While you won’t be able to predict what passages will appear on ACT Reading come test day, you can know the wrong answer traps that will be waiting for you. The ACT has devised some pretty tricky wrong answer choices. Even the best of critical readers miss ACT reading questions because they are taken off guard by these traps. Fortunately, however, these traps recur over and over. By learning to recognize them now, you can strengthen your performance on test day.
Here are three of the most common wrong answer choices:
1. “X and Y.” This is a classic trap. These test makers provide two separate answers to the question in one answer choice. One of these—usually the first, X—is correct. At this point, many students select this answer choice. The problem, however, is that Y is incorrect. Here’s what one of these looks like:
The volcano erupted because:
A) Pressure built up under the surface (X) and the air was rich with carbon (Y).
Many students choose A because the first part (“pressure built up under the surface”) is correct. A is wrong, however, because the second part (“the air was rich with carbon”) is incorrect.
2. Text pulled directly from the passage. The ACT often places text copied from the passage in a wrong answer choice. Many students fall prey to this trap when they read the answer choice, thinking “I’ve seen this, they do say this in the passage, so this must be right.” Don’t fall for this trap! An answer choice that features text from the passage can be correct, but it’s often incorrect – so be on your guard anytime you see a choice like this. Here’s an example:
What does Sweden fail to recycle?
A) Oil
“Oil” was mentioned in the passage, so many students will recognize it and mistakenly choose it. In fact, however, oil is mentioned in the passage as something Sweden does recycle.
3. A sleeper phrase in an otherwise correct answer. In this trap, the answer choice will be clearly correct—except for one minor word or phrase, the “sleeper phrase,” that invalidates it. These are some of the trickiest wrong answer choices. Here’s an example:
What does the author want the planes to do?
A) Fly quickly to Greenland together.
In this instance, the author does want the planes to fly quickly to Greenland—he just never says that they should do so together. “Together” is the sleeper phrase. Here’s another example:
The following is true of a company that takes part in the Recycle-360 Initiative:
A) It reuses its own waste.
In this instance, the company does reuse waste. The problem is that it reuses the waste of others, rather than its own waste. “Its” is the sleeper phrase.
See how subtle sleeper phrases can be? To get these questions right, you’ll want to make sure to read each answer choice very carefully. If you’re stuck between two choices that both seem correct, look closely at each word (you can even underline them) in the choices. One of them is probably a sleeper phrase.
One of the most common questions types on SAT Writing and ACT English is the subject-verb agreement question. These questions ask you to make sure that the subject and verb agree. The rule is that a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural verb takes a plural subject. For example:
The boy is hungry. –> Singular subject (‘boy’), singular verb (‘is’).
The boys are hungry. –> Plural subject (‘boys’), plural verb (‘are’).
Easy enough, right? That’s why the SAT and ACT have devised three ways to trick you on these questions. Here they are:
1. Placing a prepositional phrase between the subject and verb. Anytime you see a prepositional phrase placed between the subject and verb, think subject-verb agreement. The actual subject of the sentence is not the noun in the prepositional phrase – it’s the noun that the prepositional phrase is describing. Here’s what this looks like:
The boyin the bright red shoesseems cool. –> The test makers want you to think the subject of the sentence is ‘shoes,’ the noun in the prepositional phrase. But the subject will never be the noun in the prepositional phrase. Who seems cool? The boy. If you thought the subject was ‘shoes’ you would have changed ‘seems’ to the plural ‘seem,’ which is exactly what most test takers mistakenly do.
2. Placing a non-essential clause between the subject and verb. If you see a non-essential clause (i.e. phrase that modifies the noun and is offset by two commas) between the subject and verb, think subject-verb agreement. Just like in a prepositional phrase, the noun in a non-essential clause is not the subject of the sentence. The clause merely describes the subject. For example:
The coloring book, which has many pages, is large. –> Many students would choose ‘are’ instead of ‘is’ for the verb here. This is incorrect, however, because the subject of the sentence is the book, not the pages. “Which has many pages” is simply a non-essential clause describing the subject ‘book.’ What’s large? The book, not the pages.
3. Placing the subject after the verb. In English, the subject usually comes before the verb. By reversing this and then placing a singular noun that is not the subject before the verb, the test makers trap you into choosing the wrong verb. Here’s an example:
Inside the house stand many doors. –> Here the subject is not ‘house,’ but the plural ‘doors,’ which takes the plural verb ‘stand.’ ‘Inside the house’ is a prepositional phrase describing the doors. Many students would miss this question by choosing the singular ‘stands’ for the verb because the verb is preceded by the singular noun house. Always ask yourself what is performing the action of the verb. Does the house stand or the do the doors stand? Here, the “doors stand (inside the house).”
Whenever you see a question testing subject-verb agreement, be on the lookout for these three traps. If there is a prepositional phrase or non-essential clause standing between the subject and verb, you can simply cross it out with your pencil in order to more clearly see how the subject and verb relate. Additionally, always ask yourself what noun is performing the action of the sentence. Never assume that the noun closest to the verb is the subject of the sentence!
Once upon a time, many colleges looked upon the ACT with suspicion. These days, however, schools give the ACT and SAT equal weight in the admissions process. Gone are the days when students would simply sit for the test that was more popular in their region of the country. The number of students taking the ACT has risen drastically, and a growing portion of students are even taking both exams.
Given this newfound freedom, which test should you choose? It’s critical to carefully evaluate which exam is best for you. While there is some overlap between the SAT and ACT, they are fundamentally very different. Because thoroughly preparing for each can take many months (make sure to start early), it’s generally best limit yourself to preparing for only one. If you prepare for both, you sacrifice valuable time that is often better spent developing your academic and extracurricular profile. The best way to determine which test is right for you is to take a full-length, timed practice test for each exam. Make sure the exam is an official one written by the actual test makers (you can find these on the test makers’ websites). When you score the test, compare the two scores using the SAT-ACT concordance table (also available on both test makers’ websites). If you score significantly higher on one exam, that’s usually the best exam to take.
If you perform equally well on both tests, consider which you found more enjoyable. The more enjoyable the test, the more effort you’re likely to invest in preparing for it, resulting in a higher final score.
In addition to taking a practice test on your own, here are some of the key differences between the exams that can help you best decide which is right for you:
• Unlike the SAT, the ACT does not test vocabulary. While a difficult word might occasionally appear on an ACT reading passage, the SAT is packed with advanced vocabulary. It shows up on vocabulary questions, dense reading passages, and even in questions and answer choices. If vocabulary is your major strength, lean toward the SAT. If it’s a major weakness, consider the ACT.
• The ACT allows less time per question than the SAT. While many students can finish SAT sections and still have time remaining, students taking the ACT often struggle to complete the sections in time. If you’re a particularly slow test taker, the SAT may be a better choice.
• The SAT is, at its core, a reasoning test, whereas the ACT is more a test of content. Questions on the SAT resemble puzzles and require logical thinking. The content on the ACT is often more advanced than the content on the SAT (it includes trigonometry, for example), but it is presented in a much more straightforward manner. Students will often prefer one test’s approach to the other.
• The ACT contains a science section. This section is very different than anything on the SAT, which does not test science. Practically no scientific knowledge is needed to do well on the ACT, however, as the test is primarily concerned with your ability to quickly analyze data like graphs and charts. Still, the science section can be a major factor in score differences between the SAT and ACT.
Use these tips to help decide which exam is best for you. While it may take some time to figure out which test is the right one, you won’t regret having done so. Carefully choosing between the two exams can help ensure you achieve your optimal score, maximizing your chances at college admissions and scholarships.
Whenever you see a word ending in “-ing” on the SAT Writing or ACT English test, be on your guard. Words ending in “-ing” are commonly used to trap students into choosing wrong answers.
What’s so tricky about “-ing” words? They look like verbs, but they don’t grammatically count as verbs. Instead, “-ing” words can either be used as nouns (“gerunds”) or as adjectives (“present participles”). Here’s an example:
Running takes a lot of energy. –> Here, “running” is being used as a noun. It is the subject of the sentence; it is not a verb.
The boy, running away from house, felt free. –> Here, “running” is being used like an adjective to describe the boy; it is not a verb.
Running clocks are the best types of clocks. –> Here, “running” is being used like an adjective to describe clocks; it is not a verb.
The SAT and ACT will use this rule to try to trick you all the time. How? Every complete sentence needs two things: a subject and a verb. SAT and ACT questions will feature a sentence with a subject and an “-ing” word, and it will be up to you to recognize that this is not a complete sentence. For example:
The boy, eating the sandwich. –> Subject – the boy, check. Verb? Eating? Nope, that’s an “–ing” word. Not a complete sentence.
Don’t fall prey to this common trap. Be on the lookout for “-ing” words – they’ll often be masquerading as verbs!
A question parents often ask me is when their child should start studying for the SAT or ACT. Although different students have different schedules and needs, for the vast majority of students I recommend beginning prep the summer before junior year. Why so early?
Multiple Testing Dates
For one, the last date college applicants can take the SAT or ACT will approach quickly in senior year. In fact, for early decision applications—which can significantly increase a student’s chances of admission—the final SAT a student can take is typically in October or November, while the final ACT can be as early as September. Starting prep the summer before junior year, then, ensures at least a full year before the final valid testing date.
Why would a student want to start prep a full year before the last possible testing date? For most students, adequately preparing for the SAT or ACT takes a number of months. The average student needs to spend a few hours each week for around four to six months to see a significant improvement in their score. While the process can be much quicker for some students, it can also take longer for others. This is especially true for students juggling a hectic academic and extracurricular schedule.
In general, the more a student works on the SAT or ACT, the more their score increases. Starting test prep too late can unnecessarily shortchange a student out of the time they need to reach their target score. Ensuring that there will be enough time to prepare, then, is essential.
But preparation is only one part of the equation: it is generally to a student’s advantage to sit for the test more than once. Students tend to score within a range, performing somewhat better on some tests than on others. Take Tom, a hypothetical student. Tom’s great at SAT math, and on his best day, he’ll score an 800. On his worst day—maybe he makes an extra mistake or two, feels uncomfortable at the testing center, or sees a few problem types he finds especially challenging—he’ll score a 700.
Tom takes the SAT three times. On the math section, one day he scores a 700, one day an 800, and one day a 760. When colleges look at his SAT scores, the vast majority will “superscore” his results – take the single highest section scores from across test dates and combine them into one “superscore.” Other colleges will simply pick the highest cumulative SAT score, as is more commonly done for ACT scores. Either way, Tom is using the natural variation in scoring to his advantage. Since the vast majority of colleges only care about his highest score, he’s going to end up with a higher score in his application folder than if he had taken the test only once.
By starting prep early enough, you can ensure that your child can take the test enough times to take advantage of this natural variation. It’s also not uncommon for students to perform poorly on the first official sitting because of anxiety, but to drastically improve on the second sitting once they’ve already been through an official administration. This is another reason why you want to ensure that there’s enough time to take the test more than once.
Because test dates are a month or more apart, starting prep the summer before junior year ensures both adequate time to prepare and an adequate number of convenient testing dates should the student decide to take the test more than once.
Remember, each test is only offered on certain dates. The SAT is usually offered seven times a year, whereas the ACT is usually offered only six. If you live outside of the United States, the number of available test dates might even be fewer, particularly for the ACT. Summer dates are not available for either test, except for one administration of each in early June.
Take Advantage of the Summer
Another great reason to start prep the summer before junior year is because summer is typically when your child will have the most time to study. Once the school year starts, students quickly become inundated with homework and extracurriculars. The last thing you want is for a student who has fallen behind to try to cram all their prep into the final few weeks before the test—this is rarely productive and can cause serious burnout.
If a student is usually overwhelmed during the school year, try doing as much SAT or ACT prep as possible (without causing burnout, of course) over the summer. Prepping intensively for either exam in a short time period can be just as effective as spreading prep out over a longer period of time. Students can make tremendous progress within two months time if they dedicate a sizable number of hours to either exam.
Another benefit to front-loading exam prep during the summer is that junior year is the time when students usually begin to look at colleges and start to think about the application process. This can be an incredibly time consuming process. Making a college list, touring colleges, and eventually working on the application itself can eat up untold hours. By getting the SAT or ACT out of the way as early as possible, more time is left for this very time-intensive process.
Finishing the SAT or ACT early doesn’t only buy more time for the college search and application process, but it also helps make sense of it. Knowing a student’s final SAT or ACT score earlier on will help your family to make better-informed decisions about what colleges and scholarships are realistic options. Generally speaking, in order to submit a competitive application to a college a student should aim for the median SAT or ACT score at that school or above. Similarly, many merit scholarships have target SAT and ACT score cutoffs. Knowing where a student is scoring or is likely to score, then, can help elucidate the entire process. At the same time, however, exploring about potential colleges and scholarships while studying for either exam can also help motivate many students to raise their performance. For this reason, it’s always good to leave the door open to further study if a higher score would be helpful and if the student is so motivated.
How Early Is Too Early?
OK, you might be saying, if it’s so great to start early, why not start even earlier than you’re suggesting?
You could start earlier, but for most students it’s not the most effective game plan. The majority of students simply don’t have enough coursework under their belt to perform their best on either test until after sophomore year.
What type of coursework is needed for the exams? In terms of math, both exams test material from Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. Trigonometry is also present on the ACT and the Redesigned SAT. While some students might learn some of this material for the first time junior year, depending on what math track they’re in, others will have learned everything they need by the end of sophomore year. Algebra I and Geometry are more heavily tested on the SAT and ACT than are Algebra II and Trigonometry, so in general it’s best to start studying for either exam only after Algebra I and Geometry have been completed. Because material from Algebra II and Trigonometry is only tested in a limited capacity, this material can be learned outside of school with a modest amount of work.
If a student has not yet completed Algebra I and Geometry, it’s still possible to start prep but this will involve substantially more material that needs to be learned. For most students, waiting until at least this much material has been learned in school makes more sense.
The other major subjects the exams test are reading comprehension, writing, grammar, and, for the SAT, vocabulary. Because most students are improving their abilities in each of these areas with every passing school year, students can often perform their best on the exams by junior and senior year. For this reason, students can often get more out of both test prep and their test scores as upperclassman.
For some students, however, starting test prep freshman or sophomore year might make sense. If your child has already studied for the exam in preparation for a talent search program like the Duke Talent Identification Program or the Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth, he or she might be in a good position to continue work on the exam. (Note that official test scores from before 9th grade are often wiped clean from a student’s testing record, so the student might still need to sit for the test again in high school even if he or she already received a great score). Very advanced students who are on an accelerated math track, score highly on standardized tests and/or are rapid learners may be able to achieve their desired score as early as freshman or junior year.
If your child fits the above description, starting prep freshman or sophomore year can have great benefits. Coursework is often more intensive during junior and senior year, and the college admissions process typically begins in earnest sometime junior year. Getting the SAT or ACT out of the way before then can lighten the workload when junior and senior year do roll around.
If you’re unsure if starting prep before junior year is right for your child, you can always let your child take a timed, official practice SAT or ACT. This will let you see where they’re scoring and how comfortable they feel with the test at that point in time.
It’s Never Too Soon To Start Reading
No matter when your child starts to officially study for the SAT or ACT, it’s important that they begin to practice reading before then. Reading comprehension is a critical skill that is developed over many years and that is often difficult to improve in a short period of time. You can help by encouraging your child to read avariety of challenging texts, including novels, serious nonfiction and scientific articles. It’s important to ensure that they’re comfortable with all these different types of writing, as each appears on the SAT and ACT.
As your child reads, encourage them to expand their vocabulary by looking up words they don’t know. It’s also important that students learn to read actively rather than passively. The sooner they begin actively reading a variety of challenging texts, the better prepared they’ll be for both the SAT and ACT.
Recap
Starting SAT or ACT prep early is critical. Doing so ensures your child will have sufficient time to study and enough opportunities to sit for the official exam. For the majority of students, starting prep the summer before junior year makes the most sense. If your child is an academic superstar with enough of the relevant coursework under their belt before then, however, you might consider starting their prep freshman or sophomore year.
Take Advantage of the Summer