ACT Reading Practice Tests (2024)

All ACT Reading Resources

16 Diagnostic Tests 144 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept

Take the Varsity Learning Tools free diagnostic test for ACT Reading to determine which academic concepts you understand and which ones require your ongoing attention. Each ACT Reading problem is tagged down to the core, underlying concept that is being tested. The ACT Reading diagnostic test results highlight how you performed on each area of the test. You can then utilize the results to create a personalized study plan that is based on your particular area of need.

All ACT Reading Resources

16 Diagnostic Tests 144 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept

Our free ACT Reading Practice Tests are each a selection of 10 to 12 questions, which will give you a cross-section of topics from the Reading section of the official ACT. You might think of them as little quizzes, which you can use to hone your skills.Whether you need top ACT Readingtutors in Atlanta, ACT Readingtutors in Houston, or top ACT Readingtutors in San Francisco, working with a pro may take your studies to the next level.

ACT Reading Section

What does the ACT Reading section test?

The ACT Reading section tests a student’s ability to read and comprehend complex passages of fiction and nonfiction by presenting them with passages from various subject areas and asking them questions about the passages’ content. Varsity Tutors offers resources like a free ACTprep bookto help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an ACT Readingtutor.

The ACT Reading section does not test grammar or ask you to find errors included in a passage; that material is tested on the ACT English section.

How many questions are on the ACT Reading section, and how long do I have to complete them?

The ACT Reading section consists of 40 multiple-choice reading comprehension questions, and you are given 35 minutes in which to complete them. Each ACT Reading section consists of four reading passages accompanied by ten questions each. Certain reading passages consist of long excerpts from a single work, and others consist of two shorter excerpts from different works that certain questions ask you to compare and contrast.

What kinds of passages are on the ACT Reading section?

In each ACT Reading section, one passage is drawn from prose fiction, one from the social sciences, one from the natural sciences, and one from the humanities.

How long are ACT Reading passages?

Longer excerpts on the ACT Reading section are generally around 1000 words long, while shorter excerpts that are paired together for a certain group of questions are generally around 500 words each.

What types of questions appear on the ACT Reading section?

The ACT Reading section includes a variety of reading comprehension questions. Some of the most common question types include:

1.) Identify the main idea

2.) Determine the meaning of a word in the context of the passage

3.) Identify specific details in the passage

4.) Make inferences and generalizations

5.) Determine the author’s viewpoint

6.) Compare and contrast ideas (especially in sections with two short excerpts)

7.) Analyze aspects of the passage like tone, voice, purpose, and intended audience.

How much time should I spend reading each passage / answering the questions on the ACT Reading section?

The ACT Reading section is a very time-sensitive section. You have 35 minutes in which to read four lengthy passages and answer 40 questions about them; therefore, you have 8 minutes and 45 seconds to read a passage and answer 10 questions about it. A good way to think about each passage is that if you would like to leave 5 minutes to answer the 10 questions (30 seconds per question), you should strive to read the passage carefully in just under 4 minutes.

What are some good strategies and tips for taking the ACT Reading section?

1. NEVER read the questions before reading the passage. This is the most common mistake on the ACT Reading section. It wastes valuable time and will encourage you to skip over reading essential portions of the passage.

2. Skip difficult questions and come back to them later. ACT Reading questions are NOT presented in order of difficulty; therefore, the hardest question on the whole test might be question 2, and the easiest could be question 40. Since all of the questions are worth the same number of points, it is a good idea to go through the test and do all of the easy questions before returning to particularly difficult questions that you aren’t sure about. This way, you ensure that you don’t run out of time working through harder questions and lose points by not answering easier questions that you knew the answers to but did not get to on the test.

3. Eliminate incorrect answers. Questions on the ACT Reading section are multiple-choice and each have four answer choices. Eliminating even one of the answer choices can make a huge difference. Also, it is almost always easier to spot the WORST answer to a question than to spot the BEST answer. If you can’t identify the correct answer to a question, you can still answer it confidently if you can identify the three wrong answers, leaving only one that can be correct.

Should I guess on the ACT Reading section?

Absolutely! Unlike the SAT, which calculates students’ scores based on the number of questions that they answer incorrectly, the ACT calculates students’ scores based on the number of questions students answer correctly. In other words, there is no penalty for guessing on the ACT, and guessing can only ever increase your score.

How should I study for the ACT Reading section?

Varsity Tutors offers free ACT Reading Practice Tests for you to use in preparing for the ACT's Reading section. Our free ACT Reading Practice Tests are written by teachers, professors, content specialists, and tutors. Explanations are given for each question, so if you miss a question, you can find out where you went wrong. In addition to the ACTReadingPractice TestsandACT Reading tutoring, you may also want to consider taking some of ourACT Reading flashcards. Varsity Tutors also offers free ACT Reading Questions of the Day, as well as other free ACT Reading resources.

Another resource you may want to check out are the Full-Length ACT Reading Practice Tests. You can get an idea of your current skill level and create a personalized study plan by taking a free online Practice Test as you begin your review. Mimicking the actual ACT Reading section, these tests gives you a great opportunity to work on your timing and endurance. Just as on the concept-specific Practice Tests, the results page includes detailed explanations of each answer and links to relevant concepts. The feedback from the complete Practice Tests can assist you in streamlining your ACT review by helping you discover the ideas in which you’ve already proficient and those you may want to spend additional time reviewing. After brushing up on your knowledge using the other resources available through Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools, take another Full-Length ACT Reading Practice Test to measure your progress and adjust your study plan.

Our completely free ACT Reading practice tests are the perfect way to brush up your skills. Take one of our many ACT Reading practice tests for a run-through of commonly asked questions. You will receive incredibly detailed scoring results at the end of your ACT Reading practice test to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Pick one of our ACT Reading practice tests now and begin!

ACT Reading Practice Tests (2024)

FAQs

Are ACT practice tests easier? ›

Most ACT experts agree that they are easier than what you'll see today. Practice tests 4 and 5 will give you a more accurate sense of the test you'll be taking.

How do you ace the ACT reading test? ›

Reading Test-Taking Tips:
  1. Read each passage carefully. Before you begin answering a question, read the entire passage carefully. ...
  2. Refer to the passages when answering the questions. Answers to some of the questions will be found by referring to what is plainly stated in the text of the passages.

Is ACT reading harder than SAT reading? ›

The ACT has four longer passages (700-900 words) and the SAT has five slightly shorter passages (500-750 words). In general, reading comprehension is a little more intense on the ACT than on the SAT, but the difference is mostly negligible.

How hard is the reading section of the ACT? ›

Why is ACT Reading so hard? The ACT Reading section is particularly challenging for students because of the time needed to read the passages. Most students' first inclination is to read the full passage before answering the question, but if you do this you will surely run out of time.

How hard is it to get a 27 on the ACT? ›

What percentile is a 27 ACT score? A 27 ACT score puts you at the 85th percentile, meaning you scored higher than 85% of test takers.

Is a 26 GOOD ON ACT? ›

A 26 ACT score is a great score and, unless your ideal school is seeking a higher one, there's no particular reason to retake it. Make sure you have a good college list of between 7 and 10 schools to apply to and see where your ACT score falls on their commonly accepted scale.

Is a 1600 SAT or 36 ACT better? ›

A 1600 SAT score is equivalent to earning a 36 on the ACT. While the tests are entirely comparable — there are differences in time management and content, among other things — but this is a score equivalent.

Do colleges prefer ACT or SAT? ›

This is a common misconception. Colleges don't have a preference between the SAT or ACT so it's important to know how to choose the test that's right for you. Both tests are widely accepted across U.S. colleges—including those that are test optional.

What is a perfect score on the ACT reading? ›

So what is a perfect ACT score? The perfect composite score is 36. This score is an average of your four section scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science. While you don't need a perfect score to get into top colleges, earning a full 36 ACT score can help you be a competitive applicant.

What is the hardest subject in ACT? ›

Different students may find different sections of the ACT challenging depending on their strengths and weaknesses. However, many students report that the Science and Math sections tend to be the most challenging.

How to crack ACT reading? ›

Now that you know what to expect, here are six ACT reading strategies that will help you approach any passage:
  1. Choose Your Own Adventure. ...
  2. Get Plenty of ACT Reading Practice. ...
  3. Read the Questions First. ...
  4. Keep Moving. ...
  5. Look for Transition Words. ...
  6. Don't Panic if You Don't Know the Word.

Is it hard to get a 36 on the reading ACT? ›

If you're planning on taking the ACT, you might be wondering how to get that elusive 36 on the reading section. It's tough, but if you find a strategy, pace yourself, and practice with official ACT reading tests, you'll rock it on test day!

Is the ACT easier than it used to be? ›

Relatively speaking, the ACT has gotten “harder” over the years. As students start to do better on ACT, the test-makers gradually adjust the difficulty level of the test. And students have gotten better. In 1970, the average composite score nationwide was 18.6.

What is the hardest test on the ACT? ›

Different students may find different sections of the ACT challenging depending on their strengths and weaknesses. However, many students report that the Science and Math sections tend to be the most challenging.

Are the official ACT practice tests accurate? ›

Overall, practice tests are a critical (30%+) part of a good ACT study program. It's imperative that you have high accuracy questions that are representative of what you'll see on test day, and there's no better source of these high-quality questions than official ACT practice tests.

How hard is it to get a 36 on ACT? ›

Unsurprisingly, a full 36 is the rarest score of all—just 0.18% of all test takers earned a perfect ACT score.

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