Tip #10 to Get a Top ACT English Reading Science Score (page 2)

"Named must your fear be before banish it you can."

Jedi Master Yoda

Great advice. True for Jedi training. True for the ACT. But unless you're an 800-year-old Jedi Master, don't try speaking or writing in the passive voice; the ACT always favors the active voice. "Active voice" is just fancy grammar language for "be direct and to the point."

The ACT is not testing to see if you are the next Jedi, nor is it testing to see if you are the next William Shakespeare. They are merely testing to see if you can write a clear and concise memo from your cubicle at Dandar Mifflin Corporation. So the secret rule for English ACT questions is to choose the answer that is most clear, concise, direct, and nonredundant.

Let's take a look at this question:

What I said to my neighbor intern who worked next to me.

F. No Change

G. Neighbor intern next to me

H. Neighbor intern

I.  Neighbor, the intern next to me

Solution: The word "neighbor" implies the person "who worked next to me," so the other words are redundant and unneeded. Ax them. The ACT likes crisp and clear. We always want the answer that is most clear, concise, direct, nonredundant, and of course grammatically correct.

Correct answer: H

Example Problems

Begin to take deep relaxed Mentally scanning your body, consciously relax your muscles, one at a time, from your toes to the top of your head. with each exhalation. With each inhalation, breathe in relaxation.

After your muscles have become allow your mind to relax. Notice anxieties and mental tensions. Visualize the incoming breath dissolving buried mental tensions. Then, see the thoughts as slowly floating clouds.

Relax here awhile. Then, when you are gently stretch your body in the way that feels most natural for you. Notice how you feel and make the intention to return to this feeling whenever you need some stress relief. Then, open your eyes and slowly sit up.

1.  
   1. NO CHANGE
   2. breaths, and breathing in a relaxed way.
   3. breaths, in a relaxed way.
   4. breaths.
2.  
   6. NO CHANGE
   7. Let stress and tension be the things breathed out
   8. Breathe out stress and tension
   10. In the breathing, let it be stress and tension that are breathed out
3.  
   1. NO CHANGE
   2. relaxed
   3. relaxed, with less tension
   4. relaxed, and are less tight
4.  
   6. NO CHANGE
   7. it being that you are imagining that your mind is like a clear blue sky,
   8. imagining that your mind is like a clear blue sky, you
   10. imagine that your mind is like a clear blue sky and
5.  
   1. NO CHANGE
   2. set and ready
   3. all ready and set
   4. ready
6.  
   6. NO CHANGE
   7. with opened-eyes
   8. with eyes being open
   10. OMIT the underlined portion