The ACT exam syllabus is extensive and defines topics for all four subjects. The ACT exam format is primarily based on high school subjects - English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing (optional). The ACT exam syllabus chiefly focuses on the senior secondary level.
ACT English Syllabus
The ACT English syllabus consists of passages that examine rhetorical, structural, discursive, usage, and mechanics skills. The grammar, punctuation, and proper sentence formation are tested under usage and mechanics, whereas under the rhetorical section how efficiently the candidate grasps the passage is studied.
Each of the English syllabus questions consists of 4 options and some have a ‘No Error’ option to select from. The ACT exam format of English puts focus on certain specific topics:
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Management of Writing (29-32%)
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Language Expertise (13-19%)
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Following Conventions of Standard English (51 - 56%)
ACT Reading Syllabus
The ACT reading syllabus examines the candidate’s reading skills through different contexts of passages. The different subjects that are covered under this section are – social science, natural science, humanities, and literary fiction. The passages provide proper information with a title, author’s name, and backdrop details. The main focus is on the interpretive skills of a student rather than the theoretical English skills.
The ACT reading syllabus focuses on certain factors:
ACT Math Syllabus
The ACT math syllabus is categorized into two sections: One that puts an emphasis on all the direct questions and another one on complex questions. The ACT math syllabus allows a calculator.
The direct questions concentrate more on the candidate’s knowledge of formulas, concepts, and overall fundamental mathematical basics. Whereas, the complex one focuses on higher-level formulas, theorems, problems, and complex concepts.
The two sections of the ACT math syllabus are:
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Higher-level Math (57-60%)
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Pre-Algebra (20-25%)
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Elementary Algebra (15-20%)
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Intermediate Algebra (15-20%)
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Coordinate Geometry (15-20%)
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Fundamental Skills (40-43%)
ACT Science Syllabus
The ACT science syllabus comprises questions related to Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Sciences. This section has a lot of tables, graphs, and charts.
The main motive of the ACT science syllabus is to test whether the candidate has properly understood the concepts and has developed their reasoning skills rather than holistically mugging up the facts and figures. The 3 sections of the ACT science syllabus are:
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Data Interpretation (45-50%)
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Scientific Investigation (20-30%)
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Preliminary inferences model and result (25-35%)