How to Stay Focused on SAT Reading

Click here for our online courses: learn.tutorted.... The best technique for staying focused on SAT Critical Reading passages.
Ted Dorsey (aka Tutor Ted) has been tutoring students for the SAT and ACT since 2000. The business he founded, Tutor Ted, provides one-on-one test prep tutoring and publishes test prep books and online courses aimed at improving students' test scores. Ted himself scored perfectly on the SAT, ACT, and Subject Tests in Literature and Math Level 2. He and his tutors have helped thousands of students achieve their best results on the SAT and ACT.

[@juho7058]

the problem with this is that every passage has questions like "how does this passage shift topic throughout the story" which prompts you read the entire passage

[@imhomewiththemilk]

i honestly think its kinda easy to see the shifts, its like they jump at you

[@alyai.3263]

@@imhomewiththemilk how?

[@Weetus]

@@imhomewiththemilk fr tho. How?...

[@imhomewiththemilk]

@@Weetus ah.. idk how to explain it. Do u read books? I love reading so i guess thats why i was used to it

[@Sam-dk7zl]

@@imhomewiththemilk people who do good on the reading section are already avid readers

[@sirgrinder]

Thank you I got a perfect score of 80,000

[@quinnmaulding7736]

Wow that’s a really good score

[@Dean_Ji]

Im abt 8 years late but tutor ted, ive been watching all your vids and theyre super helpful. Such a good teacher and a lot of tutors ive had are boring and not smart. They tutor with 1400s even tho i score better than them which is just so stupid as my parents pay thousands to them. Your vids are more helpful than paying other tutors weekly.

[@miahathaway7879]

You are so relatable and hilarious! I’m an eleventh grader right now and I can already tell your videos are going to be extremely helpful !!!

[@TutorTed]

Thank you, Mia!!!! Wow, you just made my day. Thanks! By the way, I've got some new SAT videos coming out really soon...like in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

[@shavonndsouza4937]

Thats a brilliant tip to be honest! This is the only video on the net that recommends that, and I devised this technique myself to aid my critical reading. Like you mentioned, it certainly easens the Critical Reading a lot!!

[@TutorTed]

Hi Quinne, it would seem like pre-highlighting adds a step to the process and therefore takes more time to do than just reading the passage and answering the questions. The cool thing is that when you read the passage with the pre-highlighted spots marked, you'll be thinking about those sections before you get to the questions. When you get to the questions, you will be more likely to remember what was in that section, and in fact, you might already know the answer to the question! So while it does require that initial investment of 30-45 seconds, I think it actually saves you time on the passages!

[@Blubnuggetto23]

0:42 "I call it amphetamine"

[@yousifdiwan2931]

This actually works I developed this recently annotations also help :)

[@imhomewiththemilk]

sadly in here the tests are computerized i cant annotate :')

[@yousifdiwan2931]

@@imhomewiththemilk :/

[@quinne117]

In theory wouldn't this method require more requiring thus a longer route to the questions?

[@carlceluon9610]

thank you so much can you post more that really help me

[@raylayrr]

What about when they say" which line provides evidence to the previous question? A.Lin22-26 B.39-42 C46-52 D. 70-72" Those lines would be far away from each other. Any tips on how to approach that type of questions with that type of choices? Please reply

[@TutorTed]

Good question. I would highlight all of them, even if you're not likely to know which sets of highlights pertain to each other/the same question. You'll be thinking about the purpose of the evidence when you read, which is what's important to you in the end. In other words, you won't sort the evidence AS you read, but you'll retain what you prehighlighted and have it at the ready when the question sorts the evidence for you.

[@davitaverma8341]

do you pre-highlight the questions that have evidence with it

[@timothee5697]

thank youuuuuuuu soooooooooo much, you helped me so much

[@tomisin5508]

Ok guys so this doesn't exactly work when you have questions on passage tone and main idea so I suggest pre-highlighting then reading the passage but don't forget to read the topic of the passage before doing so. Goodluck guys!

[@TutorTed]

Hey Tomisin! Yes! Absolutely do read the passage. Context and main idea are critical-and not just on the main idea questions. You know what I mean? If you *get* the passage, you'll unlock questions both big and small. Good luck to you too! Thanks for commenting!

[@tomisin5508]

@@TutorTed of course 🙂

[@annaliesejameson9067]

HAH I ALREADY DO THAT WOW IM SO COOL no but this is a good tip

[@imhomewiththemilk]

saame i started instinctively doing that so i can focus better

[@theone3129]

Does this also work for the ACT Reading passages????

[@TutorTed]

Shaaz Bhimani it does-there just aren't as many text/line references as there are on SAT. Worth doing quickly though.

[@tunaakmehmet]

The answer for 1:02 is E

[@tunaakmehmet]

And 1:08 C

[@TutorTed]

@@tunaakmehmet Two for two!

[@tunaakmehmet]

Thanks! Btw you're quick.

[@quinne117]

Writing