ACT English case studies
ACT English · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ACT English Test is one section of the ACT, a standardized college-admission exam administered by ACT Education Corp. and accepted by colleges across the United States. The ACT English case studies are 5 cases and about 1,538 words.
1Adding a Concession Without Losing the Thesis
A student drafts a paragraph arguing that a city should extend its bike-lane network. The key sentence reads: "Extending the bike lanes will reduce traffic congestion downtown and make streets safer for cyclists." The teacher asks the student to add one sentence acknowledging a real drawback-some street parking will be removed-without weakening the overall argument.
336 words, about 2 min2Choosing Between a Colon, Semicolon, and Comma
A writer is editing a sentence with three possible punctuation choices. The draft reads: "The committee reviewed three proposals a new library, a renovated gym, and a parking garage." The writer wants the sentence to introduce the list clearly and correctly.
283 words, about 1 min3Tightening Wordiness Without Changing Meaning
An editor is trimming a 40-word sentence to fit a 25-word limit in a brochure. The draft reads: "Due to the fact that the museum will be closed on the day of the holiday, visitors who are planning to come on that particular day should make the decision to visit on a different day instead." The editor must preserve two facts: (1) the museum is closed on the holiday, and (2) visitors should choose another day.
290 words, about 1 min4Matching Verb Tense to a Timeline in a Narrative
A student writes a short narrative about a discovery. The student must make the tense sequence consistent and make clear which action happened first.
316 words, about 2 min5Revising a Sentence for Logical Comparison and Clarity
A student writes a comparison in an essay about study habits: "Students who study in short, frequent sessions tend to remember more than students who cram, and this is because the brain consolidates information better over time." A peer reviewer flags two issues: the comparison may be unclear about what is being compared, and the pronoun "this" is vague. The writer wants to keep the claim that frequent short sessions beat cramming, keep the explanation about consolidation, and make the comparison explicit.
313 words, about 2 min