Comprehensive Guide to Acet the ACT English Section

ACT English section time

45 minutes

Total number of questions in ACT English

75 questions

Usage and Mechanics percentage

53% of questions focus on punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure.

Rhetorical Skills percentage

47% of questions focus on strategy, organization, and style.

Three forms of Stop punctuation

Period (.), Semicolon (;), Comma + FANBOYS.

Comma Splice

An incorrect sentence formed by joining two independent clauses with just a comma.

The Sandwich Rule

If interruptions start with a comma, they must end with a comma.

Colon function

Introduces a list, an explanation, or a definition.

Dash function

Indicates a dramatic pause or breakdown in thought.

Collective Nouns rule

Words like group, family, team are treated as singular.

Whom vs. Who mnemonic

Use He for Who and Him for Whom when replacing the pronoun.

Possession rule for singular noun

Add 's to the singular noun (e.g., cat's toy).

Economy in writing on the ACT

Shorter phrases are preferred if grammatically correct.

Mistake in 'Could of' usage

Correct form is 'could have'.

What does 'Omit' indicate in a question?

If omitting the text retains grammatical correctness and meaning, it is often correct.

Difference between Then and Than

'Then' refers to time; 'Than' refers to comparison.