Welcome to ACT Boot Camp

• Sit where you are assigned.

• Be sure your phone is turned off, put away, and out of sight.

• Please get a pencil out.

What is the ACT?

1. The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions & scholarships.

2. Juniors take this test on March 3.

3. It’s important for you—and our school—that you do well.

How Doing Well Helps You

• A composite score of 19 and a 2.7 grade point average guarantee your admission to MTSU.

• A composite score of 21 gets you $3,500 a year from the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship.

• You can also graduate with honors from RHS (regardless of your gpa if you hit the benchmark scores for all four subjects).

• Going into the military? Show them you are smarter than the lowest job they offer by giving your ACT as an example.

• Choosing to go straight into the workforce? The ACT is still important. By taking this test, you get access to the ACT website which gives you a free resource, including an interest inventory and student profile section.

Test Info

• The ACT covers 4 subjects:– English– Math– Reading– Science

• It is a timed test, so you have to work fast and work smart to do well.

Test InfoEnglish (75 questions) – 45 minutes – Measures standard

written English/rhetorical skills.Mathematics (60 questions) – 60 minutes – Measures

math skills students have typically acquired in courses taken up to the beginning of grade 12.

Reading (40 Questions) – 35 minutes – Measures reading comprehension

Science (40 Questions) – 35 minutes – Measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences**

Writing (1 Prompt) – 30 minutes – Not included on the in-school ACT, but an option you can take for another time, if you need it for your choice school.

**So, the science part really relies on your reading comprehension ability.

English Portion Description You will read five passages There will be 15 questions on each

reading for a total of 75 questions There is a 45 minute time limit In general, most test-takers finish this

part of the test by the end of 45 minutes

Benchmark score for English is 18

About the Readings

Variety of Subjects History to personal narratives

TWO Categories of Questions Usage and Mechanics Rhetorical Skills

Tips:

• If you’re not the strongest English student, work through and do all the easy questions FIRST. Then go back and work on the harder ones.

• Don’t get bogged down on a difficult question. In the time you waste on it, you could possibly answer several easy questions. Narrow the answers down if you can, guess, and move on.

Running out of time?Running out of time?

Answer the ones you feel confident in, then go back to the ones you didn't know when you've finished.

GUESS! Leave no bubble unfilled

Can you narrow it down to two choices? If not, guess the same letter in all blanks

Better odds

• If you narrow your answer down to 2 choices, usually go with the shortest one. The ACT makers like clear, concise answers.

Most Tested Punctuation Mark:

Comma

• Let’s review the

rules you need

to know:

1. Use commas to separate items in a series.

He traveled in the air, by land, and on the water.

You need this comma!

Practice: Items in a Series1. The modern woman often tries to be a wife a

mother and a business professional.

2. I will be happy to read your poem comment on it and return it to you.

3. Bob wants to go the beach his wife wants to go to the mountains and their kids don’t want to go anywhere.

4. The cops found TV sets blenders and hair dryers in the abandoned warehouse.

5. I like biking and swimming and skating.

Practice: Items in a Series1. The modern woman often tries to be a wife, a

mother, and a business professional.

2. I will be happy to read your poem, comment on

it, and return it to you.

3. Bob wants to go the beach, his wife wants to

go to the mountains, and their kids don’t want to go anywhere.

4. The cops found TV sets, blenders, and hair dryers in the abandoned warehouse.

5. I like biking and swimming and skating.

2. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) when it joins two sentences.

The sky was dark and cloudy, but the sun was still out.

Be sure you have a complete sentence on each side of the conjunction.

• FOR

• AND

• NOR

• BUT

• OR

• YET

• SO

3. Use commas to set off nonessentials and interrupters.

Nonessential = Extra, Not Needed

My aunt, who is a teacher, drives a truck.

Mr. Nolan, our principal, is very nice.

TIP: Eliminate the nonessentials, and you still have a complete sentence.

My aunt drives a truck.

Mr. Nolan is very nice.

Practice: Non-Essentials11.My brother who spends a lot of time at the gym

is in great shape.

12.Stamp collecting which teaches a great deal about history is quite fun.

13.Mrs. Brown who liked the book recommended it to me.

14.Riverdale’s Lady Warriors my favorite team won the basketball game.

15.Most patients prefer doctors who spend time listening to them.

Practice: Non-Essentials11.My brother, who spends a lot of time at the

gym, is in great shape.

12.Stamp collecting, which teaches a great deal about history, is quite fun.

13.Mrs. Brown, who liked the book, recommended it to me.

14.Riverdale’s Lady Warriors, my favorite team, won the basketball game.

15.Most patients prefer doctors who spend time listening to them.

Set off parenthetical expressions that interrupt sentences.

She is, moreover, a really mean person.I think, in fact, that he will ace his ACT.

• Common Parenthetical Expressions: however, indeed, consequently, as a result, moreover, of course, for example, for instance, that is, in fact, after all, I think, therefore, on the other hand, without a doubt

• Note you can pull these out, too.

Practice: Interrupters

16.The apples believe it or not were grown in my own backyard.

17.Birthdays and anniversaries for example are special occasions.

18.All twelve jurors by the way felt the man was innocent.

19.Instructors however receive a lower salary than professors.

20.My dad it seemed to me trusted only one or two people.

Practice: Interrupters

16.The apples, believe it or not, were grown in my own backyard.

17.Birthdays and anniversaries, for example, are special occasions.

18.All twelve jurors, by the way, felt the man was innocent.

19.Instructors, however, receive a lower salary than professors.

20.My dad, it seemed to me, trusted only one or two people.

4. Use commas after introductory elements:

After long prepositional phrases at the

beginning of sentences:

In the corner by the window, I found your

journal.

Practice: Introductory Elements21.During the power blackout people tried to help

each other.

22.Near the end of the driveway we plan to plant a lilac bush.

23.By four in the afternoon everyone wanted to go home.

24.On the top row in the nosebleed section we finally found our friends.

25.In a box under the bed in the guest room my mom hid our Christmas presents.

Practice: Introductory Elements21.During the power blackout people tried to help

each other.

22.Near the end of the driveway, we plan to plant a lilac bush.

23.By four in the afternoon, everyone wanted to go home.

24.On the top row in the nosebleed section, we finally found our friends.

25.In a box under the bed in the guest room, my mom hid our Christmas presents.

4. Use a comma after introductory dependent clauses:

When you finish your essay, you

may leave early.

Because she studied, she made an A.

*If the dependent clause comes at the end, you don’t need a comma.

She made an A because she studied.

Practice: Introductory Dep. Clauses26.When the snow stopped we were able to leave.

27.As the stage curtain rose the audience clapped.

28.We stayed on the beach until the sun went down.

29.Although English is offered only during the mornings you can take Spanish at night.

30.Because I am tired I am going to bed early.

31.If I don’t get an A in my business class my parents are going to be very unhappy.

Practice: Introductory Dep. Clauses26.When the snow stopped, we were able to leave.

27.As the stage curtain rose, the audience clapped.

28.We stayed on the beach until the sun went down.

29.Although English is offered only during the mornings, you can take Spanish at night.

30.Because I am tired, I am going to bed early.

31.If I don’t get an A in my business class, my parents are going to be very unhappy.

5. Use commas to separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun.

This adorable, cuddly puppy needs a new home.

Hints: Are adorable & cuddly

interchangeable?

Can you put “and” between them?

Kaitlyn likes to wear brown leather boots.

Important Comma Rules

1. Use commas to separate items in a series.

2. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (BOYSFAN) when it joins two sentences.

3. Use commas to set off nonessential and interrupters.

4. Use commas after introductory elements.

5. Use commas to separate two or more adjectives preceding a noun.