The PSAT
Test Taking Tips for the Verbal Sections
Critical Reading Tips for
Success: Vocabulary
O When you come across an unfamiliar
vocabulary word try the following techniques
to determine the meaning:
O Break the word apart into its different
components (prefix, suffix, root)
O Use context clues to help you determine the
meaning of the word. Use what is happening
around the word in the sentence to help you
determine the meaning.
Critical Reading Tips for
Success: Sentences
O Pay attention to the elements of the sentence to
help you figure out what the question is asking.
O Pay attention to punctuation
O Look for introductory or transitional words:
O Words that connect ideas: also, and, for example,
in other words
O Words that connect dissimilar ideas: although,
but, despite, in contrast
O Words that indicate cause-and-effect: as a result,
because, consequently
Critical Reading Tips for
Success: Reading Effectively
O When you read a passage be an active
reader and do the following:
O Determine the main idea/purpose of the
piece
O Determine the tone conveyed by the words
used
O Be able to make inferences beyond what is
explicitly stated
Approaches to the Critical
Reading Section
O Comprised of two types of questions: sentence
O
O
O
O
completion (13 questions) and passage-based
reading (35 questions)
Do sentence completion first-they take less time
Sentence completion questions increase in difficulty
as you move through the set. Passage-based
questions do not.
All the information you need is in the passage they
give you. If an answer is not supported by the text, its
not the right one.
Don’t jump from passage to passage. Mark answers
you don’t understand to return to if you have time.
Tips for Sentence Completion
O Sentence completion questions test your
“knowledge of the meanings of words and
your ability to understand how the…parts of
a sentence fit together…”
O If the question has two blanks you need to
fill, try answering one blank at a time. This
may help with eliminating answers.
O The correct answer will complete the logic of
the entire sentence, not just one part.
Tips for Passage-Based
Reading
O Passages are around 100-850 words, taken
from a variety of sources. You may also have to
look at paired passages.
O If you are answering questions about paired
passages, be sure to distinguish what one
authors says from the other.
O If the question asks you to focus on
similarities/differences between passages,
choose the answer that is true for both.
O Read over the passages carefully, and pay
attention to line numbers if referenced.