Mastering ACT Reading: Craft and Structure

Determining Word and Phrase Meanings in Context

The ACT Reading section's focus on understanding vocabulary through context rather than memorization.

Plug and Play Strategy

An approach to vocabulary questions that involves predicting a synonym before considering answer choices.

Context + Connotation = Definition

A formula used to derive the meaning of words based on their context and emotional weight.

Polysemes

Words that have multiple meanings, which can often trap students in standardized tests.

Connotation

The emotional feeling a word evokes, distinct from its literal definition.

Denotation

The literal or primary meaning of a word.

Objective Tone

A tone that focuses on facts and data, often found in Science passages.

Subjective Tone

A tone that includes emotional language and strong adjectives, indicating bias.

Narrative Point of View (POV)

The perspective from which a story is told, such as first-person or third-person.

Reliable Narrator

A narrator whose account is trustworthy and accurate.

Unreliable Narrator

A narrator whose account is biased or distorted, often due to emotional instability or limited perspective.

Attribution

The act of citing sources within a text, helping to clarify the author's stance.

Paired Passages

A set of two related passages on the ACT that may discuss different perspectives on a subject.

Transition Words

Words that indicate a shift in the argument or topic, such as 'however', 'but', or 'yet'.

Metaphor

A rhetorical device that makes a comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

Simile

A rhetorical device that compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement used for emphasis or humor.

Repetition

A rhetorical device used to reinforce a central theme or idea.

Macro-Structure

The overall organization of a text, including patterns like chronological or cause and effect.

Micro-Structure

The function of individual paragraphs within a text.

Author's Purpose

The reason an author writes a text, categorized as to persuade, inform, or entertain.

Topic vs. Purpose

The topic is what the text is about; the purpose is why it was written.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice.

Craft and Structure

A category on the ACT that focuses on how a text is constructed and why it was written.

Common Mistakes & Pitfalls

Recurring errors that students make on the ACT, such as dictionary definitions or confusing facts for purpose.

Conflict in Views

The dynamic between the author's perspective and the sources they may cite.