Most students struggle with the 35-minute time limit for five passages—that's just 7 minutes per passage including reading and answering 10 questions. The challenge isn't always reading speed; it's balancing comprehension with efficiency. Many students read too slowly trying to catch every detail, or they rush and miss important context for inference questions. Effective strategies include previewing questions before reading, identifying which passage types you handle fastest, and knowing when to skip difficult questions and return later. Working with a tutor can help you develop a pacing strategy that works for your reading style.

ACT Reading focuses on three main question categories: comprehension (finding stated details), inference (understanding implied meaning), and rhetorical skills (analyzing structure and word choice). About 50% of questions test inference and reasoning—identifying the author's purpose, interpreting tone, or understanding relationships between ideas. The other half target direct comprehension and vocabulary in context. Understanding these categories helps you approach each question strategically; for example, inference questions require looking beyond the surface text, while detail questions reward careful reading of specific sections. Practicing different question types reveals which ones you find most challenging.

No—adapting your approach to different passage types can improve both speed and accuracy. The five passages include prose fiction, social studies, humanities, and two natural science selections, each with different styles and question patterns. Prose fiction often has nuanced character motivation questions, while science passages may focus on technical details or research methodology. Some students find they naturally read faster on certain passage types. A strategic approach is to tackle your strongest passage types first to build confidence and time buffer, then adjust your speed for tougher passages. Identifying which passage types challenge you most helps focus your practice.

Most effective study plans include one full practice test every 1-2 weeks, depending on how much time you're dedicating to ACT prep. Frequent full-section practice (the entire 35-minute Reading test) is more valuable than scattered passage practice because it helps you develop real pacing and stamina. Between full tests, targeted practice on specific question types or passage styles builds skills more efficiently. The goal is to see patterns in your mistakes—are you losing points to time pressure, vocabulary, inference questions, or particular passage types? This data guides where to focus your studying. A tutor can help you analyze practice test results and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Vocabulary matters, but context clues matter more on the ACT Reading test. You'll encounter some challenging vocabulary words, but the test rewards your ability to infer meaning from surrounding sentences rather than knowing obscure definitions. That said, building familiarity with common academic and literary vocabulary does help you read more fluently and spend less mental energy decoding words. Instead of memorizing word lists, focus on understanding vocabulary in context by reading challenging material—literary journals, science articles, history essays—similar to ACT passage styles. This approach builds vocabulary naturally while improving your comprehension of complex texts.

Test anxiety on timed reading sections often stems from worrying about time running out or encountering a difficult passage early. Practical strategies include practicing the full 35-minute test under realistic conditions repeatedly, so the timing feels familiar rather than threatening. Developing a consistent, efficient pacing strategy also builds confidence—knowing exactly how to approach each passage reduces decision-making stress during the test. When you encounter a tough passage, having a plan (like skipping it strategically) prevents panic. Finally, remembering that every student finds some passages challenging helps normalize the experience. Working with a tutor to build test-specific skills and confidence through targeted practice is one of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety.