TACTICAL

PSATSTRATEGIES

Learning SystemsHouston, Texas

www.TestGuys.net

What is the PSAT ?

It’s different from other tests. It is a REASONING test.

It’s designed to test your ability to think.

It is used for the National Merit Competition and other such scholarship programs.

It does not accurately predict your SAT score.

PSAT Scoring

All Multiple-Choice Questions 1 point added for correct answers ¼ point deducted for incorrect answers 0 points added/deducted for skipped questions -

Blank IS NOT Wrong!

PSAT Scoring

Student-Produced Math Answers

1 point added for correct answers

0 points deducted for wrong answers

PSAT Scoring

Critical Reading (20-80 pts.) Math (20-80 pts.) Writing Skills (20-80 pts)

Score Range: 60 - 240 pts.

Average score = 150 (mean)

Perfect score = 240

TX Soph. Avg: 124 TX Jr. Avg: 134

Tactic #1: Know All Test Directions

You won’t read them when

you take the PSAT because,

by the end of this course, you

will know them all.

Tactic #2: Pace Yourself - Roughly, You have about 1 minute per question.

Rocketpeople

Want to finish first!

Snails

Just hope they can finish!

Good Test-Takers

Do What They Can DoAnd Don't Worry AboutWhat They Can't Do!

Tactic #3: Power Test Concept

1/3 Easy – More than 70% get them correct.

1/3 Medium – About 50% get them correct.

1/3 Hard Questions – Less than 30%

get them correct.

Verbal Section

Sentence Completion Critical Reading1. 9.2. Easy B3. O4. R5. Medium I 6. N7. Hard G8. 24.

Power Test Concept

Verbal Section: The J.A.S. Way

Sentence Completion Critical Reading1. 9.2. 3. 4.

5.

6.

7. 8. 24.

Power Test Concept

Verbal Section: The Right Way

Sentence Completion Critical Reading1. 9.2. 3. 4.

5.

6.

7. 8. 24.

Power Test Concept

Regular Math - Section 2

Look For “Favorites”after you bog downon two in a row!

1.

2.

3.

4. EASY5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.11. Medium

12.

13.

14.

15. Geometry

16.

17. Geometry Hard18.

19.

20. Geometry

Math Section 4 – Regular Math + SPAs

1.2. EASY3.4. 5. MEDIUM6. 7. HARD8.9.10. EASY11. 12.13.14. MEDIUM15.16.17. HARD18. Power Test Concept

Always know where you are!

1. 1. (A) obsequious (D) syzygy

2. 2. Feldspar was ____, he won the race.

(A) disappointed

(B) despondent

(C) dejected

(D) zellsbotted

(E) disconsolate

19.

* = A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

5 1015

30

50

100

200

Always know where you are!

Next To Last Math Question

ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!!!Beware of obvious answers in the bottom 1/3!

19.

Tactic #4: Eliminate Distracters

Cover up the Answer ChoicesRead - Find CluesPredict Your AnswerEliminate (TOG)WorkAsk Yourself If Your Answer Is Reasonable

99% of 5 =

(A) 0.00495 (B) 0.0495(C) 0.495 (D) 4.95(E) 49.5

Ex. 2: The trial was often _____, degenerating

at times into a name-calling contest.

(A) boring (B) insightful (C) lofty

(D) chaotic (E) frivolous

Tactic #5: Work Backwards

1

2

3

Everyone read the following out loud on the count of…

Eliminates Careless Reading Errors

Time Bandit Questions

John went toto the store.

Tactic # 6: Should You Guess?

If you can eliminate two or more of the answer choices, make an educated guess!

The Guessing Game

2 x (+1) = +2

8 x (-¼) = -2

Net Gain: 0

A - C - E

6 x (+1) = +6

4 x (-¼) = - 1

Net Gain: +5

These guessing techniques don’t work: Gum Wrappers, Chapsticks, Quarters Hi Tech Techniques

A B C D E - “The Big C”

It’s In The Middle!

Let’s Talk About “Answer Balance”

Over the entire test . . .

02468

101214161820

A B C D E

%

Correct Answer Balance

(±3%)

Over the entire test . . .

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

A B C D E

%

Incorrect Answer Balance

Guessing Tips

Triplets are rare - Do Not Guess Into A Triplet.

Four in a row will never happen. (Well, almost never happen!)

Beware of “obvious” answers in the last 1/3 of each powered question type.

Watch Answer Balance - Check Your Answer Sheet From Time To Time

Refer to pages 8-9 in Your Pink Book.

Tactic #7 - Word Roots & Prefixes

Pregagulous

Malzellsbott

Profimple

Polynosbig

Subattal

Unimbrusity (- x - = +)

Verbal Tactics

(Critical Reading Tactics)

Tactic #8: Underline KEY Words

KEY WORDS:

A. Subject - But Not A Proper Noun

Olympic downhill skiers……….

B. Action Words - What happened

to subject.

The Top Ten Reasons Students Don’t Underline

10. If I don’t get a good score, I can listen to

my iPod and take AP Lunch.

9. My parents made me take this

course…I’ll show them!

8. People might see me do it and

think I’m trying to be

smart or something.

7. It takes too much time.

The Top Ten Reasons I Don’t Underline6. I can’t draw a straight line or circle.

5. I don’t want to mark up the page. It’s so pretty!

4. It’s so “whatever... like you know.”

3. #2 Black Lead is so depressing.

2. Following rules is a real drag, man.

And, the #1 reason why students don’t

want to underline Key Words/Clues:

1. It stifles my creativity!

The Olympic swimmer’s body temperature began to decline after hours of exposure to the _____ water of the English Channel.

A. temperateB. frigidC. pollutedD. turbulentE. murky

Though his lecture contained ideas that were soporific and dull, his style of delivery was so _____ I actually became quite interested.

A. blandB. hypnotic C. laconicD. histrionicE. belligerent

She was a woman of contrasts; periods of _____alternated with periods of frenetic activity.

A. animationB. torporC. profundityD. ebullienceE. invincibility

Tactic #9: Three Basic SentenceTypes

Causal

=

Causal

Because she has a great need for _____, she greatly dislikes the public appearances required of her as a best-selling author.

A. luxuryB. solitudeC. fameD. amusementE. praise

Contrasting

Although Oscar’s life was both _____ and painful, it was not without _____, for he had accomplished many goals in his life.

A. defiant . . . strifeB. tragic . . . frustrationC. gratifying . . . satisfactionD. arduous . . . rewardE. purposeful . . . ambition

Coordinate

This successful “dot.com” entrepreneur is _____ and _____; always positive in attitude and attentive to small details.

A. energetic … obliviousB. upbeat … alertC. cynical … heedlessD. caustic … carefulE. wealthy… wary

Coordinate

Both by _____ and by _____, American painter Mary Cassatt was an anomaly, because her artistic peers were French men.

A. background … achievements

B. aptitude … intellect

C. talent … expertise

D. style … range

E. nationality … gender

Comfort Zone Words

Words Seen Or Heard In English Class, But Not Really Known Or Understood By J.A.S.

These Words Seem Familiar To J.A.S.

trite, terse, hackneyed, cliché

Tactic #10: Double Blank Questions

_____ and _____

word and _____

_____ and word

Use one “word” position to eliminate wrong answers,then use the other “word” position to find the correctanswer.

Burford was ______; he was cool.

Burfetta was ______, that is she was sober.

No Slang!

Cool Dude = Aloof Amateur Cowboy

sober = not intoxicated….but, it can mean “serious, sad, solemn.

Beware of Multiple Definition Words ANXIOUS

FLAG

HUSBAND

AUGUST

CATHOLIC

PEDESTRIAN

Tactic #11: Vocabulary Problems

What to do: Look for roots and prefixes.

Use the “positive” or “negative” technique.

Pay close attention to “clue” words.

Critical Reading

Tactic #12: Watch Your Time Count the number of questions!

Short Passages - about 1 Minute/Question

Medium Passages - # of Questions + 1

Long Passages - # of Questions + 2

Tactic #13: Underline Key Words in the Question

This will allow you to: select the questions to answer first. identify key words to look for in the passage

to answer specific questions. get a basic idea about the topic of the

passage.

Tactics #14 Eliminate The Distracters

In Critical Reading Passage Questions, it is essential that incorrect answers be marked out!

Paraphrase the question and eliminate any answers that do not specifically address what is being asked.

Critical Reading Summary

Read Questions First - Organize Your Plan Of Attack

Answer “Vocab” Questions - First

Answer “Single-Line Number Questions - Second Answer “Multi-Line Number Questions - Third Answer Specific Fact Questions - Fourth Save For Last - “Primary Purpose” “Main Idea” “Best Title” “Implied/Inferred Questions” Tone/Mood Questions

Tactics 15 - 17

Tactic #18: Paired Passages

Do them in the following order:

1. Answer all questions of the first passage.

2. Answer all questions of the second passage.

3. Answer all questions that concern both passages or authors.

Bonus Tactic: Tone/Attitude Questions

What to do:

1. Answer this type last.

2. Use process of elimination.

3. Define remaining words in your own words.

Critical Reading Summary

• Read Questions First – Organize Your Plan Of Attack• Answer Vocab Questions• Answer Single-Line Number Questions• Answer Multi-Line Number Questions • Answer Specific Fact Questions • Answer "Best Title," "Summary,“

"Main Idea," "Author's Purpose,” or "Implied/Inferred Questions”

Do Not Make Random Guesses OnCritical Reading Passage Questions!

Math Tactics

The Hardest PSAT Math Question Ever!

94% missed it. Are you ready for this?

X + 2 = 5X = ?

The Hardest PSAT Math Question Ever!

BlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblah

X + 2 = 5X = ?

Keys to Success On Math Questions

Key 1:

(a)

(b)

(c)

Key 2:

(a)

(b)

Underline Key Words

Numbers

Operations

Description Words

Use the drawing

Put facts on the figure.

Draw it if it’s not there.

Keys To Success On Math Questions

KEY # 3 - Write The Formula

KEY # 4 - ATQA: Answer The Question Asked!

(a) Look for the last comma - What follows is the question being asked!

(b) Read the WHOLE last sentence! If there is no comma, the question will be the last sentence.

Did you ATQA?

Tactic #19 - The “Magic Number List” 12. If n pizzas can be made for d dollars, how

many dollars will it cost to make p pizzas

at the same rate?

(A) (pd) n

(B) (p) (nd)

(C) (np) p

(D) (nd) p

(E) npd

20. If x and y are positive integers, then 5x 2(x+y) =

A. 10x 2y

B. 102x 2y

C. 10x+y

D. 102x+y

E. 52(x+y)

Tactic #20 - Plug It In, Plug It In

Ex. 1: If the average (arithmetic mean) of 4, 5,6,

and K is 8, then K =

(A) 8

(B) 10

(C) 12

(D) 15

(E) 17

TACTIC #25 - Weird Symbols

If = 4N - 4, then + =

N 5 3

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

(E)

6

7

8

24

28

Student-Produced Answer Questions

IMPROVING SENTENCES

Eating food with a high concentration of fat causes the same reaction in the stomach than if you eat too fast.

A. than if you eatB. than to eatC. as if one eatsD. as eatingE. as it does when eating

Identifying Sentence Errors

For its nineteenth-century explorer and discoverers, ABohemia were an identifiable country with visible Binhabitants, but one not marked on any map. C DNo error E

Writing Skills Plan Of Attack

I. IMPROVING SENTENCES

All or part of the sentence will be underlined.Answer (A) is the same as "No Error" – 20% Rule.If there is a mistake, mark out (A) immediately!

Writing Skills Plan Of Attack

II. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS

Only one error per sentence – error will be underlined.

Answer (E) – "No Error" – 20% Rule

If an underlined part is correct, mark it out.

Everyone on the baseball team who came up A B

to bat squinted at the pitcher in order to keep the C

sun’s glaring rays out of their eyes. No error D E

Writing Skills Plan Of Attack

III. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS

DO NOT Read the passage – Go To Questions!

Revision, Combination, Content Questions

Do Any Questions That Do Not Require Going Back To The Passage – First!