Strategy Reading Verbal Comprehension

Use your pencil as a pointer to guide your eye across each line. This focuses attention on precise wording, slows careless reading, and helps maintain concentration during a long exam.

Circle key words and phrases that are essential to understanding specific points. Don't overmark — you want to be able to re-read the passage clearly if needed.

Read short passages (seven to eight lines) carefully just once. A careful single reading retains the main ideas. A careless first reading plants false impressions that are hard to correct.

For long passages, look at the question stems before reading. This tells you what details, ideas, and paragraph locations matter most so you can read efficiently.

If you encounter a word or sentence you don't understand, keep going. You may get the main idea without it. If the unknown concept is necessary for a question, re-read it once. If still unclear, move on and return if time allows.

Picture the material as you read — imagine you are an illustrator creating visuals for the text. Ask yourself after each sentence and paragraph what the author was communicating. This active paraphrasing builds comprehension and retention.

Know where the author stands. When a passage evaluates ideas, tools, or procedures, be clear on whether the author is endorsing or rejecting them. Misreading the author's stance is a common source of errors on reading comprehension questions.