Grade: Grade 12 Subject: SAT/ACT Skills Unit: Final Tune-Up SAT: ProblemSolving+DataAnalysis ACT: Math

Timed Drill Strategies

Learn

Knowing the material is only half the battle. On test day, you must demonstrate your knowledge under strict time constraints. This lesson teaches you how to build speed without sacrificing accuracy.

Understanding the Time Pressure

Test Section Questions Time Seconds/Question
SAT Reading & Writing 54 64 min ~71 sec
SAT Math 44 70 min ~95 sec
ACT English 75 45 min 36 sec
ACT Math 60 60 min 60 sec
ACT Reading 40 35 min ~53 sec
ACT Science 40 35 min ~53 sec

The Three-Phase Drill Approach

  1. Phase 1: Accuracy First (No Timer) - Practice question sets with no time limit. Focus on getting every answer correct and understanding your approach.
  2. Phase 2: Relaxed Timing (1.5x Time) - Give yourself 50% more time than allowed. Build comfort with watching the clock.
  3. Phase 3: Test Conditions (Strict Time) - Practice under exact test conditions. Learn to make quick decisions about when to skip and return.

Speed-Building Techniques

  • First-pass strategy: Answer easy questions first, mark and skip harder ones
  • Time checkpoints: Know where you should be at the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 marks
  • Eliminate and guess: If stuck after 90 seconds (SAT) or 60 seconds (ACT), eliminate what you can and move on
  • Answer grid management: Fill in answers in batches of 5-10 to save time

Examples

See how to apply timed strategies to different scenarios.

Example 1: SAT Math Time Checkpoint

You have 70 minutes for 44 questions in two modules (22 each).

Module 1 checkpoints:

  • Question 6: Should be around 8-9 minutes elapsed
  • Question 11: Should be around 17-18 minutes elapsed
  • Question 17: Should be around 26-27 minutes elapsed
  • Question 22: Should finish around 32-35 minutes

Example 2: ACT Reading Passage Strategy

35 minutes for 4 passages = ~8.5 minutes per passage (reading + questions).

Efficient approach:

  • Skim passage in 3-4 minutes (focus on first/last paragraphs, topic sentences)
  • Answer 10 questions in 4-5 minutes
  • If a question is taking more than 45 seconds, mark it and return

Example 3: When to Guess and Move On

Scenario: You are on ACT Math question 35 and have spent 80 seconds on a geometry problem. You have eliminated 2 of 5 choices.

Decision: Guess from remaining 3 choices NOW. You have a 33% chance of being right, and those 80 seconds could yield 1-2 easier questions later. Mark it to revisit if time allows.

Practice

Complete these mini-drills to build your timing instincts. Use a timer for each.

Drill 1: Two-Minute Math Sprint

Solve as many as you can in 2 minutes:

a) 15% of 80 = ?

b) If x + 7 = 12, then 2x = ?

c) What is the slope of y = 3x - 5?

d) 3^2 + 4^2 = ?

Drill 2: Quick Elimination (30 seconds each)

For each, identify which answers can be immediately eliminated:

a) A positive integer divided by 6 leaves remainder 2. The integer could be: (A) 14 (B) 15 (C) 16 (D) 18

b) If f(x) is always positive, f(-2) could equal: (A) -4 (B) 0 (C) 3 (D) -1

Drill 3: Checkpoint Awareness

You are taking the ACT English section (75 questions, 45 minutes). Answer these:

a) After 15 minutes, approximately what question should you be on?

b) You are on question 50 with 12 minutes left. Are you on pace?

c) What is the maximum time you should spend on any single question?

Drill 4: Passage Timing (ACT Reading)

Read this excerpt in under 90 seconds, then answer without looking back:

"The discovery of penicillin in 1928 revolutionized medicine. Alexander Fleming noticed that mold had killed bacteria in his petri dish. This accidental finding led to the development of antibiotics, saving millions of lives. However, overuse has created antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a growing health concern."

a) What was Fleming's discovery?

b) What is the current concern mentioned?

Drill 5: Decision Speed

For each scenario, decide in 10 seconds: Solve now, Skip and return, or Guess and move on?

a) SAT Math: Trigonometry question, you are weak at trig, 30 questions remain, 35 min left

b) ACT Reading: Inference question on a passage you understood well, 5 questions remain in section, 3 min left

c) SAT Writing: Grammar rule you do not recognize, 10 questions remain, 8 min left

Drill 6: Mental Math Speed

Solve without a calculator in under 60 seconds total:

a) 25 x 12 = ?

b) 144 / 12 = ?

c) 7^2 - 3^2 = ?

d) 0.25 x 80 = ?

Drill 7: Answer Grid Efficiency

Time yourself: How long does it take to bubble in 10 answers (A, B, C, D, A, C, B, D, A, B)?

Target: Under 20 seconds.

Drill 8: Reading Speed Check

Time how long it takes to read 200 words of unfamiliar text. For ACT, target under 60 seconds.

Check Your Understanding

Verify your drill answers and timing awareness:

Drill 1 Answers:

a) 12, b) 10, c) 3, d) 25. All four in under 2 minutes = on pace

Drill 2 Answers:

a) Eliminate B (15/6 = 2 R3), C (16/6 = 2 R4), D (18/6 = 3 R0). Answer: A

b) Eliminate A and D (negative), eliminate B (zero is not positive). Answer: C

Drill 3 Answers:

a) Question 25 (15 min / 45 min = 1/3 of test = 1/3 of 75 = 25)

b) Yes - you have 25 questions left in 12 minutes = 29 seconds each, which is under the 36-second average

c) About 45-50 seconds maximum before deciding to skip or guess

Drill 4 Answers:

a) Penicillin / that mold kills bacteria

b) Antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Drill 5 Suggested Decisions:

a) Skip and return - you are weak at trig and have time to come back

b) Solve now - you understood the passage and inference questions require context

c) Guess and move on - 8 min for 10 questions is tight; do not waste time on unfamiliar rules

Drill 6 Answers:

a) 300, b) 12, c) 40, d) 20

Next Steps

  • Practice one full timed section per day in the week before your test
  • Track your checkpoint times during practice tests
  • Identify which question types slow you down most
  • Move on to Review Your Mistakes to learn from your timed practice