ACT Skills Library

Free study guides for every skill on the ACT

22 concepts across English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each guide breaks down what the test asks, the strategy that wins, and tips that actually move scores.

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English

Grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and rhetorical skills tested in the ACT English section.

Grammar Foundations
Build a solid grammar foundation by reviewing the eight parts of speech, how they combine into correct sentences, and the verb tense rules the ACT tests most often. This knowledge underpins nearly every English question on the ACT.
Usage & Mechanics
Master subject-verb agreement rules, one of the most frequently tested concepts on the ACT English section, including tricky cases with intervening phrases and compound subjects.
Sentence Structure
Identify and fix sentence fragments, run-on sentences, parallelism errors, and misplaced or dangling modifiers. Four structural issues the ACT tests repeatedly.
Rhetorical Skills
Learn how the ACT tests logical transitions between sentences and paragraphs, and how to answer organization/ordering questions.
Test Strategy
Build English section speed through timed drills, aiming for the target pace of 42 seconds per question (50 questions in 35 minutes).

Math

Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and quantitative reasoning across the 60-question Math section.

Number & Quantity
Review fundamental number concepts including integers, prime numbers, order of operations, and fraction/decimal conversions that appear throughout the ACT Math section.
Pre-Algebra
Review percentages, ratios, and proportions (high-frequency ACT topics) and practice translating word problems into solvable equations.
Elementary Algebra
Master solving linear equations, inequalities, and absolute value equations. The most common algebra question types on the ACT.
Functions
Understand function notation, domain and range, composition, and how the ACT tests function concepts.
Geometry
Master the coordinate plane concepts tested on the ACT: distance, midpoint, slope, parallel/perpendicular lines, and graphing.
Trigonometry
Learn the trigonometric ratios (SOH-CAH-TOA), the unit circle basics, and how trigonometry appears on the ACT.
Statistics & Probability
Master statistics and probability concepts: mean, median, mode, range, and basic counting principles.
Intermediate Algebra
Tackle the more advanced algebra topics that appear in the harder half of the ACT Math section.
Test Strategy
Build Math section speed and learn strategic calculator use, including the embedded Desmos graphing calculator on the online ACT, to maximize efficiency on the 45-question, 50-minute section.

Reading

Reading comprehension, main idea, inference, and tone questions on prose, social science, humanities, and natural science passages.

Reading Foundations
Learn the four ACT Reading passage types and develop active reading techniques that improve both comprehension and speed.
Passage Types
Develop strategies for the literary narrative passage, which focuses on characters, relationships, tone, and narrative voice.
Question Types
Practice the two most challenging ACT Reading question types: making inferences and determining the meaning of words in context.
Test Strategy
Practice reading passages under strict 10-minute-per-passage time limits to build the speed needed for the full Reading section.

Science

Data interpretation, research summaries, and conflicting viewpoints. The ACT Science section is mostly chart reading.

Science Foundations
Learn to read and interpret the graphs, tables, and charts that form the backbone of ACT Science passages. The Science section is now optional but still valuable for many college applications.
Research Summaries
Learn to analyze experiment-based science passages, which describe experimental setups, variables, controls, and results.
Conflicting Viewpoints
Learn to analyze conflicting viewpoints passages, which present two or more scientists or students with different explanations for the same phenomenon.
Test Strategy
Practice the Science section under timed conditions, focusing on efficient passage navigation and data extraction.

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