No matter how skilled a reader you are, the SAT reading section is challenging. A future English major might have a hard time understanding scientific jargon, while STEM students might struggle through the antiquated language of historical primary source documents. However, there is one foundational skill that applies no matter the type of passage: understanding the author’s main idea.
When in doubt, find the main idea.
This is probably the single most important skill for the reading section. Once you’re able to understand the main idea, you can build on that skill to see how authors use details and evidence to build (or dispute) an argument. Even if the question doesn’t explicitly ask about the main idea, it’s important to understand what the author is trying to say. Think of it as an anchor: the answer choices are designed to trick you and if you don’t understand exactly what the author is trying to say, it’ll be that much easier to fall for a trap answer.
Remember that every author has a purpose in writing. My high school history teacher always pushed us to think about the author’s perspective - what is their motive for writing this? Asking that question while reading a passage can help you find the main idea. Why does the author use this specific piece of evidence? Why did the author structure the passage this way? Every choice the author makes is in support of the main idea.
Don’t Get Hung Up on the Details
It can feel overwhelming to read a scientific passage that uses complicated terms such as the Latin names of obscure plants and animals, but take comfort that you don’t have to be knowledgeable about science to ace this section. Everything you need to know to answer the question is in the passage, but that doesn’t mean every sentence is equally important.
Try not to get distracted by the vocabulary and instead translate the author’s point into easy-to-understand language. Don’t get caught up in trying to understand the intricate processes of some scientific phenomenon - unless the question is asking about it directly, you just need a high level understanding of it. And if a question does ask about it, you can always refer back to the passage!
If it helps, start out by jotting down a few words in the margin to remind yourself of the main idea of each paragraph. Gradually, as you practice more, you won’t need to physically write out notes but automatically be able to extract these ideas. But in the beginning, try not to worry about timing just yet. Perfecting this foundational skill will save you time in the long run and should feel like second nature.
Should You Read the Question First?
This is something worth experimenting to find what works best for you. When there are multiple questions after every passage on standardized tests, I find it helpful to skim the questions first to prime my brain before reading a passage. However, because the digital SAT typically has only one follow up question per passage, it might be better to read the passage first, extract the main idea, and then tackle the question. Try out both techniques on practice problems and find what works best for you. Practicing questions at home is the perfect time to experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you.
While there may be some more specific strategies for each passage type, finding the main idea is the first step to acing the SAT reading section.
At first it may feel time consuming to figure out the main idea when the question doesn’t even ask for it. As with any skill, you’ll get better and faster at it the more you do this. The great news is that this is a skill that you will carry with you beyond the SAT - whether you’re reading the morning news or a scientific research paper.
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