ACT English practice test: a free timed drill and the rules to know

ACT English has 50 questions in 35 minutes, about 42 seconds each, on editing passages with underlined parts. Take the free 12-question drill below at that pace: you edit short passages for punctuation, agreement, verb tense, wording and organization, then see every answer explained. The rules below cover most of the points.

50
questions on the real section: 35 min
about 42 seconds each: 12
questions in the free drill: Free
no sign-up

Last checked 22 October 2026 · Section facts from ACT, read 22 October 2026

Free English drill: 12 original ACT-style questions at the real ACT English pace, then every answer explained. No sign-up.

12
questions
8:24
time limit
Free
every answer explained

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 22 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on ACT English?

Passages with underlined words and numbered sentences. Most questions ask for the best version of an underlined part (with NO CHANGE as an option); others ask whether to add, delete or move a sentence, or how well the passage meets a goal.

Conventions of standard English: punctuation, sentence structure, agreement, verb tense, pronouns and modifiers.
Production of writing: topic development, transitions, adding or deleting sentences, and organization.
Knowledge of language: concise, precise wording and a consistent style and tone.

Our drill and mocks use passages of about eight numbered sentences with five questions each, shorter than the ACT's passages, so a mock can include four of them at the real pace.

What do ACT English questions look like?

Here is a short passage with two questions, worked step by step: one on agreement, one on whether to add a sentence.

ACT-style question 1 · Agreement
Which choice is best for the words "there is" in sentence 4?
1. ANO CHANGE
2. Bthere are
3. Cthere was
4. Dthere being
Worked answer
B: there are. The subject comes after the verb: "more than sixty" (tables) is plural, so the verb is "are." "Was" also breaks the present-tense "Now."
1. Find the subject: "more than sixty" tables.
2. It is plural, so the verb is "are."
3. "Now" calls for present tense: "there are."
The trap: Keeping NO CHANGE because "there is" sounds natural in speech. After "there," the verb agrees with what follows.
ACT-style question 2 · Development
The writer is considering adding this sentence after sentence 3: "Corn is grown in many states." Should the writer add it?
1. AYes, because it explains where the corn comes from.
2. BYes, because it adds a fact about summer.
3. CNo, because it does not relate to the market's growth described in sentences 3 and 4.
4. DNo, because it repeats sentence 2.
Worked answer
C: No, because it does not relate to the market's growth described in sentences 3 and 4.. Sentences 3 and 4 trace how the market grew. A general fact about corn interrupts that and adds nothing to the point.
1. What do sentences 3 and 4 do? Show the market growing.
2. Does the new sentence help with that? No.
3. So do not add it, for that reason.
The trap: Saying no for the wrong reason. It does not repeat sentence 2, so the reason must be that it is off topic.

What grammar rules does ACT English test most?

Joining sentences correctly, commas around extra information, subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and concise wording. Learn these five and most English questions become quick.

High-frequency ACT English rules (our summary of standard written English)
Rule	Example
Two complete sentences need a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus and/but/so	It rained; the game was canceled.
Extra information takes a matching pair of commas, dashes or parentheses	My aunt, a nurse, retired.
The verb agrees with its real subject, not the nearest noun	The box of tools is heavy.
Keep verb tense consistent unless the time changes	She opened the door and walked in.
The shortest clear option is usually right	"Because" beats "due to the fact that."
NO CHANGE is right when the original is already correct	Do not change what is not broken.

Four English drills and eight mocks

The ACT Pass Pack has four English drills, eight full mocks and every answer explained with the rule behind it.

The ACT Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ACT Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the ACT Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 16
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I finish ACT English on time?

Keep to about seven minutes a passage on the real test. Read the whole sentence around each underline, decide, and move on; do not reread the passage for every question.

Most English questions can be answered from the sentence alone. Only questions about adding, deleting or ordering sentences need the paragraph. Answer the sentence-level questions as you read, and leave paragraph questions until you have read the paragraph.

Check the time after each passage. If you are behind, guess on a slow organization question and keep going: every question carries the same weight, and quick grammar questions are waiting.

Then test the whole thing: the free ACT practice test opens with English at the real pace, followed by Math, Reading and Science.

How much does ACT English count?

English is one of the three sections averaged into the Composite, so it carries a third of your score. ACT's College Readiness Benchmark for English is 18, the lowest of the four benchmarks.

English is often the section where practice pays off fastest, because the same rules come up again and again. A student who learns the comma, semicolon and agreement rules can gain points in a week, while Reading and Math usually take longer to move.

Our result shows English on its own, so you can see how far a few rules will take you before you spend time elsewhere.

What are the most common ACT English mistakes?

Avoiding NO CHANGE, picking the longest or most formal option, and fixing an underline without reading the rest of the sentence.

Never choosing NO CHANGE: on many passages it is the right answer several times.
Choosing wordy options because they sound sophisticated; the ACT rewards concise writing.
Missing a second comma or dash elsewhere in the sentence that the underline must match.
Answering an "add this sentence" question with the right yes or no but the wrong reason.
Agreeing a verb with the noun just before it instead of with its subject.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on ACT English?

50 in 35 minutes on the enhanced ACT.

Does ACT English test vocabulary?

Only as word choice in context: picking the precise, concise word for the sentence.

How often is NO CHANGE correct?

Often enough that you should consider it seriously every time. ACT does not publish a rate.

Is ACT English like the SAT's writing questions?

Both test the same rules. The ACT uses longer passages with several questions each; the SAT uses a short passage per question.

Is this the real ACT?

No. It is an ACT-style practice test with original questions written for LifeScore. LifeScore is not affiliated with ACT, Inc.

Turn English into your fastest section

Eight full ACT-style mocks, four English drills and 12 more across Math, Reading and Science, every answer explained, in one payment.