Claude 4.5 10 Best SAT and ACT Prep Prompts

Supercharge Your Test Prep with Claude 4.5

Let’s be honest: prepping for the SAT or ACT can feel like running on a treadmill that’s both expensive and going nowhere fast. Between the sky-high cost of private tutors, the limited number of official practice tests, and the frustrating lack of feedback on why you got a question wrong, traditional study methods often leave students feeling stuck and unprepared. You might know your score, but without understanding the reasoning behind each answer, you’re just guessing your way through the most critical exams of your high school career.

What if you had a personal tutor available 24/7 that could generate an endless supply of high-quality, realistic practice questions tailored specifically to the reading and writing sections? That’s exactly what Claude 4.5 offers. This isn’t just another study app—it’s a revolutionary AI-powered tool that understands the nuanced logic of standardized testing. By using the right prompts, you can transform Claude into your own on-demand test prep genius, generating everything from complex reading comprehension passages to tricky grammar questions that mirror the actual exam.

This guide cuts through the noise to give you the exact tools you need. We’ve curated the 10 most effective prompts to use with Claude 4.5, designed to help you master both the Reading and Writing/Language sections. But we’re not just giving you questions; we’re giving you a blueprint for understanding.

The real value isn’t in the practice itself, but in the detailed explanations that build your critical test-taking logic.

Forget memorizing answers. Start understanding patterns. Get ready to build the skills that will not only boost your score but also change how you approach these tests for good. Let’s dive in.

Why Claude 4.5 is a Game-Changer for Standardized Test Prep

For decades, SAT and ACT prep followed the same old script: dust off a bulky, outdated textbook, maybe shell out thousands for a personal tutor, and hope for the best. It’s a system that’s static, expensive, and frankly, inaccessible for many. But what if your study partner could adapt to your unique learning pace, generate an endless supply of realistic questions on the fly, and explain the ‘why’ behind every answer with the patience of a saint? Welcome to the new era of test prep, powered by Claude 4.5.

This isn’t about replacing hard work with a magic button. It’s about making your study time radically more efficient and effective. Claude 4.5’s advanced reasoning allows it to do something no textbook ever could: deconstruct the exact logic and style of the College Board and ACT, Inc. It doesn’t just spit out random questions; it mimics the test makers. You’re not just practicing; you’re getting inside the head of the people who write the exam, learning to spot their patterns, traps, and preferred phrasing. This shift from passive review to active, strategic engagement is what leads to real, score-boosting breakthroughs.

The Power of the Socratic Tutor

So, how does it work in practice? Let’s say you get a complex grammar question wrong. A textbook might just give you a one-line answer key. A busy tutor might just tell you the right answer. Claude 4.5, however, acts like a true Socratic tutor, guiding you to the answer yourself. Its detailed explanations break down each choice:

• Why the right answer is correct: It cites the specific grammatical rule (e.g., subject-verb agreement, pronoun antecedent) and explains its application in the sentence.
• Why each wrong answer is a trap: It doesn’t just label them “wrong.” It identifies the common misconception they prey upon—perhaps a dangling modifier or an idiomatic error—teaching you how to avoid that pitfall next time.
• The overarching strategy: It connects the question to a broader test-taking strategy, like reading around the underlined portion for context or evaluating the conciseness of an answer.

This method transforms a simple mistake from a frustration into a powerful, memorable learning moment. You’re not memorizing answers; you’re building a robust mental framework for tackling any question the test throws your way.

The real value isn’t in the answer itself, but in the reasoning pathway Claude 4.5 builds between your confusion and your understanding.

Ultimately, Claude 4.5 democratizes high-quality test preparation. It offers 24/7 access to a resource that is both endlessly adaptable to your needs and incredibly consistent in its quality. Whether you need to drill a hundred questions on data interpretation from science passages or want a deep dive into the nuances of transition words, Claude can generate a custom set in seconds. This levels the playing field, giving every student the tools to decode these critical exams on their own terms. It’s not just a new tool; it’s a whole new approach to mastering the SAT and ACT.

How to Craft the Perfect Prompt for Claude 4.5

Getting Claude to generate truly effective practice questions isn’t about magic—it’s about precision. Think of it less like asking a vague question to a tutor and more like giving clear, specific instructions to a brilliant but literal-minded assistant. The quality of your output is directly proportional to the clarity of your input. A weak, generic prompt will get you generic, often useless questions. A well-crafted one, however, unlocks Claude’s full potential as your personal test-prep coach.

So, what’s the anatomy of a killer prompt? It boils down to three non-negotiable components: context, specificity, and format. First, you must set the stage. Don’t just ask for “an SAT writing question.” Instead, provide the context. Specify the exact test (SAT or ACT), the section (e.g., “Standard English Conventions” or “Rhetorical Synthesis”), and even the specific skill you want to target, like “pronoun-antecedent agreement” or “interpreting data from a graph.” This focus prevents Claude from guessing and ensures the output is relevant to your needs.

The Simple Formula for Success

Once you’ve mastered the core components, you can use this simple, repeatable formula to build your own prompts from scratch. It’s a template that ensures you never forget a crucial element.

• Role: Start by assigning Claude a role. “You are an expert SAT test creator with 20 years of experience.”
• Task: State the exact task clearly. “Generate 5 practice questions for the ACT Reading section.”
• Context/Constraints: Provide the specific parameters. “Focus on questions that require inference based on a social science passage. The passage should be roughly the length of a real ACT passage.”
• Output Format: Dictate how you want the answer presented. “For each question, provide four multiple-choice options (A-D), indicate the correct answer, and then write a detailed explanation that breaks down why the correct answer is right and why each incorrect answer is wrong.”

This structure transforms your request from a casual ask into a professional directive. For example, a prompt built on this formula might look like: “Act as an expert ACT English test designer. Create three questions that test logical transitions between sentences. For each, provide the paragraph with a blank, four answer choices, the correct answer, and an explanation that analyzes the flow of ideas to justify the best choice.”

Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond simply getting answers and toward understanding the why—the testing logic behind each question. By crafting detailed prompts, you’re not just generating endless practice; you’re training Claude to be the most effective study partner possible. It forces the AI to deconstruct its own reasoning, giving you the insight you need to spot patterns, avoid traps, and walk into test day with genuine confidence. Now that you have the blueprint, you’re ready to build the prompts that will build your score.

The 10 Best SAT & ACT Reading & Writing Prompts

Mastering the SAT and ACT isn’t just about answering questions—it’s about understanding the test’s underlying logic. That’s where Claude 4.5 becomes your secret weapon. These carefully crafted prompts are designed to generate authentic practice questions that mirror the real exams, complete with explanations that don’t just tell you what’s right, but why the other options are wrong. This approach transforms random practice into targeted skill-building.

Each prompt below serves a specific purpose, targeting the exact skills and question types that consistently challenge students. We’re talking about more than just grammar rules—we’re tackling the nuanced reading comprehension traps, the tricky transition questions, and the data interpretation that makes science passages so daunting.

Here are the 10 most effective prompts to supercharge your preparation:

1. The Grammar Rule Explainer

Use Case: When you keep missing questions about a specific rule like subject-verb agreement or pronoun antecedent. Sample Output: Claude generates 5 questions focused solely on that rule, with explanations detailing why the correct answer satisfies the rule and why each distractor violates it.

2. The Passage Context Master

Use Case: For understanding how vocabulary questions test meaning within specific textual context rather than dictionary definitions. Sample Output: “Based on the passage’s description of the scientist’s ‘fastidious’ note-taking, which of the following best captures the word’s meaning here?” with explanations linking back to passage evidence.

3. The Transition Word Tactician

Use Case: Mastering those pesky questions about however, therefore, meanwhile, and other connectors. Sample Output: Questions that test logical relationships between sentences, with explanations mapping how each transition creates specific logical connections.

4. The Data Interpretation Driller

Use Case: Crushing the science passage questions that require analyzing graphs, charts, and tables. Sample Output: A mini-passage with accompanying data visualization, followed by questions that force you to synthesize textual and visual information.

5. The Author’s Purpose Detective

Use Case: Moving beyond what the author says to why they’re saying it. Sample Output: Questions that ask about rhetorical strategy, tone, or perspective, with explanations pointing to specific word choices and structural elements.

6. The Evidence-Based Pair Specialist

Use Case: Tackling those SAT questions where you answer and then select the supporting evidence. Sample Output: Paired questions that force you to connect answers directly to textual proof, mimicking the test’s most unique format.

7. The Concision Connoisseur

Use Case: Learning why the shortest grammatically correct answer is often right on the ACT English section. Sample Output: Questions with multiple grammatically correct options where the most concise prevails, with explanations about redundancy and efficiency.

8. The Tone and Style Analyzer

Use Case: Developing sensitivity to shifts in register, from formal academic to casual conversational. Sample Output: Questions asking which choice best maintains the passage’s style, with explanations about consistency of voice.

9. The Sentence Rearrangement Pro

Use Case: Mastering questions about where to insert a sentence or how to logically order paragraphs. Sample Output: Paragraphs with missing sentences or scrambled order, requiring you to analyze logical flow and coherence.

10. The Big Picture Synthesizer

Use Case: Pulling together main ideas across entire passages rather than focusing on details. Sample Output: Questions about primary purpose, overarching themes, or how specific paragraphs contribute to the whole.

The real magic happens in the explanations. Unlike a static answer key, Claude breaks down each question’s logic:

• Why the right answer is correct based on both rules and context
• Why each wrong answer is deceptive
• How to spot similar patterns in future questions
• What underlying skill the question is actually testing

This method does more than improve your score—it builds critical reading and writing skills that will serve you far beyond test day. The best part? You can ask for endless variations on these themes, creating a personalized study plan that targets exactly what you need to work on. No more wasting time on concepts you’ve already mastered or struggling through explanations that don’t make sense. With these prompts, you’re not just practicing—you’re developing the strategic thinking that turns good scores into great ones.

Prompt 1: Generate a Full-Length SAT Reading Passage & Questions

Let’s kick things off with the most comprehensive prompt, one that transforms Claude from a simple Q&A bot into your personal test creation engine. The beauty of this approach is that you’re not just getting random questions—you’re getting a fully contextualized practice experience that mirrors the exact format, pacing, and cognitive demands of the actual SAT. Think of it as having a test prep specialist working exclusively for you, 24/7.

Here’s the magic formula to paste directly into Claude 4.5:

“Generate a complete SAT Reading section passage and question set. The passage should be approximately 650-750 words in length and fall under the [HISTORY/SCIENCE/LITERATURE/SOCIAL SCIENCE] category. It must be an original text that mimics the style and complexity of official College Board materials. Following the passage, create [NUMBER] multiple-choice questions that reflect the official distribution of question types, including:

• [NUMBER] questions on central ideas and details
• [NUMBER] questions on words in context
• [NUMBER] questions on reasoning (e.g., author’s purpose, evidence support)
• [NUMBER] questions on data interpretation (if a science/social science passage)

For each question, provide four plausible answer choices (A-D) and a detailed explanation that breaks down:

1. Why the correct answer is right, citing specific text evidence.
2. Why the most tempting incorrect answer (the ‘distractor’) is wrong.
3. The specific reasoning skill the question is designed to assess.”

Why This Prompt Works So Well

This isn’t a vague request; it’s a detailed technical brief. By specifying the genre, word count, and question type distribution, you’re forcing Claude to wear the hat of a test designer. The instruction to create an original passage is crucial—it prevents the AI from simply regurgitating something it found online, ensuring you get truly novel practice material every single time.

The real gold, however, is in the demand for detailed explanations. This is what moves you from passive practice to active learning. Understanding why an answer is wrong is often more valuable than knowing what’s right. It teaches you to identify the common traps the test-makers set, like extreme language, misused details, or answers that are true in the real world but aren’t supported by the passage.

Putting It Into Action: A Quick Example

Let’s say you struggle with dense, historical documents. You’d plug in: “…under the HISTORY category… create 10 questions… including 3 on central ideas, 2 on words in context, 4 on reasoning, and 1 on data from a small chart.”

What you’ll get back is a passage that might read like a 19th-century political speech or a founder’s diary entry, complete with archaic phrasing and complex argumentation. The accompanying questions will force you to parse this difficult text, and the explanations will act like a tutor sitting beside you.

Pro Tip: Don’t just generate one and move on. Once you’ve worked through a passage, ask Claude for a follow-up: “Generate another history passage with a similar difficulty level but focused on a different historical era and a different question distribution.” This is how you build stamina and adaptability—the two most underrated skills for acing the reading section.

Prompt 2: Master Grammar with an ACT English Style Drill

If the SAT Reading section is a marathon of comprehension, the ACT English test is a sprint through a grammatical obstacle course. You need to spot errors quickly, often based on a gut feeling for what “sounds right.” But what if your gut needs some training? That’s where this next prompt comes in. It transforms Claude 4.5 into a precision drill sergeant for the most common grammar rules tested on the ACT.

This prompt is designed to create a micro-practice session that zeroes in on your biggest weaknesses. Instead of a full passage, it generates a single paragraph packed with deliberate, high-frequency errors. The beauty is in the specificity: you can ask for a concentration on comma splices, subject-verb agreement with tricky collective nouns, or the perennial struggle between “its” and “it’s.” This allows for targeted, efficient practice that delivers maximum improvement in minimal time.

The Anatomy of an Effective Grammar Drill Prompt

A vague request like “give me some grammar questions” will get you a vague, often unhelpful result. The power lies in giving Claude a clear, structured command. Here’s a breakdown of a highly effective prompt you can use and adapt:

Act as an expert ACT English test creator. Generate a single paragraph of 5-7 sentences that contains exactly 4 common grammatical errors. The errors should focus on: 1) Misplaced or missing commas, 2) Incorrect apostrophe usage, 3) Subject-verb agreement, and 4) Pronoun-antecedent agreement. After the paragraph, present 4 multiple-choice questions, one for each error. For each question, provide the incorrect sentence from the paragraph and three answer choices (A, B, C). Finally, give a detailed explanation for the correct answer, explaining the specific grammar rule that applies.

This prompt works because it’s a multi-step instruction. It tells the AI its role, the desired output format, the specific error types to include, and, most importantly, it mandates a detailed explanation. This last part is what turns a simple quiz into a true learning experience.

Sample Output in Action

Let’s see what this prompt can generate. Here’s a condensed example of what you might get back from Claude:

The Paragraph: “The team of researchers were prepared to present their findings, its a major breakthrough in the field. They worked tirelessly for months, the results were worth the effort. Each scientist had to ensure their data was perfect. The committees report, which was over fifty pages long, needed a final proofread.”

The Questions & Explanations:

1. Question 1 (Subject-Verb Agreement): “The team of researchers were prepared…”

   • A) The team of researchers were prepared…
   • B) The team of researchers was prepared…
   • C) The team of researchers are prepared…
   • Explanation: The correct answer is B. The subject is the collective noun “team,” which is singular. Despite the plural “researchers” in the prepositional phrase, the verb must agree with the singular subject “team,” so “was” is correct.

2. Question 2 (Apostrophe Usage): “…its a major breakthrough…”

   • A) its a major breakthrough
   • B) it’s a major breakthrough
   • C) its’ a major breakthrough
   • Explanation: The correct answer is B. “It’s” is a contraction for “it is,” which is what the sentence requires. “Its” is a possessive pronoun, and “its’” is not a valid word in English.

By drilling with this method, you’re not just memorizing answers. You’re internalizing the rules. After a few sessions, you’ll start to see the patterns behind the questions, and those once-tricky errors will start to pop off the screen, clear as day. It’s the fastest way to turn grammatical uncertainty into confident, automatic correction.

Prompt 3: Deconstruct a “Point of View” History Passage

History passages on the SAT and ACT are rarely straightforward recounts of events. They’re arguments. The test makers love to select texts where the author has a distinct perspective, a clear bias, or is actively engaged in a historical debate. Your job isn’t just to understand what happened, but to understand how and why the author is presenting the information the way they are. This prompt turns Claude 4.5 into your personal debate coach, forcing you to see both sides of a historical issue and identify the tools an author uses to persuade you.

Here’s the magic formula for this prompt. You’ll task Claude with creating a passage that presents two conflicting viewpoints on a single historical event, like the causes of the Cold War or the legacy of a particular industrialist. Then, you’ll ask for questions that go straight for the analytical jugular. We’re talking about questions that ask you to:

• Identify the primary purpose of each argument.
• Analyze how an author uses evidence (or ignores counter-evidence) to support their claim.
• Determine the author’s point of view and potential biases based on word choice and rhetoric.
• Evaluate which argument is more persuasive and, crucially, why based on the strength of the evidence presented.

Why This Prompt is a Critical Thinking Powerhouse

This approach does something brilliant: it decodes the hidden framework of the test. Instead of just finding the main idea, you learn to question it. When Claude generates a passage with, say, a critic and a defender of Gilded Age capitalism, you’re forced to see how language shapes reality. The critic might use loaded words like “exploitative monopolies” and “crushing poverty,” while the defender opts for “visionary captains of industry” and “unprecedented economic growth.” Spotting this diction isn’t just an English class skill—it’s the key to unlocking purpose and point-of-view questions that stump most students.

Your goal isn’t to decide who’s right in history, but to understand how each author builds their case. Claude’s explanations will break down the architecture of argumentation, showing you how a single piece of data can be spun to support two totally different conclusions.

Putting It Into Practice: A Sample Workflow

So, what does this look like in action? You might give Claude a prompt like this:

“Generate a 500-word history passage on the Treaty of Versailles written from two perspectives. The first should be from the viewpoint of a French diplomat, emphasizing the need for security and reparations. The second should be from a German official, focusing on the treaty’s harshness and its potential consequences. Then, create 4 SAT-style questions that ask about author bias, use of evidence, and rhetorical strategy. Provide a detailed explanation for each answer choice.”

Within seconds, you’ll have a custom-built exercise. You’ll practice identifying bias not through memorization, but through application. The subsequent explanations from Claude will teach you to think like a test maker, revealing why the correct answer is supported by the text and the incorrect ones are designed to lure you in with tempting half-truths or irrelevant details. This is where you move from being a passive reader to an active critic—and that’s exactly what the SAT and ACT reading sections demand.

Prompt 4: Create “Evidence-Based” Reading Questions

You know that sinking feeling. You’ve just answered a reading comprehension question and you’re feeling pretty good about it—until the next one pops up: “Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?” Suddenly, your confidence wavers. Was it line 12? Or maybe that bit in paragraph three? This back-to-back question format is a hallmark of the SAT and ACT, and it’s designed to separate superficial readers from true critical thinkers. It’s not enough to just feel like you know the answer; you have to be able to prove it, word-for-word, from the text.

This prompt forces Claude to generate these powerful paired questions, creating the exact kind of practice you need to build unshakable confidence. A well-crafted evidence-based prompt will yield a mini-lesson in textual detective work. You’ll get an output that looks something like this:

• First Question: The author’s primary criticism of the scientific model is that it: A) is overly simplistic B) ignores historical precedent C) relies on outdated data D) has been widely disproven

• Paired Evidence Question: Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question? A) Lines 5-7 (“The model… fails to account for numerous variables.”) B) Lines 22-24 (“Critics in the 1990s… often pointed to its novelty.”) C) Lines 45-46 (“Subsequent studies… have largely reinforced its conclusions.”) D) Lines 61-63 (“While elegant… the framework is notoriously difficult to apply in practice.”)

How to Structure Your Prompt for Maximum Impact

To get the most out of Claude, your prompt should be a specific directive. Don’t just ask for “evidence questions.” Instead, provide a blueprint. Specify the passage genre (e.g., a science passage on marine biology), the skill being tested (finding the best evidence for a main idea, a detail, or an inference), and insist on detailed explanations.

The key is in the explanation. A great prompt will instruct Claude not only to identify the correct lines of evidence but to dismantle the wrong answers. Why is that tempting quote from the introduction not the best evidence? It might be too broad. Why is that specific statistic misleading? It supports a different point entirely. This is where the real learning happens.

By practicing with these AI-generated evidence pairs, you’re training your brain to do more than just read—you’re learning to substantiate your answers. You’ll begin to read with a purpose, unconsciously tagging key sentences and arguments as you go, knowing you’ll have to cite your source. This turns a nerve-wracking part of the test into a systematic process, ensuring you never have to guess on evidence questions again.

Prompt 5: Practice “Rhetorical Synthesis” (Digital SAT Focus)

Let’s talk about one of the most intriguing new question types on the Digital SAT: Rhetorical Synthesis. If you’ve ever felt that moment of panic when you’re given a bunch of disconnected notes and asked to weave them into a single, coherent sentence—you’re not alone. This isn’t just about writing well; it’s about thinking like an editor, quickly identifying the core idea and building logical connections between disparate pieces of information.

Here’s how to use Claude to master this skill: simply provide a set of bullet points on any academic topic and ask it to generate a synthesis question in the exact style of the Digital SAT. The magic happens when you specify that you want both the question and a detailed breakdown of how to construct the perfect response. Claude will not only give you the raw materials but also show you the architectural blueprint behind effective synthesis.

Your Personal Digital SAT Question Generator

Want to see this in action? Here’s exactly how to frame your prompt:

“Act as a Digital SAT exam creator. Generate a rhetorical synthesis question with the following components:

• Provide 3-5 bullet points of notes on [topic, e.g., ‘the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function’]
• Ask me to compose a single, coherent sentence that accurately uses at least two of the provided notes
• After I attempt the question, provide the ideal synthesized sentence and explain the logical connections between the chosen notes”

The real value isn’t just in practicing the questions—it’s in studying the explanations. Claude will break down why certain transitions work better, how to maintain grammatical consistency when combining ideas, and which notes logically belong together. You’ll start to see patterns in how information can be woven together effectively, which is exactly the skill the College Board is testing.

Pro Tip: Don’t just stick to one topic. Ask Claude to generate synthesis prompts across different subjects—from scientific concepts to historical events to literary analysis. This versatility trains your brain to handle whatever the test throws at you on exam day.

After a few sessions with this prompt, you’ll notice something interesting: you’ll begin reading all those bullet points differently. Instead of seeing disconnected facts, you’ll automatically look for the hidden narrative thread that connects them. That’s the moment you’ve moved from memorizing format to mastering the underlying skill—and that’s what will push your digital SAT score into the elite range.

Prompt 6: Explain the Answer to a Logic Trap Question

You’ve been there. You read the question, feel a surge of confidence, pick an answer that feels right, and then… it’s wrong. The worst part? When you see the correct answer, you can’t even figure out why yours was incorrect. This is the hallmark of a logic trap question—the test makers’ favorite tool for separating the good scorers from the great ones.

This prompt is your key to turning those frustrating mistakes into your greatest learning opportunities. Instead of just asking for the right answer, you’re tasking Claude with a deep psychological and structural analysis of the question itself. It’s about learning to think like the test maker, not just the test taker.

How to Use This Prompt for Maximum Impact

The magic happens when you feed Claude a question that tripped you up. Your prompt should look something like this:

“I got this question wrong. Please explain why the correct answer is right. More importantly, analyze the three incorrect answer choices and explain the specific reasoning trap that each one is designed to exploit. What makes each wrong answer seem tempting at first glance?”

Claude’s response will then become a masterclass in test design. You won’t just get an explanation; you’ll get a breakdown of the psychological warfare being waged on the page.

Deconstructing the Four Temptations

A great explanation will dissect each wrong answer, revealing its hidden trap:

• The Half-Truth: This option often contains language that appears somewhere in the passage, making it feel familiar and therefore safe. The trap? It answers a different question than the one being asked or takes the original idea out of context.
• The Extreme Language: Words like “always,” “never,” “all,” or “none” are massive red flags. The SAT and ACT rarely deal in absolutes, so these answers are usually incorrect generalizations designed to lure in overconfident readers.
• The Outside Knowledge Trap: This one feels smart because it’s something you might actually know from school! The test preys on this by offering a factually true statement that, unfortunately, isn’t supported by this specific passage. Remember, the answer must always be grounded in the text, not in your personal brain.
• The Opposite: A brutally effective trick. The answer will directly contradict the main argument or a key detail in the text. It’s tempting if you read too quickly or misremember a small but crucial point.

By having Claude categorize the wrong answers in this way, you start to build a mental checklist. The next time you’re between two choices, you’ll instinctively scan for extreme language, check for textual evidence, and ask yourself, “Is this actually answering the question, or is it just a true-sounding distraction?”

This process transforms your practice. You’re no longer just memorizing vocabulary or grammar rules; you’re developing a sixth sense for the exam’s tricks. Every time you have Claude explain a logic trap, you’re immunizing yourself against falling for it again on test day. It’s the most efficient way to learn from your mistakes and systematically dismantle the clever tricks designed to keep your score down.

Prompt 7: Generate Paired Science Passages with Comparative Questions

Welcome to one of the most challenging—and most rewarding—parts of SAT and ACT prep. If you’ve ever felt that moment of panic when you flip the page and find not one, but two dense science passages waiting for you, you’re not alone. These paired passages, often presenting conflicting viewpoints on the same topic, are designed to test your ability to navigate complex arguments and spot the subtle differences in how evidence is used. It’s not just about reading; it’s about thinking like a scientist weighing two competing theories.

That’s where this prompt comes in. It transforms Claude from a simple question generator into a dynamic debate coach, creating realistic scientific dialogues for you to analyze. The magic lies in the specificity of your request. A vague prompt gets you vague results. But when you command the AI to craft two opposing viewpoints on a cutting-edge topic—like the ethics of gene editing or the viability of carbon capture—you get a rich, nuanced exercise that mirrors the actual test.

Here’s exactly how to structure your prompt for maximum effectiveness:

Your Prompt: “Act as an expert SAT/ACT test creator. Generate two paired science passages, each approximately 120-150 words, on the topic of [insert topic, e.g., ‘the primary cause of bee colony collapse disorder’].

Passage 1: Should present the viewpoint that [Viewpoint A, e.g., ‘pesticide use is the dominant factor’]. Passage 2: Should argue for a conflicting perspective that [Viewpoint B, e.g., ‘parasitic Varroa mites are the primary cause’].

Following the passages, provide 3 comparative questions. These questions should ask me to:

1. Identify a claim made in both passages.
2. Determine how the authors use different evidence to support their positions.
3. Identify a point of agreement or fundamental disagreement between the two arguments.

For each multiple-choice question, include a detailed explanation that breaks down why the correct answer is right and the incorrect answers are wrong.”

Why This Prompt is a Game-Changer

The brilliance of this approach is that it forces you to do more than just comprehend individual texts. You have to hold two competing narratives in your head at once and perform a kind of intellectual triangulation. Claude’s subsequent explanations are pure gold. They won’t just say “B is correct.” They’ll dissect the logical structure, showing you how Passage A uses a specific study to imply causation while Passage B cites field observations to question that link. This is where you learn the testing logic inside and out.

After a few sessions with this prompt, you’ll start to see the patterns. You’ll become adept at spotting the “straw man” arguments in the wrong answer choices and you’ll learn how to quickly map the relationship between two arguments. This isn’t just test prep—it’s a crash course in critical thinking that will serve you well long after you’ve aced the exam.

Prompt 8: Build Vocabulary in Context

You know that feeling when you hit a word on the SAT or ACT that might as well be ancient Greek? You squint, you re-read the sentence, and you make your best guess based on the root word you think you remember from eighth grade. This approach is about as reliable as a weather forecast in a hurricane. The truth is, vocabulary on these tests isn’t about memorizing dictionary definitions; it’s about becoming a context detective.

This prompt transforms Claude from a simple quiz generator into your personal lexicographer. Instead of handing you a dry list of words to cram, it creates a rich, engaging passage specifically designed to showcase advanced vocabulary in its natural habitat. You get to see how words like “equivocal,” “laconic,” or “profligate” actually function in a sentence, surrounded by clues that reveal their true meaning.

Here’s how to structure your prompt for maximum impact:

Your Prompt: “Act as an expert SAT/ACT reading passage writer. Generate a short, engaging passage of approximately 100-120 words on a topic like urban planning, marine biology, or art history. Weave in 4-5 advanced, test-level vocabulary words, such as ‘capricious,’ ‘venerable,’ ‘lampoon,’ ‘eschew,’ or ‘garrulous.’ Then, create 2-3 multiple-choice questions that ask for the meaning of a specific word based solely on its context in the passage. For each question, provide a detailed explanation that breaks down the contextual clues—like tone, synonyms, antonyms, or cause-and-effect relationships—that lead to the correct answer.”

Why This Method Beats Flash Cards Every Time

The magic here is in the explanation. Claude won’t just tell you that “lampoon” means to ridicule. It will show you the surrounding sentences that use words like “satirical sketch” and “mockery,” teaching you to spot the linguistic signals yourself. You’re not memorizing; you’re pattern-matching. After a few of these exercises, you’ll start to develop an intuition for language, allowing you to tackle even words you’ve never seen before with confidence.

This is the ultimate hack for moving your vocabulary from your short-term memory to your test-day instincts. You’re building a skill, not just a word bank.

Prompt 9: Mimic the ACT Writing Test (Optional Essay)

While the ACT essay is now optional, many competitive colleges still recommend or require it. It’s a unique beast—a 40-minute sprint where you must analyze a complex issue, evaluate three distinct perspectives, and build your own nuanced argument. It’s less about what you believe and more about how you can synthesize information and argue effectively. That’s where this prompt comes in. It transforms Claude into your personal ACT writing coach, generating authentic prompts and providing the kind of detailed, rubric-based feedback that’s usually reserved for expensive tutors.

Here’s how to structure your prompt for maximum effectiveness:

“Act as an expert ACT writing test grader. First, provide me with a classic ACT essay prompt. It should present a complex, debatable issue and three distinct perspectives on that issue for me to evaluate. After I write and submit my essay, you will grade it based on the official ACT writing rubric. Provide a score from 1-6 for each of the four domains (Ideas & Analysis, Development & Support, Organization, and Language Use & Conventions). Then, give me 2-3 specific, actionable pieces of feedback for each domain on how to improve my score.”

Why This Prompt is a Game-Changer

Most students practice writing essays but have no real way to gauge their progress. They might ask a parent or teacher to read it, but unless that person is deeply familiar with the ACT’s specific grading criteria, the feedback can miss the mark. This prompt solves that. You’re not just getting a generic “good job” or “needs work.” You’re getting a formal score breakdown that pinpoints your exact strengths and weaknesses.

Let’s say the AI-generated prompt is about the ethical implications of automation in the workforce. Perspective One might argue it’s a net positive for economic efficiency, Perspective Two might focus on the human cost of job displacement, and Perspective Three might discuss the need for a universal basic income. Your job is to navigate these viewpoints.

After you submit your essay, Claude’s feedback might look like this: “Your Analysis score is a 4. Your essay successfully engages with multiple perspectives, but to reach a 5 or 6, you need to examine the implications and complexities of the issue more deeply. For instance, you discussed job displacement, but what about the potential for new industries we can’t yet imagine? Probe the assumptions behind each perspective more critically.”

From Practice to Perfection

This method turns abstract practice into targeted skill-building. Are you consistently scoring low on Development & Support? The feedback will tell you to add more specific, logical examples to illustrate your points. Is your Organization score lagging? You’ll get advice on creating clearer transitions between paragraphs. It’s this level of specificity that allows you to stop making the same mistakes and start building a reliable, high-scoring essay template.

By the time you walk into the test center, the essay section will feel familiar, not frightening. You’ll have a proven strategy for breaking down prompts, a clear understanding of what graders are looking for, and the confidence that comes from having already been graded by a tough critic. You’re not just practicing writing; you’re practicing performing under the exact criteria that will determine your score.

Prompt 10: Design a Personalized, 10-Question Mixed Practice Set

You’ve done the work. You’ve identified your weaknesses—maybe it’s those tricky transition questions that always trip you up, or perhaps interpreting data in science passages makes you second-guess yourself. Now, it’s time to put it all together in a way that truly mimics the unpredictable nature of test day. That’s where this final, most powerful prompt comes in.

Think of this as your personal AI tutor, one that crafts a bespoke workout based on the exact skills you need to strengthen. Instead of wasting time sifting through generic practice books for questions on your specific problem areas, you can command Claude to generate a targeted set on the spot. The magic is in the specificity of your request.

How to Command Your AI Tutor

The key to getting a high-quality, custom set is to be as detailed as possible in your prompt. Don’t just say “I’m bad at grammar.” Tell Claude exactly what to focus on. Here’s the blueprint:

Your Prompt: “Act as an expert SAT/ACT tutor. Please generate a personalized, 10-question mixed practice set for the Reading and Writing sections based on my self-identified weaknesses. The set should include:

• 4 questions on [Specific Weakness 1, e.g., ‘transition words and logical sentence placement’]
• 3 questions on [Specific Weakness 2, e.g., ‘drawing inferences from quantitative data like graphs and charts’]
• 3 questions on [Specific Weakness 3, e.g., ‘main idea and rhetorical analysis of humanities passages’]

For each question, provide 4 multiple-choice options (A-D). Then, on a separate page, provide a detailed explanation for every answer. The explanation shouldn’t just state the right answer; it should break down the testing logic, explain why the correct choice is best, and analyze why the most tempting incorrect answer is wrong.”

This level of instruction transforms Claude from a simple question generator into a strategic partner. You’re not just getting random practice; you’re getting a diagnostic tool.

Why This Approach is a Game-Changer

The beauty of this method is its efficiency and its psychological benefit. By confronting your weaknesses head-on in a mixed format, you’re simulating the real testing experience where a data inference question can be immediately followed by a grammar rule question. This prevents you from getting into a single-minded “zone” and trains your brain to switch gears quickly and accurately.

After a few of these custom sessions, you’ll start to notice patterns not just in the questions, but in your own thinking. You’ll see which traps you consistently fall for and, thanks to the detailed explanations, you’ll learn how to avoid them for good. It’s the ultimate way to turn your biggest liabilities into confident strengths, ensuring you walk into the testing center prepared for anything they throw your way.

Building a Study Routine with Your AI Tutor

So you’ve got this incredible tool in Claude 4.5—a virtual tutor capable of generating endless, high-quality practice questions. But how do you actually use it without feeling overwhelmed or just randomly firing off prompts? The key isn’t just practice; it’s deliberate practice. The difference between a student who improves and one who plateaus lies in a structured, consistent routine that turns Claude’s output into genuine learning. Think of it not as a magic wand, but as the most patient, always-available study partner you could ask for.

The Weekly Blueprint for AI-Powered Prep

Consistency beats cramming every single time. Integrating Claude into your week is about creating sustainable habits that build skills incrementally. Here’s a simple, actionable plan you can start this week:

• Monday & Wednesday (Skill Drills): Use a targeted prompt to generate 5-7 questions focused on your single biggest weakness. This is your deep work session. If you struggle with transition words or data inference, that’s all you practice today.
• Friday (Full Section Practice): It’s test simulation time. Prompt Claude to generate a full, mixed 20-question set that mirrors an actual SAT/ACT section. Set a timer to match the real test’s pace. This builds your stamina and helps you practice switching between question types under pressure.
• Saturday (Review & Analysis): This is the most important day. You don’t just check your answers. You meticulously go through every single explanation Claude provides for the questions you got wrong and the ones you guessed on. This is where the real learning happens.

This cadence ensures you’re not just identifying weak spots; you’re actively repairing them with focused effort before testing your overall readiness.

The Art of the Review: Turning Mistakes into Mastery

Let’s be honest: just seeing a red ‘X’ next to an answer is useless. The transformative power of using an AI tutor like Claude lies entirely in the explanations. When you review, you’re not just looking for what the right answer is, but why it’s right and, more importantly, why your wrong answer was so tempting. Did you fall for a common trap? Misread the question? Make an assumption that wasn’t supported by the text?

This process of error analysis is your secret weapon. It rewires your thought process to align with the test’s logic. I recommend keeping an “Error Log”—a simple notebook or digital doc where you record the question type, your incorrect answer, the correct answer, and a one-sentence summary of the reasoning you missed. Review this log for five minutes before each study session. You’ll start to see your personal patterns of mistakes, and that self-awareness is what leads to breakthrough improvements.

Creating a Feedback Loop for Continuous Growth

Your study routine should be a dynamic, evolving system. Claude’s ability to generate personalized prompts based on your weaknesses, like the one for a 10-question mixed practice set, is what makes this possible. After a few weeks of following your routine and maintaining your error log, you’ll have a crystal-clear picture of your persistent challenges. That’s when you level up.

Feed those weaknesses directly back into Claude. Instead of a generic prompt, you can now say, “Generate a set focusing on transition words, data inference from graphs, and author’s tone,” because you know those are your trouble areas. This creates a powerful feedback loop: you practice, you analyze your mistakes, you identify precise weaknesses, and then you command your AI tutor to design the perfect workout to attack them. You’re no longer studying blindly; you’re conducting a targeted, strategic campaign to conquer the test, one question type at a time.

Limitations and Best Practices for AI-Powered Prep

Harnessing a tool like Claude for your SAT or ACT prep is like having a brilliant, on-demand tutor in your pocket. It can generate endless practice questions, break down complex grammar rules, and simulate the test environment. But to use it effectively, you need to understand its boundaries. The key is to view Claude as a powerful supplement to your core study materials, not a complete replacement for them. It’s the ultimate practice partner, but it’s not the official rulebook.

Let’s start with the most critical limitation: AI is not the College Board or ACT. While Claude can generate remarkably realistic questions based on patterns in its training data, it doesn’t have access to the proprietary, never-before-seen questions that will appear on your actual test. Official practice tests from the test-makers themselves are the gold standard because they are the real deal. They reflect the precise wording, pacing, and subtle logical traps you’ll encounter on test day. Relying solely on AI-generated questions is like practicing for a soccer match by only doing drills; you need to play full practice games to truly prepare. Your study plan should be built on a foundation of official materials, with Claude serving as your targeted drill sergeant.

Navigating AI’s Imperfections

Like any sophisticated tool, AI is not infallible. It’s crucial to approach its outputs with a critical eye. On rare occasions, an explanation might be slightly off, or a question might be phrased in a way that feels ambiguous. This isn’t a dealbreaker—it’s actually an opportunity to sharpen your own analytical skills. When you review an answer, don’t just accept the explanation at face value. Ask yourself:

• Does the logic hold up? Does the explanation for the correct answer truly seem like the most airtight choice?
• Is there a potential for bias? Could the AI be over-indexing on a specific grammatical rule or interpretation?
• Does this align with official test logic? Compare the AI’s reasoning to that found in the College Board’s or ACT’s answer keys.

This practice of “cross-referencing” builds the exact kind of critical thinking the tests themselves are designed to measure. If something feels inconsistent, it’s a signal to double-check with a trusted, official resource.

Building a Balanced Study Ecosystem

The most successful students create a diversified study portfolio. Think of your prep like a balanced diet: you need different nutrients from different sources to perform at your peak. Here’s how to integrate Claude seamlessly into a robust routine:

1. Lead with Official Materials: Always begin and end your preparation with full-length, timed practice tests from the official SAT and ACT websites. This is your baseline and your most accurate benchmark.
2. Use Claude for Targeted Practice: After taking a practice test, analyze your results. Did you struggle with command-of-evidence questions? Was punctuation your downfall? This is where Claude shines. Use the specific prompts from this article to generate endless, personalized drills on your exact weaknesses.
3. Create a Feedback Loop: Feed your results back into the AI. For example, you could prompt: “I consistently miss questions about semicolons. Generate five questions that test semicolon usage in context and explain the rule for each answer.” This creates a dynamic, adaptive study session tailored just for you.

Ultimately, the goal is to use AI to become a more independent and insightful learner. It handles the grunt work of question generation, freeing you up to focus on the higher-level task of understanding why an answer is correct. By combining the authenticity of official tests with the personalized, on-demand power of Claude, you’re not just memorizing answers—you’re mastering the logic of the test itself. This strategic approach ensures you walk into the testing center not just prepared, but truly confident.

Conclusion: Your Path to a Higher Score Starts Now

You’ve now seen the blueprint for transforming Claude 4.5 into your personal SAT/ACT tutor. The real magic lies in how these prompts work together to create a comprehensive preparation system that adapts to your specific needs. Instead of wasting time on concepts you’ve already mastered, you can laser-focus on your actual weaknesses with custom practice sets that feel like they were designed just for you.

What makes this approach so powerful isn’t just the endless supply of questions—it’s the detailed explanations that come with each answer. You’re not just learning what the right answer is; you’re learning why it’s right and why the tempting wrong answers are designed to trick you. This deeper understanding of the test’s underlying logic is what separates casual practice from genuine mastery.

The best part? This level of personalized preparation is now accessible anytime you need it. No scheduling tutors, no waiting for office hours, no expensive prep courses. Just you and an AI coach ready to drill whatever concept you need to conquer, whether it’s transition words at midnight or data inference questions before school.

Your First Step Toward Test Day Confidence

Ready to put this into practice? Here’s how to start right now:

• Pick one weakness you consistently struggle with (transition words, graph analysis, etc.)
• Choose the corresponding prompt from our list that targets that specific skill
• Copy, paste, and watch Claude generate your personalized practice set
• Don’t just answer the questions—study the explanations until the logic clicks

The students who see the biggest score improvements aren’t necessarily the ones who do the most practice tests—they’re the ones who learn the most from each question they answer.

Your journey to a higher score begins with a single prompt. Stop planning to prepare and start preparing. Open a new chat with Claude right now, choose one prompt from our list, and run your first session. That moment of clarity when a difficult concept finally clicks? That’s what awaits you on the other side of that first prompt.