You’re going to need solid Digital SAT Reading strategies if you’re going to increase your SAT score. You already know how to read, right? So, an intense content review isn’t going to help you with reading like it will help with math. Most of your score increase will come down to technique. Here are five proven strategies we use with our students to help their scores.
Why Focus on Digital SAT Reading Strategies?
The Reading section isn’t just about understanding words on a page—it’s about analyzing information, interpreting the author’s intent, and answering questions efficiently. With 27 questions and only 32 minutes to complete each module, time management and comprehension are key.
(If you read articles about 52 questions across five passages with 65 minutes, that’s for the old SAT! You can’t use all the same strategies on the Digital SAT.)
By learning and practicing effective strategies, you can approach this section systematically, saving time and improving accuracy.
Digital SAT Reading Strategies #1: Read the Question First
One of the biggest challenges in the SAT Reading section is staying focused. By reading the questions first, you know the task BEFORE you start reading, so you can answer questions more efficiently.
The reading passages on the Digital SAT differ significantly from the old SAT format. In the old SAT, passages were lengthy, often exceeding 500 words, and required answering multiple questions per passage. In contrast, the Digital SAT features shorter passages, each about 100-150 words, paired with a single question. This format allows for more diverse topics and focuses on concisely testing precision and comprehension. Additionally, the Digital SAT incorporates modern and globally relevant content, making passages feel more engaging. While the shorter format reduces reading fatigue (or so the College Board says), it demands sharper focus and quicker analysis to excel.
Reading the question first on the Digital SAT gives you the focus to sort through the answer choices quickly.
SAT Reading Strategies #2 (Tied for #1): Use Process of Elimination (POE)
Process of elimination is your best friend on the SAT Reading. It’s probably an even more helpful strategy than reading the question first.
Here’s how it works: You look for and eliminate incorrect answers as you read them. Keep any choices that seem ok, even if they aren’t perfect.
This approach differs entirely from how most people answer SAT reading questions. They look for the correct answer. If we knew the correct answers, we’d all have 800s. It’s better to be strategic.
Remember…
SAT Reading questions often include answer choices that are intentionally misleading. Eliminating incorrect answers increases your chances of selecting the correct one. Here’s what you need to get rid of:
- Too extreme
- Off-topic
- Goes beyond the given information: just take logic baby steps
- Contradict the passage
- Absolutes: phrases like “always” or “never” are often red flags
- Half right = all wrong: the first part is good, but the second part isn’t
Even if you’re unsure, narrowing your options to two choices can make guessing more strategic.
Digital SAT Reading Strategies #3: Pace Yourself
Pacing yourself on the Digital SAT reading questions is crucial for achieving your best possible score. The reading section includes a series of shorter passages, each followed by a single question, which can create a false sense of ease. Ok, except maybe on the charts and graphs questions…
However, the challenge is the time constraints. On average, you have 1 minute and 11 seconds per question.
You must manage your time carefully to ensure you can analyze each passage, comprehend its key details, and choose the correct answer without rushing or second-guessing. Spending too much time on a single question can lead to falling behind, leaving you with little time for the remaining ones.
On the other hand, rushing through questions may result in careless mistakes. Striking a balance between speed and accuracy is essential. By pacing yourself, you can maintain focus, stay calm under pressure, and ensure every question gets the attention it deserves. Smart time management is a key factor in excelling on this exam.
Pacing yourself will be very easy in Reading and Writing Module 1. This module is full of easy and medium difficulty questions. The real test of your pacing comes in Module 2. If you’ve done well in Module 1 and set the foundation for a high score, Module 2 will be much more challenging.
You can improve your pacing by, unfortunately, clock-watching. Try to complete 10 Digital SAT reading questions in 12 minutes, and your pacing will be on target.
Reading Strategies #4: Review Your Mistakes
Reviewing your mistakes on the Digital SAT reading questions is one of the most effective ways to improve your performance. But…
Almost no one wants to do it! Here’s why you should:
Each mistake provides valuable insight into your weaknesses, whether misinterpreting a question, overlooking a key detail in the passage, or misunderstanding vocabulary. By analyzing what went wrong, you can identify patterns and focus on specific areas for improvement. Additionally, reviewing errors helps reinforce the correct approach, reducing the likelihood of repeating the same mistake.
On the Digital SAT, where precision is critical, understanding why an answer was incorrect is just as important as knowing why the correct choice is right. This process builds confidence, sharpens your critical thinking skills, and prepares you to approach future questions. Regularly reviewing mistakes transforms them into learning opportunities, turning weaknesses into strengths and setting you up for a higher score.
SAT Reading Strategies #5: Take Full-Length Practice Tests
The SAT Reading section isn’t just reading passages. There are 5 to 6 text completion (vocabulary) questions at the beginning and writing questions after the reading. Both types of questions SHOULD take less time to complete than the reading passages, enabling you to allocate a few more minutes to the passages.
However…
You won’t know how to manage your time across the entire section unless you take full-length practice tests. Besides, you’ve got to get used to how the questions are asked.
Want Help Improving Your SAT Reading Score?
Get expert guidance, proven strategies, and personalized practice to tackle every question confidently. Whether you’re aiming to improve your speed, accuracy, or overall comprehension, we can help you succeed.
Your American SAT tutor has more than 15 years of experience teaching SAT Reading to students just like you.
Her students see a minimum of 150-point score improvement!
FAQ about Digital SAT Reading Strategies
Is a 700 on the Reading SAT good?
Absolutely! A 700 on the reading and writing section of the SAT is a 93th percentile score. That means you did better than 93% of the students taking the exam. If you look at students only in the US, it’s 97th percentile!
How much time should you spend on each SAT Reading passage?
Each question comes with its own reading passage. The average time per question for the section is 1 minute and 11 seconds, but we recommend our students spend less than 1 minute and 30 seconds per reading question. Writing questions tend to take 1 minute or less, so you will make up the time on those.
How to read faster on the digital SAT?
It’s more important to read BETTER on the Digital SAT than faster. Reading better means that you understand what you read so that you don’t fall for trap answers.
If you need to manage your time on the reading sections:
- Do the writing questions first. They are in the second half of the reading and writing section. Writing questions take less time than reading questions.
- Do the text completion questions at the beginning of the section. The text completion questions are the 5-6 fill-in-blank vocabulary in context questions that take less time than other reading questions.
- Consider skipping the questions that involve tables and graphs. While you should answer all the questions on the SAT, you may want to just pick your favorite letter for the tables and graphs reading questions. They require more work than typical questions and take more time. Fortunately, they are easy to identify.
Is digital SAT English easier?
It depends. Is it easier than IELTS? No. Do we think it’s easier than the SAT used to be? Yes.
