1. Welcome to ACT prep! ACT English/Reading Please take out your ACT prep booklet and a pen or pencil.

2. Overview: I can’t give you magic strategies.  I can’t give you magic strategies.  Today: suggestions for what you can do on your own time to practice and improve your skills and scores Today: suggestions for what you can do on your own time to practice and improve your skills and scores English first, then Reading. English first, then Reading.

3. English: Looks like this: Looks like this: Example on page 14 of your ACT prep booklet. Example on page 14 of your ACT prep booklet.

5. The Basics: English 75 questions, 45 minutes 75 questions, 45 minutes –Usage/Mechanics:  Punctuation: 13%  Grammar/Usage: 16%  Sentence Structure: 24% –Rhetorical Skills:  Strategy: 16%  Organization: 15%  Style: 16%

6. Tips: English Try skimming the passage first, then going back to the questions. Try skimming the passage first, then going back to the questions. Read the whole sentence, not just the part underlined. Read the whole sentence, not just the part underlined. Be careful that you don’t correct an error by making another error. Be careful that you don’t correct an error by making another error. Once you choose an answer, reread the sentence with your new answer to make sure it makes sense. Once you choose an answer, reread the sentence with your new answer to make sure it makes sense.

7. How to Improve: English 1. Take practice tests and READ EXPLANATIONS. Not helpful just to take the test. Reflective practice is the only way to get better at this! Online resource: ACT.org Online resource: ACT.orgACT.org Barron’s ACT book in CRC Barron’s ACT book in CRC

8. How to Improve: English 1. Take practice tests and READ EXPLANATIONS. Not helpful just to take the test. Reflective practice is the only way to get better at this! Online resource: ACT.org Online resource: ACT.orgACT.org Barron’s ACT book in CRC Barron’s ACT book in CRC 2. 6 types of question. Figure out which area needs most work: Your ACT booklet, page 60 Your ACT booklet, page 60 Barron’s website online, have to pay, can do a demo Barron’s website online, have to pay, can do a demo Barron’s website online demo Barron’s website online demo Even better, Barron’s ACT book in CRC Even better, Barron’s ACT book in CRCBarron’s ACT book Barron’s ACT book

10. How to Improve: English 1. Take practice tests and READ EXPLANATIONS. Not helpful just to take the test. Online resource: ACT.org Online resource: ACT.orgACT.org Barron’s ACT book in CRC Barron’s ACT book in CRC 2. 6 types of question. Figure out which area needs most work: Your ACT booklet, page 60 Your ACT booklet, page 60 Barron’s website online, have to pay, can do a demo Barron’s website online, have to pay, can do a demo Barron’s website online demo Barron’s website online demo Even better, Barron’s ACT book in CRC Even better, Barron’s ACT book in CRCBarron’s ACT book Barron’s ACT book

11. Skills Question #s Poss. score Your score Usage/Mechanics Punctuation Punctuation 10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66 10 Grammar/ Grammar/ Usage Usage 4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73 12 Sentence Sentence Structure Structure 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69 18 Rhetorical Skills Strategy Strategy 15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45 12 Organization Organization 2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60 11 Style Style 1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65 12

12. Skills Question #s Poss. score Your score Usage/Mechanics Punctuation Punctuation 10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66 109 Grammar/ Grammar/ Usage Usage 4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73 128 Sentence Sentence Structure Structure 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69 189 Rhetorical Skills Strategy Strategy 15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45 1210 Organization Organization 2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60 118 Style Style 1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65 125

13. Skills Question #s Poss. score Your score Usage/Mechanics Punctuation Punctuation 10, 11, 28, 32, 34, 50, 55, 63, 66 109 Grammar/ Grammar/ Usage Usage 4, 5, 6, 29, 46, 49, 56, 59, 70, 73 128 Sentence Sentence Structure Structure 7, 8, 12, 14, 16, 27, 33, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 52, 54, 57, 61, 68, 69 189 Rhetorical Skills Strategy Strategy 15, 18, 23, 26, 30, 35, 39, 41, 45 1210 Organization Organization 2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 31, 36, 60 118 Style Style 1, 3, 9, 22, 37, 38, 42, 53, 62, 65 125

14. The Basics: Reading 40 questions, 35 minutes –2 types of questions:  Referring: 35%ish –Questions that refer directly back to the text—you can “find” the answer in the text.  Reasoning: 65%ish –Questions that ask you to make inferences, draw conclusions, read between the lines. Stuff you can’t “find” in the text, but have to figure out yourself. –4 passages: one each of Social Studies, Natural Sciences, Fiction, and Humanities.

15. Reading: Looks like this: Looks like this: Example on page 34 of your ACT prep booklet. Example on page 34 of your ACT prep booklet.

17. Tips: Reading Some students skim questions first, some read passage first. Some students skim questions first, some read passage first. Read passage carefully or you won’t be able to answer reasoning Qs (65%!) Read passage carefully or you won’t be able to answer reasoning Qs (65%!) Write on the passage as you read-- activates more areas of your brain. Write on the passage as you read-- activates more areas of your brain. Fake interest. No, really. Fake interest. No, really.

18. How to Improve: Reading Same resources and methods as English— figure out which types of questions give you trouble, practice just those. Same resources and methods as English— figure out which types of questions give you trouble, practice just those. Read. A lot. Focus on nonfiction (you get enough fiction in English class). Newspapers, news magazines, etc. Read. A lot. Focus on nonfiction (you get enough fiction in English class). Newspapers, news magazines, etc.

19. Time to practice! Turn to page 14 in your booklet. Turn to page 14 in your booklet. Try questions 1-5. Feel free to talk them through with the person next to you if you wish. Try questions 1-5. Feel free to talk them through with the person next to you if you wish.