Timing is one of the most common challenges on ACT Reading, where you have 35 minutes to read four passages and answer 40 questions. The solution isn't to read faster—it's to read smarter and develop a strategic approach. Tutors can teach you techniques like skimming for main ideas, identifying question patterns, and prioritizing which passages to tackle first based on difficulty. With practice, you'll learn to allocate your time more effectively and avoid getting stuck on difficult questions.

ACT Reading includes questions about main ideas, supporting details, vocabulary in context, inference, author's tone, and structure. Many students find inference and tone questions most challenging because they require deeper comprehension beyond what's explicitly stated in the text. A tutor can help you understand the subtle differences between question types, teach you how to spot clues in the passage, and practice strategies for each format so you answer with confidence.

Your first session is focused on assessment and planning. A tutor will likely have you take a practice ACT Reading section or review a recent official test to identify your strengths and specific problem areas—whether that's comprehension, pacing, question types, or test anxiety. From there, they'll work with you to create a customized study plan that fits your timeline and goals, and you'll start working on targeted strategies right away.

Practice tests are essential because they help you build stamina, identify patterns in your mistakes, and get comfortable with the actual test format and timing. Taking full practice sections under timed conditions is much more valuable than studying in isolation. A tutor can help you analyze your practice test results to pinpoint whether you're missing questions due to comprehension, misreading, rushing, or unfamiliar question types—then target those specific issues in your study plan.

While ACT Reading does test vocabulary, you don't need to memorize thousands of words. Instead, focus on understanding words in context, which is how they appear on the test. Most vocabulary questions provide clues within the passage itself, and a tutor can teach you strategies for using surrounding sentences to figure out word meanings. Building a stronger vocabulary over time certainly helps with overall comprehension, but context clues and strategic reading are more important than rote memorization.

Test anxiety on ACT Reading often stems from time pressure and fear of difficult passages, which can make you rush or second-guess yourself. A tutor can help you build confidence through repeated practice, teach you breathing and mental strategies to stay calm, and remind you that you don't need a perfect score—many students get into great colleges with a 28-30 on ACT Reading. Having a solid strategy and knowing you've practiced extensively goes a long way toward reducing anxiety on test day.

Most students benefit from 2-3 months of focused preparation, with tutoring sessions 1-2 times per week depending on your starting point and test date. Between sessions, you'll want to practice independently with timed sections and full practice tests. A tutor can help you create a realistic study schedule that balances tutoring, independent practice, and review so you're making steady progress without burning out.