The biggest hurdles are usually pacing (finishing all passages in time), understanding what inference questions are really asking, and building a strong vocabulary foundation. Many students also struggle with the transition from how they write in school to the formal, dense writing style of SAT passages. Tutors can help you develop strategies for each of these—like active reading techniques, question-type recognition, and time management drills.

Both sections benefit from overlap—strong reading comprehension helps with grammar questions, and understanding sentence structure improves your reading speed. Most tutors recommend studying them together initially to build foundational skills, then spending focused time on whichever section gives you more trouble. Practice tests reveal where you're losing points, so you can prioritize accordingly.

Consistent practice 3-4 times per week for 45-60 minutes tends to produce steady improvement, though intensity matters more than volume. Working through full-length practice tests monthly helps you track progress and identify patterns in your mistakes. Between tutoring sessions, focused drills on weak question types—like timed reading passages or grammar sets—reinforce what you're learning.

Tutors build confidence by making the test format feel familiar through repeated practice and by teaching you concrete strategies for managing time and stress. When you understand why you're getting questions wrong and have a plan to fix it, anxiety naturally decreases. Many tutors also teach breathing and pacing techniques specifically designed to keep you calm during the actual test.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in SAT Verbal and understand what it takes to improve your score. You can share your current score, target score, and availability, and we'll match you with a tutor who fits your needs and schedule. Many tutors offer flexible sessions that work around your school and extracurricular commitments.

Your first session is typically an assessment and planning meeting. The tutor will review your current score, take a practice test or diagnostic to pinpoint weak areas, and discuss your target score and timeline. From there, you'll build a customized study plan that focuses on your specific challenges—whether that's vocabulary, passage comprehension, or grammar rules.

Most tutors recommend spending 1-2 minutes per question on average, but skipping difficult questions initially and returning to them if time allows. For reading passages, many students benefit from skimming first, then reading questions, then finding answers in the text—rather than reading every word carefully. Your tutor can help you experiment with different approaches during practice tests to find what works best for your brain and reading style.