ACT Reading — Mastering Key Ideas and Details

Central idea

The passage’s main point—the specific idea the author most wants the reader to understand and that is supported by multiple parts of the text.

Theme

A broader recurring message or insight about life, society, or human nature that a passage suggests through its details and examples.

Topic

The broad subject a passage is about, which is more general than the central idea.

Supporting detail

A fact, example, statistic, event, or description that helps develop or prove the central idea rather than stand as the main point itself.

Summary

A shortened version of a passage that includes the central idea and only the most essential supporting points and relationships.

Point + support type

A summary method in which you identify a paragraph’s main point and the kind of support used, such as example, contrast, cause-effect, or definition.

Sequential relationship

An order relationship showing the sequence of events, steps, or stages in a passage.

Chronological sequence

A sequence based on time order—what happened first, next, and last.

Procedural sequence

A sequence that shows the steps in a process or method.

Developmental sequence

A sequence that shows how something changes or progresses over time.

Flashback

A shift to an earlier event in a narrative that can make sequence questions harder if the reader confuses story order with mention order.

Two-track timeline

A passage structure in which two developments happen in parallel, requiring the reader to keep their sequences separate.

Cause-effect relationship

A relationship that explains why something happens and what result follows from it.

Correlation

A connection in which two things occur together or are associated, but one is not necessarily causing the other.

Reversed causation

A trap in which the direction of cause and effect is incorrectly switched.

Multi-step causal chain

A cause-effect pattern in which one event leads to another, which then leads to a further result.

Comparative relationship

A relationship showing how two or more things are similar and/or different.

Comparison basis

The specific category or attribute on which two things are being compared, such as cost, reliability, or effectiveness.

Comparison language

Signal words that indicate similarities or differences, such as however, similarly, unlike, whereas, and in contrast.

Author’s stance

The author’s attitude toward a subject or comparison, which may be neutral, approving, skeptical, or subtly favorable to one side.

Inference

A conclusion drawn from textual evidence and logic rather than directly stated information.

Logical conclusion

The best-supported inference that follows from the passage when all relevant details are considered.

Evidence-bridge-inference model

A way of reasoning in which stated evidence is connected by a small logical step to reach a supported inference.

Qualifier words

Limiting words such as some, often, may, suggests, and rarely that restrict how strong an inference or claim can be.

True-but-off-topic answer choice

An answer choice that mentions a detail that is accurate somewhere in the passage but does not match the author’s main focus or purpose.