Timed Drill Practice
📖 Learn
Timed drills are essential for building the speed and accuracy needed to maximize your superscore. By practicing under realistic time constraints, you develop the pacing instincts that lead to higher scores on retakes.
Understanding Test Timing
SAT Timing Breakdown
| Section | Time | Questions | Time per Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing Module 1 | 32 minutes | 27 questions | ~71 seconds |
| Reading and Writing Module 2 | 32 minutes | 27 questions | ~71 seconds |
| Math Module 1 | 35 minutes | 22 questions | ~95 seconds |
| Math Module 2 | 35 minutes | 22 questions | ~95 seconds |
ACT Timing Breakdown
| Section | Time | Questions | Time per Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 45 minutes | 75 questions | 36 seconds |
| Math | 60 minutes | 60 questions | 60 seconds |
| Reading | 35 minutes | 40 questions | ~53 seconds |
| Science | 35 minutes | 40 questions | ~53 seconds |
Types of Timed Drills
1. Sprint Drills (5-10 minutes)
Short, intense practice sessions focusing on a single question type. Goal: Build speed on your strongest areas to bank time for harder questions.
2. Section Drills (32-45 minutes)
Full section practice under realistic conditions. Goal: Develop pacing strategy and endurance for complete sections.
3. Pressure Drills (Reduced time)
Practice with 10-20% less time than allowed. Goal: Build comfort with faster pacing so normal timing feels relaxed.
4. Recovery Drills
Practice continuing strong performance after making mistakes. Goal: Develop mental resilience for test day.
Drill Protocol for Superscore Improvement
- Identify target areas from your question type analysis
- Set specific time goals for each question type
- Track your times during practice (use a stopwatch)
- Review efficiency - not just accuracy, but time spent
- Gradually increase speed while maintaining accuracy threshold
💡 Examples
See how timed drills translate to score improvement.
Example 1: Sprint Drill Results
Alex practiced 10 SAT algebra questions daily for 2 weeks:
- Week 1 average: 8/10 correct in 12 minutes
- Week 2 average: 9/10 correct in 9 minutes
Result: By improving speed on easier algebra questions, Alex gained 3+ minutes per math module to spend on harder questions, improving overall section score by 40 points.
Example 2: Pressure Drill Strategy
Before her ACT retake, Taylor practiced Reading sections in 30 minutes instead of 35:
- First attempt: 28/40 correct (rushed, many errors)
- After 3 weeks of practice: 34/40 correct in 30 minutes
Result: On test day with full 35 minutes, Taylor finished with 5 minutes to spare for review, improving accuracy to 37/40 and raising her Reading score from 26 to 32.
✏️ Practice
Complete these timed drill exercises. Use a timer for each activity.
Practice Item 1: Speed Calculation
If you need to complete 27 SAT Reading and Writing questions in 32 minutes, and you spend 2 minutes on each of 5 difficult questions, how much time do you have for the remaining 22 questions? What is your target time per question?
Practice Item 2: Pacing Analysis
A student completes ACT English sections with the following pattern: Questions 1-25 in 12 minutes, Questions 26-50 in 18 minutes, Questions 51-75 in 20 minutes (running out of time). Identify the pacing problem and suggest a solution.
Practice Item 3: Drill Design
Design a 2-week sprint drill schedule for improving SAT Math Problem Solving and Data Analysis questions. Include frequency, duration, and progression.
Practice Item 4: Time Banking
Explain the "time banking" strategy. How does finishing easy questions faster help your overall score?
Practice Item 5: Recovery Scenario
You realize you've spent 5 minutes on one difficult ACT Math question with 30 questions remaining and 25 minutes left. What is your recovery strategy?
Practice Item 6: Pressure Drill Setup
Set up a pressure drill protocol for SAT Reading and Writing. How much time would you remove? How would you gradually adjust?
Practice Item 7: Progress Tracking
Create a tracking sheet for timed drill results. What metrics should you record for each session?
Practice Item 8: Checkpoint Strategy
For a 60-minute ACT Math section, establish time checkpoints. Where should you be at 15, 30, and 45 minutes?
Practice Item 9: Speed vs. Accuracy
A student can achieve 85% accuracy when taking their time (no time limit) but only 65% under timed conditions. What type of drill would help close this gap?
Practice Item 10: Mini Drill (Timed)
Set a timer for 3 minutes. Solve: If a store increases prices by 20% and then offers a 20% discount, what is the net change from the original price? Show your work clearly.
✅ Check Your Understanding
Test yourself with these review questions.
- What is the average time per question on ACT English vs. ACT Math?
- Why are pressure drills (with reduced time) effective for score improvement?
- What is "time banking" and how does it improve scores?
- What should you do if you've spent too long on a single question?
- How do you balance speed improvement with maintaining accuracy?
🚀 Next Steps
- Complete one sprint drill in your weakest question type today
- Set up a weekly schedule with at least 3 timed practice sessions
- Track your times and accuracy in a dedicated log
- Move on to the next lesson: Review Mistakes Effectively