How to Answer ACT Reading Questions: 5 Step Guide (2023)

The reading portion of the ACT presents a challenge for many students because intense concentration is required to accurately answer the questions it containssuch a short time.It's difficult to get to the bottom of every problem quickly, but it's definitely a skill you can learn with practice. This guide presents an example-based, step-by-step process for interpreting the ACT reading questions and gives you a glimpse of some of the more nifty tricks the reading section has up its sleeve.

What is this guide and who is it for?

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to approach the ACT reading questions and determine exactly what they ask..Steps can also serve as hints themselves.You don't have to fill them all out for each question (mainly because the ACT is so quick and the questions are usually pretty easy), but I think soUnderstanding this process before the exam can help you overcome questions that initially confuse you.

The second part of the article lists some tricks the ACT reading department has up their sleeves.You must learn to recognize them in order to avoid careless mistakes.If you're struggling with the ACT reading section (or reading is generally not your forte), I encourage you to check out the steps and tips in this article.They give you a good confidence boost for the test!

Step by Step: How to break down the ACT reading questions

This is a comprehensive step-by-step process to help you understand and answer the ACT reading questions.This is the question I will use as an example:

Which of the following statements most clearly distinguishes between the "two ways" suggested by the author's assertion that "we cannot have it both ways" (line 54)?

ONE.Until recently, women weren't allowed to see the depths of Shakespeare, but nobody bothers to read Shakespeare anyway.
B.Women don't write as well as men because they're too busy being wives, but nobody bothers to read women writers.
C.Women haven't written as well as men because they haven't had the same educational opportunities, but there are many great women writers who don't get read.
D.Women have always had a wealth of Shakespearean plays, but they haven't had the kind of education required to appreciate Shakespeare.

Step 1: Quickly read the question (and relevant line numbers, if applicable)

Read the question first to get a more general idea of ​​what you're asking.ÖIn the ACT, many questions are clearly worded so you don't have to go through all the extra steps to interpret them.This should serve as a checkpoint to gauge how difficult the question is and how much time you'll need to analyze its meaning.

If you are given a line reference number, examine the line and paragraph in which it occurs to refresh your memory of the context.Here's the paragraph we need to revise for this question (line 54 is bold):

Because the fact is, we can't have both.wecannot at the same time take the line that women haveThey were not allowed the depth of education until recentlyExperience and experience to become Shakespeare at the same timeclaim that we really have an abundance ofShakespeare, if anyone has timethin

Now that you have a basic idea of ​​what you're looking for, let's get down to the basics (ew).

That's what I imagined while writing.last sentence (and that's what my facial expression looked like).

Step 2: Underline important terms and sentences

Let's start to see the heart of the matter.In this step you canUnderline the most important terms and phrases.This can include:

Words and phrases that point to the main idea or detailed questions:

• Continue
• Lisa
• conditions
• Paraphrase
• main point
• main purpose
• Stand point
• [number] paragraph
• EXCEPT THE LESS
• compare or contrast

Words and phrases that indicate conclusion questions:

• can be derived
• suggests
• it implies
• is destined to
• represent
• [cases] means

Words and phrases that express doubt about the author's/character's intention or feelings:

• lays down
• Indica
• illustrated
• distinguish between
• ([Character] or [Author]) feels
• could be characterized
• agree or disagree
• humor is empty

For the example question, these are the parts I want to highlight:

Which of the followingdiffers more clearlyBetween"two ways"suggested by the author's statement that "we cannot have both"(line 54)?

We know that for this question we are looking for a description of the contrast between the "two forms" quoted here.The function of selecting the correct answer(Difference between),the real subject of the question("two ways"),and the reference point in the passage(line 54) are key aspects of this problem that can be underlined for clarity.

Note: Don't underline a million things in the question. This step is useless if you don't emphasize certain parts. As a side note, anyone who overrates this book will end up extremely frustrated when attempting to study it later.

Step 2.5 - Rephrase question (if necessary)

This is an optional step that I suggest if you're still not sure you understand what the question is about.Since you've underlined the most important parts, you should be able to rephrase them in a way that's easier to digest.For the sample question it could look like this:

Which answer option describes the contrast between the “two ways” described by the author in the fifth paragraph?

At this point you have enough information to start thinking about possible answers.

Step 3: Consider the relevant evidence in the passage and predict the answer

Now that we know what the question is about, it's time to review the passage and see if we can make any predictions about the answer.EULook at the surrounding context, not just the line(s) mentioned in the question.Again, here is the paragraph we need to go through to find the answer to this question:

Because the fact is, we can't have both. wecannot at the same time take the line that women haveThey were not allowed the depth of education until recentlyExperience and experience to become Shakespeare at the same timeclaim that we really have an abundance ofShakespeare, if anyone has timethin

The incompatible “two ways” described in this paragraph are:

1.Women have not had the same educational opportunities as men, which explains why there are fewer famous women writers.

2.There are just as many female and male literary greats, but their works are ignored by society due to gender bias.

The possible answer sought will represent the incompatibility of these two views of the situation.wouldsomething like that:

*Writes a great piece of literature, only to find it has been spoiled beyond recognition by absurdly puffy dress sleeves*

Step 4: Eliminate wrong answer options

We know what we're looking for, so we can rule out three of the four possible answers:

Let's look at each of these options based on the information we've learned so far:

Option A can be ruled out since the "two ways" have nothing specifically to do with Shakespeare's works.Shakespeare is only mentioned as a representative of famous writers in general. While the first part of the answer almost fits one of the issues mentioned (women have no access to education), the second part doesn't work.

Option B is ruled out due to the first part of the sentence.The author says nothing about women being too busy being wives to create great literary works.

Option C looks correct based on our predictions.Check both the first statement (women didn't write as well because they didn't have the same educational opportunities as men) and the second statement (there are many great women writers out there, but nobody gives them a chance).

Option D can be ruled out as it focuses too much on the Shakespearean aspect of the author's testimony.As I said earlier, Shakespeare is simply used as a representative of all known and respected literary talent.

How do we know Shakespeare wasn't just a bearded lady? I can imagine shaving was harder back then and that's a handsome guy.

Step 5: Commit to a definitive answer

Based on our results in the previous step, it looks like option C is what we want.Before you pop it in the bubble, read the question and the last answer you chose to make sure it all makes sense and there are no oversights.It's always a good idea to double-check the question and answer before confirming so you don't miss anything!

Not so fast... Beware of these tricks

However, if you follow the steps in this article, don't fall for the ACT tricksGiven how fast the test is, you'll probably need to ask a few quick questions. If you don't pay close attention to what the question is asking and what the evidence is telling you, you could be in trouble.Be careful:

half correct answers

When the answer to a question consists of two or more parts, some of the options are often partially correct.This can be tricky because you might start reading an answer option, find that it matches what you predicted for the answer, and add it without realizing that part of it doesn't make sense.

This may have happened in the question we just answered.For option A, the first part of the answer made some sense, but we found that the second part was wrong and option C was actually the right answer.To avoid falling for this trick, read each part of each possible answer carefully before committing to your choice.

This looks like a good solid Roaaaaaaaaahhhhhh (metaphorical representation of what will happen if you don't read carefully)

Superfluous details (or too specific)

Sometimes the ACT likes to insert sneaky little false details into answers that seem correct at first glance.ask this questionExample:

Option F is the correct answer, although Option J may seem more specific and accurate if you don't look too closely into the details.Option J mentions stunning the spinal cord, which is a more detailed description of the process than Option F's generic "chemical release."However, their inclusion of the pituitary gland in the second part of the answer makes them wrong.

The chemicals "block pain signals in the spinal cord," but the pituitary gland is mentioned only when the passage states that stimulation of acupuncture points sends impulses there.The chemicals don't stop signals from being sent to the pituitary gland, so option J is wrong.In order not to fall inUse the elimination process to discard any answers that contain even the tiniest extra detail that doesn't make sense in the context of the passage.

I wonder how acupuncture was even discovered? The last thing I think about when trying to relieve the pain is to prick myself with tiny needles.

Ask LESS or EXCEPT

For some ACT questions, the answer will be NO.This is perhaps the most classic type of trick question. Here is an example:

Although the words "less" and "except" are capitalized, many students miss these key words because they don't read carefully enough.If you notice LESS or EXCEPT in a question, be the first to underline it.As you go through the answer options, clearly cross out each option that accurately reflects the information in the passage. These questions are usually easier if you don't get the trick wrong!

Objective truths (but inaccurate answers)

ACT likes to include answers in the reading section that might sound good to you as you skip to the questions.These answers contain actual facts or very reasonable assumptions that would seem like logical decisions if you didn't refer directly to the passage.Here is an example:

If you rush through this passage and just look at the question, you might be tempted by almost all of these options.

Option A contains a specific name that gives the impression of being directly related to the passage.Option B also seems logical at first glance. People in the 18th century were probably struck by the unusual weather because there wasn't much else to do.Option C is a bit odd, making it a less likely temptation, but still something you might think is plausibly true.

Here is the actual section of the section the question refers to:

Option D is the correct answer as it clearly explains the purpose of the citation in the context of the author's main point.But you can see how the "truthfulness" of the first options can confuse you if you don't read carefully.

ALWAYS be vigilant in your search for direct evidence.Just because something is true or logically taken out of context doesn't mean it's the answer you want!

Get ready for the best brainstorming session you can remember in ACT.

Conclusion

ACT questions can be difficult to read at times, so it's smart to have an effective way to review them before you take the test.Again, here are steps you can take to analyze and overcome challenging issues:

• Step 1:Quickly scan the question (and relevant line numbers, if any)
• Step 2:Underline important terms and phrases
• Step 2.5:rephrase the question
• Level 3:Consider the relevant evidence in the passage and predict the answer.
• Step 4:Delete incorrect answer options
• Step 5:Commit to a definitive answer

As you go through these steps, keep an eye out for ACT tricks that might confuse you.Examples include:

• half correct answers
• Superfluous details (or too specific)
• Ask LESS or EXCEPT
• Objective truth (but inaccurate answer)

that follow?

Want more tips? Check out oursDefinitive prep guide for reading files, which contains all the articles we've written on the subject.

If you're short on time, readthis article about studying for the ACTand (possibly) increase your score by 4 points in 10 days!

Practice tests are the most important study weapons to have in your arsenal.Learn how the ACT practice tests can improve your score in just 20 hours.