ACT English ACT English AssessmentAssessment

Strategies for Strategies for SuccessSuccess

English-- English-- one 45-minute one 45-minute section with 75 English section with 75 English

QuestionsQuestions

I. Usage I. Usage /Mechanics/Mechanics

PunctuationPunctuation Grammar and Grammar and

usageusage Sentence structureSentence structure

II. Rhetorical II. Rhetorical SkillsSkills

Writing strategyWriting strategy OrganizationOrganization StyleStyle

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

EnglishEnglish

EconomyEconomy

SenseSense

TechnicalityTechnicality

EconomyEconomy

These questions These questions

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

SenseSense

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

TechnicalityTechnicality

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

Suggested Strategies for Suggested Strategies for taking the English testtaking the English test

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

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

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

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Save the hard items for lastSave the hard items for last. .

If you find yourself spending If you find yourself spending tootoo much time on any one question, much time on any one question, circle it in the test booklet and circle it in the test booklet and pass it by. Return if you have pass it by. Return if you have time.time.

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Notice that the directions Notice that the directions ask for the ask for the BEST BEST answeranswer. .

That means that you cannot stop at That means that you cannot stop at the first correct answer you find. the first correct answer you find. You must read all the choices and You must read all the choices and select the one you think is best.select the one you think is best.

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Read the text before and Read the text before and after the underlined portion after the underlined portion before selecting your answer.before selecting your answer.

The correct answer will be The correct answer will be consistent with the author’s intent consistent with the author’s intent for the paragraph and the passage for the paragraph and the passage as a whole.as a whole.

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Determine the best phrasing for Determine the best phrasing for the underlined portion the underlined portion and look for it and look for it among the answer choices.among the answer choices.

Re-read the sentence you are Re-read the sentence you are correcting, correcting, substituting your answer choice substituting your answer choice for the underlined portion to make sure it is the for the underlined portion to make sure it is the best answer.best answer.

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Circle the letter for the answer Circle the letter for the answer choice in your test bookletchoice in your test booklet. Going . Going back and forth from the test booklet to the answer back and forth from the test booklet to the answer sheet is difficult, takes time, and can result in a sheet is difficult, takes time, and can result in a mis-marked answer sheet. When you have circled mis-marked answer sheet. When you have circled the answer choices for each two-page spread, the answer choices for each two-page spread, transfer the answer choices to the answer sheet.transfer the answer choices to the answer sheet.

All that matters is which circle you fill All that matters is which circle you fill in.in. If you get the right answer but fill in the If you get the right answer but fill in the wrong circle, the machine will mark it wrong. wrong circle, the machine will mark it wrong.

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Keep it short--on all English Keep it short--on all English questionsquestions. Almost a third of all the English . Almost a third of all the English items test your awareness of redundancy, items test your awareness of redundancy, verbosity, relevance, and similar issues. For verbosity, relevance, and similar issues. For these questions--economy questions--the shortest these questions--economy questions--the shortest answer is very frequently correct.answer is very frequently correct.

AVOID WORDINESSAVOID WORDINESS. Pick the selection . Pick the selection that is short and clear.that is short and clear.

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

Sentences have to have fluency or Sentences have to have fluency or flow.flow. SubvocalizeSubvocalize--say it to --say it to yourself--so you can hear how it yourself--so you can hear how it soundssounds..

When in doubt, look for the two When in doubt, look for the two shortest options, and pick the one shortest options, and pick the one that sounds like English. (It must that sounds like English. (It must have flow or fluency.)have flow or fluency.)

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies cont. . . cont. . .

RelaxRelax. .

You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to make mistakes.

(The average score for the ACT is about (The average score for the ACT is about 55% correct.)55% correct.)

QUICK SUMMARYQUICK SUMMARY

1.1. When in doubt, take it out. When in doubt, take it out. 2.2. Make it make sense.Make it make sense.3.3. Use your ears.Use your ears.4.4. Look for pitfalls. Look for pitfalls.

Take Practice Take Practice Seriously!Seriously!