ACT English, Reading, & Science — ACT practice for the ACT English, Reading, & Science credential

Choose the version with correct parallel structure: 'She enjoys hiking, swimming, and _____.'

1. to read books
2. reads books
3. reading books
4. book reading is fun
5. she reads

Answer: C — reading books

Parallel structure: list must match form. 'Hiking' and 'swimming' are gerunds, so third item should be 'reading' (also gerund). ACT English heavily tests parallelism.

ACT Science: A control group in an experiment is used to:

1. Manipulate variables
2. Be measured more accurately
3. Have more data points
4. PROVIDE A BASELINE — same conditions except no exposure to the independent variable; isolates the IV's effect
5. Eliminate gravity

Answer: D — PROVIDE A BASELINE — same conditions except no exposure to the independent variable; isolates the IV's effect

Control isolates the variable of interest. Placebo control: control receives identical-looking but inert treatment. Blind experiments: subjects don't know group. Double-blind: experimenters don't either.

An ACT Reading question asks for the MAIN IDEA of a passage. Which approach is BEST?

1. Choose the answer that captures the overall point of the passage without being too narrow (focused on one detail) or too broad (overly general)
2. Pick the most specific detail
3. Always pick the longest answer
4. Choose the first plausible answer
5. Skip and guess

Answer: A — Choose the answer that captures the overall point of the passage without being too narrow (focused on one detail) or too broad (overly general)

Main idea = scope-matching. Wrong answers are too narrow (a detail) or too broad (true but not specific to passage). Right answer summarizes passage's focus. ACT Reading rewards careful scope analysis.

The ACT English section includes "rhetorical skills" questions that ask:

1. Math questions
2. Vocabulary recall
3. About organization, style, word choice, and strategy — beyond pure grammar, focused on how language serves the writer's purpose and audience
4. Memorization of poetry

Answer: C — About organization, style, word choice, and strategy — beyond pure grammar, focused on how language serves the writer's purpose and audience

C) Definition of rhetorical skills. A/B/D) Off task.

Which transition BEST fits: 'The experiment failed three times. _____, the team refused to give up.'

1. Therefore
2. For example
3. Nevertheless
4. Furthermore
5. Similarly

Answer: C — Nevertheless

'Failed' contrasted with 'refused to give up' signals contrast. 'Nevertheless' marks this opposition. 'Therefore' is cause-effect; 'Furthermore' adds; 'For example' illustrates; 'Similarly' compares.

Which sentence has the CORRECT verb tense? 'By the time the storm hit, the team _____ already evacuated.'

1. has
2. are
3. have
4. is
5. had

Answer: E — had

Past perfect ('had evacuated') describes an action completed BEFORE another past event ('storm hit'). Past-perfect/past-simple sequence is essential for indicating order in past time. Frequent ACT English tested skill.

ACT Reading: A passage's MAIN IDEA is typically:

1. The central argument/claim that organizes ALL paragraphs — usually inferable from intro + conclusion + topic sentences
2. Only in the first sentence
3. Only in the conclusion
4. Always stated explicitly
5. Identical to the title

Answer: A — The central argument/claim that organizes ALL paragraphs — usually inferable from intro + conclusion + topic sentences

Main idea is the unifying thesis. Reading comprehension questions test this directly. Strategy: identify topic sentences, look for repeated phrases, note conclusion's emphasis. Distinguish from supporting details.

ACT English: 'The team played their best.' Which is the correct subject-verb agreement?

1. The team played their best (collective noun + plural pronoun)
2. The team's played its best
3. The team played its best (collective noun typically singular in US English)
4. The teams played its best
5. The team plays their best

Answer: C — The team played its best (collective noun typically singular in US English)

US English: collective nouns (team, jury, committee) typically take singular verb + singular pronoun ('its'). UK English often treats collective nouns as plural. ACT follows US convention.

The ACT Reading section provides four passages, typically drawn from:

1. Prose Fiction or Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science — with paired passages possible in any genre
2. Only physics journals
3. Only fiction novels
4. Only newspaper editorials

Answer: A — Prose Fiction or Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science — with paired passages possible in any genre

A) Standard ACT Reading genres. B/C/D) Each is too narrow.

ACT Reading: A passage contrasting two viewpoints is BEST organized by:

1. Random order
2. Chronologically only
3. Either block (all of view 1, then all of view 2) or point-by-point (alternating viewpoints by topic) — both work for compare/contrast
4. Spatially only
5. Alphabetically

Answer: C — Either block (all of view 1, then all of view 2) or point-by-point (alternating viewpoints by topic) — both work for compare/contrast

Two valid compare/contrast structures. Block: clearer for short pieces. Point-by-point: clearer for many features. ACT might test recognizing organization patterns or which would best support a thesis.

ACT Reading: 'The narrator's PRIMARY purpose' is best determined by:

1. The first sentence only
2. Looking at the WHOLE passage — what does the author achieve overall? Is it to inform, persuade, narrate, entertain, describe, etc.?
3. The number of paragraphs
4. The vocabulary used
5. Author bias

Answer: B — Looking at the WHOLE passage — what does the author achieve overall? Is it to inform, persuade, narrate, entertain, describe, etc.?

Primary purpose = the author's overall goal. Distinguishes from secondary purposes (which are subordinate). Strategy: ask 'why did the author write this?' Check intro and conclusion most carefully.

The ACT English section primarily tests:

1. Mastery of standard written English — grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, word usage, rhetorical strategy
2. Calculus
3. Public speaking
4. Memorization of literary works

Answer: A — Mastery of standard written English — grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, word usage, rhetorical strategy

A) ACT English scope. B/C/D) Off topic.

Its vs it's?

Its: possessive. It's: 'it is' or 'it has.'

How to identify tone?

Look at word choice, examples chosen, sentence structure.

ACT Reading humanities passage: focus on?

Author's point of view, key ideas in arts/culture/philosophy.

'Apathetic'?

Indifferent; lacking interest.

Who vs whom?

Who: subject (he, she). Whom: object (him, her).

Time management on ACT?

Aim for 30 sec per English question, 1 min per Math, 50 sec per Reading, 50 sec per Science.