Welcome to ACT prep!
ACT English/Reading
Please take out your
ACT prep booklet and
a pen or pencil.
Overview:
I can’t give you magic strategies. 
 Today: suggestions for what you can do
on your own time to practice and improve
your skills and scores
 English first, then Reading.

English:
Looks like this:
 Example on page 2-13 of your ACT prep
booklet.

The Basics: English

75 questions, 45 minutes
– Usage/Mechanics:
 Punctuation: 13%
 Grammar/Usage: 16%
 Sentence Structure: 24%
– Rhetorical Skills:
 Strategy: 16%
 Organization: 15%
 Style: 16%
Tips: English
Try skimming the passage first, then going
back to the questions.
 Read the whole sentence, not just the part
underlined.
 Be careful that you don’t correct an error
by making another error.
 Once you choose an answer, reread the
sentence with your new answer to make
sure it makes sense.

How to Improve: English
1.
Take practice tests and READ
EXPLANATIONS. Not helpful just to take
the test. Reflective practice is the only
way to get better at this!
 Online resource: the official ACT website
 Barron’s ACT book in CRC
How to Improve: English
1.
Take practice tests and READ
EXPLANATIONS. Not helpful just to take
the test. Reflective practice is the only
way to get better at this!
 Online resource: the official ACT website
 Barron’s ACT book in CRC
2.
6 types of question. Figure out which
area needs most work:
 Your ACT booklet, page 60
 Barron’s website online, have to pay, can do a
demo
 Even better, Barron’s ACT book in CRC
How to Improve: English
1.
Take practice tests and READ
EXPLANATIONS. Not helpful just to take
the test.
 Online resource: ACT.org
 Barron’s ACT book in CRC
2.
6 types of question. Figure out which
area needs most work:
 Your ACT booklet, page 60
 Barron’s website online, have to pay, can do a
demo
 Even better, Barron’s ACT book in CRC
Skills
Question #s
Usage/Mechanics
10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66
Punctuation
Grammar/
Usage
4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73
Sentence
Structure
7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44,
47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69
Rhetorical Skills
15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45
Strategy
Poss. Your
score score
10
12
18
12
Organization
2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60
11
Style
1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65
12
Skills
Question #s
Usage/Mechanics
10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66
Punctuation
Grammar/
Usage
4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73
Sentence
Structure
7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44,
47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69
Rhetorical Skills
15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45
Strategy
Poss. Your
score score
10
12
9
8
18
9
12
10
Organization
2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60
11
8
Style
1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65
12
5
Skills
Question #s
Usage/Mechanics
10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66
Punctuation
Grammar/
Usage
4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73
Sentence
Structure
7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44,
47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69
Rhetorical Skills
15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45
Strategy
Poss. Your
score score
10
12
9
8
18
9
12
10
Organization
2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60
11
8
Style
1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65
12
5
The Basics: Reading
40 questions, 35 minutes
– 2 types of questions:
 Referring: 35%ish
– Questions that refer directly back to the text—you can
“find” the answer in the text.
 Reasoning: 65%ish
– Questions that ask you to make inferences, draw
conclusions, read between the lines. Stuff you can’t
“find” in the text, but have to figure out yourself.
– 4 passages: one each of Social Studies,
Natural Sciences, Fiction, and Humanities.
Reading:
Looks like this:
 Example on page 30-37 of your ACT prep
booklet.

Tips: Reading
Some students skim questions first, some
read passage first.
 Read passage carefully or you won’t be
able to answer reasoning Qs (65%!)
 Write on the passage as you read-activates more areas of your brain.
 Fake interest. No, really. 

How to Improve: Reading
Same resources and methods as English—
figure out which types of questions give
you trouble, practice just those.
 Read. A lot. Focus on nonfiction (you get
enough fiction in English class).
Newspapers, news magazines, etc.

Time to practice!
Turn to page 2 in your booklet.
 Try questions 1-5. Feel free to talk them
through with the person next to you if you
wish.
