Study on the flyACTReading
ACT
Reading — ACT topics
- 15 topics
- 36 questions on the paper
- 40 minutes
- 1017 practice questions in the app
- Free
The ACT Reading section is split into 15 topics, from Central idea, theme, and main idea to Comparing paired passages. The paper gives it 36 questions in 40 minutes. The app holds 1017 practice questions across these topics.
What the section covers
| Topic | Share of the section | In the app |
|---|---|---|
| Central idea, theme, and main ideaTopic vs. central idea (distinguishing them) · Stated central idea or theme · Inferred central idea or theme | ≈7% | 68 questions |
| Locating and interpreting explicit detailsLocate a stated detail (usually without a line reference) · Interpret a minor or subtly stated detail · Paraphrase a statement | ≈25% | 164 questions |
| Summarizing information | ≈3% | 26 questions |
| Inferences and logical conclusionsLocal inference from a specific statement · Inference that synthesizes information from different parts of the passage | ≈18% | 136 questions |
| Relationships — sequential, comparative, cause-effectSequence and ordering of events · Cause-effect relationships (stated or implied) · Comparative relationships (stated or implied) | ≈4% | 80 questions |
| Vocabulary in context (word and phrase meaning)Common word used in an uncommon sense · Figurative, connotative, and technical meaning | ≈6% | 97 questions |
| Rhetorical word choice and toneHow a specific word or phrase shapes meaning · Tone and attitude of the author or narrator | ≈4% | 47 questions |
| Text structureFunction of a sentence in the whole passage · Function of a paragraph · Overall structure of the passage | ≈4% | 88 questions |
| Author's purpose and perspectiveIdentify or infer the author's or narrator's purpose or intent · How that purpose shapes content and style | ≈11% | 91 questions |
| Point of viewNarrator's point of view (person, distance, reliability) · Characters' points of view | ≈1% | 28 questions |
| Author's claims and argumentsIdentify a stated central claim · Infer a central claim | — | 25 questions |
| Fact vs. opinion | ≈1% | 14 questions |
| Command of evidence and supportHow a sentence offers a reason for or supports a claim · Which detail best supports a given point | ≈7% | 70 questions |
| Evaluating reasoning and argument construction | — | 17 questions |
| Comparing paired passagesCompare the two passages (agreement, disagreement, emphasis) · Draw a conclusion using information from both passages | ≈8% | 66 questions |
Shares are approximate: the topic mix of the Reading questions on real ACT papers.
How it is scored
Counts toward the ACT composite (1–36). How ACT scores work
Every question is picked for where you are right now, wrong answers come back until they stick, and it all works offline.
Other ACT sections
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