There are five types of questions that will be asked in this section:

1. Sentence Improvement Questions

A couple of questions on every ACT test will require you to improve a particular sentence by reordering the words for clarity and proper grammar. These questions usually go like this:

• The best placement for the underlined portion would be:
• All of the following would be acceptable placements for the underlined portion EXCEPT:
  

Sometimes, the whole sentence is underlined, and you’re picking out the entire sentence from the answer choices.

The general strategy to approach sentence improvement questions is as follows:

1. Place the underlined portion after the thing to which it applies
2. If you’re picking out an entire sentence, ensure any misplaced or confusing phrases are placed after the things to which they apply
3. Always read the sentence for its meaning and to ensure it makes sense.
   

Example 1
During summer camp, I would talk to the other campers about friends back home living in the cabin.

The best placement for the underlined portion would be:
A. where it is now
B. after the word talk
C. after the word campers
D. after the word friends

Solution: Who’s living in the cabin? The campers. Therefore, we should put the underlined phrase after campers. The correct answer is C.

Example 2
Many strains of microbes found in the deep ocean deadly to life have evolved to survive in conditions on the planet’s surface.

The best placement for the underlined portion would be:
A. where it is now
B. after the word conditions
C. after the word survive
D. after the word surface

Solution: The author’s intent is to say that these microbes survive in conditions that would normally be deadly to humans. Therefore, we place the phrase next to what it applies to – deadly next to “conditions” and life next to “on the planet’s surface.” The correct answer is B.‍

Example 3
In the current economy, downsizing our workforce would not be advisable.

All of the following would be acceptable placements for the underlined portion EXCEPT
A. where it is now
B. after the word workforce
C. after the word advisable
D. after the word downsizing

Solution: Placing the underlined phrase between “downsizing” and “our workforce” would make for an awkward interruption. The correct answer is D.

2. Sentence Order Questions

All sentence order questions will ask you where a sentence should be placed in a passage. The strategy for answering these type of questions follows:

1. Determine the topic of the sentence you’re being asked about: Focus on the keywords or phrases in the question.
2. Go through the answer choices. The most important thing is to read the sentences before and after the insertion point.
3. Eliminate wrong choices
4. The right choice should logically follow the sentence before and connect to the following sentence. Use chronological order or order of events when applicable.
   

Example 4: A New Watch Company
‍[1]After a year of living on futons and eating ramen, the founders at Hourglass decided that antique watches weren’t profitable enough to sustain a business. [2] Instead, they decided to invest in modern designs, create new watches, and market them at a discount online. [3] Hourglass soon skyrocketed to success. [4] Within a year, it broke ten million dollars in revenue and announced its intent to expand overseas. [5] A lot of existing watch companies are now looking to buy out this company that was once on the verge of bankruptcy. [6]With those plans in place, the company began to attract the young and fashionable crowd, as well as celebrities looking for the next trend.

For the sake of the logic and coherence of the paragraph, sentence 6 should be:
A. placed where it is now
B. placed after sentence 1
C. placed after sentence 2
D. placed after sentence 4

Solution: Note that sentence 6 refers to “those plans,” so your natural thought should be, “What plans?” Sentence 6 only makes sense if it’s placed next to another sentence that defines what those plans are. The only sentence that does so logically is sentence 2. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Example 5: Surrender of the Vietnamese  
[1] The Mongols tried to conquer Vietnam at various points in the second millennium. [2] The first time, they were repelled by the unknown landscape and intemperate climate. [3] When they came back better prepared, the Vietnamese scared them off by setting fires to their encampments. [4] The Mongols finally succeeded twice in the late 13th century, but mysteriously left each time. [5] It wasn’t until the 19th century that the Vietnamese were full conquered - by the French. [6] On their third return, they were routed by the genius of the Vietnamese generals at the battle of Bach Dang.

For the sake of the logic and coherence of the paragraph, sentence 6 should be:
A. placed where it is now.
B. placed after sentence 1.
C. placed after sentence 2.
D. placed after sentence 3.

Solution: This is an example of putting things in chronological order, from first to last. Sentence 6 begins with “On their third return,” which means that it should be placed after the narrator has talked about the first and second attempt. The second time the Mongols tried to conquer Vietnam is discussed in sentence 3, so the correct answer is D.

Example 6: Computer Designers
[1] A basic understanding of computer programming is essential. [2] In fact, many designers initially begin their pursuits as programmers. [3] Consider taking some general computer science courses as well as courses in artificial intelligence and graphics in order to increase your understanding of the technical challenges involved in developing a video game. [4] Courses in psychology and human behavior may help you develop emphatic collaboration skills, while courses in humanities, such as literature and film, should give you the background necessary to develop effective narrative structures. [5] A designer also needs careful educational preparation. [6] Finally, because a designer should understand the business aspects of the video game industry, such as budgeting and marketing, you may want to consider taking some business courses. [7] Although demanding and deadline driven, video game design can be a lucrative and rewarding field for people who love gaming and have prepared themselves with the necessary skills and knowledge.

To make the paragraph most logical, sentence 5 should be:
A. placed where it is now
B. placed before sentence 1
C. placed after sentence 3
D. DELETED from the paragraph.

Solution: In answer choice B, the paragraph would start with “a designer also needs careful educational preparation”. The rest of the paragraph is about the education that a designer needs to be successful. That sentence is a good introduction - The correct answer is B.‍

3. Inserting Sentences

You will also be asked on the ACT to identify where in a passage a new sentence should be added. The strategy to answer these questions is similar:

1. Read the sentence to be inserted and paraphrase the topic of that sentence - there will probably be keywords or a phrase.
2. Plug the sentence into each spot listed in the answer choices and eliminate whatever does not fit
3. Plug in the sentence into the remaining answer choices to check to see whether the surrounding sentences contain that word or phrase. The sentence will almost certainly have to be placed next to a sentence that includes the topic word or phrase. ‍
   

Example 7: Organized T-Ball
[1] Our son has started playing organized T-ball, a beginner’s version of baseball. [2] “Organized” is what parents call it, anyway. [3] Joe is seven, living in those two or three years when they can manage to throw a baseball a few feet but when what they’re really interested in are things closer at hand, bugs, butterflies, dirt (if they’re in the infield), grass (if they’re in the outfield). [4] Children of that age still think nothing of doing little dances in the outfield, often with their backs to home plate and, consequently, the batter. [5] It’s not as if the outfielders’ positions matter much, though - the ball never gets hit hard enough to reach there.

The writer wishes to add the following sentence in order to emphasize the uncertainty already expressed about an idea in the paragraph: I still have doubts.

The new sentence would best amplify and be placed after sentence:
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

Solution: The sentence “I still have doubts” should be placed somewhere where it emphasizes uncertainty that’s already present in the passage. The quotation marks in sentence two suggest uncertainty. The narrator is saying that parents call T-ball “organized,” implying that he does not.

This logically connects to him saying, “I still have doubts,” meaning he doubts that there is organization in T-ball. The following sentence provides evidence that there is little organization in “organized” T-ball. Everything fits, and the answer is B.‍

Example 8: Hardon Collidor
[1] The large Hadron Collider, the most powerful particle collider in the world, was built to test theories of particle physics. [2] In particular, it was used to prove the existence of the Higgs Boson, a new type of particle that helps explain why things have mass. [3] The Collider is based at the CERN Laboratory and contains four types of detectors. [4] Having more than one detector carry out the same tests gives scientists the ability to cross-check results and identify any anomalies in the data they generate.

Upon reviewing this essay and realizing that some information has been left out, the writer composes the following sentence: Two of them, the ATLAS and CMS detectors, are very similar and can run the same class of experiments.

The most logical and effective place to insert this sentence would be:
A. After sentence 1.
B. After sentence 2.
C. After sentence 3.
D. After sentence 4.

Solution: The keyword is “them” - what’s them? Detectors, obviously. So, we must put this sentence after one that brings up detectors, sentence 3. The answer is C.

Example 9,10 & 11: Japanese Tea Ceremonies
[1] Tea is found in a myriad of different varieties throughout the world and plays an important part in a great many cultures. [2] In traditional Japanese culture, tea ceremonies play a special role in creating a social space in which tea is enjoyed with others. [3] Matcha is a kind of green tea that has been ground into a fine powder. [4] Japanese tea ceremonies vary in their details; there are many different schools that all differ in the details of how one prepares and serves the tea. [5] During a ceremony, the tea is prepared carefully in a manner according to tradition. [6] Whereas some people can down a cup of tea in minutes, tea ceremonies draw out the tea-drinking process. [7] Tea certainly plays a special role in traditional Japanese culture, as tea ceremonies demonstrate.

9. The sentence “A particular tea is often used in these ceremonies: matcha” would be best inserted into the paragraph in which of the following locations?
A. Before sentence 2
B. Before sentence 3
C. Before sentence 4
D. Before sentence 7

10. The sentence “No matter which school is followed, many tea ceremonies involve the consumption of light food along with the tea.” would be best inserted into the paragraph in which of the following locations?
‍A. Before sentence 4
B. Before sentence 5
C. Before sentence 6
D. Before sentence 7

11. The sentence “Ceremonies can span hours.” would be best inserted into the paragraph in which of the following locations?
A. Before sentence 2
B. Before sentence 5
C. Before sentence 6
D. Before sentence 7

Solutions:
‍9. Skimming the passage, you can see that matcha is discussed in one place: sentence 3. The question’s sentence seems like it’s introducing matcha to the reader for the first time, whereas the sentence in the passage provides a definition of what matcha is. Thus, it makes sense for the question’s sentence to precede the sentence in the passage. The right answer is B.

10. The question sentence begins with “No matter which school is followed . . .” In order for a sentence to start this way, a variety of schools needs to have just been introduced in the previous sentence. Which sentence in the passage does that? Sentence 4 states “Japanese tea ceremonies vary in their details; there are many different schools that all differ in the details of how one prepares and serves the tea.” B is the correct answer.

11. The sentence is emphasizing how long tea ceremonies can last. The passage only discusses the timing of a tea ceremony near its conclusion. This leaves us with before sentence 6 or sentence 7. Consider which sentence in the passage tells us that “tea ceremonies draw out the tea-drinking process”. D is the correct answer.