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Two 3-Step Methods
from Kaplan:
ACT ENGLISH
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Two 3-Step Methods
Method 1
1: Ask: “Does This
Stuff Belong Here?”
Method 2
 Step
 Step
 Step
 Step
2: Ask: “Does This
Stuff Make Sense?”
3: Ask: “Does This
Stuff Sound Like
English?”
1: Read Efficiently
2: Predict and
Eliminate
 Step
 Step
3: Plug-in
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Method #1:
Questions You Might Ask
Step
1: Ask: “Does This Stuff
Belong Here?”
Step
2: Ask: “Does This Stuff
Make Sense?”
Step
3: Ask: “Does This Stuff
Sound Like English?”
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Method #1: Step 1

“Does This Stuff Belong Here?”
Make sure the underlined phrase makes sense in its
location in the sentence and that it is as concise as
possible.
Questions you might ask yourself:
-Does the underlined section belong?
-Is it expressed as succinctly as possible?
If the answer is “no,” choose the answer that gets rid of
the stuff that doesn’t belong. It the answer is “yes,” move
on to Step 2…
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Method #1: Step 2
 “Does This
Stuff Make Sense?”
Make sure sentences flow together and make logical
sense
Question you might ask yourself:
-Does the underlined part of the passage make logical
sense?
If the answer is “no,” select the choice that turns nonsense
into sense.
If the answer is “yes,” move on to Step 3…
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Method #1: Step 3
 “Does This
Stuff Sound Like English?”
Grammatical errors will most likely sound wrong to your
ear, so trust your instinct! Listen carefully to yourself as
you go through the test 
-Don’t concentrate solely on the technical rules of
grammar and punctuation. REMEMBER: the 1st thing to get
rid of is unnecessary or irrelevant words. Only after you
have decided that the underlined section is concise,
relevant, and logical do you go on to Step 3.
HINT: You won’t necessarily have to go through all 3 steps
on every English question—the answer can come at any
point in the 3-step method.
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Method #2
 Step
1: Read efficiently
 Pause at each underlined portion
 Identify the issue
 Step
2: Predict and eliminate
 Read the answer choices and any question
stems
 Rule out choices that don’t address the issue
 Step
3: Plug In
 Substitute remaining choices
 Select the best choices
Method #2: Step 1
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 Step
1: Read Efficiently
 Stay focused and work quickly
 Pause at each underlined portion: you will read enough
of each passage to be able to answer each question
 Once you’ve answered the questions, you will resume
reading where you left off
 Occasionally you will read beyond the sentence with an
underlined portion to figure out the correct answer
 Identify the issue: decide whether the question is asking
you to apply a grammatical rule, determine the best
stylistic choice, or choose the most appropriate
organization
 Identifying the problem in the test makes it easy to find
the answer choice that best addresses it
YOUR TURN 
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Use
Step 1 for the selection below.
People often complain that are
generation is politically apathetic and
depressed. Just 25 years ago, it was
common for students to join strikes
and anti-war protests.
What
is the issue?
Method #2: Step 2
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
Step 2: Predict and Eliminate

You may sometimes be able to make predictions (or think of an answer)
before reading the choices

Use eliminating to confirm the answer you have chosen is correct or to
increase your odds of selecting the correct answer

Read each answer choice and look for a match to your prediction. Its
important to read all four choices. Frequently, more than one answer is
grammatically correct. Find the BEST answer.
YOUR TURN 
Use Step 2 for the question below:
Many students think that choosing (C) when in doubt was a good testtaking strategy, but Ms. Chang taught them more reliable strategies.
A. NO CHANGE
Eliminate?
-What is the issue?
B. student thinks
Eliminate?
-What is your prediction?
C. students thinks
Eliminate?
D. students thought
Eliminate?
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Method #2: Step 3
 Step
3: Plug In
 Use
the context to your advantage
 Substitute
the remaining choices
Once you have eliminated any choices
that don’t address the issue, plug in the remaining
answers to determine the choice that works best
in the context
 Select
the BEST choice: choose the one that is
clearest and most relevant to the given context
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Your Turn 

Use steps 1, 2, and 3 to answer the 2nd question:

People often complain that are generation is politically apathetic and
depressed. Just 25 years ago, it was common for students to join strikes
and anti-war protests. These days, though, most young people are more
likely to be found watching MTV or shopping at the a mall than rallying
to support a treasured belief.

Step 1: What is the issue?

Step 2: What’s your prediction?




A. NO CHANGE
B. apathetic, uninterested, and ignorant of politics
C. apathetic and unhappy
D. apathetic
Eliminate?
Eliminate?
Eliminate?
Eliminate?
Step 3: ________ is the best answer because _____________.