The ACT English Test Do’s and Don’ts

You don’t need to worry about writing an essay for the ACT English test. A good score on this college entrance exam depends on your ability to answer a lot of questions — 75 to be exact. So, if you’re rushed for time, use these tips:

• Do look for diction (choosing between two words, such as lie and lay or affect and effect) and grammar (choosing the proper verb, adjective, or adverb) questions. They are usually the easiest to answer quickly.

• Don’t get trapped by time-consuming, potentially difficult box questions that require you to understand the passage as a whole.

• Don’t choose the OMIT option every time you see it; there’s no penalty for guessing wrong, so make a guess.

• Don’t automatically choose the “other” word in a diction or grammar question (choosing lie when lay is given or whom when who is given).