Tutor profile: Lea M.

What strategies should I use on the reading section of the SAT?

Your best strategy for the SAT reading section is "active reading." This means underlining key parts of each paragraph, visualizing what you are reading, and making small notes in the margins. It is common for students to read a passage, get to the end, and forget what they read because it was too dense or boring. The more engaged you are with the text, the better. Always read the passage first and answer the questions after. Reading the questions first can waste time and usually doesn't pay off. Practice is key in this section, perhaps more so than any other section. The more you practice, the better your pacing will be and the more comfortable you will get.

What is a topic sentence?

A topic sentence lets the reader know exactly what the following paragraph will be about. When in doubt, be obvious and direct. For instance, if you are writing a paragraph about how school uniforms shouldn't be required because they limit creativity, a sentence like "School uniforms should not be a requirement because they limit students' creative expression" works. I know exactly what that paragraph is about, and all of the following sentences should support that statement with examples and details.

How do you use a semi colon?

Semi colons connect two independent clauses. An independent clause simply means a complete sentence. For instance, "I went to the store; it was fun" is correct because both sentences are complete. "I went to the store; bought stuff" is incorrect because "bought stuff" is not a complete sentence.