The SAT Verbal section (called Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) has two main components: reading comprehension passages with questions about main ideas, vocabulary, and inference, plus grammar and writing mechanics questions. You'll encounter about 52 questions total across roughly 65 minutes. Success requires both strong reading skills and solid grammar knowledge, and many students struggle more with one than the other—that's where personalized instruction helps identify your specific gaps.

Timing is one of the biggest challenges students face. You have about 75 seconds per question, which sounds tight when you're reading dense passages. Effective strategies include previewing questions before reading, knowing which question types to tackle first, and recognizing when to skip and return to a question. A tutor can help you practice these pacing strategies on real tests so you're not just faster, but smarter about where you spend your time.

That depends on your diagnostic results. Some students find reading comprehension passages overwhelming because they're trying to absorb too much detail, while others struggle specifically with grammar rules and sentence structure. The best approach is to take a practice test, score it by question type, and focus your tutoring on whichever area is dragging your score down most. Many students benefit from working on both, but with different strategies for each.

Most students benefit from taking 4-6 full practice tests under timed conditions before their test date. The first one helps establish a baseline and identify weak areas; the middle ones let you practice new strategies and build stamina; the final ones help you build confidence and catch any lingering issues. Between tests, focus on targeted practice for specific question types rather than just grinding through more problems. A tutor can help you analyze each practice test to spot patterns in your mistakes.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about strategy. Working with a tutor builds confidence by ensuring you actually understand the material and have practiced proven strategies multiple times. Additionally, taking full-length practice tests in realistic conditions helps desensitize you to the test environment. Many students also benefit from learning specific techniques like time management, strategic skipping, and self-talk to stay calm when they encounter a tough passage.

The SAT doesn't require memorizing obscure word lists like it used to. Instead, context clues and understanding word relationships are more important—the test often gives you hints within the passage. That said, knowing common academic vocabulary and word roots does help you work through unfamiliar words faster. A tutor can teach you efficient vocabulary strategies and help you focus on words that actually appear in SAT-style passages rather than wasting time on irrelevant lists.

Most students benefit from 8-12 weeks of consistent tutoring before their test date, meeting 1-2 times per week. This gives you time to identify weak areas, learn strategies, practice them on real questions, and build confidence. If you're starting further out or have significant gaps, a longer timeline helps. The most important factor is consistency—regular tutoring sessions combined with practice between meetings produces better results than cramming right before test day.