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Readers Wanted!

We need qualified people to read and score student essays for the ACT Writing Test.

Essay scoring takes place online, facilitated by an Electronic Performance Evaluation Network (ePEN) System designed by Pearson Educational Measurement. This means you can read and score essays anytime and from any personal workstation with an Internet connection.

Writing Test essays are scored at intervals throughout the year. Compensation will be performance based. Scorers can realize $12/hour or more based on a combination of performance indicators, including quality and rate.

Prospective applicants will have the following qualifications:

A bachelor's degree or higher
Current teaching experience (preferred)
Experience teaching high school English to juniors and seniors (preferred)
U.S. citizenship, resident alien status, or authorized to work in the U.S.
Reside in the U.S.

I am interested in becoming a reader for the ACT Writing Test.

ACT Writing Test Scoring, Tips, and Strategies

This prep guide will arm you with tips and strategies to ace the ACT Writing Test and explain the scoring methodology. The ACT Writing Test is an optional fifth and final section of the ACT college admissions exam. Students are allotted 40-minutes to write an argumentation-style essay based off of a controversial topic and 3 different points of views. The ACT Writing Test differs from the other portions of the ACT in three important ways:

It is optional. Different postsecondary institutions have different needs. Some require an ACT writing test score to make acceptance and/or course placement decisions, while others do not. If you know that the postsecondary institutions to which you are applying do not require ACT writing scores, you can choose to opt out. Otherwise, it is highly recommended that you take the ACT Writing Test.
It is a written test. Unlike the other four sections of the ACT, which are multiple-choice, the writing test requires you to produce a handwritten essay. Exceptions are available only for approved students with diagnosed disabilities.
It is scored differently. Because the ACT Writing Test is optional, it is scored separately from the other sections and does not affect your ACT composite score (out of 36). Unlike multiple-choice questions, which have right (and wrong) answers, written essays are scored using a rubric . Each ACT writing test is graded by two different readers, who give the essay a score between 1 and 6 in four areas. The two readers’ scores are averaged, and the test receives a final score between 2 and 12.

This article provides an overview of the ACT Writing Test including tips and strategies plus sample essays for the 2020 Official ACT Practice Test. Click here to see all of our free ACT answer explanations including sample Writing Test essays.

Looking for more general ACT study advice? You might like our articles on How to Improve Your ACT Score and ACT Test Strategies . Need winning strategies for the other ACT sections? Check out all of the articles in our series of ACT strategy guides:

ACT English Strategies
ACT Math Strategies
ACT Reading Strategies
ACT Science Strategies
ACT Writing Strategies (this article)

Format of the ACT Writing Test

You will have 40 minutes to complete the writing portion of the ACT. The test consists of one writing prompt that will describe a complex issue and present three different perspectives on that issue. You will then be asked to write an argumentative essay about that issue. Each test’s topic is different, but all students who take that test will write about the same topic.

The test always begins with a brief description of an issue of wide relevance to modern society, like this one from the free official 2020 practice test :

Then, the test presents a set of three possible perspectives on that issue.

Finally, the test presents students with their writing task. This task is always the same; the only portion of the prompt that the ACT changes for each test is the phrase that comes after “Write a unified, coherent essay about . . .”

Remember that you have only 40 minutes to familiarize yourself with the prompt, plan your essay, and write it out. It is recommended that you take no more than 10 minutes to plan your essay, so that you have the rest of the time to write and review it. The test booklet includes blank pages for you to use when planning your essay. These blank pages are not scored; only the lined pages on which you write your essay will be scored.

How the ACT Writing Test is Scored

Because the writing test does not have “right” or “wrong” answers, it is graded differently than the other parts of the ACT. Your essay will be scored by two trained readers (humans), who will compare your writing to the standards of the ACT Writing rubric. The readers will then score your essay on a scale of 1-6 in four different areas, called “domains.”

The four domains are:

Ideas and Analysis,
Development and Support,
Organization, and
Language Use and Conventions.

You will receive a total of five scores for the ACT Writing Test :

a score from 2-12 in each of the four domains (the sum of the readers’ scores)
a single overall score, also from 2-12, found by averaging the four domain scores

In the example below, you can see how the readers’ original scores translate to the final scores the student received.

Although it is not common, sometimes the readers’ scores differ by more than a point. In those cases, a third reader will evaluate the essay to resolve the discrepancy.

How to Get the Highest Domain Scores

Now, let’s take a closer look at the four domains to see what makes each one distinct, and what you should be focused on to excel in each.

Your essay should have a clear and focused thesis.
Use your thesis to consider at least two of the provided perspectives
Don’t just state simple agreement or disagreement with perspectives, fully explore the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Use specific examples to illustrate larger ideas. Clearly explain why the examples are relevant.
Each new idea you introduce should build on previous ideas, and deepen the support for your thesis.
On a large scale, you should have an introduction (with thesis), several body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
On a smaller scale, your body paragraphs should include topic sentences and move from more general arguments to the use of specific examples.
All information about the same idea(s) should be grouped together.
Use proper spelling and grammar; if you feel comfortable doing so, include sentences with a variety of punctuation.
Try not to be repetitive with your word choices—but remember that spicing things up with too many “big words” can also sound artificial.
When possible, vary your sentence length and structure.
Your writing should be professional: don’t use slang or casual abbreviations.

The ACT Writing Test rubric offers a detailed description of what you need to do in each domain to earn each possible score (1-6). You should familiarize yourself with the rubric, and refer to it often when preparing to make sure that you are on track to receive your desired score.

Tips and Strategies for the ACT Writing Test

You’ve been practicing and preparing, and now it’s Test Day! Try to follow these easy steps to ensure maximum success:

1. Remember, the test is predictable

Before you’ve even seen the test, you know what the format will look like and what you will be asked to do.
Even the perspectives are (broadly) predictable: one will argue in favor of the topic, and one will argue against; the third is usually a mixed perspective or a different argument for or against.

2. Make a pro/con list for each perspective

Once you have read the prompt, make a pro/con list for each perspective.
What are the strengths of each argument? What are possible counterarguments?
List some concrete examples you could use to support (or refute) each perspective?

3. Use your list to pick your perspective .

You should pick the one for which you most easily came up with supporting evidence and examples.
Remember, there is no “right” answer to pick and you will be graded only on the effectiveness of your argument.
While you can come up with your own original perspective, unless you have a very clear idea, it is advisable to just choose one of the three provided.

4. Write your thesis and outline your essay.

Now that you’ve chosen your perspective, write your thesis out as a complete sentence. Refer to it when you’re planning your essay.
Start outlining: the first and last paragraphs will be your introduction and conclusion—easy!
One possible outline: write one paragraph about each perspective. If you choose this outline, start with the paragraph in support of your chosen perspective, then move on to the other two, explaining why each is wrong.
Another possible outline: write a few paragraphs, with different examples, showing multiple ways why your perspective is correct, and one paragraph explaining why the others are wrong. This is a good strategy if your thesis is supported by two of the perspectives.

5. W rite your essay !

Use the outline and your pro/con brainstorm to write your essay.
Make sure your introduction leads to the thesis statement you already wrote.
Use topic sentences in your body paragraphs and transitions when introducing examples and starting/ending paragraphs.

6. R e-read what you wrote .

Correct any spelling and grammar mistakes.
Double-check that you aren’t unintentionally repeating words, especially modifiers like really and very .

Congratulations—you’ve finished your essay! When you get your scores back, you can see what areas you did well in, and where, if any, you should focus for the next time.

Preparing for the ACT Writing Test

The ACT offers many suggestions to prepare for the writing test , but here are a few key strategies:

Read and write often and in a diverse variety of styles. The more familiar you are with the process of reading something and writing a response to it, the easier it will be to do so in a test setting. Because of the unique format of the ACT Writing Test, it is recommended that you pay attention to current events and social issues (the Op-Ed pages of newspapers are a great resource).
Replicate the testing experience . In addition to improving your writing skills, you should also make sure that you are familiar and comfortable with the format and structure of the ACT Writing Test. Take timed practice tests like those found on Piqosity to prepare for test day.
Get feedback on your writing . Because your ACT essay will be scored by two outside readers, it is a good idea to have other people read and comment on your writing. You could ask your teachers or parents, or work with a tutor to improve the effectiveness of your writing. The score you receive on the ACT Writing Test is based on a rubric , which you should refer to often. Finally, it can be helpful to study sample essay answers, like those found below, to understand what successful (and less successful) essays look like.

View answer explanations and sample essay prompts to official ACT practice tests , and use Piqosity to practice the ACT Writing Test.

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Your ACT Scoring Guide for 2024

Act scoring: your complete guide for 2024.

Bonus Material: ACT Score Ranges for 499 Colleges

How does ACT scoring work?

Can you superscore the ACT? What does it take to get a “good” ACT score?

If you’re starting your ACT test prep, you’ve probably asked at least one of these questions.

The ACT is a vastly different test than the SAT, the other college entrance exam. It has different sections and time constraints. It especially has a different scoring system, which can feel foreign to first-time test-takers.

We’re here to break down everything you need to know about ACT scoring in 2022 so you can jump into this test feeling confident and prepared.

We also give readers access to the ACT Score Ranges for the top 499 U.S. colleges and universities, a great resource for those establishing their target ACT scores. Grab this below.

Download ACT Score Ranges for 499 Colleges

Here’s what we cover in this post:

How the ACT is Scored

Which Scores Matter Most to Colleges in 2022

Superscoring the ACT
What Counts as a Good ACT Score for 2022
ACT and SAT Score Comparison
Bonus: ACT Score Ranges for 499 Colleges

ACT Scoring 101

The ACT has 5 sections, in this order:

Essay ( optional )

Every section except the ACT essay is scored on a scale of 1-36. 1 is the lowest score you can achieve on an individual section, while 36 is the highest score possible.

Students also receive an ACT total score, called the composite score . This is the average of the scores received on the four required ACT sections.

Take a look at this sample student ACT score report to see this scoring system in action.

Here, the student’s composite score of 21 is the average of the student’s individual ACT section scores (19, 18, 24, and 23). If this average equates to a decimal, such as 20.8, ACT will round to the nearest whole number , which would be 21 in this case.

What about the ACT Essay score?

The student’s ACT essay (also referred to as Writing) scores do not impact their ACT composite score and fall on a range of 2-12. This number is the sum of two essay readers’ scores, which are assigned in 4 domains:

Ideas & Analysis
Development & Support
Organization
Language Use & Conventions

You can find the detailed rubric that ACT essay readers use here .

If you do not take the ACT essay, you will not see a score reported in the “Writing” column. Nor will you see an English Language Arts (ELA) score.

What are ranks?

As you can see in the sample ACT score report above, reports also include information about a student’s “ranking” in the U.S. and that student’s home state. These are approximate percentages of recent grads who have taken the ACT in the U.S. and your state and achieved the same score as you or lower.

The ACT offers these rankings for your composite score, individual section scores, and STEM/ELA scores.

These rankings can be helpful from an assessment perspective. But when it comes to the numbers colleges care about, they aren’t as essential.

What are college readiness benchmarks?

Your score report will also show how your scores relate to what ACT calls “College Readiness Benchmarks,” indicated by a purple line within each scoring column. These are scoring benchmarks designed to predict success in college-level courses.

In this sample score report, the student is below these benchmarks for Math and Science. She is above the benchmarks for English and Reading.

Here are the benchmark ACT scores for college readiness as of 2022:

English: 18
Math: 22
Reading: 22
Science: 23

How does ACT calculate my score per section?

Every ACT section has different content and different numbers of questions. So how does ACT boil each down to a number on a scale of 1-36?

Basically, they’ll tally up the number of questions you got correct on a section, called your raw score . They then convert these raw scores for each section to a number between 1-36 using a specific scaled conversion table, like the one below.

If you got 31 questions correct on the ACT Science section of this test, for example, this would yield a 26 sectional score. 50 correct questions on ACT Math on this test equates to a 30.

Is a 36 on one ACT exactly the same as a 36 on another ACT?

Not necessarily.

No two ACTs are alike. They will vary in difficulty, so ACT uses a process called “equating” to balance these discrepancies. The company doesn’t say much about what goes into the equating process, but we can see it at work if we look at sections from the raw score conversion charts for 2 official ACT practice tests.

ACT Scoring_Raw to Scaled Score Conversion_Table1

To get a 30 on ACT English on Practice Test #1, a student must get 65 questions correct. But to get a 30 on ACT English on Practice Test #2, a student has to ace 66 questions.

This might seem like a subtle difference, but take a look at Math. 49 Math questions correct on Practice Test #1 yields a 30, while 51 equates to a 30 on Practice Test #2.

These differences can add up!

Can you predict when ACT will administer an “easy” test?

Nope. While taking the test, you might be able to sense if a section feels harder or easier than other official practice tests.

But there’s no viable way to predict an “easy” ACT. What’s more, an “easy” ACT does not necessarily equate to an easy perfect score! Easier sections often require students to get more questions correct to earn a higher score.

What scores will colleges prioritize when they look at your score report? Your composite? Each section score? Your Essay score? Your ACT rankings?

In a nutshell, colleges are going to care most about your ACT composite score . But they will also likely place a heavy emphasis on your ACT section scores.

That’s why we encourage students to work on maximizing their scores in all 4 sections of the ACT. Doing so will also positively impact their composite score, as the composite is the average of all 4 section scores.

Schools have different policies regarding how they assess ACT Essay scores. Because fewer and fewer schools are requiring the ACT Essay, it’s safe to say that most schools will only assess these Essay scores for advising purposes (if at all).

You can learn more about how specific colleges on your list review ACT score reports by checking out what they have to say about standardized tests on their websites.

Bates College , for example, while test-optional, actually specifies the Middle 50% of successful applicants’ test scores on its website. It also states that it superscores the ACT and SAT, which we discuss in the next section.

We’ve compiled the ACT score ranges of successful applicants to the top 499 U.S. colleges and universities in one easy-to-read document! Download a copy below.

Can You Superscore the ACT?

Yes! The ACT recently launched superscoring . Superscoring allows ACT test-takers to count their highest section and composite scores as official scores. Colleges ultimately have the final say in how they review these scores, but superscoring can be a valuable tool for students who plan on taking the ACT at least twice.

As we saw with Bates College above, many colleges already have their own superscoring policies in place.

They should elaborate on their website what these policies look like, which can vary widely. Some require submission of all test scores, for example, while others might only consider the highest scores submitted.

Here’s what Stanford says about superscoring on its website:

To make the most of superscoring opportunities, students should plan on taking the ACT at least twice.

Some students worry that taking the ACT two or three times may reflect badly on their college applications. This couldn’t be farther from the truth!

Most students take the ACT at least twice, and many experience a score increase the second or third time around. There is no evidence to suggest that taking the ACT more than once impacts the college admissions decision.

What is a Good ACT Score for 2022?

Most students assume that because 36 is the highest possible ACT score (both composite and individual), it’s a “good” ACT score.

Yet while a 36 will definitely add a competitive edge to an application, anything less than a 36 isn’t necessarily a bad ACT score.

In fact, it all comes down to how you define a “good” ACT score . We have 2 definitions for this.

“Good” is anything that is “above average” with sectional scores and percentile rankings
“Good” is anything that will look competitive on a college application

Let’s start with the first definition.

Good ACT Score #1: The “Above Average” ACT Score

ACT regularly releases a “National Norms” report for ACT scores . This includes data from all ACT test scores reported for the 2023-2024 period (although these scores could be from 2021, 2022, and 2023 class graduates).

The most recent National Norms ACT Report includes the average section and composite scores of those reported between 2022 and 2023.

Here’s what they are:

Using the first definition of a “good” ACT score, a composite score of 20 or higher on the ACT could be considered a competitive score for 2023.

At the very least, we encourage students who are new to the ACT to aim for a target score that is above national averages, on individual sections and the whole test itself.

This would mean establishing a goal score of the following on each section:

Of course, your starting score may be higher than a composite of 21, so we also recommend that students start with a diagnostic ACT to see where they currently stand.

Good ACT Score #2: The College Competitive ACT Score

Of course, scoring above-average on the ACT is just one interpretation of what it means to do well on the test.

In the context of college entrance, one student’s “good” ACT score could be vastly different than another student’s. It just comes down to where you are applying and the average ACT scores of admitted applicants.

So, we like to say that, under this definition, a ‘good ACT score’ is the one that is right for you given your college aspirations. This will probably be close to the ACT scores of admitted applicants.

Plenty of universities specify ACT score ranges of successful applicants on their websites (although some are not public with this information).

Most do so by specifying the ‘Middle 50,’ or the 25th and 75th percentile of accepted students’ ACT scores.

Here’s a sampling of the Middle 50s from various elite institutions:

Source : The National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS (2019)

And here are the Middle 50s of ACT score ranges of successful applicants to the top 499 U.S. colleges and universities.

If the colleges on your list do not specify these score ranges on their websites, you can check out the Common Data Set, an effort to give clear, relevant information to everyone involved in the college admissions process about universities’ “institutional priorities.”

What are institutional priorities? These refer to what a college cares about when it’s admitting an incoming class.

The Common Data Set for Princeton University , for example, contains information about the university’s enrollment, admissions, financial aid, and more. A school’s CDS should also include details about test scores of admitted applicants, as Princeton’s shows here:

Princeton’s CDS also breaks down ACT scores into 25th and 75th percentiles. You can use these percentiles to understand competitive scores of admitted applicants.

For example, one can safely conclude based on this CDS that 50% of admitted applicants to Princeton in 2022-2023 had ACT composite scores ranging from 34 to 35.

SAT and ACT Score Comparison

How do ACT scores compare to SAT scores?

The two college entrance exams are pretty different. But it is possible to figure out what an ACT score generally aligns with on the SAT, and vice versa.

In fact, in 2018, ACT and the CollegeBoard completed what’s called a “Concordance Study,” which examined the relationship between ACT scores and SAT scores. ACT emphasizes that this study does not “equate scores” but can be a “helpful tool for finding comparable scores.”

Translation: It’s impossible to pinpoint exact equivalences, but it is possible to approximate.

Here is one of the score comparison tables that resulted from this study, which compares ACT Composites to SAT Composites. Notice how this table also includes an “SAT Range,” designed to compensate for fluctuations in test difficulty.

ACT also has a digital tool on its website that allows for quick score comparison calculations:

Ideally, students should choose one test to prepare for as they plan their college application journey. All U.S. colleges accept both tests equally. Not sure which test is the best fit for you? We can help .

Download ACT Score Ranges of 499 Colleges

Curious about what ACT score you need to get into your dream school?

We’ve compiled the ACT score ranges of successful applicants to the top 499 U.S. colleges in one simple document, which you can download for free below!

Here’s what you’ll get with this handy resource:

Middle 50 ACT composite scores for the top 499 U.S. colleges and universities
Middle 50 ACT sectional scores for English and Math
Admit rate for each college
All based on the most recent available data (2019)

Kate is a graduate of Princeton University. Over the last decade, Kate has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., act reading strategies to boost your score.

The ACT is different from the tests you take in school, so you need to approach it differently, too. Learn what types of Reading Test questions and passages you’ll actually face, and the strategies that will help you score higher.

What’s on the ACT Reading Test?

There are four ACT reading passages of about 800 words each, always in this order:

prose fiction
social science
natural science

After each passage, you’ll answer 10 questions that test you on what was directly stated as well as what meanings were implied in the text.

How to Tackle the ACT Reading Test

Now that you know what to expect, here are six ACT reading strategies that will help you approach any passage:

1. Choose Your Own Adventure

On the ACT Reading Test, you only have 35 minutes to answer 40 questions. To earn your best possible reading score, you have to invest your time where it will do the most good. Always choose your own order, working first the passages that are easiest for you and leaving for last the most difficult. Learn more ACT strategies for working questions out of order.

2. Get Plenty of ACT Reading Practice

The best way to determine which categories you tend to ace is through repeated practice tests. Do you consistently do the best on social science? What types of questions do you find easy or difficult? Try some ACT reading practice or take a full-length ACT practice test .

3. Read the Questions First

Reading actively means knowing in advance what you’re going to read. So, before you start in on the passage, take a look at the questions. You’ll know what important details to look for, and you won’t waste time on details that never appear in a question.

4. Keep Moving

If you read something you don’t understand, do not reread it. Just keep going, and worry about it later only if you have to. Learn more about finding the right ACT pacing for you.

5. Look for Transition Words

Transition words are like road signs. They show you the route, direct you to a detour, and get you back on the path of the main idea.

6. Don't Panic if You Don't Know the Word

In some questions, you’ll have to determine the meaning of a word or phrase as it’s used in context. Most of these questions use relatively common words, but their meaning in the passage can be figurative more than literal. If the question asks you about an unfamiliar word, try to come up with your own word that fits the context, and then use process of elimination on the answers. If you can’t eliminate three choices, guess from what’s left and move on.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, act writing tips: 15 strategies to raise your essay score.

ACT Strategies , ACT Writing

Whether you've never thought about ACT Writing strategies or have worked hard on the ACT essay, you can benefit from knowing more: about the essay itself, and what really matters when the graders are reading your essay.

In this article, we offer a number of ACT Writing tips as well as a foolproof template for putting them into practice.

ACT Essay Tips

The ACT essay is a very short assignment—you only get 40 minutes to write a full-fledged essay—and it can pass in a flash if you don't have a method for attacking it. It requires a very specific approach that's unlike the essays you've been writing for English class.

The goal of this approach is to cram in as many of the desired components as possible in the 40 minutes that you've got for the essay. We'll give you the four main elements the ACT asks for, the top three things they don't tell you, and a bulletproof template for your ACT Writing essay format. Here we go!

What ACT, Inc. Does Tell You: 4 Elements to Remember

ACT, Inc. explains the main components of the successful ACT Essay in its scoring criteria . Here they are, condensed and explained:

#1: Ideas & Analysis: A 12-scoring essay includes "an argument that critically engages with multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument's thesis reflects nuance and precision in thought and purpose. The argument establishes and employs an insightful context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. The analysis examines implications, complexities and tensions, and/or underlying values and assumptions."

In other words, answer the question that's in the prompt, make it very, very clear what your perspective is and analyze how your perspective relates to at least one other perspective .

Ideas and Analysis is the hardest domain to master; it's tough to do everything you need to do well at all, much less in 40 minutes. The main thing is that you want to show that you understand as many sides of the issue as possible. You can do this by discussing those sides of the issue, why people might have those opinions, and whether those opinions are logical or not.

It's fine to copy the exact words from the prompt into your thesis statement—in fact, this guarantees that the graders will see that your thesis is there and on topic. You must, however, make it obvious which side you are arguing for . If you can, it's great to put the argument in terms of a larger debate—we'll discuss that later.

#2: Development & Support : In a 12-scoring essay, "[d]evelopment of ideas and support for claims deepen insight and broaden context. An integrated line of skillful reasoning and illustration effectively conveys the significance of the argument. Qualifications and complications enrich and bolster ideas and analysis."

Development & Support is another area that can be hard for students to grasp. The bottom line is that you need to fully explain every point you make. If you don't have time to explain it in two to four sentences, leave it out (unless it's the only way you can get in a comparison of your perspective with another perspective). Make sure to either explain your thinking and reasoning or use specific examples to illustrate your points.

#3: Organization : A 12-scoring essay "exhibits a skillful organizational strategy. The response is unified by a controlling idea or purpose, and a logical progression of ideas increases the effectiveness of the writer's argument. Transitions between and within paragraphs strengthen the relationships among ideas."

In short, you need to give each idea one to two paragraphs. If a logical organization for your points occurs to you (for example, if Point 1 depends on Point 2, you'd put Point 2 first), use it. If not, just list your points, allotting a paragraph for each one. A transition that reflects your logic just means tying one point to another somehow, and this is ideal.

The ACT essay scoring system won't penalize you too heavily for a "First, Second, Third" type of organization, so if you just say "My first reason…," and "Second…," that's better than no transitions. The intro and conclusion should make the same general points, and if you mention a larger context in the intro, mention it again in the conclusion.

#4: Language Use: A 12-scoring essay uses language in a way that "enhances the argument. Word choice is skillful and precise. Sentence structures are consistently varied and clear. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are strategic and effective. While a few minor errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics may be present, they do not impede understanding."

Language Use can be the hardest area for students to improve in (particularly if English is not their native language). "Word choice is skillful and precise" does include using fancy vocabulary, but it also means not repeating yourself and using the advanced vocabulary correctly. The essay graders aren't going to be impressed by words like "dogmatic" and "provincial" if you just throw them in and hope for the best; if you're not sure about the usage of a more advanced word, stick with the simpler one.

Using "consistently varied and clear" sentence structures doesn't just mean not starting every sentence the same way (e.g. "Machines are helpful to humans. Machines can also cause problems. Machines are the answer to our future"). You also need to make sure your sentences are clear and further your logic (rather than making it more difficult to understand). As with word choice (and organization), it's better to be clear than to be fancy.

If in the moment you find that your brain freezes and your sentences are all coming out the same with simple words, don't sweat it. Adding in more advanced vocabulary or switching up sentence structures is something you can fix when you revise your essay in the last two to four minutes of the essay section.

What ACT, Inc. Doesn't Tell You: 3 Secrets

Even though the ACT essay has some clear published guidelines, there are a few secrets that most students don't know and that can give you a major advantage on the test.

These are facts that ACT, Inc. doesn't want to be too well-known because it helps us develop ACT Writing strategies that may give us an edge over people who haven't prepared.

#1: You Don't Need to Know the Facts

You can make up whatever information you need to support your point. Really. As with the tip above, if you know the real facts, that's great (since the grader will probably know them too), but it's not required.

This might sound crazy. You could write about how Al Gore invented the dishwasher, and the ACT graders are not allowed to penalize you. Why is this?

ACT, Inc. doesn't have the resources to do fact-checking on every single essay. With over a million students taking the test every year, graders only have a few minutes to put a score of 1-6 to each of the four essay scoring domains. They can't check whether Martin Luther King was born in 1929 or 1925.

Thus, ACT essay scoring uses a simpler rule—all statements are taken as truth. The important point is that the evidence needs to support your thesis.

(Of course, ACT, Inc. doesn't want people to know about this—that would make the ACT essay sound silly.)

If you're short on examples to prove a point, make up something realistic-sounding (you can even pretend a newspaper or politician said something they didn't), and slap it in there. It's much better than trying to write a vague paragraph without concrete evidence.

#2: You Should Write More Than a Page

This is one of the most important ACT Writing tips. There is a strong relationship between essay length and score—the longer your essay, the better your score. In a short essay, it's difficult for you to develop your points well enough to earn a decent score.

Really, you should write a page and a half if at all possible. Although ACT, Inc. never explicitly mentions that length matters in ACT essay scoring , it does. And if you can write more than a page and a half without repeating yourself or digressing from your point, you'll be in really good shape.

#3: Your First Paragraph and Conclusion Matter More Than the Middle

The introduction and conclusion are the "bookends" of the essay: they hold it together and are guaranteed to be read more closely than the rest of the essay.

ACT graders have to read a lot of essays very quickly, and they give most of them a 3 or a 4 in each domain. The fastest way for them to score an essay is to find the thesis (to make sure that it's there, that it answers the prompt, and that the rest of the essay supports it) and then skim the first and last paragraphs.

Here's why: if a student's introduction and conclusion paragraphs are well-written and logical, it's likely the rest of the essay will be too. By reading these parts, the grader can usually tell with confidence what the score will be. They'll scan the middle to make sure it makes sense, but they probably won't read every word as closely.

On the other hand, if you don't have time to write an introduction or conclusion, you will be heavily penalized. It'll be hard to score above an 8 without an introduction and conclusion, particularly if you don't make your thesis, or point of view, clear in the first paragraph. This might be the most important ACT essay tip we can give you.

A strong ACT writing strategy includes preparing enough time to write and revise your introduction and conclusion paragraphs, as we explain below.

Key Strategy: How to Write A Successful ACT Essay in 40 Minutes

Because you only have 40 minutes to write the ACT essay, you need to have a game plan before you start the test. Here's a step by step guide on how to write an effective ACT essay.

Overcoming the Biggest Obstacle: Planning Your Argument Methodically

One of the things that students often find hardest about the essay is quickly thinking of support for the thesis. But it can be done in a simple, methodical way, which we explain below. Let's start with a sample prompt.

Intelligent Machines

Many of the goods and services we depend on daily are now supplied by intelligent, automated machines rather than human beings. Robots build cars and other goods on assembly lines, where once there were human workers. Many of our phone conversations are now conducted not with people but with sophisticated technologies. We can now buy goods at a variety of stores without the help of a human cashier. Automation is generally seen as a sign of progress, but what is lost when we replace humans with machines? Given the accelerating variety and prevalence of intelligent machines, it is worth examining the implications and meaning of their presence in our lives.

Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about the increasing presence of intelligent machines.

Perspective One: What we lose with the replacement of people by machines is some part of our own humanity. Even our mundane daily encounters no longer require from us basic courtesy, respect, and tolerance for other people.

Perspective Two: Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone.

Perspective Three: Intelligent machines challenge our long-standing ideas about what humans are or can be. This is good because it pushes both humans and machines toward new, unimagined possibilities.

Write a unified, coherent essay about the increasing presence of intelligent machines. In your essay, be sure to:

clearly state your own perspective on the issue and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective
develop and support your ideas with reasoning and examples
organize your ideas clearly and logically
communicate your ideas effectively in standard written English

Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different.

In the prompt above, the ACT gives you three viewpoints so that you have a starting point for ideas to consider in your discussion of various perspectives. But you'll need to elaborate on these as well. Let's look at the viewpoints this prompt gives us.

Conservative: "Intelligent machines lead to problems, which is bad."
Utilitarian: "Intelligent machines allow us to be more efficient, which is good."
Progressive: "Intelligent machines lead to progress, which is good."

Supporting each viewpoint is a slew of possible reasons, and these are what you want to lay out clearly in your essay. You can, of course, choose any side of the argument, but one is usually easier to argue than the other (because it is opposite the other two given perspectives, which gives you more opportunity to compare and contrast).

For this prompt, it's easier to argue against intelligent machines than to argue for their efficiency or progress, so we'll look at potential support for the "conservative" argument, which is that "Intelligent machines lead to problems."

To argue against any change, we can point out its assumptions and how they are false, or its consequences and how they are bad:

it assumes that machines lead to progress [assumption made by perspective 3]
it assumes that machines allow us to be more efficient [assumption made by perspective 2]
it assumes that the benefits machines give to us outweigh the negatives
it could lead to progress in some areas, but also to new problems caused by that progress
it could let us be more efficient in some ways, but end up creating more
it would hurt us more than it would help because people would end up becoming less courteous and respectful to and tolerant of other people [perspective 1]

This method works for any argument. If you find yourself supporting the proposal in the prompt, like that a right to avoid health risks is a more important freedom than the right to do whatever you want, then you just need to think of ways it would be positive. That can be much simpler. But you can still use the assumptions-and-consequences method above for the paragraph in which you address at least one other perspective.

The Golden Essay Template

This is a tried and true structure for earning a great score on the ACT essay. Just by following this template and keeping in mind the ACT writing tips above, you're pretty much guaranteed a 6 or higher out of 12. Do a decent job and you'll easily get an 8 or higher. Here are a few real ACT prompts to keep in mind as we go through the steps:

Intelligent machines : they're not good, they're good and practical, or they're good and lead to progress.
Public health and individual freedom : freedom is more important than physical health, society should strive for the greatest good for the most people, or the right to avoid health risks is more important than individual freedom.

Time: 8-10 minutes

#1 : Decide on your thesis , choosing one of the three sides. You can try to form your own, fourth perspective, but since you have to compare your perspective with at least one other perspective, you might as well argue for one of given perspectives and save some time for writing.

#2 : Quickly brainstorm two or three reasons or examples that support your thesis.

#3 : Brainstorm counterarguments for or analyses of at least one other perspective and your responses.

#4 : Organize your essay. Make sure you order your points in a way that makes sense.

#5 : Check your time . Try to have 30 minutes left at this point so you have enough time to write. If you don't, just keep in mind that you might have to cut out one of your supporting points.

Time: 25-28 minutes

Write your introduction. If you can think of an interesting first sentence that brings your thesis into a larger discussion (say, of how intelligent machines have changed the way people interact with each other), start with that.
Narrow down from the larger context to your specific response to the question (your thesis), which should be at or near the end of the first paragraph.
It can be helpful to the reader to have your reasons and examples "previewed" in the introduction if it fits in well.

#2: Paragraph 2: Transitions & Opposing Perspective.

When you start paragraph 2, try to think of a first sentence that refers back to the first paragraph.
"In contrast to [my perspective], some people claim that [other perspective]…" is a simple example of an effective way to transition into the second paragraph. If you're arguing for perspective one for the intelligent machines prompt, for instance, you'd replace the first part of the sentence with, "In contrast to the assumption that intelligent machines will inevitably lead to problems," and replace [other perspective] with the perspective you're comparing to your own.
Then, address a perspective opposing yours and why its supporters are wrong or misguided. In the example about intelligent machines above (where we've chosen to argue Perspective 1), you could argue against perspective 2 or 3 (or some other clearly defined perspective) in this paragraph.

#3: Body Paragraphs (those remaining before the conclusion):

Introduce your first reason or example in support of the perspective you'll be discussing.
In 3-5 sentences, explain your reasoning as to how this perspective relates to your own (using explanations of your thinking or specific examples to support the point).
Connect your example to the thesis and then state that it supports your thesis.
Check your time . Try to have 7 minutes left by this point.

#4: Conclusion

(Optional) Relate your two or three examples back to your thesis. Add one or two sentences if you want.
End with a restatement of your thesis or a return to your first lines to wrap up the essay.

Time: 2-4 minutes

Hopefully, you still have 2-4 minutes to read over your essay. In this time, you can do several things.

#1: You can, of course, correct mistakes.

#2: You can replace dull words with fancier words.

#3: You can make sure that your introduction and conclusion "match" by stating the same thesis (in different words, of course).

Notice the two time-checking steps (in the Planning and the Body Paragraphs stages). It's very easy to get caught in the planning stage and run out of time on your actual essay, which is easy to avoid if you practice checking your time.

If you have to make a choice between explaining a perspective or writing a conclusion paragraph, always choose the explanation. You can get by with a short sentence for a conclusion as long as you have a clear thesis in your introduction, but if you leave out the analysis of the relationship between your perspective and one of the ACT's perspectives in your essay, you'll lose a lot of points.

Now you practice. Print out the template above, consult our ACT Essay Prompts Article (or think of any controversial issue in the world today), and get to work. You may find that many issues can be argued using the same reasoning or examples.

For instance, the argument that the benefits of the changes happening in the world don't necessarily outweigh the problems they create can apply to many of the new ACT prompts. You can research concrete information to support this kind of useful argument, like a newspaper article about how the Industrial Revolution led to increased environmental destruction.

More like Industrial Re-POLL-ution, am I right?

Remember: the more you practice, the easier it gets, as you learn how to reuse information to suit different purposes and your brain becomes used to thinking in this way.

What's Next?

Read more about the new ACT Writing Test and how to score a perfect score on your ACT essay .

Want more in-depth guides? Check out our step-by-step guide to writing top-scoring ACT essay as well as a complete breakdown of the new ACT Writing Scoring Rubric .

Hungry for more practice ACT Writing prompts? Look no further than our article containing links to all the freely available official ACT Writing prompts that have been released so far, as well as bonus prompts I constructed.

Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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Making Literary Analysis Engaging With Student-Created Companion Books

Literary analysis is rarely students’ favorite task, but having them write for their peers can make it more engaging.

Illustration of student running on book infinity symbol

The literary analysis essay is rarely a favorite among English language arts (ELA) teachers and their students. Creativity, student choice, relevance, and authentic audience seem more difficult to incorporate into this traditional, though ubiquitous, genre.

This challenge is partly because students’ analytical essays rarely have an audience or purpose beyond the English classroom. I’ve tackled this challenge by incorporating technology and student collaboration, inviting students to create guidebooks or companion books for literature.

Many teachers have developed and adapted the companion book strategy to suit their goals and needs, but the following approach is what I’ve found most successful. The activity has made literary analysis a favorite among my students.

Companion Book Basics

Companion books accompany and elaborate on already-published texts (books, series, movies, video games, or TV shows). They target an audience who has already read—and enjoyed—the text but want to know more about it or wish it never ended.

Companion books aim to provide readers a deeper understanding of concepts in the original work. They give information and teach readers about ideas, concepts, or references they may have missed. Fans of many famous series ( Star Wars , Harry Potter , Marvel comics, etc.) have long made companion books, like the subgenre of “ fanfic ” that supplements these popular texts.

How to make it work

While students will likely balk at the task of writing an essay on the theme of The Outsiders , an assignment to collaborate with classmates and contribute a few chapters for a companion book to The Outsiders can almost sound fun, especially if students get to choose the focus of their own chapters (e.g., “Symbolism and Staying Gold” and “Foreshadowing Death”). I have my students draft a few potential tables of contents for their collaborative companion books and then divvy up the chapters based on who wants to write what. This way, I can still give them individual grades based only on their contributed chapters.

It’s all the more enjoyable and meaningful if they are able to publish their work. I find Canva for Education is ideal, but I’ve also used Book Creator and other means of publication both digitally and in print. Our librarian supports our book-signing events in the school library, complete with barcoding and shelving students’ companion books—making them real, published authors who are searchable in our library database. I get to enjoy watching current students find and read the companion books of previous students on the library shelves.

Where to start

My favorite way to make this project a success is to have my students do this writing without even knowing it; by the time I present them with the task to write an entire companion book, the bulk of their writing is already done.

I have them capture some written thoughts as they read a text (be it a whole-class novel, literature circle book, or independent choice book), but I never collect or grade this writing. I call it their “Deep Thoughts Notebook,” and I typically use Notice & Note signposts or other prompts that can work with any text to elicit deep thinking about reading—not just surface-level summaries.

It’s downright fun when I task students with writing an entire book (cue tween outrage) and then tell them the good news that they’ve pretty much already written it. Each entry in their notebooks could easily become an interesting chapter in a companion book, and they’ve already quoted, cited, and elaborated on their unique thoughts about the text.

Infinite possibilities

Companion books are versatile and easily adaptable. The simplest way to incorporate collaborative companion books into the ELA classroom is with a whole-class novel. (My students have written companion books titled Inside The Outsiders , To Kill a Mockingbird: A Companion , and Everyone’s Monster: A Guide to A Monster Calls ).

However, I do very few whole-class novel studies and have still used companion books to suit many ELA endeavors in lieu of the formal, traditional literary analysis essay. Companion books work with literature circles, short stories, author studies, and more. This year, I even had two seventh-grade ultra-fans of the Wings of Fire books write their own companion guide to this series, which they read independently throughout the year; they’d never been more motivated or productive readers and writers.

What’s more, companion books don’t need to be collaborative. Individual students can work throughout the year on their book as a long-term project.

Final tip for success

Be sure to clarify that the purpose of a companion book is not to simply summarize the original text. The content of companion books should look much more like a formal literary analysis than a book report. To engender the depth and quality of writing comparable to that of a literary analysis essay, provide examples of companion books, and have students determine how they are similar to and different from other forms of writing.

Students should be able to readily observe that companion books do very little summarizing and instead function much like analysis—they cite and elaborate on direct quotes from the text that are highly relevant to the particular focus of the chapter, and they are bookended by a formal introduction and conclusion, to name just several features.

I like to help students embrace the specific purpose and audience of companion books by explaining what I call the “ Easter egg effect.” I tell them: “Your readers don’t need you to tell them the basics of the text—they already know the main characters and setting and plot. But what did you notice, and think they probably missed? A true analysis reveals something through detailed examination. What’s your hot take? What Easter eggs will your writing reveal?”

This framing focuses both their reading of the text and their writing about it.

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The ACT contains four multiple-choice tests—English, mathematics, reading, and science—and an optional writing test. These tests are designed to measure skills that are most important for success in postsecondary education and that are acquired in secondary education. The score range for each of the four multiple-choice tests is 1–36. The Composite score is the average of the four test scores rounded to the nearest whole number.

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The optional ACT writing test is an essay test that measures writing skills taught in high school English classes and entry level college composition courses. The test consists of one writing prompt that describes a complex issue and provides three different perspectives on the issue. You are asked to read the prompt and write an essay in which you develop your own perspective on the issue. Your essay must analyze the relationship between your own perspective and one or more other perspectives. You may adopt one of the perspectives given in the prompt as your own, or you may introduce one that is completely different from those given.

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ACT offers numerous ways for students to prepare for test day, including:

The Official ACT Self-Paced Course, Powered by Kaplan — Bite-sized, on-demand lessons offer the perfect mix of structure and flexibility.
The Official ACT Live Online Class, Powered by Kaplan —A whole team of expert teachers keeps you engaged in a virtual classroom.
The Official ACT Subject Guides - Individual prep books perfect for students who want to practice a specific subject to improve their test scores.
The Official ACT Prep Guide —An ACT-authorized prep book, with three practice tests, each with an optional writing test, plus access to hundreds of additional questions online.
Preparing for the ACT —This free booklet includes helpful test information, a complete practice test, and a sample writing prompt.
Sample Test Questions —Practice questions to give you a taste of what to expect on the ACT test.
Live and On-Demand Webinars - Choose from live and recorded webinars to help make the most of your ACT test prep options.

ACT Online Prep

Help your students prepare for the ACT test. The same research and expertise that has made the ACT test the most widely used college entrance exam in the nation was used to develop ACT Online Prep. Benefits of the program for schools and districts include:

Ability to monitor performance with the Administrator’s Dashboard—See how long your students are spending in the system, how they’re performing on the practice questions and tests, and the areas in which a whole class may need targeted help.
Flexible, personalized learning paths—The ACT Online Prep system drives students through the courses so they can review independently, at their own pace, without falling behind.
Confidence-building experiences—Using the practice questions and tests, students will familiarize themselves with the structure of the actual ACT test. There will be no surprises on test day for your students.
A free mobile app for students so that they can review for the ACT anytime, anywhere.

Please note that ACT test preparation materials are copyrighted and may not be copied or distributed without ACT's prior written permission.

Purchase ACT Online Prep annual licenses for students in your school or district. Discounts are available for GEAR UP organizations and schools with more than 50% free and reduced lunch students.

After your order is processed, each school-level administrator will receive an email from ACT that includes a quick-start guide and instructions for activating their account. The administrator can then upload students, assign instructors, and create classrooms.

Administration User Guide

The ACT Online Prep Administration User Guide (PDF) provides all the information you need to set up classrooms, instructors, and students as well as to monitor performance.

Order ACT Fee Waivers

ACT provides a variety of materials you can use to help your students learn about and prepare for the test.

Use ACT's account-based ordering platform to request fee waivers.

Additional Support Items:

How to Order Fee Waivers
Fee Waiver Eligibility Requirements and Procedures
Prebilled Voucher Order Form
Alternate Format Practice Test Materials Order Form

High School Codes

An ACT/SAT Common High School Code allows students attending your school to send official ACT and SAT scores directly and automatically to your school. Forms are available to apply for a code, to request name or address changes, or to indicate a school is no longer in operation. No payment is required for these services.

Apply for a High School Code
Make Changes to an Existing High School Code or Deactivate a High School Code

Become an ACT Test Center

Help students remove the guesswork in finding a test center. Your school can request to be a test center for students taking the ACT on a national test date. As a test center, your school provides:

A staff member to serve as the Test Supervisor
Other school staff willing to serve as room supervisors and proctors
Space for testing on ACT National Testing dates
Quiet areas—free from distractions and other events
Classrooms, preferably, with full-sized desks
Plenty of space between examinees, for security purposes
A secure location to store test materials

Complete the ACT Test Center Request form if you would like your institution to become an ACT Test Center.

Test Security

More than three thousand colleges, universities, and scholarship agencies use ACT test scores to make decisions about admission, scholarship awards, and course placement. Because these institutions, as well as the examinees, rely on the integrity of ACT test scores, ACT takes seriously the importance of reporting valid test scores.

In addition to conducting our own internal score reviews, ACT regularly receives inquiries from college admissions officers, high school counselors, and others who have concerns about an individual examinee's score.

Score Inquiry

You can report concerns using ACT's Score Inquiry form . ACT will review the inquiry and investigate the validity of the scores. If you prefer, you may submit an inquiry anonymously online or by calling 855.382.2645 to use our dedicated Test Security Hotline.

If ACT initiates a score review, ACT will notify the examinee directly. For privacy reasons, ACT generally does not discuss the details of a score review with anyone other than the examinee unless the examinee expressly authorizes us to do so by executing an Authorization to Release Personal Information form.

Only official score recipients will receive notice of ACT’s decision regarding the validity of the scores. For your institution to be an official score recipient, the examinee must request that ACT send the score report to your institution. An examinee can send official scores by logging into his/her ACT web account and choosing "Send Your Scores."

For complete details of ACT's score review process, please see Procedures for Investigating Testing Irregularities and Questioned Test Scores (PDF).

Additional Information

Authorization to Release Information (PDF)
Procedures for Investigating Testing Irregularities and Questioned Test Scores (PDF)

Contact Test Security

Email: [email protected]
Test Security Phone: 319.337.1371
Mail: ACT Test Security (53) P.O. Box 168 Iowa City, IA 52243-0168

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