Both my sons smoked the Math SAT, but had problems with Verbal. We used a private tutor for each, spending about $30-40/hour for 6-8 hours. BTW, we didn't pay the tutor to watch them take the tests. He taught them the techniques which they employed while taking the tests at home. He then analyzed the results with them looking for consistent weaknesses, most of which were correctable.
In both sons' cases, it was intimidation by and dislike of the Verbal section feeding off of each other. Once they learned the "tricks", it became more of a game. There are general strategies for test taking, but also tactics for standardized tests. The SAT and ACT even have their own individual peculiarities. There is a specific way to read each question. There are tricks and tactics which allow you to eliminate answers almost without reading the question. The tactics are few and they are simple. Learn the skills and then employ them with practice tests. After doing that, you will walk into the test looser and with greater confidence.
Whatever you do, don't simply grind through endless practice tests. You'll only frustrate yourself. The best athletes arrive at the game with confidence based on an attention to detail during practices which he/she made meaningful. I know it sounds cheesy and I am totally unqualified to say so, but I assume the same applies to a soldier arriving at the battlefield.