I read this and several other books, including the "guaranteed to pass" books, but I still didn't pass. I ran out of preparation time, I knew I still didn't get it, and painfully I knew I failed. I have been out of school for some twenty-five years, so that's part of the problem right there. In desperation, I hit the bookstore the next day, clueless what to look for. Then it struck me, the basic children's gradeschool books, the thin ones with big letters, might be my ticket. I opened a few books, and Bingo! The material was step-by-step organized. For example: here is an essay, this is what a main idea looks like, here are some more essays, find the main idea and write it in the blank space. This "painless" book in review here does have plenty of tools and practice, including some unique approaches, so it probably makes a better supplementary study than most. For example, to nail your mind down, highlight some words. But it is also probably better suited to a reader who already has the basics down, and who needs a review or wants some extra tips.