The biggest hurdles are pacing (finishing all passages in time), distinguishing between similar answer choices, and understanding what the test makers are actually asking. Many students also struggle with inference questions that require reading between the lines, or they misread details in dense passages. A tutor can help you develop strategies for each question type and teach you how to read more efficiently without sacrificing comprehension.

Effective strategies include previewing questions before reading the passage (so you know what to focus on), annotating key details as you read, and using process of elimination to narrow down answer choices. Time management is crucial—most students benefit from spending about 8-9 minutes per passage to leave time for review. Your tutor will help you find the approach that works best for your reading style and teach you how to recognize question patterns that appear repeatedly on the test.

Practice tests are essential—they help you build stamina, identify patterns in your mistakes, and get comfortable with the test format under timed conditions. Taking full-length practice tests every 2-3 weeks, then reviewing your errors with a tutor, is one of the most effective ways to improve. Your tutor can use practice test results to pinpoint whether you're struggling with specific passage types (science, history, literature) or certain question formats, then focus your study sessions accordingly.

Your first session focuses on understanding where you stand. A tutor will review your recent practice test scores, discuss your target score, and assess your strengths and weaknesses across different passage types and question formats. You'll likely work through a sample passage together to see your current approach, then discuss a personalized study plan that fits your timeline and goals.

While the ACT Reading section doesn't have a separate vocabulary test like some other standardized tests, context clues and understanding word meaning in passages are important. Rather than memorizing lists, it's more effective to learn how to infer word meaning from surrounding sentences and recognize common word patterns. Your tutor can teach you strategies for handling unfamiliar words without losing comprehension or wasting time.

The ACT Reading section gives you 35 minutes for 4 passages and 40 questions—about 8-9 minutes per passage. Many students rush and make careless errors, while others get stuck on difficult questions and run out of time. A tutor can help you develop a pacing strategy that works for you, teach you which questions to prioritize, and help you practice staying calm when you're behind on time.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about your approach. Working with a tutor builds confidence through repeated practice with real test questions, so you know exactly what to expect on test day. Your tutor can also teach you breathing techniques and mental strategies to stay calm under pressure, and help you develop a pre-test routine that reduces nervousness.