Excelling on the ACT can help students gain entry to top universities.
High school students typically take the ACT college admission test in eleventh grade. It consists of four parts: reading, math, English and science. The English section has 75 multiple choice questions, and students are given 45 minutes to complete the section. Within the 75 questions are five nonfiction passages with fifteen questions each, and the degree of difficulty is random. The questions use a multiple choice format with four answer choices for each question.
Mechanics: Grammar and Punctuation
Slightly over half of the English section tests mechanics, and half of the mechanics portion consists of grammar and punctuation. The focus of the grammar section includes the following areas: subject-verb agreement (the requirement that the sentence subject agree in number with its verb), plural nouns (plural indefinite pronouns and collective nouns), verb tense agreement (consistency in verb tense throughout a passage) and pronoun usage (requirement of pronoun and antecedent agreeing in number and gender). The target of the punctuation section includes the following areas: comma usage (with introductory phrases, nonessential words, independent clauses and lists), semicolon usage (with independent clauses and special conjunctions), colon usage (with lists and explanations) and apostrophe usage (with contractions and possession).
Mechanics: Usage and Sentence Structure
The other half of the mechanics portion of the test consists of usage and sentence structure. The focus of the usage part includes the following areas: word choice (comparatives versus superlatives, adjectives versus adverbs and commonly misused words), relative pronoun usage, conjunction usage, preposition usage and formal language versus informal language/slang. The ACT writers follow formal language rules and not those that have become accepted in conversation or business. The target of the sentence structure section includes the following areas: misplaced modifiers, parallelism and complete sentences versus fragments and run-ons.
Writing: Organization, Style/Strategy
Slightly less than half of the English section tests writing, and the writing portion consists of organization and style/strategy. These questions are generally longer questions that require more careful reading. The focus of the organization section includes the following areas: main idea/topic sentence, sentence order, transition usage and relevance (whether a sentence is necessary or can be omitted). The target of the style/strategy part includes the following areas: clarity/precision, redundancy and the relationship or connection of ideas and tone. Many of these questions ask the student to consider the "best" way to write something.
Not Included
The ACT English section does not test spelling or vocabulary. The student will not be asked to spell or define a word, but will be asked to replace misused words with more acceptable or precise ones. The test does use passages that students would see in college, so a strong vocabulary will assist with comprehension. There may be instances when not knowing a word may hinder choosing the correct answer. For the most part, the English section tests a student's knowledge of standard formal written English.
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