How do I keep track of my time?

By: Mallika Das

Most people would agree that timing is one of the most critical aspects of the SAT. Sure, you may know how to answer all the questions, but that won’t mean anything if you can’t finish them all in time.

The SAT is broken down into four sections: Reading (65 minutes, 52 questions), Writing and Language (35 minutes, 44 questions), Math - No-Calculator (25 minutes, 20 questions), and Math - Calculator (55 minutes, 38 questions). The entire test takes two hours, not including breaks and the optional essay section. If you do decide to do the essay, that would be an extra 50 minutes. Now, this all may seem daunting at first, but that’s what this article is for. Here, I’ll be giving you some tips on improving your timing and making sure you can do your best on all the questions without taking up too much time.

#1: Take practice tests with a clock

Practice tests can help with more than just getting you comfortable with what SAT questions are like. When taking one, time yourself as if you were taking the real one, taking breaks between sections. Don’t just do it all at once; you may not know how long you’re spending on each section if you do, and that could lead to problems on test day. Also, using a clock, whether a clock-shaped timer on your computer or an actual analog watch, is much more helpful than a standard timer on your phone. You will be able to see how much time you have left, and it will be similar to test day when you’ll be in a classroom that only has an analog clock.

Here is a timer that I liked to use: https://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown-clock/

#2: Summarize paragraphs during the reading section

Often on the SAT, they will ask which line from the passage supports your answer to the previous question. These questions can get very annoying because they cause you to waste time flipping back and forth to see which line best supports your answer. To maximize your efficiency, so you’re not reading through the whole passage again, briefly summarize each paragraph when you read the passage the first time. It can just be a quick note on the side that explains the purpose of that paragraph enough that you understand. This way, when you come across a question that asks for evidence from the passage, you can look at the passage and find the paragraph that helped you answer the previous question and find the line numbers. Find the answer choice that is in the range of those numbers, and there’s your answer.

#3: Do the more straightforward questions first

This may seem obvious, but more often than not, people tend to go on autopilot and go through the questions in chronological order. In the reading section, after reading the passage, look at the questions and answer the quickest ones, like the ones that ask for a definition of a word. Then, go back and work on the more challenging questions. This way, you’ll have the satisfaction of at least having some questions done, so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck on a question and not having enough time to answer the rest. You can also use this In the math section: doing the more straightforward questions first and then moving on to the harder ones. And if you get stuck on a question, take a break from it and find a more straightforward question to answer before going back to it!

#4: Don’t read the passages in the language section

In this section, the main focus is grammar, so it isn’t necessary to read the entire passage. Sometimes you may have to read a paragraph to see if it’s in the correct spot, but most of the time, you can go directly to the next place in the passage where there is a question. This will save you a lot of time so that you can answer all 44 questions in time.