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How to Tackle Every Reading Question Type

Published on August 30, 2025·9 min read

A Method for Everything

Don't just "read and guess." The reading questions on the SAT are predictable. By using a consistent method for each type, you can answer them with speed and accuracy.

Central Ideas & Details (Main Idea)

The QAPE Method:

  1. Q - Question: First, determine if the question asks for the main idea or a specific detail.
  2. A - Analyze:
    • For Non-Fiction: The main idea is almost always in the first sentence, the last sentence, or a combination of both. Check there first.
    • For Fiction/Poetry: You need to read the whole short passage. Then ask, "What basically happened?" or "What's the main feeling here?"
    • For Details: Scan the text for keywords from the question to find the exact spot with the information.
  3. P - Predict: State the main idea or detail in your own simple words.
  4. E - Eliminate: Cross out any answer choices that don't match your prediction.

Command of Evidence (Textual & Graphic)

These questions ask you to find the piece of data that best supports or weakens a claim.

The HIP Method (for Textual Evidence):

  1. H - Hypothesis: Identify the claim in the question. Are you trying to support it or weaken it?
  2. I - Inspect: Scan the passage (often the last sentence) to find the specific claim the author is making.
  3. P - Purge: Eliminate answers that have nothing to do with that specific claim.

The FEEL Method (for Graphic/Data Evidence):

  1. F - Figure Out: Are you supporting or weakening the claim?
  2. E - Express: Find the claim in the text and simplify it.
  3. E - Eliminate: Get rid of choices that don't logically connect to the claim. You can often do this without even looking at the graph.
  4. L - Look: Only look at the graph if you have more than one answer left. Use it to confirm which statement is factually true according to the data.

Inferences (Logically Completes the Text)

The LAMP Method:

  1. L - Last Sentence: Start by reading the last sentence, where the blank is.
  2. A - Assess: Read the sentences just before the blank. Work backward to understand the logical flow leading up to it.
  3. M - Make a Prediction: Based on the flow of ideas, predict what should come next.
  4. P - Purge: Eliminate answers that don't fit your prediction.

Words in Context (Vocabulary)

The APE Method:

  1. A - Analyze: Read the sentence and look for context clues that hint at the word's meaning.
  2. P - Predict: Think of your own simple word or phrase for the blank.
  3. E - Eliminate: Choose the answer that is a synonym for your predicted word.

Pro Tip: Don't automatically pick the fanciest or most complicated word. It's often a trap. If you don't know a word, only pick it if you are 100% sure the other three are wrong.