ACT Exam Sections, Structure & Timing:
The Complete Official Guide

What Sections Are on
the ACT?

The ACT test consists of multiple-choice sections—English, mathematics and reading—with an optional science and writing section. Some colleges and universities require or accept ACT writing scores, so you may consider taking the writing section.

Exam Section Details

Test Questions Minutes per Test What it Tests
English 50 (40 scored) 35 Grammar, usage, and rhetorical skills
Mathematics 45 (41 scored) 50 Mathematical reasoning from pre-algebra through trigonometry
Reading 36 (27 scored) 40 Comprehension and analysis of literary and informational texts
Science (Optional) 40 (34 scored) 40 Data interpretation and scientific reasoning across biology, chemistry, earth sciences, and physics
Writing (Optional) 1 essay 40 One essay evaluating your ability to develop and support a position on a complex issue

What is on the English Section of the ACT Test?  

The ACT English portion includes several passages, each followed by multiple-choice questions that assess your ability to revise and edit written text. Questions highlight specific parts of the passage, either underlined on paper tests or highlighted online, and ask you to choose the option that best improves clarity, effectiveness, and correctness. 

Topics Covered on the ACT English Section 

  • Production of Writing (29–32 percent) 
    Focuses on understanding a passage's purpose, development, and organization, including how well ideas are introduced, supported, and connected. 
  • Knowledge of Language (15–17 percent) 
    Measures effective language use, including precise and concise wording and consistent tone. 
  • Conventions of Standard English (52–55 percent) 
    Covers grammar, usage, mechanics, sentence structure, punctuation, and overall adherence to standard English rules.  

Topic Development Skill Description:

Evaluate the content of an essay, identifying the purpose of a given word, phrase, or sentence as well as making editing choices related to the writer’s purpose.

Topic Development questions focus on:  What a Topic Development question may look like on the test: 
The effect a certain word, phrase, or sentence has in the context of the essay  If the writer were to delete the preceding sentence, the essay would primarily lose:  If the writer were to add the phrase “____” at this point, the paragraph would primarily gain: How a certain word, phrase, or sentence can accomplish a specific purpose or goal 
How a certain word, phrase, or sentence can accomplish a specific purpose or goal  At this point, the writer wants to emphasize ____. Which choice best accomplishes that goal? 
Whether a certain detail is relevant to the essay  Which choice provides the most relevant information at this point in the essay? 
Whether an essay has achieved a specific purpose  Suppose the writer’s primary purpose had been to ____. Would this essay accomplish that purpose? 

Organization Skill Description:

Make choices about an essay’s organization and its flow of ideas. 

Organization questions focus on:  What an Organization question may look like on the test: 
Transition words or phrases (however, in fact, etc.) and how they create a logical flow of ideas  Which transition word or phrase, if any, is most logical in context? 
Introductory or concluding sentences in paragraphs Which choice most effectively concludes the paragraph and the essay by ____?
Sentences that create a transition, or link, between ideas Which choice most effectively leads readers into the rest of the essay?
Where to place sentences in an essay for maximum logic and effectiveness

Which sequence of sentences [sentences are marked with numbers: [1], [2], etc.] makes this paragraph most logical?

The writer wants to add the following sentence to the essay:

[sentence]

The sentence would most logically be placed at
which of the following points (A, B, C, D)? 
When or where to start a new paragraph in an essay At this point, the writer is considering dividing the paragraph into two. Should the writer begin
a new paragraph here?

Expressing Ideas Clearly Skill Description:

Use words that create clarity or logic in a sentence. Identify and eliminate words and phrases that are overly wordy or repetitious (redundant).

Expressing Ideas Clearly Skill Description: Use words that create clarity or logic in a sentence. Identify and eliminate words and phrases that are overly wordy or repetitious (redundant). Expressing Ideas Clearly questions focus on: What an Expressing Ideas Clearly question may look like on the test:
  Whether certain information in an essay is clear and relatively concise
 Which choice is least redundant in context?
  How words are used to create precise and/or logical meaning in a sentence
 Which choice is clearest and most precise in context?

Style Skill Description:

Use words, phrases, and sentences to maintain aconsistent style or tone in an essay or to achieve a certain effect.

Style Skill Description: Use words, phrases, and sentences to maintain aconsistent style or tone in an essay or to achieve a certain effect. Style questions focus on: What a Style question may look like on the test:
  The tone of an essay (the writer’s treatment of/attitude toward the subject matter) Which choice most closely maintains the essay’s informal tone?
  How the writer uses words and phrases for effect or to achieve a certain style Which choice is most stylistically effective in that it uses playful language to reinforce the main focus of the essay?
Identify and correct errors related to sentence structure Example of a sentence structure error: Corrected sentence
Fragments The road less traveled. I took the road less traveled.
Run-on Sentences I took the road less traveled, it wasn’t the right choice. I took the road less traveled, but it wasn’t the right choice.
Parallelism Not only did the scientists research the Peruvian rain forest, and they explored part of the rain forest in Brazil. Not only did the scientists research the Peruvian rain forest, but they also explored part of the rain forest in Brazil.
Subordination and
coordination		 Since she couldn’t stay out late, so she decided not to go out at all. Since she couldn’t stay out late, she decided not to go out at all.
Modifiers Running the program once again, it became clear that something had been coded wrong. Running the program once again, we could see clearly that something had been coded wrong.
Identify and correct errors related to usage Example of a usage error: Corrected sentence
Pronoun-antecedent agreement The books were somewhere in here, but I couldn’t find it. The books were somewhere in here, but I couldn’t find them.
Pronoun ambiguity When the two women met at the subway station, she apologized for being late. When the two women met at the subway station, Rose apologized for being late.
Possessive pronouns They’re bags were finally packed for the trip. Their bags were finally packed for the trip.
Pronoun case The person whom is in charge of this event did a fantastic job. The person who is in charge of this event did a fantastic job.
Subject-verb agreement Each of the movies were fun to watch, but I had a definite favorite. Each of the movies was fun to watch, but I had a definite favorite.
Frequently confused words The music she heard that afternoon greatly effected her. The music she heard
that afternoon greatly affected her.
Identify and correct errors related to punctuation Example of a punctuation error: Corrected sentence
Possessives The schools doors’ close at 8 a.m. The school’s doors close at 8 a.m.
Nonrestrictive (or nonessential) and restrictive (essential) elements The student, the one with the pink hair is in my homeroom. The student, the one with the pink hair, is in my homeroom.
Unnecessary punctuation She walked all the way home, from the restaurant. She walked all the way home from the restaurant.
Sharp breaks I left so many things at the hotel such as, my coat, my book, my key. I left so many things
at the hotel: my coat, my book, my key.

What’s on the Math Section of the ACT Test? 

The ACT Math section measures skills typically learned through the beginning of grade 12. Questions focus on the math needed for entry-level college courses and are mostly self-contained, with some tied to shared graphs or charts. A calculator may be used on this section in accordance with ACT’s calculator policy. 

Topics Covered on the ACT Math Section: 

  • Preparing for Higher Math (57–60%) 
    Algebra, functions, geometry, statistics & probability, and number & quantity 
  • Integrating Essential Skills (40–43%) 
    Multi-step problems using rates, proportions, averages, and measurement in real-world contexts 
  • Modeling (throughout) 
    Creating, interpreting, and refining mathematical models within problems 
Algebra Linear Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities Model situations, solve problems, and perform operations involving linear expressions, equations, and inequalities.

What’s on the Reading Section of the ACT Test? 

The ACT Reading section measures how well you understand and analyze passages similar to those used in first-year college courses. You’ll answer multiple-choice questions about main ideas, details, relationships, and an author’s purpose or perspective, including questions that compare paired passages. 

Topics Covered on the ACT Reading Section: 

  • Key Ideas and Details (52–60 percent)
    Assesses your ability to identify central ideas and themes, summarize information accurately, understand cause-effect relationships, and draw logical inferences and conclusions. 
  • Craft and Structure (25–30 percent) 
    Focuses on interpreting word meanings, analyzing an author's choices, understanding text structure and purpose, and evaluating different perspectives within the passage. 
  • Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (13–23 percent) 
    Measures your ability to analyze claims, distinguish fact from opinion, evaluate reasoning and evidence, and make connections between passages on related topics. 

Close Reading Skill Description:

Find specific details in a text and draw reasonable conclusions from these details.

Close Reading questions focus on: What a Close Reading question may look like on the test:
What conclusions (both large and small) can be drawn from the passage Which of the following statements about ____ is best supported by the passage?
How a certain word, phrase, or sentence can accomplish a specific purpose or goal  At this point, the writer wants to emphasize ____. Which choice best accomplishes that goal? 
The similarities or differences between ideas, events, or people/characters from the passage Based on the passage, compared to ____, ____ is more: 
The straightforward meaning of a phrase or sentence from the passage Which of the following statements most effectively paraphrases lines xx–xx?
The order of events mentioned in the passage (what comes first, last) Which of the following events referred to in the passage occurred first chronologically?

Central Ideas, Themes, and Summaries Skill Description: 

Use multiple details in a passage to identify key points and themes.

Central Ideas, Themes, and Summaries questions focus on What a Central Ideas, Themes, and Summaries question may look like on the test:
A main idea or theme (overarching message) evident in the passage as a whole One main idea of the passage is that: The passage mainly explores which of the following themes?
The main point of a smaller piece of the passage (such as a single paragraph) The main point of the second paragraph is that:
Summarizing a series of actions, behaviors, or processes Which of the following statements offers the most effective summary for the process described in lines xx?
Summarizing a larger concept in the passage as a whole Which of the following statements best summarizes the passage?

Text Structure Skill Description:

Consider the effects of an author’s choices (such as the organization of ideas, the use of rhetorical devices or strategies, etc.).

Text Structure questions focus on: What a Text Structure question may look like on the test:
How an author has organized the information, events, or action in the passage as a whole Which of the following choices best describes the structure of the passage?
 
Beginning with the second paragraph, the structure of the passage shifts from:
The purpose of a specific part of the text (such as a single paragraph) In the context of the passage, the main function of the fourth paragraph is to:
The impact or effect of a specific sentence or phrase The author includes the details in lines xx–xx primarily to:
The purpose or effect of a figurative device (simile, image, metaphor, etc.) In the context of the passage, the metaphor “____” (lines xx–xx) is most likely used to demonstrate that:
The purpose or effect of a specific word or short phrase It can reasonably be inferred that the author uses the word ____ in line x most likely to:

Word Meaning Skill Description:

Determine the meaning of words, phrases, and figurative language. 

Word Meaning questions focus on: What a Word Meaning question may look like on the test:
The dictionary meaning of a word as well as synonyms for that word  As it is used in line x, the word ____ most nearly means:
The underlying meaning or effect of a certain word or phrase Which of the following words from the passage has the most clearly negative connotation in context?
A literal translation of a figurative word, phrase, or sentence In the context of the passage, the simile in lines xx most nearly means that:
Whether a word is being used in a literal sense or in a figurative sense Which of the following phrases from the passage is used more figuratively than literally?

Purpose and Point of View Skill Description: 

Understand the author’s purpose in writing apassage as well as perspective and point of view.

Purpose and Point of View questions focus on: What a Purpose and Point of View question may look like on the test:
What the passage aims to do The main purpose of the passage is to:
Who is narrating the story (for literary narrative passages) The passage is told from the point of view of a narrator who:
Shifts in a story’s point of view (for literary narrative passages) At the beginning of the third paragraph, the point of view from which the passage is told shifts from that of a:
The attitudes, beliefs, or positions held by the author or by another person mentioned in the passage Based on the passage, the statement in lines xx–xx most closely reflects the perspective of:
Overgeneralizations or stereotypes that the author or another person/character makes In the passage, the author implies that everyone in ____ is:

Argument Skill Description: 

Identify and assess argumentative claims, counterclaims, and the evidence used to support claims in a passage.

Argument questions focus on: What an Argument question may look like on the test:
The argumentative claims made in a text (main claims as well as smaller, secondary claims)

What is the passage’s central claim?

Which of the following is a counterclaim the author explicitly raises and then refutes?
The evidence used to support claims or challenge counterclaims

Evidence in the fifth paragraph primarily serves to support which of the following claims?

What main evidence does the author use to support her claim that _____?
The strengths and weaknesses of an argument’s reasoning 

How does the information in the third paragraph contradict the author’s argument about ____?

Based on the passage, which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the author’s claim that ____?
Whether a statement from the passage is a fact, opinion, or reasoned judgment In the context of the passage, the statement in lines xx–xx can best be described as:
The persuasive techniques used to support an argument When the author states “____,” he is most likely attempting to persuade the reader by:

Synthesis Skill Description: 

Make connections between two different passages by identifying their similarities and differences.

Synthesis questions focus on: What a Synthesis question may look like on the test:
Broad concepts that are addressed in both passages The ideas presented in the first paragraph of Passage A most directly
exemplify which of the following concepts mentioned in Passage B?
The comparison of smaller details within the passages Based on the passages, one difference between ____ in Passage A and ____
in Passage B is that both:
Central ideas or themes as they apply to both passages Which of the following statements best captures a main theme of both
passages?
Similarities or differences in the organization or approach of the passages  Which choice best describes a difference in how the passages are structured?
How a detail, rhetorical device (such as anecdotes or rhetorical questions), figurative device (metaphor, simile, etc.), or paragraph identified in each passage functions similarly or differently 

The details about ____ in Passage A and ____ in Passage B function similarly in that they:

Which of the following rhetorical strategies is used by the author of Passage B but not by the author of Passage A?
Similarities and differences in the purpose or point of view of the
passages

The main purposes of the passages are similar in that both passages:

Which of the following statements best describes a difference in the points of view of the passages?
How an argumentative claim made in one passage relates to information provided in the other passage Which of the following points made in Passage A offers the clearest support for the author’s claim in Passage B that ____?

Visual and Quantitative Information Skill Description: 

Interpret information presented in a graphic (such as a bar graph, line graph, etc.) and make connections between the data provided in this graphic and the information provided in a passage.

Visual and Quantitative Information questions focus on: What a Visual and Quantitative Information question may look like on the test:
The data presented in the graphic alone The chart represents an increasing trend in ____ for which of the following years?
The purpose of the graphic overall as it relates to the passage As it relates to the passage, the table primarily functions to:
How a claim, detail or concept from the passage is related to the graphic One way the study, as it is presented in the passage, differs from the study represented in the graph is that:
How information from a graphic applies to the passage.

Which ____ shown in the table would most closely resemble ___, as it is described in the passage?

Which additional information, if added to the table, would most weaken the passage author’s claim that ____?

What’s on the Science Section of the ACT Test?

The ACT Science section measures your ability to interpret data and analyze scientific information. You’ll answer multiple-choice questions based on passages from biology, chemistry, Earth and space sciences, and physics, focusing on relationships, trends, and predictions using provided data. 

Topics Covered on the ACT Science Section:

  • Interpretation of Data (40–50 percent) 
    Assesses your ability to read and analyze data in tables, graphs, and diagrams, identify trends, translate between formats, and apply basic mathematical reasoning. 
  • Scientific Investigation (20–30 percent) 
    Focuses on understanding experimental design, including variables and controls, and predicting or extending results from scientific experiments. 
  • Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Experimental Results (25–35 percent) 
    Measures your ability to evaluate scientific explanations, draw conclusions, and determine which interpretations are supported by the data provided. 

What’s on the Writing Section of the ACT Test?

The writing section is an optional 40-minute essay test that measures writing skills taught in high school English classes and entry-level college composition courses. Your writing score does not affect your composite score.

You will be given a prompt describing a complex issue and three different perspectives on it. You are asked to develop your own position and analyze its relationship to one or more of the other perspectives.

Essays are scored on a 2 to 12 scale across four domains:

  • Ideas and Analysis — generating relevant ideas and engaging critically with multiple perspectives
  • Development and Support — explaining ideas, discussing implications, and illustrating with examples
  • Organization — arranging ideas clearly and guiding the reader through your argument
  • Language Use and Conventions — using grammar, syntax, word choice, and mechanics to communicate effectively

Some colleges and universities require or accept ACT writing scores, so check the requirements for schools you are considering before deciding whether to take this section.

Tips for Taking the Multiple-Choice Sections

Pace yourself.

It is important that you have enough time to read the passages/questions and figure out your responses. For each section, subtract the number of minutes you estimate you will spend skimming the passages or reading the information provided, then divide the total number of remaining minutes allowed by the number of questions to determine the estimated time you should spend on each question. If possible, spend less time on each question and use the remaining time allowed for a section to review your work and return to the questions in that section that were most difficult for you.

The time limits set for each section give nearly everyone enough time to finish all questions. 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. Go on to other questions and come back if there is time.

Read the directions carefully.

Before you begin each section, read the directions carefully.

  • The English, reading, and science sections ask for the best answer. Read and consider all of the answer choices and choose the answer that best responds to the question.
  • The mathematics section asks for the correct answer. You may want to work out the answer you feel is correct and look for it among the choices given. If your answer is not among the choices provided, reread the question and consider all the answer choices.

Read each question carefully.

You need to understand exactly what each question asks. Some questions will require you to go through several steps to
find the correct or best answer, while others can be answered more quickly.

Answer the easy questions first.

A good strategy is to answer the easy questions and skip the questions you find difficult. After answering the easy questions, go back and answer the more difficult questions if you have time.

Use logic on more difficult questions.

When you return to the more difficult questions, try to use logic to eliminate incorrect answers. Compare the answer choices to each other and note how they differ. Such differences may provide clues as to what the question requires. Eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can, then make an educated guess from the remaining answers.

Answer every question.

Your scores in the sections will be based only on the number of questions that you answer correctly; there is no penalty for guessing. Try to answer every question within the time allowed for each section.

Review your work.

If there is time left after you have answered every question in a section, go back and check your work. You will not be allowed to go back to any other section or mark responses to a section after time has been called in that section.