Pace Yourself
• You have 45 minutes + 75 Questions=• 1 ½ minutes to look over each passage before you
respond. Then 30 seconds to answer each question.• If possible, spend less time on each question to leave time
for checking over answers at the end.• Mark ones that were most difficult and re-check those
first (in book not on answer sheet).
Think About
• What is the writing STYLE of the passage?• Informative? Persuasive? Personal Narrative? Expository?
Formal/Informal?
While Skimming
• Identify the style• Look at the topic sentences and underlined portions…
summarize to yourself what the passage is about.
How does it fit in?
• For each question, take a look at the context.• Look at the sentences around the passage you are looking
at to make sure you understand the context.
Read ALL of the answers
• Which one is MOST correct?• Do the different options give you a clue?• How does each answer DIFFER from the others?• Don’t select an answer that fixes one error but causes
another.
Questions about the WHOLE Piece
• Located at the end of the section• Have a box that tells you that it’s about the section as a
whole.
Punctuation
• Emphasis:• internal and end of sentence punctuation• emphasis on how punctuation affects meaning
Item Analysis
• We’ll Cover:• Question Numbers• 2• 9• 26• 33• 49
Review: commas, apostrophes, semicolons
Resources
• Commas: • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/692/01/ • http://owlet.letu.edu/grammarlinks/punctuation/punct1.html
• Apostrophes: • http://
www.wisc-online.com/Objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=ABC601 • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/621/01/
• Semicolons:• http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_D3f_1ZA6Y&safe=active
Grammar and Usage
• Emphasis:• Subject/verb agreement• Pronoun/antecedent agreement• Modifiers• Verb formation• Pronoun case• Comparative/superlative adjectives and adverbs• Use of idioms
Sentence Structure
Emphasis:• Show understanding of relationships between and among
clauses, placement of modifiers, and shifts in construction.
Other Resources:
• Wiscareers: Need your username and password
• Use this site to take 3 full length practice tests, access flashcards and tips on ACT test-taking strategies.
• http://wiscareers.wisc.edu/Default.asp
• Specific Tips Regarding ACT English: • http://www.answerexplanations.com/act/study-materials/basic-strategy-outlin
e/english/
• Resource for Refreshing Grammar/Writing Skills: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
• Grammar/Punctuation Exercises and Rules:• http://www.chompchomp.com/