English Practice Test 1
Practice
Undergraduate College Admissions
ACT — American College Testing
The ACT is a standardised college admissions test widely accepted by all US universities and colleges. Following the phased rollout of the "Enhanced ACT" (completed for school-day administrations by spring 2026), the test now has three required sections — English, Mathematics, and Reading — with Science offered as an optional add-on that no longer counts toward the Composite score. An optional Writing section remains available. Scored on a 1–36 composite scale.
Free Practice Tests & Papers
3 availableExam Details & Pattern
Eligibility Criteria
- No formal eligibility requirements — the ACT is open to any student regardless of grade level, age, or nationality
- Primarily taken by US high school students in grades 10–12 applying to undergraduate programmes
- International students may register and take the ACT at approved international test centres worldwide
- There is no limit on the number of times a student may take the ACT; most students take it 2–3 times for score improvement
Marking Scheme & Pattern
English50 questions | 35 minutes | Tests: Production of Writing, Knowledge of Language, Conventions of Standard English (previously 75 questions / 45 minutes)
Mathematics45 questions | 50 minutes | Tests: Pre-Algebra through Trigonometry; now 4 answer choices per question instead of 5 (previously 60 questions / 60 minutes)
Reading36 questions | 40 minutes | 4 passages: Literary Narrative, Social Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences (previously 40 questions / 35 minutes)
Science (Optional)40 questions | 40 minutes | Tests: Data Representation, Research Summaries, Conflicting Viewpoints — no longer required and no longer counted in the Composite score; reported as a separate section score and combines with Math for an optional STEM score
Writing (Optional)1 essay prompt | 40 minutes | Scored 2–12 (does not affect composite score)
ScoringComposite score 1–36 = average of English, Math, and Reading scores only (Science excluded from Composite under the Enhanced ACT)
Negative MarkingNone — wrong answers do not penalise the score (guess freely)
Syllabus Overview
English
- Punctuation (commas
- apostrophes
- colons
- semicolons)
- Grammar & Usage (subject-verb agreement
- pronoun-antecedent
- verb tense
- modifiers)
- Sentence Structure (run-ons
- fragments
- parallelism)
- Rhetorical Skills: Strategy (relevance
- purpose
- audience)
- Organisation (transitions
- intro/conclusion
- paragraph order)
- Style (word choice
- tone
- conciseness
- redundancy)
Mathematics
- Pre-Algebra (fractions
- decimals
- percentages
- ratios
- integers
- exponents)
- Elementary Algebra (substitution
- properties of exponents
- factoring
- linear equations)
- Intermediate Algebra (quadratics
- absolute value
- sequences
- radical expressions
- complex numbers)
- Coordinate Geometry (slope
- distance
- midpoint
- linear/quadratic graphs
- conics)
- Plane Geometry (angles
- triangles
- quadrilaterals
- circles
- volume/area/perimeter
- proofs)
- Trigonometry (SOHCAHTOA
- unit circle
- trig identities
- equations)
Reading
- Literary Narrative / Prose Fiction: Character
- plot
- tone
- theme analysis
- Social Sciences (history
- economics
- sociology
- political science passages): Main idea
- author's purpose
- inference
- Humanities (art
- music
- architecture
- philosophy passages): Vocabulary in context
- comparative analysis
- Natural Sciences (biology
- chemistry
- physics
- earth science passages): Detail
- inference
- generalisation
Science Reasoning (Optional)
- Data Representation: Interpreting graphs
- tables
- charts
- and figures from scientific experiments
- Research Summaries: Evaluating experimental design
- hypotheses
- procedures
- and conclusions
- Conflicting Viewpoints: Analysing two or more scientists' differing explanations of the same phenomenon (covers Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Earth/Space Science). Since the Enhanced ACT rollout
- this section no longer counts toward the Composite score and is reported separately
Writing (Optional)
- Persuasive/analytical essay responding to a given societal/educational prompt with three provided perspectives
- Evaluated on: Ideas & Analysis
- Development & Support
- Organisation
- Language Use & Conventions
- Score 2–12 (does not impact composite score)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ACT Writing (Essay) section required for college admission?
The Writing section is optional. However, some colleges and universities require or recommend it for admission or academic placement. Students should check each target school's specific requirements. When in doubt, it is generally advisable to complete the Writing section.
What is the average ACT score in the USA?
The national average ACT composite score is approximately 19–20 out of 36. Competitive universities typically look for scores of 28–34+. For the most selective schools (top Ivy League, MIT, Stanford), the middle 50% of admitted students often score 34–36.
How many times can I take the ACT, and which score will colleges see?
There is no official limit on ACT attempts. With ACT's Score Choice policy, students can choose which test dates' scores to send to colleges. Most colleges accept the Superscore (highest section scores across multiple test dates combined into one composite), making multiple attempts strategically advantageous.
What is the difference between the ACT and the SAT?
Both are college admissions tests accepted by all US universities. Under the Enhanced ACT, the ACT's Composite score is based only on English, Math, and Reading, with Science offered as a separate optional section; the SAT has a stronger reading/evidence-based focus and no dedicated science section. The ACT allows calculators throughout Math; the SAT has a no-calculator math section. Neither penalises for wrong answers. Most students perform comparably on both — taking a practice test for each is recommended to find your best fit.
What is the "Enhanced ACT" and is Science still required?
The Enhanced ACT is a shorter, redesigned version of the test that rolled out in phases: national online Saturday testing from April 2025, all national Saturday testing (paper and digital) from September 2025, and school-day administrations from spring 2026. As of July 2026, all ACT test-takers sit the Enhanced format. Science is now optional — students can choose to add it for an extra fee, but it is no longer required and no longer factors into the 1–36 Composite score. Students who do take Science receive it as a separate section score and can also get a combined STEM score (Math + Science). Some colleges may still recommend or require Science scores, especially for STEM programmes, so it's worth checking target schools' requirements before deciding whether to add it.
