ACT (Enhanced, 2025+) Exam Survival Guide

Window & Pattern (2025+): Sections: English (50Q/35m), Math (45Q/50m), Reading (36Q/40m); Science (40Q/40m) optional; Writing (40m) optional. No penalty for guessing. Composite now averages English, Math, Reading scores (Science contributes to STEM if taken). Calculators allowed only on Math per ACT policy. 

Must-do topics (80/20)

English: grammar/usage (S-V agreement, pronouns, modifiers), punctuation, transitions, parallelism & comparisons; rhetoric (purpose, concision).
Math: percent/ratio/mixture, TSD/work, exponents/logs, equations/ineq/abs, quadratics/functions, number properties/mods, geometry (triangles/circles), basic stats.
Reading: main idea, inference, function/tone; comparative passages; data-in-text.
Science (if opted): interpreting data tables/graphs, experiments, hypotheses, conflicting viewpoints; basic scientific reasoning (not heavy content).

Top traps (avoid)

• English: choosing what sounds right over grammar/logic; misplaced modifiers; faulty comparisons.
• Math: inequality flips, extraneous roots, averaging percentages without weights; unit slips.
• Reading/Science: reading figures without TAUSL; confusing rate vs total; scope shifts.
• Strategy: spending too long early—ACT is tight per-item.

Time split (section pacing)

• English (35m): ~40–45 s/Q: go rule-first (SVA/modifiers/punct), then rhetoric.
• Math (50m): harvest 1-step arithmetic/algebra → geo/func → leftovers; cap ~70 s/Q.
• Reading (40m): 4 passages; map first (topic/stance/structure), answer detail Qs by line return.
• Science (40m, optional): do the data-rich sets first; experiments next; conflicting viewpoints last.

Last-48h checklist

• English: 60 error-spot + 30 sentence improvement; build a 1-page rule sheet (SVA, modifiers, parallelism, comma/colon/semicolon).
• Math: 60 mixed (ratio/percent/TSD/work/ineq/abs/quad/functions); write the units before you compute.
• Reading: 3 timed passages; write 1-line main idea + cite 2 evidence lines each.
• Science (opt): 4 sets (2 data-heavy, 1 experimental design, 1 viewpoints); verbalize TAUSL every chart.
• Calculator: confirm your model vs ACT policy; practice without it for quick percent/ratio. 

Quick frames

• TAUSL: Title • Axes • Units • Scale • Legend (say it before answering any chart Q).
• Back-solve/bounds on word problems; pick numbers on percent/ratio.
• English split-point scan: what changes across options? Fix rule first, then style.
• Reading answer test: if you can’t underline support, it’s likely wrong.

Speed tactics

• Two-pass per section: harvest → revisit; mark 50–50s only.
• Keep a live error tag: (Units / Sign / Scope / Read).
• Guess only after eliminating ≥2 options (no penalty).
• Math: prefer ratios or unit analysis to long arithmetic.

Exam-day mini-plan

• 3-min warm-up: 2 grammar fixes + 1 ratio + 1 tiny chart read.
• English → Math → (break) → Reading → Science (if chosen) → Writing (if chosen).
• Final 90 s each section: re-check any EXCEPT/NOT stems; bubble audit.