ACT Writing Question and Answers

Question 1

Which of the following does NOT give your writing tone and voice?

Accepted Answer

Punctuation.

Answer

Spelling.

Answer

The breadth or depth you go through to make your point.

Answer

Your word choice.

Question 2

You should ____ if you find that one of your body paragraphs has veered off course and does not support your thesis.

Accepted Answer

delete the paragraph

Answer

change your concluding paragraph to explain that the ideas in that paragraph are important

Answer

move the body paragraph to the end of the paper

Answer

change your concluding paragraph to explain that the ideas in that paragraph are important

Answer

rewrite your thesis statement so that it fits with that one paragraph

Question 3

After drafting your essay, you can benefit from ____ by outlining the key topics.

Accepted Answer

spot ideas that are out of place

Answer

change your essay topic

Answer

strengthen your thesis statement

Answer

draw a more logical conclusion

Question 4

You are making the case in an essay for a standardized test that not everyone always receives what they deserve. What one of the following would make a strong piece of evidence?

Accepted Answer

Once you got in trouble for something your sister did.

Answer

Once in elementary school, you stole your friend's lunch.

Answer

You have never done anything mean or cruel to your dog.

Answer

At your school, detention is the most common punishment for students.

Question 5

To convince the teacher and other readers of the merits of utilizing recycled paper, you are composing a paper for a class. What kind of appeal should you use in the paper to accomplish your objective?

Accepted Answer

A logical appeal

Answer

A combination of all approaches

Answer

An ethical appeal

Answer

An emotional appeal

Question 6

Daniel thinks that the minimum wage needs to be raised. Although some believe that a higher minimum wage will reduce company hiring, a 2016 study of retail stores in Canada has shown otherwise, demonstrating hiring levels that remained the same in the wake of rising wages. In his argumentative essay, he responds to opponents' claims that a higher wage will result in companies hiring fewer workers.
Daniel is employing what is referred to as a/an ____ in this situation.

Accepted Answer

counter

Answer

reason

Answer

position

Answer

evidence

Question 7

Where in a paper might you select to address probable contrarian viewpoints?

Accepted Answer

Where they might arise naturally in the course of your argument.

Answer

Where you can create a separate section only dealing with that point of view.

Answer

Only at the end of the body of your essay.

Answer

Only at the start of the body of your essay.

Question 8

You have written an essay in which you claim that 'Southern Georgia was once the home to an underground civilization.' Which of the following best supports your argument and persuades your reader? Why?

Accepted Answer

We know this because underground road systems have been found there;' It gives relevant information of specific evidence found underground.

Answer

This is obvious to anyone who has been to Georgia;' It explains why everyone should know this, no evidence is needed.

Answer

We know this because many of the current citizens don't appear to like bright light;' It explains how modern day preferences point to past experiences.

Answer

We know this because peach trees are often found in abundance there;' It gives evidence in a description of the landscape in Georgia.

Question 9

In an argumentative essay, facts and statistics are referred to as .

Accepted Answer

evidence

Answer

reason

Answer

position

Answer

counter

Question 10

In her article, Mae makes the following claim: I think college students should be in charge of all of their financial decisions since they have the mental capacity and emotional maturity to do so. This is Mae's ____ statement.

Accepted Answer

position

Answer

counter

Answer

reason

Answer

evidence