Smart Strategies to Boost Your ACT English Score

Smart Strategies to Boost Your ACT English Score

The ACT English section is often underestimated. Students may assume it’s all about “knowing English,” but the truth is that it tests specific grammar rules and rhetorical skills in a timed, high-pressure environment. Whether you’re aiming for a modest score improvement or striving for perfection, adopting smart strategies can make a significant difference. In this article, we’ll break down actionable steps and time-tested techniques to help you elevate your ACT English performance.

Understanding the ACT English Section

Before diving into strategies, it’s crucial to understand what this section involves. The ACT English test contains:

• 75 questions

• 5 passages

• 45 minutes total

You’ll be asked to revise and edit underlined portions of these passages. The questions fall into two broad categories:

1. Usage and Mechanics (Grammar, Punctuation, Sentence Structure)

2. Rhetorical Skills (Style, Strategy, Organization)

This section isn’t about creativity or deep literary analysis—it’s about applying rules consistently and recognizing clear, effective communication.

1. Master the Core Grammar Rules

Many ACT English questions are based on a predictable set of grammar and usage rules. By mastering these, you’ll unlock the key to answering a large percentage of questions correctly.

Core Grammar Topics:

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Make sure the verb matches the subject in number and tense.

• Incorrect: The list of items are long.

• Correct: The list of items is long.

• Verb Tense Consistency: Stick with the appropriate tense unless the time frame changes.

• Incorrect: She walks to the park and played with her dog.

• Correct: She walks to the park and plays with her dog.

• Pronoun Usage: Ensure pronouns are clear and agree with their antecedents.

• Incorrect: Everyone should bring their pencil.

• Correct: Everyone should bring his or her pencil.

• Modifiers: Place modifying phrases next to the words they describe to avoid ambiguity.

• Incorrect: Running through the field, the flowers were beautiful.

• Correct: Running through the field, she noticed the flowers were beautiful.

• Comma and Semicolon Rules:

• Use commas to separate independent clauses with conjunctions.

• Use semicolons between two related independent clauses.

Creating a personal “grammar cheat sheet” and reviewing it daily can reinforce these concepts and make them second nature.

2. Choose Clear, Concise Answers

The ACT highly values economy of language. That means the best answer is often the shortest grammatically correct one. Overly wordy or redundant phrases are usually incorrect.

Example:

• Wordy: Due to the fact that it was raining heavily, we postponed the game.

• Concise: Because it was raining heavily, we postponed the game.

Strategy:

If two answers are grammatically correct, choose the one that is more concise and easier to understand. Simplicity almost always wins.

3. Always Read the Full Sentence (and Sometimes More)

It’s a common trap: students look only at the underlined portion and ignore the rest of the sentence. This often leads to misjudgments, especially for questions that depend on context like verb tense, pronoun reference, or transitions.

Example:

If a sentence reads:

• The committee meets on Mondays. It have been successful in organizing events.

Even though the underlined portion is just “have,” you must read the entire sentence to know that “committee” is a singular noun, so the correct answer is “has.”

Tip: Don’t stop at the sentence—sometimes the entire paragraph offers clues. Transitions, introductions, or conclusions may rely on information outside the immediate sentence.

4. Use Process of Elimination Aggressively

Even if you’re not 100% sure of the correct answer, you can improve your odds significantly by eliminating clearly wrong choices.

Common Red Flags:

• Repetitive or redundant phrasing (e.g., “past history” or “close proximity”)

• Awkward or unnatural wording

• Illogical sentence construction

• New grammar errors introduced by longer answer choices

Trust your instincts: if it sounds wrong, it probably is.

5. Recognize and Tackle Rhetorical Questions

Not all questions on the ACT English section are about grammar. Rhetorical questions ask you to improve the logic, clarity, and organization of ideas within a passage.

Rhetorical Question Types:

• Relevance: Should this sentence be added or deleted?

• Transitions: Which word or phrase best connects two ideas?

• Order: Should this sentence come before or after another?

• Clarity and Style: Which version of the sentence is most effective?

Strategy:

Ask yourself:

• What’s the purpose of this paragraph?

• Does this sentence support or distract from that purpose?

• Does this transition accurately reflect the relationship between ideas?

Practicing rhetorical questions in context will help you develop the editorial instincts the ACT is testing.

6. Watch Your Time and Pace Yourself

Time is tight on the ACT English section. You get about 36 seconds per question. That means you need to move quickly but carefully.

Time Management Tips:

• Don’t linger: If you’re stuck, choose your best guess and mark it to revisit later.

• Move steadily through each passage; don’t waste time overanalyzing.

• Practice under timed conditions so you’re used to the pace.

Speed comes with familiarity, and that only comes from consistent practice.

7. Practice with Official ACT Materials

The ACT has a distinct style of asking questions. The best way to get used to it is to use real ACT tests and questions.

Recommended Resources:

• The Official ACT Prep Guide

• ACT.org’s free practice questions

• Previous released ACT exams

Don’t just go through the motions—treat every question as a learning opportunity. Why was the correct answer right? Why were the others wrong?

8. Review and Analyze Every Practice Test

Doing practice tests is only part of the equation. The real growth comes from reviewing your answers.

How to Review Effectively:

• Keep an error log: Write down what types of mistakes you made and why.

• Categorize your errors: Grammar mistake? Rhetorical mistake? Misread the question?

• Revisit the rules behind your wrong answers and study them again.

Over time, this review process will help you identify patterns and eliminate repeated mistakes.

9. Simulate Real Testing Conditions

When you practice, replicate test-day conditions as closely as possible. This will help reduce anxiety and build stamina.

Try This:

• Time yourself strictly: No phones, no breaks.

• Sit at a desk or table in a quiet room.

• Use printed materials if possible.

• Avoid distractions—train your focus.

The more realistic your practice, the smoother your actual test experience will be.

10. Cultivate a Confident, Focused Mindset

Test anxiety can undo even the best preparation. On test day, confidence is your secret weapon.

Mindset Tips:

• Sleep well the night before.

• Eat a good breakfast.

• Remind yourself that you’ve trained for this.

• If a question rattles you, move on and come back later.

Confidence doesn’t mean knowing every answer—it means trusting your preparation and staying composed under pressure.

Final Thoughts

Raising your ACT English score is entirely within reach. It doesn’t take a perfect ear for language or years of writing experience. It takes deliberate strategy, targeted practice, and smart review habits.

To recap:

• Learn and apply the most commonly tested grammar rules.

• Prioritize clarity and conciseness in all answers.

• Don’t ignore the broader context of a sentence or passage.

• Practice regularly with real ACT materials and review your errors.

• Manage your time and mindset effectively.

With commitment and smart preparation, you can significantly boost your ACT English score—and move one step closer to your college goals.

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