ACT English: ACT vs SAT - ACT English Rhetorical Skills Questions, Writing Strategy

What This Is and Why It Matters for the ACT

Rhetorical Skills Questions appear in the English section of the ACT. These questions test your ability to analyze and evaluate written passages, identifying the author's purpose, tone, and rhetorical devices. You'll see these questions on every English test, and they can be challenging, with a typical difficulty level of Intermediate.

Key Concepts (What You Must Know)

• Rhetorical device: a figure of speech used to convey meaning or create an effect (e.g., metaphor, simile, alliteration).
• Author's purpose: the reason the author wrote the passage (e.g., to persuade, to inform, to entertain).
• Tone: the author's attitude or emotional tone (e.g., formal, informal, sarcastic).
• Parallel structure: using similar grammatical structures to make ideas easier to follow (e.g., "I like reading books, writing stories, and listening to music").

Step-by-Step Strategy for This Topic

1. Read the passage carefully: Identify the author's purpose, tone, and any rhetorical devices used.
2. Underline or highlight key phrases: Mark sections that support your analysis.
3. Eliminate incorrect answers: Look for answers that contradict your analysis or don't make sense in the context.
4. Choose the best answer: Select the answer that best matches your analysis.
5. Check your work: Review your answer and make sure it's consistent with your analysis.

Don't get caught up in minor details: Focus on the big picture and the author's overall message.

How It's Tested on the ACT

English rhetorical skills questions typically involve a passage with an underlined portion, and you'll need to identify the best answer based on your analysis. Be careful of distractors, which might try to trick you with minor errors or irrelevant information.

Common Mistakes & Exam Traps

1. The mistake: Overemphasizing minor errors: Focusing on small mistakes instead of the author's overall message.
   • Why it happens: Misunderstanding the question or rushing through the passage.
   • How to avoid it: Focus on the big picture and the author's purpose.
   • Exam board insight: The ACT wants to see your ability to analyze and evaluate written passages.
2. The mistake: Failing to identify the author's purpose: Not understanding why the author wrote the passage.
   • Why it happens: Rushing through the passage or not reading carefully.
   • How to avoid it: Read the passage carefully and identify the author's purpose.
3. The mistake: Misinterpreting the tone: Not understanding the author's emotional tone.
   • Why it happens: Misreading the passage or not paying attention to language cues.
   • How to avoid it: Pay attention to language cues and identify the author's tone.
4. The mistake: Not using context clues: Not using the passage to support your answer.
   • Why it happens: Not reading carefully or not using context clues.
   • How to avoid it: Read the passage carefully and use context clues to support your answer.
5. The mistake: Choosing an answer that's too general: Not being specific enough in your answer.
   • Why it happens: Not reading carefully or not analyzing the passage.
   • How to avoid it: Read the passage carefully and analyze it to find specific details.
6. The mistake: Not considering multiple perspectives: Not thinking about different viewpoints.
   • Why it happens: Not reading carefully or not considering different perspectives.
   • How to avoid it: Read the passage carefully and consider different viewpoints.

Practice Questions (3-5 questions)

Question 1 The passage below is from a speech by a politician.

"The future is not something we enter, but something we create. We are not bound by the limitations of the past, but we are free to shape our own destiny."

Which of the following best describes the author's tone?

A) Formal and encouraging B) Informal and sarcastic C) Formal and critical D) Informal and inspirational E) Formal and doubtful

Answer: A) Formal and encouraging

Explanation: The author uses formal language and a positive tone to encourage the audience to take action.

Question 2 The passage below is from a persuasive essay.

"Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death worldwide. It's time for governments to take action and ban smoking in all public places."

Which of the following best describes the author's purpose?

A) To inform the reader about the risks of smoking B) To persuade the reader to quit smoking C) To entertain the reader with a story about smoking D) To argue that smoking is not a major health risk E) To convince the reader to support a ban on smoking

Answer: E) To convince the reader to support a ban on smoking

Explanation: The author uses persuasive language to convince the reader to support a ban on smoking.

Question 3 The passage below is from a descriptive essay.

"The sun was setting over the ocean, casting a golden glow over the waves. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was soothing, and the smell of saltwater filled the air."

Which of the following best describes the author's tone?

A) Formal and analytical B) Informal and sarcastic C) Formal and emotional D) Informal and inspirational E) Formal and doubtful

Answer: C) Formal and emotional

Explanation: The author uses formal language and an emotional tone to describe a peaceful scene.

Quick Reference Card (60-Second Summary)

• Author's purpose: Identify the reason the author wrote the passage.
• Tone: Identify the author's emotional tone.
• Rhetorical device: Identify the figure of speech used to convey meaning or create an effect.
• Parallel structure: Use similar grammatical structures to make ideas easier to follow.
• Context clues: Use the passage to support your answer.
• Multiple perspectives: Consider different viewpoints.
• Formal and informal language: Identify the author's level of formality.

If You Get Stuck on Test Day

• Don't get stuck on minor details: Focus on the big picture and the author's overall message.
• Use context clues: Use the passage to support your answer.
• Consider multiple perspectives: Think about different viewpoints.
• Pace yourself: Make sure to leave enough time to read the passage and answer the question.

Related ACT Topics

• Author's purpose: Identify the reason the author wrote the passage.
• Tone: Identify the author's emotional tone.
• Rhetorical device: Identify the figure of speech used to convey meaning or create an effect.
• Parallel structure: Use similar grammatical structures to make ideas easier to follow.
• Context clues: Use the passage to support your answer.
• Multiple perspectives: Consider different viewpoints.
• Formal and informal language: Identify the author's level of formality.