ACT Exam Guide

How the ACT is built

The English section

50 questions in 35 minutes. You’ll see passages with underlined parts and choose the best version, or NO CHANGE if the original is already right.

50

questions

~42 sec

per question

4

choices, including NO CHANGE

0

points lost for a wrong answer

What the section tests

Strategies that work

• NO CHANGE is a real answer. Pick it when the original is already correct; don’t avoid it just because it feels too easy.
• Shorter is usually better. When every choice is grammatical, the most concise one that keeps the meaning usually wins.
• Read the whole sentence. The error is often caused by words outside the underlined part.
• Yes/No first, reason second. On “should the writer add this?” questions, decide yes or no, then pick the reason that matches the paragraph’s focus.
• Compare the choices. What changes between them (a comma, a verb, a word) tells you what’s being tested.
• Keep the pace. At 42 seconds a question you’ll finish with a few minutes to check flagged items.

Tip: If two choices mean the same thing and are both correct, neither can be the answer. Look for the one that’s different.

The Math section

45 questions in 50 minutes, a little over a minute each. You can use a permitted calculator throughout, and there’s no formula sheet. About 80% of questions are “Preparing for Higher Math”; the rest are “Integrating Essential Skills”.

45

questions

~67 sec

per question

4

answer choices (was 5)

0

formulas given, so memorize them

How the questions are split

Modeling counts too. At least 20% of questions are also tagged Modeling: you’ll build or interpret a math model of a real situation, like a cost function or a growth rate.

Strategies that work

• Easy points first. Every question is worth the same. Skip a time sink and come back.
• Plug in the choices. With four options, back-solving from the middle value is often the fastest route.
• Draw the figure. Sketch geometry and coordinate questions, even when a figure isn’t given.
• Save 3 minutes to guess. Make sure every question has an answer before time is called.
• Check your calculator. Models with a built-in computer algebra system, such as the TI-89 or TI-Nspire CAS, are not allowed. Bring fresh batteries and know whether you’re in degree or radian mode.

No formula sheet: memorize these

Tip: Degrees vs radians changes every trig answer. Check your calculator’s mode before the section starts.

The Reading section

36 questions in 40 minutes, about 67 seconds per question. Passages are long, so your reading method matters as much as your speed.

36

questions

~67 sec

per question

~10 min

per passage set, including reading

1

paired-passage set

What the section tests

Strategies that work

• Read actively, once. Spend about 3 minutes per passage and jot a 3–5 word summary of each paragraph.
• Answer in your own words first, then pick the choice that matches. This beats reading four tempting choices cold.
• Go back to the lines. For line-reference questions, read a few lines before and after the reference.
• Choose your order. Start with your strongest passage type; you can move between passages within the section.
• Cut extreme and out-of-scope choices. If a choice says more than the passage does, it’s wrong.
• Paired passages: do the questions on Passage A, then Passage B, then the questions about both.

The four passage types

Tip: The answer is always in the passage. If you can’t point to the line that proves it, keep looking.

Science and Writing

Neither counts toward your Composite. Take Science if your colleges or programs want a STEM score; take Writing if a college on your list requires or recommends it. When unsure, taking Science keeps your options open.

40

Science questions in 40 minutes

STEM

score: average of Math and Science

40 min

for the Writing essay

2–12

Writing score, reported separately

What Science tests

Passages come as Data Representation (graphs or tables to interpret), Research Summaries (related experiments with results) and Conflicting Viewpoints (scientists explaining the same thing differently).

Strategies that work

• Question first, figure second. Most Science questions point to one table or graph; read only what you need.
• Check axes and units before reading any value.
• Find the variables: what did the scientist change, and what did they measure?
• You need little outside science. The answer is almost always in the figures and text.
• Conflicting Viewpoints: summarize each scientist in one line before you look at the questions.

Tip: If your knowledge disagrees with the passage’s data, go with the data.

10 traps that cost points

1. Avoiding NO CHANGE

   It’s correct as often as the other choices when the original is fine. Judge the sentence, not the odds.

2. Picking the longest answer

   Wordy, redundant choices are usually wrong on English. Concise and clear wins.

3. Comma splices

   Two complete sentences joined by just a comma are always wrong. Use a period, semicolon, or comma + FANBOYS.

4. Keeping interesting sentences

   On add/delete questions, relevance to the paragraph matters, not whether the fact is interesting.

5. One question, three minutes

   Every Math question counts the same. Skip the time sink and come back.

6. Forgetting formulas

   There’s no reference sheet. If you can’t recall the area of a trapezoid, you lose the point.

7. Wrong calculator mode

   Degrees vs radians changes every trig answer. Check your mode before the section starts.

8. Rereading whole passages

   Reading questions reward finding the right lines, not memorizing the passage.

9. Using outside science

   If your knowledge disagrees with the passage’s data, go with the data.

10. Running out without guessing

    No penalty for wrong answers. Fill in every question before time is called.

Your 12-week study roadmap

A steady plan beats cramming. Three or four focused sessions a week is enough for most students, as long as every session ends with reviewing mistakes.

1. Week 1

   Baseline test

   Take ACT’s free official practice test with real timing. Log every miss by section and category in a mistake journal.

2. Weeks 2–4

   English rules and core math

   Punctuation and grammar rules, plus algebra and functions. Memorize the formula list.

3. Weeks 5–7

   Reading method and geometry

   Practice the active-reading method on one passage a day. Geometry, trig and statistics. One timed section each weekend.

4. Week 8

   Second full test

   Compare each section with Week 1 and re-aim the last month at what’s still weakest.

5. Weeks 9–10

   Pacing and Science

   Timed sections only. Add Science practice if you’re taking it, and one Writing essay if you need it.

6. Weeks 11–12

   Full tests and review

   Two more full tests on Saturday mornings. Review every miss, then go light in the last two days.

The final four weeks

Plan to take it twice. Most colleges superscore the ACT, so a first test in the fall or winter and a retake in the spring gives you two chances at each section.

5 practice questions

Original questions written by ACT SAT GO in the style of the ACT, pitched hard. The free PDF has 10, with full explanations.

1. English · Agreement

   The museum’s new exhibit, which features more than two hundred photographs from the 1930s, are drawing record crowds every weekend.

   • A NO CHANGE
   • B is drawing
   • C have drawn
   • D were drawing
   Show answer

   Answer: B. The subject is exhibit, which is singular. Skip the clause between the commas: the exhibit is drawing.

2. English · Punctuation

   Marine biologists have studied the octopus for decades, its ability to change color in milliseconds still surprises them.

   • F NO CHANGE
   • G decades; its
   • H decades its
   • J decades, it’s
   Show answer

   Answer: G. Both halves are complete sentences, so the comma creates a splice. A semicolon fixes it. J also uses it’s (it is) instead of the possessive its.

3. Math · Functions

   If f(x) = 3x − 2 and g(x) = x² + 1, what is f(g(2))?

   • A 13
   • B 15
   • C 17
   • D 25
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Work inside out: g(2) = 5, then f(5) = 13. Choice C (17) is g(f(2)), the trap for doing it in the wrong order.

4. Math · Statistics

   The mean of five numbers is 12. When one number is removed, the mean of the remaining four is 10. What number was removed?

   • F 2
   • G 10
   • H 12
   • J 20
   Show answer

   Answer: J. Total of five numbers = 5 × 12 = 60. Total of four = 4 × 10 = 40. The removed number is 60 − 40 = 20.

5. Math · Geometry

   What is the radius of the circle x² + y² − 6x + 8y = 0?

   • A 4
   • B 5
   • C 10
   • D 25
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Complete the square: (x − 3)² + (y + 4)² = 9 + 16 = 25, so the radius is √25 = 5. Choice D is r², not r.

Scores and 2026–27 test dates

Each section is scored from 1 to 36. Your Composite is the average of English, Math and Reading, rounded to the nearest whole number.

How your scores are built

Set your own target from your college list. Look up each college’s middle-50% ACT range (in its Common Data Set, section C9, or admissions page) and aim for the upper half.

2026–27 ACT national test dates

Late registration is available for a fee on most dates. Dates as published for 2026–27; always confirm on act.org before you register. Many states and districts also offer the ACT free on a school day.

Free resources and a test-day checklist

1. Official ACT practice test Free

   act.org

   ACT’s free full-length practice test for the enhanced format, with answers and a scoring table. Your Week 1 baseline.

2. The Official ACT Prep Guide

   Latest edition, from ACT

   Several real past tests with explanations. The best paid resource if you want more official practice.

3. MyACT account Free

   my.act.org

   Register, choose score recipients, view scores and order Test Information Release when it’s offered.

4. Khan Academy Free

   khanacademy.org

   Free lessons on algebra, geometry, trigonometry and grammar to fill gaps found by your practice tests.

5. ACT calculator policy Free

   act.org

   The list of prohibited calculators. Check yours well before test day.

6. ACT SAT GO free practice tests Free

   actsatgo.com/free-test

   Timed practice tests with a score report, plus a free diagnostic session with a tutor.

Test-day checklist

• Printed admission ticket from MyACT
• Acceptable photo ID
• Sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers (no mechanical pencils)
• Permitted calculator with fresh batteries, set to the right mode
• A watch without an alarm (no smartwatches)
• Snack and water for the break
• Arrive by 8:00 a.m. check-in
• Phone off and put away for the whole test
• Know which optional sections you registered for
• A good night’s sleep. No new material the night before.

Testing with accommodations? Request them through your school when you register, well before the deadline. Decisions can take several weeks.