3. The ACT English Test 5 essays 75 questions 45 minutes (36 seconds per question) 9 minutes for each essay and its questions
4. Test Taking Strategies Skim essay and questions to get a feel for the writing style and types of questions Select the answer which considers the context of the question in relation to the writing style of the essay Read a sentence or two beyond the sentence containing the portion being questioned
5. Test Taking Strategies Try to get an understanding of what the writer is trying to say Eliminate answer choices that are clearly wrong or ridiculous Look for degrees of correctness as several answers may appear to be correct Avoid making new mistakes when selecting answers to correct mistakes in an essay
6. Test Taking Strategies Pay attention to the wording of each question Watch out for absolutes in the answer choices (for example; Always, Never) Some questions will ask you to choose the alternative for the underlined portions that is NOT acceptable or LEAST acceptable, rather than the best choice
7. Test Taking Strategies Choose the BEST answer based on the question and the essay Reread the sentence and substitute each answer choice and decide which is best Reread your selected answer. If the underlined portion is already correct, then select the NO CHANGE answer
8. Test Taking Strategies Some questions ask about a section of the essay. They are identified by a question number contained in a box after the relevant section At the end of an essay, you may find questions which ask about the essay as a whole with instructions in a box telling you this
9. Test Taking Strategies Use care in 2 part questions such as those with a yes or no answer, followed by a supporting reason for the answer. In 2 part questions, you have to decide which option is best, and then which reason best supports that option and most accurately reflects the essay. Awareness of the type of question helps, but the most important thing is for you to focus on exactly what the question asks and then select the best answer.