ACT English Assessment Strategies for Success

English-- one 45-minute section with 75 English Questions I. Usage /Mechanics Punctuation Grammar and usage Sentence structure II. Rhetorical Skills Writing strategy Organization Style

The Question Types-- There are three main question types you’ll encounter in ACT English Economy Sense Technicality

Economy These questions test your understanding of whether material is strictly essential to the passage, or whether it could be said more simply or economically.

Sense These questions ask you to identify and correct logical flaws in the passage--statements that just don’t make sense.

Technicality usage issues. These questions check your knowledge of key punctuation, grammar, and usage issues.

Suggested Strategies for taking the English test Practice pacing yourself on the test. Taking the practice test will help you feel more comfortable with the pace at which you should work. You should allow about 30 seconds for each question.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Answer every question. First do the questions that are easy for you. Eliminate the answers you’re sure are incorrect. Guess the answer from the remaining choices. You won’t be penalized if your guess is wrong and you just might be right.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Save the hard items for last. If you find yourself spending too much time on any one question, circle it in the test booklet and pass it by. Return if you have time.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Notice that the directions ask for the BEST answer. That means that you cannot stop at the first correct answer you find. You must read all the choices and select the one you think is best.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Read the text before and after the underlined portion before selecting your answer. The correct answer will be consistent with the author’s intent for the paragraph and the passage as a whole.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Determine the best phrasing for the underlined portion and look for it among the answer choices. Re-read the sentence you are correcting, substituting your answer choice for the underlined portion to make sure it is the best answer.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Circle the letter for the answer choice in your test booklet. Going back and forth from the test booklet to the answer sheet is difficult, takes time, and can result in a mis-marked answer sheet. When you have circled the answer choices for each two-page spread, transfer the answer choices to the answer sheet. All that matters is which circle you fill in. If you get the right answer but fill in the wrong circle, the machine will mark it wrong.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Keep it short--on all English questions. Almost a third of all the English items test your awareness of redundancy, verbosity, relevance, and similar issues. For these questions--economy questions--the shortest answer is very frequently correct. AVOID WORDINESS. Pick the selection that is short and clear.

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Sentences have to have fluency or flow. Subvocalize--say it to yourself--so you can hear how it sounds. When in doubt, look for the two shortest options, and pick the one that sounds like English. (It must have flow or fluency.)

Suggested Strategies cont. . . Relax. You’re going to make mistakes. (The average score for the ACT is about 55% correct.)

QUICK SUMMARY When in doubt, take it out. Make it make sense. Use your ears. Look for pitfalls.

Take Practice Seriously!