2024l 2025
Preparing for
the ACT® Test
What’s Inside
y Full-length practice ACT test,
including the optional writing test
y Information about the multiple-choice and
writing sections
y Test-taking strategies
y What to expect on test day
Esta publicación también se puede ver o
descargar en español
www.act.org
, A Message to Students
This document is an important first step as you get ready for college and your
career.
The information here is intended to help you do your best on the ACT to gain
admission to colleges and universities. Included are helpful hints and test-taking
strategies, as well as a complete practice ACT, with “retired” questions from earlier
test subjects given on previous test dates at ACT test centers. Also featured are a
practice writing test, a sample answer document, answer keys, and self-scoring
instructions.
Read this document carefully and take the practice tests well before test day. That
way, you will be familiar with the test subjects, what they measure, and strategies
you can use to do your best on test day.
You may also want to consider The Official ACT® Self-Paced Course, Powered by
Kaplan® to learn test content and strategies in a virtual classroom. To view all of our
test preparation options, go to www.act.org/the-act/testprep.
Overview of the ACT
Contents
The ACT test consists of four multiple-choice
A Message to Students 2 sections—English, mathematics, reading, and
science—with an optional writing section.
Overview of the ACT 2 Some colleges and universities require or
accept ACT writing scores, so you may consider
Test-Taking Strategies 3 taking the writing section.
Prohibited Behavior at the Test Center 5 Test Questions Minutes per Test
Content of the ACT Sections 6 English 75 45
Mathematics 60 60
Taking the Practice Tests 12 Reading 40 35
Practice Multiple-Choice Sections 13 Science 40 35
Writing 1 essay 40
Practice Writing Test 54 (optional)
Practice Answer Document 57
After the science test you should expect to take
How to Score the Multiple-Choice a shorter, multiple-choice test covering one of
the previous subject areas. The results of the
Tests 65 fifth test help develop future test questions and
will not be reflected on your scores, so please
Scoring the Practice Writing Test 71 try your best.
Next Steps 74
©2024 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 75 QU00002.CJ15294
,Test-Taking Strategies However, you will want to pace yourself to avoid
spending too much time on one passage or
puzzling over an answer to a specific problem.
Test Strategies for the ACT Go on to other questions and come back if
there is time.
Each multiple-choice section contains
questions with either four or five answers from 9 Read the directions carefully.
which you are to choose the correct or best Before you begin each section, read the
answer. directions carefully.
If you do not complete all your sections and y The English, reading, and science sections
want to test again, you will need to re-register ask for the best answer. Read and consider
and pay for a new test date. Once you access all of the answer choices and choose the
test content, you cannot request a Test Date answer that best responds to the question.
Change. y The mathematics section asks for the
correct answer. You may want to work out
Strategies to help you prepare for the the answer you feel is correct and look for
ACT it among the choices given. If your answer
9 Get familiar with the content of the is not among the choices provided, reread
the question and consider all the answer
sections.
choices.
Review the information in this document.
Note which content areas make up a large 9 Read each question carefully.
proportion of the sections. The topics included You need to understand exactly what each
in each content area are examples of possible question asks. Some questions will require you
topics; they do not include all possibilities. to go through several steps to find the correct
or best answer, while others can be answered
9 Update your knowledge and skills in the more quickly.
content areas.
Review content areas that you have studied 9 Answer the easy questions first.
but are not fresh in your mind. Refresh your A good strategy is to answer the easy questions
knowledge in the content areas that make up and skip the questions you find difficult. After
large portions of the test. answering the easy questions, go back and
answer the more difficult questions if you have
9 Study content areas you are not familiar with. time.
If some content areas of the ACT are unfamiliar
to you, consider taking coursework in those 9 Use logic on more difficult questions.
areas before you take the test. When you return to the more difficult
questions, try to use logic to eliminate incorrect
Tips for Taking the Multiple-Choice answers. Compare the answer choices to
Sections each other and note how they differ. Such
differences may provide clues as to what the
9 Pace yourself. question requires. Eliminate as many incorrect
It is important that you have enough time to answers as you can, then make an educated
read the passages/questions and figure out guess from the remaining answers.
your responses. For each section, subtract
the number of minutes you estimate you will 9 Answer every question.
spend skimming the passages or reading the Your scores in the sections will be based only
information provided, then divide the total on the number of questions that you answer
number of remaining minutes allowed by correctly; there is no penalty for guessing. Try to
the number of questions to determine the answer every question within the time allowed
estimated time you should spend on each for each section.
question. If possible, spend less time on each
question and use the remaining time allowed 9 Review your work.
for a section to review your work and return to If there is time left after you have answered every
the questions in that section that were most question in a section, go back and check your
difficult for you. work. You will not be allowed to go back to any
The time limits set for each section give nearly other section or mark responses to a section
everyone enough time to finish all questions. after time has been called in that section.
©2024 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. Page 3 of 75 QU00002.CJ15294
, When testing on an answer y Acceptable photo identification. You will not
document: be permitted to test if your ID does not meet
ACT requirements. See ACT requirements for
9 Be precise in choosing your responses. ID on your ticket or at www.act.org/the-act/id.
If you are taking the ACT on paper, make sure
that you properly select the desired answer on
y Number 2 pencil. Bring sharpened No. 2
pencils and good erasers (no mechanical
your answer document. Marks on your answer pencils or ink pens). Do not bring any other
document that extend beyond the intended writing instruments. You will not be allowed
oval may be scored as incorrect. to use them.
Note: International test centers are provided
9 Erase completely. approved whiteboards and erasable markers.
If you want to change a multiple-choice answer
on paper, make sure you erase completely. Do y Watch or other timing device. You may bring
a watch to pace yourself, but it may not have
not cross out answers or use correction fluid or
an alarm. Your watch or other timing device
tape; you must erase. Smudges or unintended
must be removed and placed on your desk
marks may cause errors in scoring.
while in the test room, so that it remains
visible to staff during the test. If your alarm
Get Ready sounds during testing, you’ll be dismissed
and your answers will not be scored.
Prepare well in advance for the ACT.
y Know what to expect on test day. Review
y Calculator. If you wish to use a calculator
(use of a calculator is not required), it is your
this document and visit www.actstudent.org responsibility to ensure the calculator is
for more information, including an overview permitted according to the ACT Calculator
of each test subject, multiple test prep Policy.
resources, and a comprehensive test day
checklist. y Snacks. You may consume snacks and drinks
outside the test room during the break.
y Take the practice tests in the order they are
shown in this booklet, time yourself, and What NOT to Bring
review your responses using the answer keys.
y Get plenty of rest the night before the tests. y Textbooks, foreign language or other
dictionaries, scratch paper, notes, or other
Note: Most procedures in this document refer to aids
testing on a National test date at an ACT test
center (within the United States, US territories,
y Highlighter pens, colored pens or pencils, or
correction fluid/tape
or Puerto Rico). Procedures may differ slightly if
you take a different administration of the ACT y Any electronic device, other than a permitted
test. calculator
y Reading material
On Test Day In the Test Room
Report on Time y Test staff will direct you to a seat. If you need
a left-handed desk, tell the staff as you enter.
y For National test dates, you must report to y Do not leave the test room after you have
your assigned test center by the time stated been admitted.
on your admission ticket (usually 8:00 a.m.). If
you are late, you will not be admitted to test. y Only pencils, erasers, a permitted calculator,
your watch (if brought to the test center),
If your ticket does not list a specific test room,
and your paper ticket will be allowed on your
the test staff or posted signs will direct you.
desk.
What to Bring y You will be required to put all other personal
belongings away.
y A printed copy of your admission ticket. Your y Reporting time for the test will be 8:00 a.m.
ticket contains important information that
Testing will begin as soon as all examinees
helps connect your answer document to the
who are present at 8:00 a.m. are checked in
registration on file. If you have lost your ticket,
and seated.
you can print another through your MyACT
account. If you do not bring your ticket on test y Listen carefully to all directions read by the
day, your scores may be delayed. test staff.
©2024 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. Page 4 of 75 QU00002.CJ15294
Preparing for
the ACT® Test
What’s Inside
y Full-length practice ACT test,
including the optional writing test
y Information about the multiple-choice and
writing sections
y Test-taking strategies
y What to expect on test day
Esta publicación también se puede ver o
descargar en español
www.act.org
, A Message to Students
This document is an important first step as you get ready for college and your
career.
The information here is intended to help you do your best on the ACT to gain
admission to colleges and universities. Included are helpful hints and test-taking
strategies, as well as a complete practice ACT, with “retired” questions from earlier
test subjects given on previous test dates at ACT test centers. Also featured are a
practice writing test, a sample answer document, answer keys, and self-scoring
instructions.
Read this document carefully and take the practice tests well before test day. That
way, you will be familiar with the test subjects, what they measure, and strategies
you can use to do your best on test day.
You may also want to consider The Official ACT® Self-Paced Course, Powered by
Kaplan® to learn test content and strategies in a virtual classroom. To view all of our
test preparation options, go to www.act.org/the-act/testprep.
Overview of the ACT
Contents
The ACT test consists of four multiple-choice
A Message to Students 2 sections—English, mathematics, reading, and
science—with an optional writing section.
Overview of the ACT 2 Some colleges and universities require or
accept ACT writing scores, so you may consider
Test-Taking Strategies 3 taking the writing section.
Prohibited Behavior at the Test Center 5 Test Questions Minutes per Test
Content of the ACT Sections 6 English 75 45
Mathematics 60 60
Taking the Practice Tests 12 Reading 40 35
Practice Multiple-Choice Sections 13 Science 40 35
Writing 1 essay 40
Practice Writing Test 54 (optional)
Practice Answer Document 57
After the science test you should expect to take
How to Score the Multiple-Choice a shorter, multiple-choice test covering one of
the previous subject areas. The results of the
Tests 65 fifth test help develop future test questions and
will not be reflected on your scores, so please
Scoring the Practice Writing Test 71 try your best.
Next Steps 74
©2024 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 75 QU00002.CJ15294
,Test-Taking Strategies However, you will want to pace yourself to avoid
spending too much time on one passage or
puzzling over an answer to a specific problem.
Test Strategies for the ACT Go on to other questions and come back if
there is time.
Each multiple-choice section contains
questions with either four or five answers from 9 Read the directions carefully.
which you are to choose the correct or best Before you begin each section, read the
answer. directions carefully.
If you do not complete all your sections and y The English, reading, and science sections
want to test again, you will need to re-register ask for the best answer. Read and consider
and pay for a new test date. Once you access all of the answer choices and choose the
test content, you cannot request a Test Date answer that best responds to the question.
Change. y The mathematics section asks for the
correct answer. You may want to work out
Strategies to help you prepare for the the answer you feel is correct and look for
ACT it among the choices given. If your answer
9 Get familiar with the content of the is not among the choices provided, reread
the question and consider all the answer
sections.
choices.
Review the information in this document.
Note which content areas make up a large 9 Read each question carefully.
proportion of the sections. The topics included You need to understand exactly what each
in each content area are examples of possible question asks. Some questions will require you
topics; they do not include all possibilities. to go through several steps to find the correct
or best answer, while others can be answered
9 Update your knowledge and skills in the more quickly.
content areas.
Review content areas that you have studied 9 Answer the easy questions first.
but are not fresh in your mind. Refresh your A good strategy is to answer the easy questions
knowledge in the content areas that make up and skip the questions you find difficult. After
large portions of the test. answering the easy questions, go back and
answer the more difficult questions if you have
9 Study content areas you are not familiar with. time.
If some content areas of the ACT are unfamiliar
to you, consider taking coursework in those 9 Use logic on more difficult questions.
areas before you take the test. When you return to the more difficult
questions, try to use logic to eliminate incorrect
Tips for Taking the Multiple-Choice answers. Compare the answer choices to
Sections each other and note how they differ. Such
differences may provide clues as to what the
9 Pace yourself. question requires. Eliminate as many incorrect
It is important that you have enough time to answers as you can, then make an educated
read the passages/questions and figure out guess from the remaining answers.
your responses. For each section, subtract
the number of minutes you estimate you will 9 Answer every question.
spend skimming the passages or reading the Your scores in the sections will be based only
information provided, then divide the total on the number of questions that you answer
number of remaining minutes allowed by correctly; there is no penalty for guessing. Try to
the number of questions to determine the answer every question within the time allowed
estimated time you should spend on each for each section.
question. If possible, spend less time on each
question and use the remaining time allowed 9 Review your work.
for a section to review your work and return to If there is time left after you have answered every
the questions in that section that were most question in a section, go back and check your
difficult for you. work. You will not be allowed to go back to any
The time limits set for each section give nearly other section or mark responses to a section
everyone enough time to finish all questions. after time has been called in that section.
©2024 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. Page 3 of 75 QU00002.CJ15294
, When testing on an answer y Acceptable photo identification. You will not
document: be permitted to test if your ID does not meet
ACT requirements. See ACT requirements for
9 Be precise in choosing your responses. ID on your ticket or at www.act.org/the-act/id.
If you are taking the ACT on paper, make sure
that you properly select the desired answer on
y Number 2 pencil. Bring sharpened No. 2
pencils and good erasers (no mechanical
your answer document. Marks on your answer pencils or ink pens). Do not bring any other
document that extend beyond the intended writing instruments. You will not be allowed
oval may be scored as incorrect. to use them.
Note: International test centers are provided
9 Erase completely. approved whiteboards and erasable markers.
If you want to change a multiple-choice answer
on paper, make sure you erase completely. Do y Watch or other timing device. You may bring
a watch to pace yourself, but it may not have
not cross out answers or use correction fluid or
an alarm. Your watch or other timing device
tape; you must erase. Smudges or unintended
must be removed and placed on your desk
marks may cause errors in scoring.
while in the test room, so that it remains
visible to staff during the test. If your alarm
Get Ready sounds during testing, you’ll be dismissed
and your answers will not be scored.
Prepare well in advance for the ACT.
y Know what to expect on test day. Review
y Calculator. If you wish to use a calculator
(use of a calculator is not required), it is your
this document and visit www.actstudent.org responsibility to ensure the calculator is
for more information, including an overview permitted according to the ACT Calculator
of each test subject, multiple test prep Policy.
resources, and a comprehensive test day
checklist. y Snacks. You may consume snacks and drinks
outside the test room during the break.
y Take the practice tests in the order they are
shown in this booklet, time yourself, and What NOT to Bring
review your responses using the answer keys.
y Get plenty of rest the night before the tests. y Textbooks, foreign language or other
dictionaries, scratch paper, notes, or other
Note: Most procedures in this document refer to aids
testing on a National test date at an ACT test
center (within the United States, US territories,
y Highlighter pens, colored pens or pencils, or
correction fluid/tape
or Puerto Rico). Procedures may differ slightly if
you take a different administration of the ACT y Any electronic device, other than a permitted
test. calculator
y Reading material
On Test Day In the Test Room
Report on Time y Test staff will direct you to a seat. If you need
a left-handed desk, tell the staff as you enter.
y For National test dates, you must report to y Do not leave the test room after you have
your assigned test center by the time stated been admitted.
on your admission ticket (usually 8:00 a.m.). If
you are late, you will not be admitted to test. y Only pencils, erasers, a permitted calculator,
your watch (if brought to the test center),
If your ticket does not list a specific test room,
and your paper ticket will be allowed on your
the test staff or posted signs will direct you.
desk.
What to Bring y You will be required to put all other personal
belongings away.
y A printed copy of your admission ticket. Your y Reporting time for the test will be 8:00 a.m.
ticket contains important information that
Testing will begin as soon as all examinees
helps connect your answer document to the
who are present at 8:00 a.m. are checked in
registration on file. If you have lost your ticket,
and seated.
you can print another through your MyACT
account. If you do not bring your ticket on test y Listen carefully to all directions read by the
day, your scores may be delayed. test staff.
©2024 by ACT Education Corp. All rights reserved. Page 4 of 75 QU00002.CJ15294
