Cheat sheet
ACT English Cheat Sheet
Production of Writing
- 38-43% of exam
- Purpose + Focus Organization Passage Moves Transitions Rhetoric Picker
Knowledge of Language
- 18-23% of exam
- Concision Diction + Tone Precision Style Shortest Right
Standard English
- 38-43% of exam
- Agreement Pronouns + Usage Punctuation Clauses Modifiers
Quick Facts
- Section English
- Questions 50
- Scored 40
- Time 35 min
- Pace 42 sec/item
- Score 1-36
- Format Passage editing
- Answer set 4 choices
Add vs Delete PR
Add
- Supports claim
- Clarifies focus
- Fits tone
Delete
- Off-topic
- Repeated
- Contradictory
- Support vs distract
Rhetoric Picker PR
- Add/delete asked → Paragraph purpose ( support focus )
- Sentence placement → Before/after clues ( pronouns/logic )
- Transition blank → Logic relation ( not sound )
- Conclusion asked → Central idea ( no new topic )
- Tone shifts → Match passage ( consistent style )
- Wordy choices → Shortest right ( meaning intact )
Purpose + Focus PR
- Main idea Passage focus
- Paragraph purpose Local job
- Claim Point being made
- Evidence Support for claim
- Relevance Fits the focus
- Delete Off-focus or repeated
Organization PR
- Topic sentence Introduces paragraph idea
- Intro Sets topic/tone
- Conclusion Closes central idea
- Chronology Time order
- Cohesion Ideas connect smoothly
- Placement Before/after logic
Passage Moves PR
- Add Needed support
- Keep Serves purpose
- Delete Distracts or repeats
- Move Restores logic
- Revise Clarifies idea
- Combine Reduces repetition
Transitions PR
- Addition Also, moreover
- Contrast However, although
- Cause Because, since
- Result Therefore, thus
- Example For instance
- Sequence Next, finally
Shortest Right LA
- Shortest grammatical precise choice usually wins
- No redundancy Meaning unchanged Tone matches
Concise vs Wordy LA
Concise
- Clear meaning
- No repetition
- Often shortest
Wordy
- Repeats idea
- Adds filler
- Blurs point
- Clear vs bloated
Concision LA
- Shortest right Grammatical and precise
- Redundancy Repeats same idea
- Wordiness Too many words
- Active voice Actor does action
- Clear referent Pronoun points clearly
- No filler Remove empty words
Diction + Tone LA
- Precision Exact meaning
- Tone Consistent attitude
- Formality Matches passage
- Idiom Conventional phrase
- Affect Usually a verb
- Effect Usually a noun
FANBOYS CO
- For And Nor But Or Yet So
- Coordinating conjunctions Comma before clause Both sides complete
Essential vs Nonessential CO
Essential
- Identifies noun
- No commas
- Needed meaning
Nonessential
- Extra detail
- Use commas
- Removable
- Needed vs removable
Grammar Picker CO
- Verb underlined → Find subject ( ignore phrases )
- Pronoun underlined → Find antecedent ( number/case )
- Opening phrase → Check actor ( modifier target )
- List shown → Match forms ( parallelism )
- Verb tense shifts → Match timeline ( unless justified )
- Comparison appears → Compare equals ( like things )
Agreement CO
- Subject Controls verb
- Verb Matches subject
- Intervener Ignore for agreement
- Each/every Usually singular
- Either/or Nearest subject rules
- Tense Keep time consistent
Who/Whom CO
- Who = he; whom = him
- Who: subject Whom: object Check role
Semicolon vs Comma CO
Semicolon
- Joins clauses
- Both complete
- Strong stop
Comma
- Light pause
- Lists/intro
- Needs conjunction
- Complete vs separator
Punctuation Picker CO
- Two complete clauses → Semicolon ( or period )
- FANBOYS joins → Comma + conjunction ( complete clauses )
- Intro phrase starts → Comma ( main clause follows )
- Removable middle → Two commas ( nonessential )
- List/explanation follows → Colon ( complete lead-in )
- Possession tested → Apostrophe ( not pronouns )
Pronouns + Usage CO
- Antecedent Pronoun's noun
- Case Subject or object
- Who Subject form
- Whom Object form
- Its Possessive
- It's It is
Nonessential CO
- Can remove? Comma it off
- Extra detail Two commas Core sentence survives
Its vs It's CO
Its
- Possessive
- No apostrophe
- Owns something
It's
- It is
- It has
- Contraction
- Possession vs contraction
Punctuation CO
- Comma Light separator
- Semicolon Joins complete clauses
- Colon Introduces after clause
- Apostrophe Possession or contraction
- Dash Strong interruption
- Parentheses Quiet aside
Who vs Whom CO
Who
- Subject role
- He/she test
- Does action
Whom
- Object role
- Him/her test
- Receives action
- Subject vs object
Clauses + Sentences CO
- Independent Complete sentence
- Dependent Needs main clause
- Fragment Incomplete thought
- Run-on Clauses fused
- Comma splice Comma joins clauses
- FANBOYS Coordinating conjunctions
Colon vs Semicolon CO
Colon
- Introduces
- Needs full lead-in
- List/example
Semicolon
- Connects
- Both sides complete
- Related clauses
- Introduce vs connect
Modifiers + Parallelism CO
- Dangling modifier Missing actor
- Misplaced modifier Wrong target
- Parallel list Same grammar form
- Comparison Like with like
- Adjective Describes noun
- Adverb Describes action
Common Traps
Nearby noun
- Subject controls verb ≠ Intervener distracts
Comma splice
- Comma alone fails ≠ Semicolon can join
Its/It's
- Its owns ≠ It's contracts
Wordy answer
- Concise usually wins ≠ Meaning must stay
Off-topic detail
- Interesting can fail ≠ Focus must match
Dangling opener
- Actor must follow ≠ Action must match
NO CHANGE
- Sometimes correct ≠ Still prove it
Last Minute
- 1. Find the true subject
- 2. Read before and after
- 3. Keep shortest grammatical
- 4. Check NO CHANGE fairly
- 5. Match tone and purpose
- 6. Commas mark removable info
- 7. Semicolons join complete sentences
- 8. Colons need complete lead-in
- 9. Delete off-focus details
- 10. Transitions must name logic
ACT English
- Practice Questions 115 questions Study Guide 18 topics Cheat Sheet 66 facts Flashcards 50 cards