ACT Prep 2025/2026 For Dummies: Book + 3 Practice Tests + 100+ Flashcards Online (ACT Prep for Dummies)

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
	Figuring Out How Long All This Studying Will Take
Part 1 Coming to Terms with Reality: An Overview of the ACT
	Chapter 1 Getting Your ACT Together: ACT 101
		What to Take to the ACT
		What Not to Take to the ACT
		What to Do If You Have Special Circumstances
		Guessing for Points to Maximize Your Score
		Your Number’s Up: Scoring on the ACT
		What the ACT Expects You to Know
		Repeating the Test for a Better Score
	Chapter 2 Succeeding on the ACT
		Surviving the ACT with Four Stress-Busters
			Inhaling deeply
			Stretching a little
			Thinking positive thoughts
			Practicing POE
		Avoiding a Few Dumb Mistakes That Can Mess Up Your ACT
			Losing concentration
			Panicking over time
			Messing up on the answer grid
			Rubbernecking
			Cheating
			Worrying about previous sections
			Worrying about the hard problems
			Forgetting to double-check
	Chapter 3 Forming an ACT Study Plan
		When to Take the ACT
		Planning Your Study Time for Maximum Success
			If you have six months to prepare
			If you have six weeks to prepare
			If you have three weeks to prepare
Part 2 Serving Your “Sentence”: The English Test
	Chapter 4 Mastering the English Test
		Figuring Out What the English Questions Want You to Know
		Seeing Is Believing: The Test’s Format
			The passages
			The question types
				Analyzing answer choices
				Dealing with “yes, yes, no, no” questions
		Their Pain, Your Gain: Looking Out for Traps That Others Fall into
	Chapter 5 Getting a Grip on Grammar and Usage
		Reviewing the Parts of Speech
			Getting in the action with verbs
			Identifying the culprit with nouns
			Avoiding repeating yourself with pronouns
			Defining nouns with adjectives
			Clarifying the questions with adverbs
			Joining together with conjunctions and prepositions
		Piecing Together the Parts of a Sentence
			Subjects and predicates
			Phrases and clauses
		Keeping Track of Punctuation Rules for Every Occasion
			Periods and question marks
			Semicolons
			Colons
			Commas
			Dashes
			Apostrophes
	Chapter 6 Spotting Usage Errors and Ripping through Rhetorical Questions
		Spotting Questions That Test Standard English Conventions
			Properly placing punctuation marks
				Semicolons and periods
				Colons
				Dashes
				Commas
			Picking up on pronoun errors
			Forming possessives
			Evaluating verbs
			Calling out sentence fragments
			Identifying problems with parallelism
			Recognizing misplaced modifiers
		Checking for Proper Production of Writing
			Eliminating superfluous words
			Completing the mission
			Determining the function of a deletion
			Pondering an addition
			Creating smooth transitions
				Transition words
				Transition sentences
			Organizing and positioning elements
			Seeing the big picture
			Sticking to appropriate vocabulary and standard expressions
	Chapter 7 It’s Not What You Say but How You Say It: English Practice Questions
Part 3 Don’t Count Yourself Out: The Math Test
	Chapter 8 Numbers Nuts and Bolts
		The Wonderful World of Numbers
			Keeping it real: Types of numbers
			Lining things up along the number line
			Understanding absolute value
			Getting familiar with prime numbers and factorization
		Minor Surgery: Basic Math Operations
			Adding and subtracting
			Multiplying and dividing
			Working with odds/evens and positives/negatives
		Focusing on Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages
			Converting fractions, decimals, and percentages
			Working with fractions
				Simplifying fractions
				Multiplying and dividing fractions
				Adding and subtracting fractions
				Mixing things up with mixed numbers
			Pondering percentages
		Eyeing Ratios and Proportions
			Ratios
			Proportions
		Covering Your Bases: Exponents
		Smooth Operator: Order of Operations
		Dealing with Average, Median, Mode, and More
			Doing better than average on averages
			Weighing in on weighted averages
			Mastering medians
			Managing modes
			Getting ready for range
		Abracadabra: Elementary Algebra
			Variables 101
			Solving simple equations
			Adding and subtracting expressions
			Multiplying and dividing expressions
			Curses! FOILed again
			Extracting by factoring
			Solving a system of equations
	Chapter 9 Getting into Shapes: Geometry and Trig Review
		Toeing the Line
		Analyzing Angles
		Triangle Trauma
			Classifying triangles
			Sizing up triangles
			Zeroing in on similar triangles
			Figuring out area and perimeter
			Taking the shortcut: Pythagorean triples and other common side ratios
		Thanks 4 Nothing: A Quick Look at Quadrilaterals
		Missing Parrots and Other Polly-Gones (Or Should We Say “Polygons”?)
			Measuring up polygons
			Solving for volume
		Running Around in Circles
		Trying Your Hand at Trigonometry
			Introducing trigonometric functions
			Circumventing the unit circle
			Measuring in radians
			Graphing trig functions on a coordinate plane
			Applying the Law of Sines and Law of Cosines
	Chapter 10 Algebra and Other Sleeping Aids
		Suffering Inequalities
		Using Your Imagination: Complex Numbers
		Too Hip to Be Square: Roots and Radicals
			Adding and subtracting radicals
			Multiplying and dividing radicals
		Thinking Exponentially: Logarithms
			Log rules
			Natural logarithms
		Barely Functioning with Functions
		Taking a Flight on the Coordinate Plane
			Defining the coordinate plane
			Knowing which formulas you need to guide your flight
			Graphing more functions
			Evaluating graphs of functions
		Picking Your Way through Percent Increase, Probability, Permutations, and Combinations
			Managing the ups and downs
			Practicing probability
				Finding the probability of one event
				Finding the probability of multiple events
			Calculating outcomes and orderings
				Combinations
				Permutations
		Setting Up Sequences
		Managing Matrices
	Chapter 11 Numb and Number: Acing the Mathematics Test
		What You See Is What You Get: The Format and Breakdown of the Math Test
		Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: What Isn’t on the Math Test
		Getting into the Grind: The Approach
		Translating English into Math
		Time Flies When You’re Having Fun: Timing Tips
			Skim for your favorite questions
			Backsolve when the answers are actual values
			Plug in values for variables
			Kindly refrain from showing off everything you know
			Put aside two minutes to fill in the remaining ovals
		Do’s, Don’ts, and Darns: What to Do and Not Do on the Math Test
			Do get the lead out
			Don’t start working until you’ve read the entire problem
			Do reread the problem with your answer inserted
			Don’t strike out over a difficult question early on
	Chapter 12 More Fun than a Root Canal: Mathematics Practice Questions
Part 4 Time to Read the Riot ACT: The Reading Test
	Chapter 13 This, Too, Shall Pass(age): Sailing through the Reading Test
		Facing 40 Questions: The Reading Test
			Timing
			Scoring
		Getting Prepared: Reading Test Strategies
			Approach passages efficiently
			Skim the passage effectively
			Skip a passage if necessary
		Identifying Reading Question Types and Formats
			Find key ideas and details
				Big-picture questions
				Detail questions
			Determine craft and structure
				Vocabulary in context
				Passage structure questions
				Point of view questions
			Integrate knowledge and ideas
				Inference questions
				Most nearly means
				Graphs, tables, and figures
		Approaching Comparative Passages
	Chapter 14 Where Are SparkNotes When You Need Them? Reading Practice Questions
Part 5 Studying Brain Defects in Laboratory Rats: The Science Test
	Chapter 15 From Frankenstein to Einstein: Excelling on the Science Test
		Examining the Science Test’s Format
		Classifying Passage Format
			Data-representation passages
			Research summaries
			Conflicting viewpoints
		Analyzing Tables, Graphs, and Diagrams
			Tackling tables
			Grappling with graphs
			Dissecting diagrams
		Examining Experimental Procedures
			Independent and dependent variables
			The control
		Immersing Yourself in Answer Choices
		Considering Question Types
			Questions about results
				Reading data
				Extending data through intrapolation and extrapolation
			Questions about procedure
				Distinguishing between dependent and independent variables and identifying the control
				Comparing studies
				Testing your science knowledge
				Finding purpose
			Questions about viewpoints
				Comparing viewpoints
				Supporting or weakening conclusions
	Chapter 16 Faking Atomic Ache Won’t Get You out of This: Science Practice Questions
		Passage
		Initial Analysis
		Questions
Part 6 Writing Rightly: The Optional Writing Test
	Chapter 17 Excelling on Your Essay: The Writing Test Review
		What to Expect From the ACT Writing Test
		Making the Grade: How the ACT Folks Score Your Essay
		Examining the Prompt and Creating a Thesis
		Putting Up Your Dukes: Defending Your Perspective
		Throwing a Good First Punch: The Hook
		The Proof Is in the Pudding: Defending Yourself
			Using specific examples
			Mixing things up with a variety of examples
			Forming logical arguments
		Hamburger Writing: Organizing Your Essay
			The top bun: Introduction
			The three meats: Example paragraphs
			The lettuce, tomato, and special sauce: Transitions
			The bottom bun: Conclusion
		Wielding the Red Pen: Editing and Proofing
			Using the touch method to look for spelling mistakes and ghost words
			Calling all action verbs: Be descriptive
			Avoiding problems with punk-tu-a-tion: Punctuate properly
			Handwriting check: Write legibly
		Writing Don’ts
			Writing before you think
			Panicking about time
			Referring to the perspectives by number
			Sticking to the status quo
			Using words you don’t know
			Being overly critical of yourself
			Writing like you speak
			Repeating yourself over and over again
			Failing to edit your essay
		Reviewing Some Example Essays and Their Scores
			1 — 1 is the loneliest number: How not to be a 1
			2 — 2 little 2 late: Steering clear of coming in second
			3 — Still finding yourself on the wrong side of the tracks
			4 — Reaching 4 a better score
			5 — Shining brightly: A 5-star winner
			6 — Unlocking the code to a perfect score
	Chapter 18 Practicing Promptly with Practice Prompts: Essay Practice Questions
		Writing Prompt 1
		Writing Prompt 2
Part 7 Putting It All Together with a Full-Length Practice ACT
	Chapter 19 Practice Exam
		Answer Sheet
		English Test
		Mathematics Test
		Reading Test
		Science Test
		Writing Test
	Chapter 20 Practice Exam: Answers and Explanations
		English Test
		Mathematics Test
		Reading Test
		Science Test
		Writing Test
			Sample response
		Score One for Your Side: The Scoring Guide
		Answer Key for Practice Exam 1
Part 8 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 21 Ten Wrong Rumors about the ACT
		You Can’t Study for the ACT
		Different States Have Different ACTs
		The ACT Has a Passing Score
		The ACT Tests IQ
		You Can’t Use a Calculator on the ACT
		You Should Never Guess on the ACT
		The ACT Is Easier Than the SAT
		Selective Colleges Prefer the SAT to the ACT
		You Have to Write an Essay
		You Shouldn’t Take Both the SAT and the ACT
	Chapter 22 Attention, Parents! Ten Ways You Can Help Your Child Succeed on the ACT
		Give Awesome Test-Prep Materials
		Encourage Studying
		Supply a Good Study Environment
		Take Practice Tests Together
		Model Good Grammar
		Help Memorize Math Formulas
		Encourage Reading
		Explore Colleges Together
		Arrive at the Test Site on Time
		Help Keep a Proper Perspective
Index
EULA