The English section is the first test on the ACT, and it is the one that rewards a clear idea of what the questions actually measure. This article describes the current, shortened ACT (the version ACT introduced in 2025, in which Science became optional), using ACT's own Preparing for the ACT guide and its published test pages. For the full test in one view, see What to Expect on the ACT.
The format in numbers
ACT lists the English section as 50 questions, 40 of them scored, in 35 minutes. English is required; Science and Writing are the optional parts of the test. The ten unscored items are embedded field-test questions that ACT uses to try out material for future forms. ACT's practice-test scoring instructions tell you not to count the grayed-out field-test items when you score a practice test, and nothing in the guide tells you which items they are while you work. Treat every question as if it counts.
The section is built from several passages, which ACT calls essays. The English items appear next to the passage rather than after it. Some questions ask about the passage as a whole, and others refer to an underlined or highlighted portion and offer alternatives. Many of those questions include "No Change" as one of the choices, which means the original wording can be the right answer. ACT also states that the English passages are written in-house, in a range of genres, so that each one puts you in the position of a writer deciding how to revise and edit a text.
The three reporting categories
ACT sorts English questions into three categories and gives an approximate share of the section for each.
- Production of Writing (38 to 43 percent). These questions deal with the purpose and focus of a piece of writing. ACT splits them into Topic Development, which covers the purpose of parts of a text, whether a passage reaches its intended goal, and whether material is relevant to the focus, and Organization, Unity, and Cohesion, which covers logical order, smooth flow, and effective introductions and conclusions.
- Knowledge of Language (18 to 23 percent). These questions ask for precise and concise word choice and for a consistent style and tone.
- Conventions of Standard English (38 to 43 percent). These questions ask you to apply grammar, usage, and mechanics when you revise and edit. ACT lists three areas: Sentence Structure and Formation, Punctuation, and Usage.
Note what this means for study time. Conventions is the same size as Production of Writing, and each is roughly double Knowledge of Language. A student who only drills commas is working on one slice of one category. Questions about whether a sentence belongs in a paragraph, or whether a transition fits, are just as large a part of the section as the ones about grammar rules.
How the section is scored
Your raw score is the number of questions you answered correctly. ACT states there is no penalty for incorrect answers, so you should answer every question, even if you must guess. The raw score is then converted to a scale score between 1 and 36. The conversion exists to adjust for small differences in difficulty among test forms, so that, for example, a scale score of 26 on a section means the same thing on any form. Because the table differs from form to form, there is no fixed number of misses that always produces a given score.
ACT reports four scores for the English section: a score for the section overall, plus a score for each of the three reporting categories. The category results show the number of questions, how many you answered correctly, and the percentage correct, which makes them useful for deciding what to review.
Where English goes after scoring
English feeds into two combined scores. The Composite is the average of your English, math, and reading scores, rounded to the nearest whole number; ACT's page says Science was removed from the Composite beginning in 2025. The ELA score is the average of English, reading, and writing, with writing included only if you took it. The optional essay is reported separately on a scale of 2 to 12 and does not affect the Composite.
Using the official description to study
ACT's own guidance for this section is practical. Pay attention to the style of each passage, because a revision that fits a formal argument may be wrong in a personal narrative. Read the sentences around an underlined portion, since the right choice depends on context. When a question asks for the best alternative, decide how the portion should read before you look at the options, then check whether your wording appears. Be careful about answers that fix one error but introduce another.
With 35 minutes for 50 questions, pacing matters, but the section is built for revision work rather than long calculations, so most of the time goes to careful reading of the passage.
Practice ACT questions with explanations and timed practice tests.