Time management is extremely important when taking the PSAT.
The PSAT is essentially a practice SAT test given every October. Verbally oriented sections of the PSAT present sentence-completion, reading-comprehension and multiple-choice questions regarding grammar usage and word choice. The math sections contain multiple-choice questions and grid-in questions.
There's no substitute for understanding the basic concepts covered on this test, but knowing do things such as properly manage your test-taking time and eliminate wrong answers can help significantly.
A General Preparatory Tip
Student PSAT guides inform you of what to expect on each section of the test, specifically with regard to the directions given and the types of questions asked in each section. Take as many of the included practice tests as you can before the test date. Studying your guide and taking multiple practice PSATs will go a long way toward preventing any confusion and wasted time on the day of the test.
Time Management
While taking the test, keep in mind that there's a strictly enforced time limit. Don't spend excessive time on questions that have you confused at the expense of questions you can solve quickly. Skip ahead if necessary and then come back to questions that gave you trouble after you solve the easier ones.
When confronted with difficult questions, make educated guesses by eliminating answers you know are incorrect, thereby increasing your chances of selecting the correct answer.
Sentence-Completion Question Tip
Sentence-completion questions test vocabulary and verbal logic. When reading the incomplete sentences in this section, make sure to pay special attention to the words bordering the gaps in the sentence. Words such as "because," "nor" and "but" placed next to the sentence gaps should give you a clear indication of the correct words to finish the sentence. Make sure you read the entire sentence with the answer you chose before you mark the answer.
Reading-Comprehension Question Tip
When reading the passages in these sections, pay special attention to the author's thought process and tone. You may be tempted to choose an answer that is otherwise factual, but that may not be a correct interpretation of the author's potentially inaccurate understanding of the subject.
Skim the entirety of each passage, looking for the main ideas to guide you. Reading the questions first may also give you an idea of what to look for.
Writing Multiple-Choice Question Tip
This section of the PSAT requires you to choose the best answer for questions in which you're asked to improve an awkward sentence or paragraph or to identify sentence errors. For each question in this section, read the choices given and decide which answer sounds the least confusing and cumbersome. Answer choices that seem overly wordy and/or ambiguous are most likely wrong.
Math Multiple-Choice Tip
When faced with difficult multiple-choice questions in the math section, insert numbers from the answer choices into the places in the math problem where the variables are. To save time, start with the answer whose numerical value falls between the lowest and highest numerical values of the other answers. If this plugged-in answer doesn't work, you'll have a better idea of whether to opt for an answer with a higher or a lower number.
Math Grid-In Question Tip
Always remember with grid-in questions that your answers cannot have a negative value and that any mixed-number answers have to be written as an improper fraction or decimal.
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