Most ACT Science questions only test your ability to interpret scientific data and viewpoints. Some, however, also test your knowledge of scientific subjects such as chemistry, biology and physics. Because these questions are drawn from such a wide range of topics (basically anything you’ve studied in high school science), it’s impossible to predict what they’ll ask about.

You might see anywhere from 0-4 questions on any given test asking about these topics. Since there are only 40 questions on ACT Science, questions about actual scientific concepts you’ve studied in school usually don’t make up more than 10% of any section. Missing them should only have a minimal impact on your score then. Nevertheless, you want to try to answer these questions correctly—if only because they’re often some of the easiest questions on the test to pick points up on. Why?

There is a very easy method to solve these problems, one that doesn’t involve reviewing every single topic in biology, physics and chemistry. That method is using your own intuition.

When you see one of these questions, you first want to make sure that any information in the answer choices accords with what’s stated in the passage. Sometimes an answer will be wrong because something in an answer choice—even if only a word or two—disagrees with something established in the passage.

Next, try to reason out which answer choice would make the most common sense. Very often these questions can be solved without technical scientific knowledge, but with intuition alone.

Let’s look at a hypothetical question:

How does allopane gas affect the planet?

A) It cools the planet by giving off UV radiation to space.
B) It cools the planet by absorbing heat coming up from the earth’s surface.
C) It heats the planet by giving off UV radiation to space.
D) It heats the planet by absorbing heat coming up from the earth’s surface.

First look back to the passage – does it tell you what the gas actually does? Yes, this (hypothetical) passage tells you the gas heats the planet. Eliminate A and B – now you’re down to two possible answers, C and D.

You don’t really know how allopane gas heats the planet, but between C and D, which sounds more plausible?

Let’s look at C. UV radiation comes from the sun – think of the UV protection in your sunglasses. Things from the sun typically heat the planet. Would sending this back into space—i.e. getting rid of it, heat the planet? If anything, it would probably do the opposite, or cool things down.

How about D? If the gas absorbs heat from the earth’s surface, would that make things hotter? It definitely sounds possible – and it certainly sounds better than C!

While you won’t be able to solve every ACT science question that asks about actual science this way, you’ll be able to solve many of them. So the next time you see one of these questions, don’t panic and skip it. Instead, think of what the passage is saying as a whole and try out your own common sense on the answer choices. More often than not you’ll be able to figure things out without even knowing the actual physics, biology or chemistry behind the answers!

The ACT essay is changing. The new (aka “enhanced”) essay, which will first debut on the September 2015 exam, looks very different from the former essay. It lasts 40 minutes (up from 30) and features a prompt and three “perspectives” on it. Your task is to write an argument that responds to the prompt while addressing and evaluating the three perspectives.

You can see what the new essay and scored examples look like here. The ACT has also released a second prompt as part of a new practice test, available here. For additional practice, check out these ten sample essay question prompts I’ve written.

Here’s how you can ace the new essay:

1) After evaluating the prompt and all three perspectives, come up with your own argument. This argument should have some bearing on the three perspectives, but it should represent your own take on the prompt. The argument will usually agree in some way with one or two of the perspectives and disagree with the others.

2) Leave 3-5 minutes at the beginning to plan your essay and at the end to review it.

3) The ideal structure is an introductory paragraph that clearly and succinctly states your central argument and how your examples will support it, followed by two to three paragraphs that argue (using detailed examples) for your thesis and against counterarguments, followed by a concluding paragraph that restates your thesis and how your examples successfully supported it.

4) You must refute possible counterarguments. The ACT looks for this on every essay. This is a sophisticated technique that helps strengthen your argument. You should respond to any counterarguments presented in the three perspectives as well as ones you think of on your own.

5) Make sure to mention how each of the three perspectives relates to your argument. Do this as you introduce the various parts of your argument in the middle two or three paragraphs.

6) Make your examples very detailed by including dates and proper names, but always make sure the examples are used to support your argument. It’s OK to fudge some of the details – the test makers are not allowed to grade you on the truth of your claims. It’s probably not a good idea, however, to declare that Pearl Harbor occurred in the 1700s.

7) Make sure each example addresses a different perspective or argument – don’t simply repeat the exact same point twice through two separate examples.

8) Use sophisticated vocabulary when appropriate. A well-used, sophisticated vocabulary word can add a lot of bang to your essay. Make sure you are using all words correctly, however!

9) Use a varied sentence structure. Don’t start every sentence with the same word, and make sure to vary grammatical structures between sentences. One trick to help is to throw in an occasional rhetorical question. “How would the early Monicaros have felt if they too lacked freedom?”

10) Make sure each new paragraph begins with a strong and clear transition.

11) Use active sentences rather than passive sentences. “He ate the cereal” is better than “the cereal was eaten.”

12) Avoid using “I.” While you’re technically allowed to use “I”, your essay will sound more formal and authoritative without it.

13) Similarly, avoid overtly political or religious arguments. Although these technically shouldn’t influence your reader’s evaluation, remember that your reader is a human with religious and political views.

14) Consider using a hypothetical for your final sentence: IF the position you take was done (everything would be great) or if it was not done (everything would be disastrous).