The English section of the ACT measures a student's proficiency in English language arts, including grammar, punctuation, usage, and sentence structure.

Format: Consists of 75 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 45 minutes.

Passages: Includes 5 passages, each accompanied by 15 questions.

Sources: Passages are typically taken from fiction and non-fiction books, essays, and speeches.

The Math section of the ACT assesses a student's mathematical skills and problem-solving abilities.

Format: Consists of 60 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 60 minutes.

Question Order: Questions are presented in order of difficulty, with easier questions at the beginning and more difficult questions toward the end.

Content Areas: Covers a range of topics from pre-algebra to plane geometry and trigonometry, with more emphasis on earlier level math skills.

Types of Problems: Reading and Drawing Diagrams: Involves interpreting or creating diagrams based on descriptions.

Story Problems: Focus on linear equations and systems, developing key abstraction skills.

Concept Questions: Directly assess knowledge of specific math concepts.

The Reading section of the ACT evaluates a student's reading comprehension skills.

Format: Consists of 40 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 35 minutes.

Passages: Includes 4 passages, each followed by 10 questions.

Sources: Passages are typically taken from different genres, such as fiction, non-fiction, humanities, and social sciences.

Skills Assessed: Tests the ability to understand the main idea, draw conclusions, make inferences, identify the author's purpose, analyze the author's tone, and evaluate the effectiveness of an argument.

The Science section of the ACT tests a student's ability to analyze and interpret scientific data.

Format: Consists of 40 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 35 minutes.

Passages: Includes 7 passages, typically from disciplines such as biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space science. Passages are usually 500-700 words long and are accompanied by graphs, charts, tables, and other scientific data.

Skills Assessed: Focuses on the ability to analyze and interpret scientific data, understand scientific concepts, and apply scientific knowledge to solve problems.

The Writing section of the ACT evaluates a student's writing skills through an essay prompt.

Format: Consists of one essay prompt to be completed in 40 minutes.

Task: Presents a complex issue and asks the student to take a position on it. The essay should develop an argument supported with evidence and examples from personal experiences, observations, or reading.

Scoring: The essay is scored on a scale of 1 to 12 by two graders, with a total score ranging from 2 to 12.

Importance: The Writing section is optional, but some colleges and universities require or recommend it. Check the application requirements of the colleges and universities you're interested in to determine whether the Writing section is necessary.