Welcome to ACT prep! ACT English/Reading

1
Welcome to ACT prep! ACT English/Reading

• Please take out your ACT prep booklet and a pen
  or pencil.

2
Overview

• I cant give you magic strategies. ?
• Today suggestions for what you can do on your
  own time to practice and improve your skills and
  scores
• English first, then Reading.

3
English

• Looks like this
• Example on page 14 of your ACT prep booklet.

4
(No Transcript)
5
The Basics English

• 75 questions, 45 minutes
• Usage/Mechanics
• Punctuation 13
• Grammar/Usage 16
• Sentence Structure 24
• Rhetorical Skills
• Strategy 16
• Organization 15
• Style 16

6
Tips English

• Try skimming the passage first, then going back
  to the questions.
• Read the whole sentence, not just the part
  underlined.
• Be careful that you dont correct an error by
  making another error.
• Once you choose an answer, reread the sentence
  with your new answer to make sure it makes sense.

7
How to Improve English

• Take practice tests and READ EXPLANATIONS. Not
  helpful just to take the test. Reflective
  practice is the only way to get better at this!
• Online resource ACT.org
• Barrons ACT book in CRC

8
How to Improve English

• Take practice tests and READ EXPLANATIONS. Not
  helpful just to take the test. Reflective
  practice is the only way to get better at this!
• Online resource ACT.org
• Barrons ACT book in CRC
• 6 types of question. Figure out which area needs
  most work
• Your ACT booklet, page 60
• Barrons website online, have to pay, can do a
  demo
• Even better, Barrons ACT book in CRC

9
(No Transcript)
10
How to Improve English

• Take practice tests and READ EXPLANATIONS. Not
  helpful just to take the test.
• Online resource ACT.org
• Barrons ACT book in CRC
• 6 types of question. Figure out which area needs
  most work
• Your ACT booklet, page 60
• Barrons website online, have to pay, can do a
  demo
• Even better, Barrons ACT book in CRC

11
Skills Question s Poss. score Your score
Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics
Punctuation 10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66 10
Grammar/ Usage 4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73 12
Sentence Structure 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69 18
Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills
Strategy 15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45 12
Organization 2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60 11
Style 1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65 12
12
Skills Question s Poss. score Your score
Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics
Punctuation 10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66 10 9
Grammar/ Usage 4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73 12 8
Sentence Structure 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69 18 9
Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills
Strategy 15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45 12 10
Organization 2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60 11 8
Style 1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65 12 5
13
Skills Question s Poss. score Your score
Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics Usage/Mechanics
Punctuation 10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66 10 9
Grammar/ Usage 4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73 12 8
Sentence Structure 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69 18 9
Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills Rhetorical Skills
Strategy 15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45 12 10
Organization 2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60 11 8
Style 1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65 12 5
14
The Basics Reading

• 40 questions, 35 minutes
• 2 types of questions
• Referring 35ish
• Questions that refer directly back to the
  textyou can find the answer in the text.
• Reasoning 65ish
• Questions that ask you to make inferences, draw
  conclusions, read between the lines. Stuff you
  cant find in the text, but have to figure out
  yourself.
• 4 passages one each of Social Studies, Natural
  Sciences, Fiction, and Humanities.

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Reading

• Looks like this
• Example on page 34 of your ACT prep booklet.

16
(No Transcript)
17
Tips Reading

• Some students skim questions first, some read
  passage first.
• Read passage carefully or you wont be able to
  answer reasoning Qs (65!)
• Write on the passage as you read-- activates
  more areas of your brain.
• Fake interest. No, really. ?

18
How to Improve Reading

• Same resources and methods as Englishfigure out
  which types of questions give you trouble,
  practice just those.
• Read. A lot. Focus on nonfiction (you get
  enough fiction in English class). Newspapers,
  news magazines, etc.

19
Time to practice!

• Turn to page 14 in your booklet.
• Try questions 1-5. Feel free to talk them
  through with the person next to you if you wish.