ACT study guide
ACT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ACT is a college admissions test taken by high school students and used by U.S. colleges in admissions and scholarship decisions. According to ACT, more than two million students take it each year and all U.S. The core exam covers English, math, reading, and science, and ACT describes the science and writing sections as optional add-ons that do not affect your Composite score. Topics on this exam: English, Math, Reading, Science (optional add-on), and Writing (optional add-on). The ACT study guide has 5 sections and about 1,242 words.
01ACT English: Usage, Punctuation, and Rhetorical Skill
The ACT English test measures two intertwined skill sets: standard English conventions and rhetorical effectiveness. On the conventions side, know subject-verb agreement (especially when a prepositional phrase separates subject from verb), pronoun case and agreement, verb tense consistency, and modifier placement.
259 words, about 1 min02ACT Math: Strategy, Core Topics, and Calculator Use
ACT Math is a timed, multiple-choice test covering pre-algebra through trigonometry. The key is pacing: you have about one minute per question, so do not linger.
247 words, about 1 min03ACT Reading: Passage Strategy and Question Types
ACT Reading has four passages-prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science-each followed by questions. You have about 8-9 minutes per passage.
257 words, about 1 min04ACT Science: Data Interpretation and Experimental Reasoning
The ACT Science test is really a reasoning test. Passages present experiments, graphs, and tables, and questions ask you to interpret data rather than recall science facts.
248 words, about 1 min05ACT Writing: Building a Clear, Well-Reasoned Essay
The optional ACT Writing test asks you to evaluate multiple perspectives on a complex issue and develop your own argument. You are scored on ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, and language use.
231 words, about 1 min