General Stratagies
Know this about the test before you take it.
What is the test format (sections, number of questions, time limits)?
Focus on these aspects of sentences to avoid common errors.
What is grammar and punctuation?
If stuck, try this with the answer choices.
What is plug them into the problem?
Skim smartly by reading these parts of paragraphs.
What are the first and last sentences?
Focus on these, not prior scientific knowledge.
What are graphs, tables, and data?
If you get stuck on a question, do this.
What is skip it and come back later?
Choose the answer that is clear and avoids this.
What is redundancy or wordiness?
Know these for geometry, algebra, and word problems.
What are formulas?
Identify this before answering questions about the passage.
What is the central idea or author’s purpose?
Look for these when comparing experiments.
What are differences in variables, procedures, or outcomes?
To avoid careless mistakes, do this after finishing a section.
What is check your answers?
Make sure descriptive phrases are next to what they describe, or else this error occurs.
What is a misplaced modifier?
For hard problems, do this to eliminate wrong answers quickly.
What is estimation?
Underline or note these in the passage to help answer questions.
What are keywords, names, or dates?
Identify these in data to answer trend questions.
What are patterns or changes over time?
Keep this in mind to stay alert and focused.
What is sleep, eat breakfast, and stay hydrated?
Look for the correct linking words between sentences and paragraphs, also called this.
What is transitions or cohesion?
Always double-check these when solving problems.
What are units (fraction, decimal, percentage)?
Only infer using this from the passage.
What is evidence provided in the text?
Skip this information to save time.
What is background information or text passages?
When unsure of a question, do this since there is no penalty.
What is guess strategically?
A common pronoun mistake tests this type of agreement.
What is singular vs. plural?
Recognize these triangles that appear frequently on the ACT.
What are special right triangles (30-60-90 and 45-45-90)?
Remove these to increase the chance of choosing the correct answer.
What are answers that are extreme or unsupported?
ACT Science questions rarely require this.
What is prior scientific knowledge?