The ACT Reading section gives you just 35 minutes to read 4 passages and answer 40 questions—about 8-9 minutes per passage. Many students either read too slowly and run out of time, or rush through and miss details that questions ask about. A tutor can help you find your optimal reading speed, teach you how to annotate efficiently, and show you which questions to prioritize so you're not spending equal time on every question.

ACT Reading questions fall into a few key categories: main idea/purpose questions, detail questions, inference questions, and vocabulary-in-context questions. Each type requires a slightly different approach—for example, inference questions ask you to read between the lines, while detail questions test whether you can locate specific information. Understanding these patterns helps you know exactly what to look for as you read, which saves time and boosts accuracy.

Your first session typically focuses on understanding your baseline skills and identifying your specific challenges. A tutor will likely have you work through a practice passage or two to see how you approach the material, then discuss which question types trip you up most and whether timing or comprehension is your main struggle. From there, you'll create a personalized study plan that targets your weak areas rather than generic test prep.

Most students benefit from taking 3-5 full practice tests under timed conditions before test day, spaced out over several weeks. This gives you enough repetition to build confidence and identify patterns in your mistakes, without burning out on testing. Between full tests, working on individual passages and question sets helps you refine specific skills. A tutor can help you review each practice test to understand not just what you got wrong, but why.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or unsure of your strategy—which is why targeted tutoring helps build genuine confidence. Practicing under timed conditions repeatedly desensitizes you to the pressure, and having a clear game plan (like knowing how to tackle each question type) reduces the panic of the unknown. Some students also benefit from learning breathing techniques or mental strategies to stay calm when they encounter a tough passage.

Look for someone who has strong ACT Reading scores themselves and understands the test's specific format and timing constraints. They should be able to diagnose your weak areas quickly and teach you strategies tailored to how you learn best—not just generic test prep tips. It also helps if they're familiar with the types of passages and questions the ACT uses, so they can help you practice with realistic material and build real skills.

Most students find certain passage types harder—whether that's dense science passages, historical narratives, or literary fiction. The good news is that you can target your practice to these areas. A tutor can help you understand what makes these passages challenging for you specifically (Is it vocabulary? Complex sentence structure? Unfamiliar topics?), then teach you strategies to handle them. You don't need to be equally fast on every passage type to get a strong score.