ACT Reading Rules

What will the first paragraph in Passage 1 indicate?

Who (the character or characters) and what about that person

What strategy should be used in Passage 1?

CAPS. Character, Attitudes, Problems, and Solutions

How can you determine the author’s purpose in passage 2?

Ask why the author wrote the passage, and what is one main thing the author wants me to know after reading?

What sentence should you pay attention to in passage 2?

the last sentence for the main idea

What should you focus on when reading passage 3?

The author/narrator’s attitudes toward the subject of the passage. If it’s narrative use CAPS, if it’s informative, use the Thesis and Details (TD) strategy

What strategy should you use for passage 4?

TD strategy

How can you answer the Main Idea or Author’s purpose?

Look for general, vague, or broad answers

How can you find inferences?

Make an assumption based on what you read

How can you find tone?

Usually positive; look for a “nice” answer

How can you find detail?

If the question includes “the passage states” or “the passage indicates” the answer is in the passage.

How can you find vocabulary words?

Look back for context: read the lines before and after for clues as to meaning then plug in words

How can you answer “except” or “not” questions?

Answer as if they are true/false questions