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The ACT English test gives students 50 questions in 35 minutes. Every question asks students to edit part of a passage, and the questions fall into three areas: Conventions of Standard English (punctuation, sentence structure, and usage), Production of Writing (organization, transitions, and relevance), and Knowledge of Language (precise, concise wording and a consistent tone). The section is scored from 1 to 36 and counts toward the ACT Composite.
Growing Stars provides personalized, one-on-one online ACT English tutoring that teaches the grammar rules behind each question type, builds pacing, and follows the student’s test date and target score.
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The ACT English and Reading tests measure how well students edit written text, read closely, and reason from evidence, and together they now account for two-thirds of the ACT Composite score. With the enhanced ACT, the Composite is calculated from English, Math, and Reading only, so strong verbal performance matters more than ever. Students who also take the optional ACT Writing test earn an additional English Language Arts (ELA) score that some colleges and scholarship programs review. Our tutors at Growing Stars build grammar precision, reading strategy, and essay technique step by step, tailored to each student’s target score and test date.
Our expert tutors focus on core language skills, efficient pacing, and clear reasoning, helping students approach every passage and prompt with confidence.
On the enhanced ACT, used for all administrations as of spring 2026, the verbal sections are timed and scored as follows.
| Section | Questions | Time | Score Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT English | 50 | 35 minutes | 1 to 36 |
| ACT Reading | 36 | 40 minutes | 1 to 36 |
| ACT Writing (optional) | 1 essay | 40 minutes | 2 to 12 |
The Composite score is the average of English, Math, and Reading. ACT, Inc. updates formats and policies from time to time, so students should confirm the latest details on the official ACT website before test day.
The ACT never asks students to name a grammar rule. It asks them to spot and fix an error inside a passage. The rules below cover the patterns that come up again and again in Conventions of Standard English questions, with an incorrect and corrected example for each.
| Grammar Rule | What the ACT Expects | Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sentence fragments | Every sentence needs a subject and a main verb and must express a complete thought. | Because the bus arrived late. | Because the bus arrived late, class started without us. |
| Comma splices and run-ons | Two complete sentences cannot be joined by a comma alone. Use a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a conjunction (and, but, so, or, nor, for, yet). | The test starts at 8, students should arrive early. | The test starts at 8, so students should arrive early. |
| Semicolons | A semicolon joins two closely related complete sentences. Both sides must be able to stand alone. | She studied every night; even on weekends. | She studied every night; she even reviewed on weekends. |
| Colons | A colon comes after a complete sentence and introduces a list, explanation, or example. | The kit includes: pencils, a calculator, and an ID. | The kit includes three items: pencils, a calculator, and an ID. |
| Nonessential information | Words that can be removed without changing the meaning are set off by a matching pair of commas, parentheses, or dashes. | My brother, who plays violin practices daily. | My brother, who plays violin, practices daily. |
| Subject-verb agreement | The verb agrees with its subject, not with a noun inside a prepositional phrase. | The list of required documents are online. | The list of required documents is online. |
| Pronoun agreement | A pronoun matches the number of the noun it replaces. | The researchers published its findings. | The researchers published their findings. |
| Pronoun case | Use subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they, who) as subjects and object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them, whom) as objects, including after prepositions. | The coach gave the award to Maya and I. | The coach gave the award to Maya and me. |
| Apostrophes | Possessive nouns use apostrophes. Possessive pronouns (its, their, whose) never do. “It’s” always means “it is.” | The school changed it’s schedule. | The school changed its schedule. |
| Verb tense | Keep verb tense consistent unless the timeline in the passage changes. | Last summer she visits the museum and took notes. | Last summer she visited the museum and took notes. |
| Modifier placement | A descriptive phrase must sit next to the word it describes. | Walking into class, the bell rang. | Walking into class, Jordan heard the bell ring. |
| Parallel structure | Items in a list or comparison use the same grammatical form. | She likes reading, to swim, and hiking. | She likes reading, swimming, and hiking. |
| Concision | When two choices are both correct, the ACT usually prefers the shorter one that keeps the full meaning. | The final conclusion was reached at 3 p.m. in the afternoon. | The conclusion was reached at 3 p.m. |
| Transitions | A transition word must match the logical relationship between ideas, such as contrast, cause, addition, or example. | The experiment failed. Therefore, the team was encouraged by the data. | The experiment failed. However, the team was encouraged by the data. |
Most missed ACT English questions come from a handful of these rules. A diagnostic test shows which ones a student needs to practice, so tutoring time goes where it will move the score.
Consider this sentence from a passage:
The museum opened a new wing last spring, it now displays more than 200 works by local artists.
A. NO CHANGE
B. spring, and it
C. spring it
D. spring, which it
“The museum opened a new wing last spring” and “it now displays more than 200 works” are both complete sentences.
A comma alone cannot join two complete sentences, so A is a comma splice. C removes the comma and creates a run-on. D turns the second half into “which it now displays,” which does not work grammatically.
B adds the conjunction “and” after the comma, which correctly joins the two sentences. The answer is B.
A common mistake is choosing NO CHANGE because the sentence sounds fine when read aloud. Growing Stars tutors train students to check sentence structure instead of relying on how a sentence sounds.
Whether your student is working on punctuation rules, pacing, reading inference questions, or the optional essay, one-on-one tutoring focuses on the skills that will raise their score before test day.
ACT English
ACT Reading
ACT Writing (Optional)
Tutoring sessions follow each student’s test date and study timeline, ensuring preparation is focused, efficient, and aligned with individual score goals.
Format and content below reflect the enhanced ACT, which is used for all administrations as of spring 2026. ACT, Inc. periodically updates test formats and policies, so we recommend confirming the latest details on the official ACT website before test day.
At Growing Stars, we know that every student brings different strengths to the verbal sections of the ACT. Some students read carefully but run out of time; others move quickly but miss subtle grammar and punctuation rules. Our expert tutors personalize each session to the student’s diagnostic results, target score, and test date rather than following a fixed script.
Sessions are supported by our library of practice passages, full-length practice tests, and timed drills aligned with the enhanced ACT format. Because sessions are one-on-one, tutors can spend as much time as needed on the skill causing trouble, whether that’s comma rules, choosing the most effective transition, answering inference questions, or writing a focused thesis under time pressure.
Sessions take place online, so students can join from home, a study space, or anywhere with an internet connection.
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Find quick answers to common questions about our ACT English tutoring, session format, and student support.
Sessions are conducted live on our interactive digital platform, using audio/video, a digital whiteboard, and screen sharing so the tutor and student can work through English and Reading questions together in real time. The platform also supports practice tests and full-length digital mock exams.
Yes. Sessions can be tailored to your child’s ACT test date, preparation timeline, focus areas, learning pace, preferred study approach, and individual goals.
Yes. We pair each student with one dedicated tutor for consistency, so sessions build on each other instead of starting from scratch each time.
How is my child’s progress tracked, and will parents receive updates? A: Progress is monitored through regular practice, homework, practice tests, quizzes, assessments, and ongoing tutor feedback. Practice tests are provided through the Homework Tool, while mock exams are conducted on the digital testing platform. Progress reports and feedback are shared through the Parent Portal, email, and GS App.
Not necessarily. Tutors use a Resource Library that includes official ACT materials and Growing Stars–customized learning materials to support students throughout their preparation.
ACT Writing is an optional test. If your child chooses to take it, tutoring can include preparation for the Writing test along with English and Reading, based on the student’s preparation needs.
Yes. Live online tutoring provides real-time interaction through an interactive digital whiteboard, audio/video, and screen sharing, allowing tutors to work with students and provide immediate feedback. The digital testing platform also gives students an opportunity to practice in a digital testing environment.
Punctuation rules for commas, semicolons, colons, and apostrophes come up repeatedly, along with sentence structure (fragments, comma splices, and run-ons), subject-verb agreement, pronoun case and agreement, modifier placement, parallel structure, and verb tense. Concision and transition questions are also common. Learning the rule behind each question type lets students answer by checking structure instead of guessing by sound.
On the enhanced ACT, the English test has 50 questions in 35 minutes and is scored from 1 to 36. The English score counts toward the Composite along with Math and Reading.
Often, but not always. When two or more choices are grammatically correct and keep the original meaning, the ACT generally prefers the most concise one. A short choice that creates a grammar error or drops needed information is still wrong, so students should check grammar and meaning first, then length.
