ACT English Rhetorical Skills Writing Strategy AddingDeleting Information Purpose

What This Is and Why It Matters for the ACT

Rhetorical Skills: Adding/Deleting Information — Purpose is a key concept in the ACT English section, appearing on nearly every test. It requires you to understand how authors use language to achieve a specific purpose, and how adding or deleting information affects the overall message.

Key Concepts (What You Must Know)

• Rhetorical purpose: The author's goal in writing, such as to persuade, inform, or entertain.
• Adding/deleting information: How authors use language to achieve their purpose by adding or removing details.
• Purpose-based analysis: Understanding how the author's purpose influences their language choices.

Step-by-Step Strategy for This Topic

1. Read the sentence or passage carefully, paying attention to the author's purpose and how they use language to achieve it.
2. Identify the underlined portion and consider how adding or deleting information would affect the overall message.
3. Analyze the author's purpose and how it influences their language choices.
4. Eliminate answer choices that don't align with the author's purpose or the language used.
5. Choose the answer that best supports the author's purpose and language choices.
6. Check your work by reading the sentence or passage again and verifying your answer.

⚠️ Don't assume the author's purpose without analyzing the language and context. ⚠️

How It’s Tested on the ACT

In the ACT English section, you'll encounter sentences or passages with underlined portions. You'll need to analyze the author's purpose and language choices to determine the best answer.

• Common distractors: Answer choices that seem plausible but don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.
• Spotting distractors: Look for answer choices that:
  • Change the author's purpose
  • Introduce new information that's not supported by the context
  • Use language that's inconsistent with the author's tone or style

Common Mistakes & Exam Traps

• The mistake: Assuming the author's purpose without analyzing the language and context.
• Why it happens: Rushing through the test or not reading the sentence or passage carefully.
• How to avoid it: Take your time, read carefully, and analyze the author's purpose and language choices.

• Exam board insight: The ACT examiners penalize answers that don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.

• The mistake: Choosing an answer that changes the author's purpose or introduces new information.

• Why it happens: Misreading the sentence or passage or not considering the author's purpose.
• How to avoid it: Read carefully, analyze the author's purpose, and choose an answer that supports the language and context.

• Exam board insight: The ACT examiners penalize answers that introduce new information or change the author's purpose.

• The mistake: Not considering the author's tone or style when choosing an answer.

• Why it happens: Rushing through the test or not reading the sentence or passage carefully.
• How to avoid it: Take your time, read carefully, and analyze the author's tone and style.

• Exam board insight: The ACT examiners penalize answers that don't align with the author's tone or style.

• The mistake: Not eliminating answer choices that don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.

• Why it happens: Rushing through the test or not reading the sentence or passage carefully.
• How to avoid it: Take your time, read carefully, and eliminate answer choices that don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.

• Exam board insight: The ACT examiners penalize answers that don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.

• The mistake: Not verifying your answer by reading the sentence or passage again.

• Why it happens: Rushing through the test or not taking the time to review your answer.
• How to avoid it: Take your time, read carefully, and verify your answer by reading the sentence or passage again.
• Exam board insight: The ACT examiners penalize answers that aren't verified by reading the sentence or passage again.

Practice Questions (3-5 questions)

Question 1:
The new policy aims to reduce the number of students taking the SAT.
A) reduce B) increase C) eliminate D) add E) modify

Answer: B) increase Explanation: The author's purpose is to inform, and the language used suggests that the policy aims to increase the number of students taking the SAT, not reduce it.

Question 2:
The company's profits rose to $10 million last year.
A) rose B) fell C) stayed the same D) increased E) decreased

Answer: D) increased Explanation: The author's purpose is to inform, and the language used suggests that the company's profits increased, not rose or stayed the same.

Question 3:
The new law requires all drivers to wear seatbelts.
A) requires B) suggests C) recommends D) encourages E) prohibits

Answer: A) requires Explanation: The author's purpose is to inform, and the language used suggests that the law requires drivers to wear seatbelts, not suggests or recommends.

Quick Reference Card (60-Second Summary)

• Rhetorical purpose: The author's goal in writing (persuade, inform, entertain).
• Adding/deleting information: How authors use language to achieve their purpose.
• Purpose-based analysis: Understanding how the author's purpose influences their language choices.
• Read carefully: Take your time and read the sentence or passage carefully.
• Analyze the author's purpose: Understand how the author's purpose influences their language choices.
• Eliminate answer choices: Get rid of answer choices that don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.
• Verify your answer: Read the sentence or passage again to confirm your answer.

If You Get Stuck on Test Day

• Don't assume the author's purpose: Take your time and analyze the language and context.
• Eliminate answer choices: Get rid of answer choices that don't align with the author's purpose or language choices.
• Take a deep breath: Stay calm and focus on the sentence or passage.
• Skip and come back: If you're stuck, skip the question and come back to it later.

Related ACT Topics

• Rhetorical Devices: Understanding how authors use language to achieve a specific purpose.
• Author's Tone and Style: Analyzing how the author's tone and style influence their language choices.
• Language Use: Understanding how language is used to convey meaning and achieve a specific purpose.