, you can score pretty well in this section if you get the hang of it.
