The ACT Format
The ACT test is made up of four individual tests, each of which is designed to measure academic achievement in a major area: English, mathematics, reading, and natural sciences.
- The test is about three hours long.
- There will be a short break between the second and third subtests.
- The test consists of a total 215 scored questions.
- The test is comprised of four subject tests:
| English | | 45 minutes, 75 questions |
| Math | | 60 minutes, 60 questions |
| Reading | | 35 minutes, 40 questions |
| Science Reasoning | | 35 minutes, 40 questions |
The following chart gives you a rough idea about the structure of the ACT Assessment:
English Test
45 minutes, 75 questions
| Content | Proportion
of Test | # of
Question |
Punctuation | .13 | 10 |
Basic Grammar and Usage | .16 | 12 |
Sentence Structure | .24 | 18 |
Strategy | .16 | 12 |
Organization | .15 | 11 |
Style | .16 | 12 |
Total | 1.00 | 75 |
Math Test
60 minutes, 60 questions
| Content | Proportion
of Test | # of
Question |
Pre-Algebra | .23 | 14 |
Elementary Algebra | .17 | 10 |
Intermediate Algebra | .15 | 9 |
Coordinate Geometry | .15 | 9 |
Plane Geometry | .23 | 14 |
Trigonometry | .07 | 4 |
Total | 1.00 | 60 |
Reading Test
35 minutes, 40 questions
| Content | Proportion
of Test | # of
Question |
Pose Fiction | .25 | 10 |
Humanities | .25 | 10 |
Social Studies | .25 | 10 |
Natural Science | .25 | 10 |
Total | 1.00 | 40 |
Science Reasoning Test
35 minutes, 40 questions
| Format | Proportion
of Test | # of
Question |
Data Representation | .38 | 15 |
Research Summaries | .45 | 18 |
Conflicting Viewpoints | .17 | 7 |
Total | 1.00 | 40 |
Note: Contents of Science Reasoning Test include: Biology, Earth/Space Science, Chemistry, and Physics
The questions in every subject test vary widely in difficulty. Remember that the questions are not arranged in order of difficulty. This is different from some other tests, such as the SAT, in which easier question come first. So, if you are stumped after the first few questions, don't even think of skipping the rest. You may often find later questions easier to answer then the earlier ones. Skipping past hard question is very important, since otherwise you may never reach easy ones toward the end of the test.
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