Preview The Official ACT English Guide by ACT (2020)

Preview The Official ACT English Guide by ACT (2020) Preview The Official ACT English Guide by ACT (2020) Preview The Official ACT English Guide by ACT (2020) Preview The Official ACT English Guide by ACT (2020) Preview The Official ACT English Guide by ACT (2020)

THE OFFICIAL ACT

ENGLISH GUIDE

Copyright © 2020 by ACT, Inc All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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ISBN 978-1-119-67404-7 (paper) ISBN 978-1-119-67407-8 (ePub) Cover design: Wiley

Cover

Introduction

Chapter 1: An Overview of the ACT English and Writing Tests The Structure of the English Test

Content of the ACT English Test

The Content of the Writing Test

How to Use This Guide

Chapter 2: Taking the English Test

Approaching the Questions

Checking Your Answers

Types of Questions

Chapter 3: Conventions of Standard English: Sentence Structure, Formation, and Usage

Sentence Structure

Verbs and Verb Phrases

Indefinite Pronouns

Collective Nouns

Relative Clauses

Using the Relative Pronoun “Which”

Which versus That

Chapter 4: Conventions of Standard English Concepts and Sample Questions: Sentence Structure and Usage

Parallel Structure

Correlative Conjunctions

Pronouns and Antecedents

Sentence Fragments

Who versus Whom

Run-on, or Fused, Sentences

Modifiers

Subject-Verb Agreement

Verb Tense

Chapter 5: Conventions of Standard English and Sample Questions: Punctuation

Commas

Dashes

Parentheses

Colons

Semicolons

Apostrophes and Possession

Chapter 6: Production of Writing

Topic Development

Transitions between Sentences

Transitions between Paragraphs

Paragraph Placement

Conclusion Questions

Chapter 7: Knowledge of Language

Redundancy

Wordiness

Word Choice

Developing an Ear for Collocations

Chapter 8: An Overview of the ACT Writing Test

Subject Matter

Scoring

The Scoring Rubric

Chapter 9: The Setup of the Writing Test

Introductory Paragraph in the Prompt

Perspectives in the Prompt

Essay Task Box

Planning Page

Directions

Chapter 10: The Essay Structure

Organization

Addressing the Counterargument

Knowing What Is Expected for the Rubric Categories Chapter 11: Writing Your Essay

Purpose and Point of View

Intended Audience and Tone

Prewriting

Timing During the Actual Test

Revising

Basic Strategies for Improving Your Writing

Revising Your First Drafts

Chapter 12: Strengthen Your Essay with Vocabulary, Writing Mechanics, and Other Strategies

Vocabulary

Varied Sentence Structures and Punctuation

Rhetorical Questions

Avoiding Simplistic Thinking

Brainstorming about Your Values

Building Your Fund of Knowledge

Avoid What You Don't Know

Chapter 13: Sample Prompts and Essays with Analysis

Writing Test: Innovation

Writing Test: Students and Sleep

Chapter 14: Practice Questions

Chapter 15: Answers and Explanations Answer Key

Explanatory Answers

Appendix: English Test Glossary

Access Pin

End User License Agreement

List of Tables

Chapter 4:

Table 4.1

Table 4.2

Table 4.3

Table 4.4

Table 4.5

Table 4.6

Table 4.7

Table 4.8

Table 4.9

Chapter 5:

Table 5.1

Table 5.2

Chapter 6:

Table 6.1

Chapter 11:

Table 11.1

This guide will help you succeed on the ACT English test, which

measures your understanding of what you've been taught in your core high school English courses Reviewing all the grammar rules and writing skills you have learned during high school will take some time This guide will help remind you of what you have learned and will likely teach you new skills and concepts as well It covers the content

of the ACT English and writing tests and the procedures you'll follow when you're actually taking the ACT English test This guide also

provides strategies for approaching the questions and content-specific test-taking tips.

The following chapters contain questions taken from actual ACT tests that are aimed at enhancing your understanding of the knowledge and skills you'll need to succeed on the test Each question is followed by a detailed answer explanation Chapters are organized by grammar and style concepts, which should help you see the patterns among the

questions Near the end of the guide, you will find a bank of real test questions and explanations as they appear on the test This will give you practice switching gears between question types A glossary is provided in the appendix to assist you in case you need reminders of common grammatical terminology.

If you already know your areas of strength and weakness when it

comes to writing and grammar, you can look through the contents of this guide and focus on improving in those areas If you are not yet aware of your weaknesses, take a diagnostic test The Preparing for the

ACT practice test is available for free online, and The Official ACT

Prep Guide includes practice tests you can take You should print the

test if you plan to take it in hard copy so you can practice in the same manner in which you will take your actual test Being able to cross out answer choices, underline, and star information can help you process the passages and questions.

We hope this guide helps you identify your strengths and improve areas of weakness so that you can show all that you know on your ACT

English test.