The fastest way to raise your ACT English score is to practice one skill at a time. Instead of jumping straight into full-length tests, work through targeted questions that isolate specific grammar rules and rhetorical strategies. This question bank contains 25 ACT English practice questions organized by skill so you can zero in on exactly what you need to improve.
Each question uses the same format you will see on test day: a short context with an underlined portion, followed by four answer choices. Work through a category, check your answers in the complete answer key, then move on to the next skill. For a full passage-based test experience, try our free 15-question ACT English practice test.
How to Use This ACT English Question Bank
The questions below are grouped into seven skill categories that mirror what the ACT English section actually tests. Here is how to get the most out of them:
- Start with your weakest category. If you already know commas cold, skip ahead to transitions or redundancy.
- Try each question before peeking at the answer. Write down your choice, then check the explanation.
- Read every explanation, even for questions you get right. The reasoning behind the correct answer teaches you a rule you can apply to dozens of similar questions on test day.
- Track your results. If you miss two or more in the same category, that skill needs dedicated review.
Comma Rules (Questions 1-5)
Commas are the most frequently tested punctuation on the ACT English section. These five questions cover the comma rules that appear most often.
1. The new library, which was designed by a local architect [1] opened to the public last Saturday.
A. NO CHANGE
B. architect, opened
C. architect opened,
D. architect; opened
2. [2] After finishing her final exam Sarah drove straight to the coast for a weekend of surfing.
F. NO CHANGE
G. After finishing her final exam,
H. After finishing, her final exam
J. After finishing her final exam;
3. The festival featured live music [3] local food trucks and a fireworks show at sunset.
A. NO CHANGE
B. local food trucks,
C. , local food trucks,
D. , local food trucks
4. The documentary follows a [4] determined, young filmmaker as she travels across Southeast Asia.
F. NO CHANGE
G. determined young
H. determined young,
J. determined, young,
5. The teacher explained the assignment [5] the students, however, had already started working on it.
A. NO CHANGE
B. the students, however had
C. ; the students, however, had
D. , the students however, had
Subject-Verb Agreement (Questions 6-9)
Subject-verb agreement errors are easy to catch once you learn to ignore the words between the subject and the verb. These questions test the patterns the ACT uses most often to disguise disagreement.
6. The collection of rare stamps [6] were donated to the museum by an anonymous benefactor.
F. NO CHANGE
G. was donated
H. have been donated
J. are donated
7. Neither the coach nor the players [7] was willing to accept the referee's controversial decision.
A. NO CHANGE
B. were willing
C. is willing
D. has been willing
8. Hidden beneath the floorboards of the old farmhouse [8] was several letters written during the Civil War.
F. NO CHANGE
G. were several letters
H. has been several letters
J. is several letters
9. The committee [9] are meeting tomorrow to finalize the budget for next quarter.
A. NO CHANGE
B. is meeting
C. were meeting
D. meet
Sentence Structure: Fragments and Run-Ons (Questions 10-13)
The ACT tests whether you can spot incomplete sentences and improperly joined clauses. These questions drill the two most common structural errors.
10. [10] Running along the riverbank at dawn, the mist rising off the water in thin white ribbons.
F. NO CHANGE
G. Running along the riverbank at dawn, she watched the mist rise off the water in thin white ribbons.
H. Running along the riverbank at dawn. The mist rising off the water in thin white ribbons.
J. Running along the riverbank at dawn, the mist rising off the water, in thin white ribbons.
11. The bakery on Fifth Street makes the best sourdough in town [11] people line up before sunrise every Saturday.
A. NO CHANGE
B. town, people line up before sunrise every Saturday.
C. town; people line up before sunrise every Saturday.
D. town people line up before sunrise every Saturday.
12. [12] Hoping to finish the project by Friday. Marcus stayed late at the office every night that week.
F. NO CHANGE
G. Hoping to finish the project by Friday,
H. Hoping to finish the project by Friday;
J. He was hoping to finish the project by Friday,
13. [13] Covered in bright murals, the tourists stopped to photograph the building from every angle.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Covered in bright murals, and
C. Because it was covered in bright murals,
D. Covering in bright murals,
Pronoun Agreement and Reference (Questions 14-16)
Pronoun questions test whether the pronoun matches its antecedent in number and whether the reference is clear. These questions reward careful reading.
14. Every student in the program must submit [14] their application by the first Friday in March.
F. NO CHANGE
G. his or her application
H. an application
J. they're application
15. When Maya told her sister about the promotion, [15] she could barely contain her excitement.
A. NO CHANGE
B. her sister
C. Maya
D. they
16. The award was given to the researcher [16] whom the committee believed had made the greatest contribution to the field.
F. NO CHANGE
G. who
H. which
J. whose
Transitions and Organization (Questions 17-19)
Transition questions ask you to choose the word or phrase that best connects two ideas. The key is to identify the logical relationship: contrast, cause-effect, addition, or example.
17. The city invested millions in a new public transit system. [17] In addition, ridership has remained well below projections two years after the launch.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Nevertheless,
C. Therefore,
D. For example,
18. The soil in coastal regions tends to be sandy and nutrient-poor. [18] However, farmers in these areas often rely on composting and crop rotation to maintain healthy harvests.
F. NO CHANGE
G. As a result,
H. Similarly,
J. In contrast,
19. The museum expanded its collection of contemporary sculpture. It also renovated the east wing to include larger exhibition halls. [19] On the other hand, the museum launched a free admission program for students under eighteen.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Furthermore,
C. Consequently,
D. Instead,
Redundancy and Wordiness (Questions 20-22)
The ACT rewards concise writing. If two words say the same thing or a phrase can be shortened without losing meaning, the shorter version is usually correct. For more on how the ACT tests writing style, see our ACT English question types guide.
20. The two rival companies [20] merged together to form the largest tech firm in the region.
F. NO CHANGE
G. merged together as one
H. merged
J. merged together into a merger
21. [21] Due to the fact that the bridge was under construction, commuters had to take an alternate route for six months.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Because
C. Being that
D. Owing to the fact that
22. The author's memoir provides a [22] very unique perspective on growing up in rural Appalachia.
F. NO CHANGE
G. really very unique
H. unique
J. very much unique
Word Choice and Tone (Questions 23-25)
These questions test whether you can pick the word that fits the passage's tone and meaning. The right answer is always the most precise, natural choice for the context.
23. The senator delivered a powerful speech that [23] fired up the audience and drew a standing ovation.
A. NO CHANGE
B. galvanized
C. hyped up
D. got going
24. The glacier had [24] receded nearly half a mile over the past decade, alarming climate researchers worldwide.
F. NO CHANGE
G. went back
H. retreated away
J. gotten smaller
25. The neighborhood association [25] loudly protested about the proposed highway expansion, citing increased noise and reduced property values.
A. NO CHANGE
B. protested
C. loudly made protests about
D. was protesting loudly against
Complete Answer Key With Explanations
Review every explanation below, including for questions you answered correctly. Each one highlights a rule that appears repeatedly on the ACT.
Comma Rules Explanations (1-5)
1. (B) architect, opened. The clause "which was designed by a local architect" is a nonrestrictive clause: it adds extra information but is not essential to identify the library. Nonrestrictive clauses must be enclosed in commas on both sides. The opening comma is already there after "library," so you need a closing comma after "architect" before the main verb "opened."
2. (G) After finishing her final exam, An introductory phrase (any phrase that comes before the main subject and verb) must be followed by a comma. "After finishing her final exam" is a prepositional/gerund phrase that introduces the sentence. Without the comma, the sentence runs together and is harder to parse.
3. (C) , local food trucks, The sentence lists three items: live music, local food trucks, and a fireworks show. In a series of three or more items, each item must be separated by commas. "Local food trucks" needs a comma before it (after "music") and after it (before "and"). The ACT consistently uses the serial comma.
4. (G) determined young. To test whether adjectives are coordinate (and need a comma between them), try reversing them: "young, determined filmmaker" sounds natural, which suggests they are coordinate. However, "determined" describes the filmmaker's character while "young" describes her age. Because "young" and "filmmaker" function as a unit ("young filmmaker"), no comma is needed. You would not say "a young and determined filmmaker" with the same intended meaning.
5. (C) ; the students, however, had. The original is a comma splice: two independent clauses ("The teacher explained the assignment" and "the students had already started working on it") joined only by a comma. A semicolon correctly separates the two clauses. The conjunctive adverb "however" is properly set off by commas within the second clause.
Subject-Verb Agreement Explanations (6-9)
6. (G) was donated. The subject is "collection" (singular), not "stamps" (plural). The prepositional phrase "of rare stamps" sits between the subject and verb to create a trap. Ignore the prepositional phrase and match the verb to the true subject: "The collection was donated."
7. (B) were willing. With "neither...nor" constructions, the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. "Players" (plural) is closest to the verb, so the verb must be plural: "were willing." If the sentence were "Neither the players nor the coach," you would use "was."
8. (G) were several letters. This is an inverted sentence where the subject comes after the verb. Rearrange it to normal order: "Several letters were hidden beneath the floorboards." The subject is "letters" (plural), so the verb must be "were."
9. (B) is meeting. "Committee" is a collective noun that refers to a single group acting as one unit. In American English, collective nouns take singular verbs: "The committee is meeting." If individual members were acting separately, you would write "The committee members are meeting."
Sentence Structure Explanations (10-13)
10. (G) Running along the riverbank at dawn, she watched the mist rise off the water in thin white ribbons. The original is a fragment: it contains two participial phrases ("Running..." and "the mist rising...") but no main subject or finite verb. Choice G adds a subject ("she") and a main verb ("watched"), creating a complete sentence.
11. (C) town; people line up before sunrise every Saturday. The original is a run-on sentence: two independent clauses ("The bakery makes the best sourdough" and "people line up before sunrise") are fused together without any punctuation. A semicolon correctly separates them. Choice B uses only a comma, creating a comma splice.
12. (G) Hoping to finish the project by Friday, The original incorrectly uses a period after the introductory phrase, creating a fragment. "Hoping to finish the project by Friday" is not a complete sentence. It should be attached to the main clause with a comma. Choice H uses a semicolon, which also requires two complete clauses on each side.
13. (C) Because it was covered in bright murals. The original has a dangling modifier: "Covered in bright murals" must describe the subject that immediately follows the comma. In the original, that subject is "the tourists," but it is the building that is covered in murals, not the tourists. Choice C fixes this by restructuring the sentence so that the modifier correctly attaches to "it" (the building).
Pronoun Explanations (14-16)
14. (G) his or her application. On the ACT, "every" and "each" create singular antecedents. "Every student" is singular, so the pronoun must also be singular. While "their" (F) is widely accepted in everyday speech, the ACT's formal grammar standard requires "his or her" to match the singular antecedent. Choice J misspells "their" as "they're" (a contraction of "they are").
15. (C) Maya. The pronoun "she" is ambiguous: it could refer to either Maya or her sister. When two female nouns precede a pronoun, you must replace the pronoun with the specific name to make the reference clear. "Maya could barely contain her excitement" removes all ambiguity.
16. (G) who. The pronoun is the subject of the clause "had made the greatest contribution." When the pronoun acts as a subject (doing the action), use "who." Use "whom" only when the pronoun is an object (receiving the action). Quick test: rearrange the clause as "the committee believed [he/him] had made the greatest contribution." You would say "he," confirming that "who" is correct.
Transition Explanations (17-19)
17. (B) Nevertheless. The first sentence describes a large investment (positive action). The second sentence reveals that ridership is below projections (disappointing result). The relationship is contrast. "Nevertheless" signals that the second idea is surprising given the first. "In addition" (A) signals agreement, not contrast. "Therefore" (C) signals cause-effect.
18. (G) As a result. Sandy, nutrient-poor soil is the cause; farmers relying on composting and crop rotation is the effect. "As a result" correctly shows this cause-effect relationship. "However" (F) implies contrast, but there is no contradiction. The farmers are responding directly to the soil conditions.
19. (B) Furthermore. The paragraph lists three things the museum did: expanded its collection, renovated the east wing, and launched a free admission program. Each action adds to the previous ones. "Furthermore" signals continuation and addition. "On the other hand" (A) implies contrast. "Consequently" (C) implies cause-effect. "Instead" (D) implies replacement.
Redundancy and Wordiness Explanations (20-22)
20. (H) merged. "Merged" already means to combine into one. Adding "together" is redundant because you cannot merge apart. This is one of the ACT's favorite tricks: pairing a verb with a word that restates what the verb already implies (e.g., "return back," "repeat again," "advance forward").
21. (B) Because. "Due to the fact that" is a wordy five-word phrase that means exactly the same thing as "Because." The ACT consistently rewards the most concise phrasing when meaning is preserved. "Being that" (C) is grammatically nonstandard. "Owing to the fact that" (D) is equally wordy.
22. (H) unique. "Unique" is an absolute adjective: something is either unique (one of a kind) or it is not. You cannot be "very unique" any more than you can be "very one-of-a-kind." Removing the unnecessary modifier is the correct choice.
Word Choice and Tone Explanations (23-25)
23. (B) galvanized. The passage describes a senator and a formal public event. "Fired up" (A), "hyped up" (C), and "got going" (D) are informal/slang and do not match the passage's formal, journalistic tone. "Galvanized" means to shock or excite someone into action, which fits the context of a powerful speech and a standing ovation.
24. (F) NO CHANGE (receded). "Receded" is the precise scientific term for a glacier moving backward. "Went back" (G) is vague and informal. "Retreated away" (H) is redundant ("retreated" already means moving away). "Gotten smaller" (J) is imprecise and does not capture the directional movement.
25. (B) protested. "Protested" is concise and complete on its own. Adding "loudly" is unnecessary because the sentence already conveys the intensity through context ("citing increased noise and reduced property values"). "Protested about" is also non-idiomatic; the correct usage is simply "protested the expansion." Choices C and D are wordier versions of the same idea.
Build Your ACT English Study Plan
Now that you know which skills need work, here is how to turn your results into a study plan:
Want to put your skills to the test in a realistic timed format? Take our full ACT English practice test with 15 passage-based questions. For a structured study timeline, read our guide on how to create an ACT study plan. And if you want daily practice with instant scoring and explanations, start a free ACT English quiz on Larry Learns.
Looking for book recommendations to supplement your practice? Check out our picks for the best ACT prep books for 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About ACT English Practice
How many ACT English practice questions should I do per day?
Aim for 15 to 30 questions per day when actively studying. Quality matters more than quantity: spend time reviewing explanations for every question you miss. Two focused 15-minute sessions with full review beat an hour of rushing through questions without understanding your mistakes.
What are the most common grammar rules on the ACT English section?
The five most frequently tested rules are comma usage (especially nonrestrictive clauses and introductory phrases), subject-verb agreement, redundancy and wordiness, sentence fragments and run-ons, and transition words. Together, these five categories account for the vast majority of ACT English questions.
Is it better to practice ACT English by skill or by full test?
Start with skill-based practice to build your foundation, then switch to full timed tests two to three weeks before your test date. Skill-based practice (like the question bank above) helps you learn the rules. Full tests (like our passage-based practice test) train your pacing and stamina under real conditions. You need both.
How long should I study for ACT English?
Most students see meaningful improvement in four to six weeks of consistent practice. If you are scoring below 20, plan for six to eight weeks with daily practice. If you are already scoring 25+ and aiming for 30+, two to three weeks of targeted drill on your weak areas may be enough. The key is consistent daily practice, not marathon cram sessions.
Does the ACT English section test vocabulary?
Not directly. Unlike the old SAT, the ACT does not test obscure vocabulary words. However, it does test word choice in context: whether you can pick the word that best fits the tone and meaning of a passage. The best way to prepare for these questions is to read widely and practice identifying formal vs. informal tone.
Should I read the whole passage before answering ACT English questions?
For full passage-based practice, most high scorers read one paragraph at a time and answer the related questions before moving to the next paragraph. This saves time compared to reading the entire passage first. For standalone questions like the ones in this question bank, simply read the full context provided and then evaluate each answer choice.
