english and reading act prep class

ENGLISH ANDREADING ACT

PREP CLASSMs. Willems

Log on to a computer, open the email I

sent you and load my wiki page.

Results of Pre-Test from Wed.

•ACT ENGLISH SCORE 11-15 – 4 people•ACT ENGLISH SCORE 16 - 20 – 16

people•ACT ENGLISH SCORE 21-25 – 6 people•ACT ENGLISH SCORE 28 – 1 Person

Results of Pre-Test from Wed.

•ACT READING SCORE 1-15 – 7 people•ACT READINGSCORE 16 - 20 – 11

people•ACT READING SCORE 21-25 – 6 people•ACT READING SCORE 26 – 1 Person•ACT READING SCORE 28 – 1 Person•ACT READING SCORE 29 – 1 Person

WHAT SCHOOLS REQUIRE WHICH

SCORES?

University of Northern Iowa

University of Iowa

Iowa State

Simpson

Central College

Harvard

Princeton

HOW YOU CAN PREPARE THE NIGHT

BEFORE• Relax and get 8 hours!• Eat breakfast – even if you normally

don’t, and bring a snack to the test• Get these items packed and ready –

picture ID, watch that does not beep, several NO. 2 pencils, eraser, calculator

HOW YOU CAN PREPARE THE DAY OF• Warm up before the test – get your

mind working• Speak up if you aren’t comfy.• Go to the bathroom BEFORE you get to

the room• Show up early

Remember when I said this about the

ACT…It is a fair test – a pretty accurate indication of your ability

The English Section:

What You Need to Know

1. ONLY VERY SPECFIC

INFORMATION IS TESTED

• Know types of errors that will be common on the test and know how to fix them

• Punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills are tested and reviewed explicitly in ACT books, on the I Have A Plan Website, on ChompChomp.com, on Eknowledge, and a million other sources you can google.

DIRECTIONS: In the passage that follows, certain words and phrases are underlined and numbered. In the right-hand column, you will find alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is best, choose "NO CHANGE." In some cases, you will find in the right-hand column a question about the underlined part. You are to choose the best answer to the question.

2. Don’t Read the Directions

You will also find questions about a section of the passage, or about the passage as a whole. These questions do not refer to an underlined portion of the passage, but rather are identified by a number or numbers in a box.

For each question, choose the alternative you consider best and fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document. Read the passage through once before you begin to answer the questions that accompany it. For many of the questions, you must read several sentences beyond the question to determine the answer. Be sure that you have read far enough ahead each time you choose an alternative.

2. Don’t Read the Directions

• 5 passages• You may need to read beyond

numbered/underlined areas• Some questions will be about the

entire chunk/passage/paragraph

Don’t Be Afraid To Choose “NO CHANGE”

• This is the answer a little less than a quarter of the time!

• It’s not a trick!• A few of the questions in this test will

have “OMIT the underlined portion” as the last of the four answer choices. There is a high probability that this is correct answer – better than half the time on some tests.

3. 2 Types of Questions: Type One

MechanicsPunctuation – 10 Questions – Correct misplaced,

misused, or missing punctuation marks (overwhelmingly commas, apostrophes, colons, and semicolons)

Grammar – 12 Questions – target a single incorrect word that violates the conventional rules of grammar (you usually feel these in your gut – things like subject verb agreement)

Sentence Structure – 18 Question – tend to deal with sentences as a whole (run-ons, parallelism, clause relationships, etc.)

ALWAYS THIS NUMBER

4. 2 Types of Questions: Type Two Rhetorical SkillsWriting Strategy – 12 – ask you things about

revising a passage to increase its effectivenessOrganization – 11 – ask about rearranging

sentences or paragraphs to maximize the effectiveness of the paragraph

Style – 12 – tests how well you can choose the most appropriate word for a sentence in terms of tone and clarity

ALWAYS THIS NUMBER

5. Time is a HUGE factor!

75 questions in 45 minutes

About .6 seconds for each question!

Plan of Attack Video and Sample Question

video!!!

TOP PUNCTUATUION

RULES

SEMI-COLONS• ; - used like a period with ONE

exception• Can be used to separate items in a

list, but only if commas are already used in the list!

• Example: You should choose ham, chicken or char-grilled vegetable sandwiches; cups of tea, Bovril or coffee (if you don't mind them lukewarm); or red wine (one of the few options that's drinkable when lukewarm).

Commas

•Take quick comma quiz!

•Timer set for seven seconds.

COMMA QUIZ ANSWERS

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE NOT SURE IF A COMMA IS

NEEDED•Learn the rules – and you’ll know!

•When in doubt, take it out!

Apostrophes – bottom of pg. 3

• Take quick apostrophes quiz!• Timer set for two seconds

ANSWERS

1. Peter’s new car is extremely expensive

2. Women’s issues will be important in the next election

3. The girls’ room will be renovated this summer.

2 Rules of Apostrophes

• ’s – Always • Except for instances like this:• s’ – plural person/thing that ends in s –

just put apostrophe after s. Girls’ room….

Run-ons and Sentence Fragments

– page 4• Take quick quiz!• Timer set for three seconds.

1 & 2The bride and groom drove away in their car. As the children ran behind, shouting and laughing.ANSWER: D – TheAlthough it will always be associated with Shakespeare’s famous literary character. The castle at Elsinore was never home to Hamlet.ANSWER: B - character, the

3 & 4There is not much difference between the decision to enter politics and the decision to jump into a pit full of rattlesnakes, in fact, you might find a friendlier environment in the snake pit.ANSWER: B - rattlesnakes. In fact, The college’s plans for expansion included a new science building and a new dormitory if the funding drive is successful, there will be enough money for both.ANSWER: C – dormitory; If

SENTENCE FRAGMENT WARNINGS

The ACT always contains. A few sentence fragments. Like these.Look out for a dependent clause by itself and punctuation changes in the answer choices. Often these errors can be fixed by punctuation.

Parallelism• Take quick quiz!• Timer set for one second.

ANSWER• When you see the gingerbread houses of

Roskilde with their neatly thatched roofs, the gardens filled with flowers, blooms, and the happy smiles on the fresh-faced inhabitants, it is difficult to believe that this town was ounce the home of a more warlike people – the Vikings.

• ANSWER – B: flowers and blooms,The way you express ideas should line up! THE ACT LOOKS FOR THIS!

MODIFIERS• Take quick quiz!• Timer set for one second.

ANSWER• Walking to the pawnshop, Bob’s watch

dropped into the sewer. • C. Bob dropped his watch into the

sewer

• Modifiers describe something. Put descriptions next to what is being described so it is clear to the reader.

GRAMMAR AND USAGE

Grammar and Usage• Take quick quiz!• Timer is set for five seconds

ANSWERS• 1. B• 2. H• 3. D• 4. G• 5. A• 6. J• 7. C

Subject-Verb Agreement

• Any time you see a verb underlined, match it to its subject – they need to agree!

• Sometimes the subject is not near the verbs and sometimes they are right next to each other!

• EXAMPLE: The best moment during a broadcast filled with many great moments were when the astronaut stepped out of the lunar lander and bounced on the moon

Pro-noun Agreement• Pro-nouns take the place of nouns (his,

they, etc.)• They need to agree – both be singular

or both be plural• EXAMPLE: Each of these moments

have played in my mind again and again as I try to recapture the excitement of that momentous day in June.

Rhetorical Skills• Take quick quiz!• Timer is set for six seconds

ANSWERS• 1. c• 2. f• 3. D• 4. J• 5. D• 6. G• 7. C• 8. G.• 9. A

Rhetorical Skills – NEED TO KNOW

• Transitions – connect paragraph and keep in mind what was in previous paragraph and what will be shared in the next paragraph (think main ideas)

• Evidence/Purpose of sentences• Need to know the main idea• Read entire paragraph• Read paragraph with choices to make

sense


• Style • Shortest answer is usually correct!• When in doubt, take it out!• Don’t be redundant – ex. “in my

opinion” – make sure it is actually needed.

• Tone• Think formal and informal – keep it

consistent throughout passage


• Organization• Logical – Best way to figure it out?

Read all the choices• Clearest/simplest answers are always

the best option

Its vs. It’s• Its – possession• It’s – It is (think of the apostrophe as

the dot of the invisible “I”)

Tips for the English Test Video

Where you can find extra help with Eknowledge…

Try it on your own…• Go to ACTstudent.org• Click Test Prep at the top• Click “Practice Test Questions” on left• Click “English”• Record the types of questions you are

getting wrong!

The Reading Section:


1. You have 8:45 for each passage and

ten questions – this is insane.

2. They are about the length of a

People magazine article but way more boring – as you may

have figured out!

3. Types of passages are always in the

same order: Prose Fiction

(only fiction on test – usually deals with “w” questions)Social Science

HumanitiesNatural Science

(usually deal with cause and effect)

4. Use these steps – VERY different than how you usually

read.1. Attack the passages in the order that best

suites you2. See through the camouflage that hides correct

answer choices – we will discuss this more later!3. Identify incorrect answer choices and eliminate

them quickly - sometimes this is the ONLY way to determine the correct answer

4. Answer questions without really thinking in-depth about the passage

5. Focus on 1st Sentences and last

sentences to pull out main ideas

6. Detail questions are just a little less

than 1/3 of the questions on the

reading test – though this is starting to

change!

7. Inference questions are the 2nd

most common (infer/implied)

8. Types of Questions on the

Reading Test• Inference• Main Idea • Author’s Purpose• Meaning of Words• Cause and Effect• Generalizations and Conclusions• Supporting Details

9. Do the Easy Ones First!

• How can you tell?

• User-friendly topics

• User-friendly questions – look for question that direct you to specific lines, dates, refer to proper nouns, or refer to italicized words

• Length of paragraphs

10. Many of the Questions are not

easy!•They don’t always give you the word-for-word answer from the text – they often re-word to see you if you can still understand that the answer is the same as the text.

Active Reading• Structural Clues

• Annotating

• Hinge Words

Active Reading: Structural

Clues• Each passage was written by a

PERSON, and people write for a purpose.• Some authors want to trace historical causes or

consequences.

• Some authors want to critique a theory.

• Some authors want to draw a comparison between two things.

• Some authors want to tell a story.

• Some authors just want to describe something.


CluesWhy is it important to figure out

WHY

an author wrote a

passage?

Many questions ask you what the AUTHOR means, NOT what YOU

think!

Knowing what the AUTHOR would

say can help you answer confusing

questions!


Clues• Look up the answers

• Don’t remember them—find them!

• Think of the passage as a reference book and refer back.

• Don’t trust your memory!

Active Reading: Annotate

• WRITE ON THE TEST as you read!!

• Use different marks to mean different things.• Circle names of

people• Underline critical

phrases, terms, main ideas

• Number (“1,” “2,” “3,” etc.) ideas in a sequence

No matter what, underline “key words” in the

question stem.

Look for those “key words” in the passage.

Active Reading: Example from

Humanities (56A)Question

21. The passage indicates that religion, support groups, and soap operas are alike in that they all:

A. Are circulated by a common culture

B. Provide a way to combat loneliness.

C. Appear intimate but are remote.

D. Enable people to participate vicariously.

Text from Passage

“Undoubtedly, each of these notions does explain part of the soaps’ mass appeal. Soaps can ease the loneliness and boredom of life. They do offer advice, sometimes implicitly, often explicitly, on what to wear, how to conduct love affairs, how to save a marriage, how to handle one’s children, how to cope with heartache, how to enjoy the intrigue of romance.” (lines 19-25)

“Loneliness, we are repeatedly told, has become pandemic in America…Whether through religion, clubs, associations, or support groups—or through daily immersion in a favorite soap—many Americans search for some kind of communal life to counter varying degrees of social isolation and alienation.” (lines 42-48)

Active Reading: Example from Social

Science (56A)Question

17. Which of the following events was the first to occur, according to the passage?A. The National American Woman Suffrage

Association began their campaign.

B. The first women’s rights meeting was held in Seneca Falls.

C. Massachusetts held a referendum on whether suffrage should be extended to females.

D. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs endorsed women’s suffrage.

Text from Passage

“In 1910 the fight for women’s suffrage was more that sixty years old, a national campaign by the National American Woman Suffrage Assoc was twenty years old..” (Lines 3 - 6)

“First women’s rights meeting at Seneca Falls in 1848.” (Line 38)

“1895 Massachusetts conducted a referendum …whether suffrage should be extended to females.” (lines 56 – 60)

“ The General Federation of Women’s Clubs did not endorse suffrage until 1914.” (lines 84 – 85)


ScienceQuestion

17. Which of the following events was the first to occur, according to the passage?A. The National American Woman Suffrage

Association began their campaign.

B. The first women’s rights meeting was held in Seneca Falls.

C. Massachusetts held a referendum on whether suffrage should be extended to females.

D. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs endorsed women’s suffrage.

Text from Passage

“In 1910 the fight for women’s suffrage was more that sixty years old, a national campaign by the National American Woman Suffrage Assoc was twenty years old..” (Lines 3 - 6)

“First women’s rights meeting at Seneca Falls in 1848.” (Line 38)

“1895 Massachusetts conducted a referendum …whether suffrage should be extended to females.” (lines 56 – 60)

“ The General Federation of Women’s Clubs did not endorse suffrage until 1914.” (lines 84 – 85)

Active Reading: Hinge Words

• Underline or circle hinge words• Words or phrases

that are used to alert you to shifts in thought

• Words or phrases that are used to drive a point home

• Answers are often located near hinge words!

• Common Hinge Words

but, although, yet, however, as a result, nevertheless, on the other hand, despite,

while, in spite of, consequently,

therefore, thus, alternatively


Science (56A)Question

15. The passage presents the information that in 1910 “women could vote in only Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado” (lines 6-7) primarily to make the point that the:A. Women’s suffrage movement had made

little progress up to that time.

B. Women’s suffrage movement was just then beginning to get started.

C. Women’s suffrage movement has made tremendous strides since then.

D. Western states were the first to be receptive to the cause of women’s suffrage.

Text from Passage

“In 1910 the fight for women’s suffrage was more than sixty years old, a national campaign by the National American Woman Suffrage Association was twenty years old, and yet women could vote in only Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado.” (lines 3-7)


ScienceQuestion

15. The passage presents the information that in 1910 “women could vote in only Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado” (lines 6-7) primarily to make the point that the:A. Women’s suffrage movement had made

little progress up to that time.

B. Women’s suffrage movement was just then beginning to get started.

C. Women’s suffrage movement has made tremendous strides since then.

D. Western states were the first to be receptive to the cause of women’s suffrage.

Text from Passage

“In 1910 the fight for women’s suffrage was more than sixty years old, a national campaign by the National American Woman Suffrage Association was twenty years old, and yet women could vote in only Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado.” (lines 3-7)

(this implies that there HAD been action, but the word “yet” tells you that the long period of action had not accomplished much!!!)

Video: Reading

Tools

Reading• Take quick quiz! • It is the rest of the packet• Timer is set for seven minutes

ANSWERS• 1. C• 11. A• 12. J• 21. A• 22. J• 31. B

Video: Reading Generally and Sample Question

Types

Practice Test Question :Main Ideas

13. The passage indicates that at the time of the women’s suffrage movement, one of the fundamental assumptions of American politics was that the basic political unit was the:

A. Individual voter.

B. Precinct

C. Village or town

D. Family

Text from Passage

“Women’s suffrage challenged one of the fundamental assumptions of American politics: that the basic unit of political life was the family, with the father standing at its head representing and protecting his wife and children in the wider world. To grant suffrage to women would be to break up that fundamental unit.” (lines 12-18)

Practice Test Question :

Supporting DetailsQuestion

11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that:A. Women were indeed individuals deserving

of their own rights.

B. If they gave in on the property rights issue, they’d be able to hold firm on suffrage.

C. Conceding the right would provide men with a way to protect themselves from creditors.

D. Women had unique interests and were needed as students in universities and teachers in schools.

Text from Passage

”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors.” (lines 44-46)


Supporting DetailsQuestion

12. At the women’s rights meeting in Seneca Falls, all of the following were called for EXCEPT the right to:

A. Vote in elections.

B. Enter any profession.

C. Divorce abusive husbands.

D. Receive equal education.

Text from Passage

“When Elizabeth Cady Stanton organized the first women’s rights meeting at Seneca Falls in 1848, the many goals that were at first identified as worthy of support did not include the vote. Women wanted property rights, the right to divorce abusive husbands, the right to an education equal to any man’s, and the right to join any profession. But the idea of the vote seemed too extreme.” (lines 37-44)


Meaning of WordsQuestion

22. As it is used in line 65, the word engendered most nearly means:

F. DiminishedG. ProducedH. Denied J. Discouraged

Choices F, H, and J are all the OPPOSITE of choice G. Each is too similar to be the right answer. Therefore, G is the logical choice!

Text from Passage

“Here lies the extraordinary appeal and irony of the daytime soap opera; it is circulated by the very commercial culture which has engendered the need for it in the first place.” (lines 63-66)


Meaning of WordsQuestion

19. As it is used in line 24, the word liability most nearly means:

A. ObligationB. DrawbackC. ProbabilityD. Result

Text from Passage

“But women’s ideological advantage in the United States was offset by a crippling liability—the central importance of the family to maintaining social order.” (lines 23-26)

“crippling” has a negative connotation! (just like “drawback”)

Practice Test Question :— Drawing ConclusionsQuestion

16. It can reasonably be inferred that suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony’s statement (lines 63 – 65) is presented primarily to express the movement’s:

F. questioning whether women had earned the right to vote.

G. criticism of the generals in their army.

H. frustration with women’s lack of interest in gaining suffrage.

J. doubts about the attainability of women’s suffrage.

Text from Passage

“In the indifference, the inertia, the apathy of women, lies the greatest obstacle to the enfranchisement.”

(lines 63 - 65)

DISTRACTORS

Your Secret Weapon!

Spotting the WRONG Answer

• WHAT IS A DISTRACTOR? Purposely used by the ACT to misdirect your thinking, to break your concentration, distract you, and throw you off course.

• THEY WON’T IF YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT THEM!

Distortion Examples• WHAT IS SAYS IN THE PASSAGE: Mark loves

going to the movies with Mary.• WHAT THE DISTORTION ANSWER CHOICE WILL

BE: Mark fell in love with Mary at the movies.• WHAT IS SAYS IN THE PASSAGE: I realized that

the other girls from school would not, in fact, be blown away by my Christmas gift.

• WHAT THE DISTORTION ANSWER CHOICE WILL BE: She is devastated by the realization that the other children at school will make fun of her because of her gift.

Switch Examples• WHAT THE QUESTION ASKS: How often does

Mark go to the movies?• WHAT THE DISTORTION ANSWER CHOICE

WILL BE: Mark loves going to the movies with Mary.

• WHAT THE QUESTION ASKS: How did Hitler’s followers feel about his leadership?

• WHAT THE DISTORTION ANSWER CHOICE WILL BE: Hitler’s reign led to the death of over 11 million people.

EXAMPLE• FROM THE TEXT: Professor Thorne

generally explains a technological discovery first in terms of its history and then in terms of the science upon which it was founded.

• WHAT THE ‘SWITCH’ OPTION WOULD BE: Professor Thorne generally explains a technological discovery first in terms of the science on which it was founded, and then in terms of its history.

Example of The Switch

11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that:A. Women were indeed individuals deserving





”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors. They accepted coeducation, because universities needed students and society needed trained teachers. But the vote was something else. To give women the vote would mean recognizing them as individuals with their own rights and interests.” (lines 44-51)

This is why men agreed to coeducation, but NOT property rights!

READ and REREAD QUESTIONS!!!

Unsupported Positive Examples

• ALL THE BELOW SOUND GREAT – but if they are not mentioned or inferred in the text, they are WRONG!• Ultimately, the voting public knows its own

best interest• Structure is important, but it should not be

imposed in such a way as to stifle creativity• The ideal society is one that allows for

individual difference, but at the same time creates a people united in interest

• All people have a right to live and die with dignity.

• Hitler’s reign lead to the destruction of millions of lives.

Example of The Unsupported Positive

Question11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that:A. Women were indeed individuals deserving





”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors. They accepted coeducation, because universities needed students and society needed trained teachers. But the vote was something else. To give women the vote would mean recognizing them as individuals with their own rights and interests.” (lines 44-51)

Sounds nice, right? HOWEVER, this is NOT why men gave property rights. In fact, they did NOT want this!

Extreme Words• Always

• Never

• Completely

• Perfectly

• Absolutely

• Often deal with debatable topics – and the ACT creators know this!

Extreme Examples• Patients who are chronically

depressed never enjoy their lives

• A political leader should seek to make peace at all costs

• In order to lead a productive life, a citizen must devote all of his energy to his work

• Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time

Extreme Examples--Europeans won all their battles.--they established an ideal community--the bank was always busy.--Impressionism was an entirely different style of painting.--It was impossible for him to overcome his past. --Men were incapable of recognizing the equality of women

Video: Plan of Attack

Where you can find extra help with Eknowledge…

Try it on your own…• Go to ACTstudent.org• Click Test Prep at the top• Click “Practice Test Questions” on left• Click “Reading”• Record the types of questions you are

getting wrong!

The Writing Section:


TAKE IT FIRST!

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=3QXCT2QhXPg

Take it or not?• Many colleges require it, some don’t.• Take it if you’re not sure about yours

• If you end up having to go back and take it later, you have to pay for the whole test all over again.

• Can’t hurt, might help.

What’s it like?• After rest of the test is over• Short break in between• 30 minutes of writing• Formal essay, not journal, not short

story, etc. Intro, thesis, body paragraphs, conclusion.

What are the prompts about?

• Usually ask for your opinion about something, and reasons for that opinion.

• Easy to understand without background knowledge, something most people could easily come up with an opinion about.

• Usually relevant to HS students• No right “side”

Instructions: always the same

In your essay, take a position on the question.

You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this question.

Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

Sample Prompts:Educators debate extending high school to five years

because of increasing demands on students from employers and colleges to participate in extracurricular activities and community service in addition to having high grades. Some educators support extending high school to five years because they think students need more time to achieve all that is expected of them. Other educators do not support extending high school to five years because they think students would lose interest in school and attendance would drop in the fifth year. In your opinion, should high school be extended to five years?

In this country, most people see and hear advertising for many different products every day. Some people think advertising is useful because it provides important information about many different products. Other people think advertising is not useful because it tries to persuade people to buy products they do not really need. In your opinion, does advertising serve a useful purpose in our society?

Source: 2005 ACT Educator Workshops

In some high schools, students are required to complete a certain number of community service hours prior to graduation. Some people think community service is a good requirement because they think students will benefit from this experience. Other people think schools should not require community service because students will resent the requirement and, as a result, will not benefit from the experience. In your opinion, should high schools require students to complete a certain number of hours of community service?

Source: The Real ACT Prep Guide, 2005

Tips: Before• Read prompt at least twice to make sure you

understand what they’re asking you to write about.• PREWRITE!!! Take about 5 of the 30 minutes to

write a thesis and outline. Doesn‘t have to be formal, just organized.• Avoid writing complete sentences when you prewrite,

and then having to rewrite them into your essay booklet. Takes too much time.

• Avoid spending too much or too little time prewriting. 5 min is just about right for most people. 2 is too little, 8 is too long.

Tips: During• Your writing should be clear, and straightforward.

Flair is okay, but you don’t have to “sound smart” to do well.

• “I” is okay for this essay.• Every once in a while, glance back at your

prewriting. Are you following your outline, or did you get off track?

• Write a conclusion, but don’t spend all day on it.• (AP kids—this is 10 min. less than you get on AP

essays, so make sure to pay attention to your time)

Tips: After At the end, leave yourself time to check:

• Is my position clear at the beginning? Does it stay clear?

• Did I use examples and support my opinion?• Does my organization make sense?• Are there any spelling or grammatical errors I

can correct?• Could I rewrite my thesis to make more sense?

Okay to cross things out neatly, draw arrows to move sections around, draw stars or carets to insert sentences.

How is it scored?• By English teachers and professors• They assume it’s a first draft• Holistic scoring—mistakes won’t count

against you, but many mistakes will leave a less favorable impression

• Scored against other ACT essays, not against polished or professional writing

• 6 point scale

How can I practice?• Best way to practice timed writing is to do

timed writing. Very different feeling than untimed.

• Search “ACT Writing Sample Prompts” in Google—you’ll find a ton of example prompts and essays. Read them, do them. Time yourself.

• ACT suggests reading newspapers and news magazines, keeping up with current events.

Choose one of the Following Sites to Work on For

Remaining Time: • Eknowledge Practice Quizzes• I Have A Plan Iowa – Has FREE ACT Test Prep• Grammar Bytes Website• Read ACT Sample Writings at ACTstudent.org

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

FIRST – TAKE THE EVALUATION – Check email I sent you for the link!

BEFORE YOU LEAVE – TURN OFF COMPUTER, PUSH IN CHAIRS – 4 per table -, TAKE CANDY WITH YOU

english and reading act prep class

Documents

peopleact english score

peopleact reading score

personact reading score

best answer

english section

correct answer

answer document

answer choices