Reading section
The ACT Reading test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions that must be answered in 35 minutes. The test consists of four sections, each containing one long or two shorter prose passages. The passages focus on various topics in social studies, natural sciences, prose fiction, and the humanities. The sections that contain two short passages will include questions that involve both of the passages in the section.
There are two subtypes of ACT Reading questions: referring and reasoning. Referring questions ask tests information recall directly from passages. Reasoning questions ask a student to draw conclusions from from information provided in the passages. Below you can find more detailed information…
Reading Questions
Detail: find and interpret details
Main Idea: identify the main idea of a passage, paragraph, or paragraphs
Comparative Relationships: interpret comparative relationships (similarities and differences)
Cause-effect: interpret cause and effect relationships
Generalizations: draw generalizations
Vocabulary in Context: identify the meaning of words in context
Sequence of Events: determine when events happened and/or the order of events
Author’s Voice: identify the author’s style, attitude, and point of view; the main purpose of a sentence, a paragraph, or the passage as a whole
Test Practice Materials
