Watch the doors to your college of choice swing open after you rock the ACT

The ACT is an important part of the college admissions process. A high score could land you acceptance to your top schools or even help you qualify for scholarships, so it's worth doing your best. ACT Prep 2025/2026 For Dummies gives you a refresher on all four required ACT subject areas-math, science, reading, and English-as well as tips for breezing through the optional essay. You'll also get a rundown on the new digital testing option. With classic Dummies-style explanations, three online practice tests, and more than 100 flashcards, this guide prepares you to ace the ACT and begin your post-high school journey on the right foot.

• Review all the content covered on the ACT and follow a structured study plan


• Practice with dozens of flashcards, sample questions, and access to THREE practice tests online


• Get clear explanations for the concepts that give you the most trouble

If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of high schoolers taking the ACT exam this year, ACT Prep 2025/2026 For Dummies is your key to getting ready for test day.

Lisa Zimmer Hatch, MA, is a college counselor and test prep expert who has been helping students excel on standardized tests and get into their top-choice colleges since 1987. Lisa and her late husband. Scott A. Hatch, JD, are also the coauthors of GMAT For Dummies.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Coming to Terms with Reality: An Overview of the ACT 7

Chapter 1: Getting Your ACT Together: ACT 101 9

Chapter 2: Succeeding on the ACT 17

Chapter 3: Forming an ACT Study Plan 21

Part 2: Serving Your "Sentence": The English Test 27

Chapter 4: Mastering the English Test 29

Chapter 5: Getting a Grip on Grammar and Usage 35

Chapter 6: Spotting Usage Errors and Ripping through Rhetorical Questions 45

Chapter 7: It's Not What You Say but How You Say It: English Practice Questions 61

Part 3: Don't Count Yourself Out: The Math Test 67

Chapter 8: Numbers Nuts and Bolts 69

Chapter 9: Getting into Shapes: Geometry and Trig Review 93

Chapter 10: Algebra and Other Sleeping Aids 121

Chapter 11: Numb and Number: Acing the Mathematics Test 147

Chapter 12: More Fun than a Root Canal: Mathematics Practice Questions 157

Part 4: Time to Read the Riot ACT: The Reading Test 165

Chapter 13: This, Too, Shall Pass(age): Sailing through the Reading Test 167

Chapter 14: Where Are SparkNotes When You Need Them? Reading Practice Questions 177

Part 5: Studying Brain Defects in Laboratory Rats: The Science Test 183

Chapter 15: From Frankenstein to Einstein: Excelling on the Science Test 185

Chapter 16: Faking Atomic Ache Won't Get You out of This: Science Practice Questions 207

Part 6: Writing Rightly: The Optional Writing Test 217

Chapter 17: Excelling on Your Essay: The Writing Test Review 219

Chapter 18: Practicing Promptly with Practice Prompts: Essay Practice Questions 237

Part 7: Putting It All Together with a Full-Length Practice ACT 241

Chapter 19: Practice Exam 243

Chapter 20: Practice Exam: Answers and Explanations 291

Part 8: The Part of Tens 333

Chapter 21: Ten Wrong Rumors about the ACT 335

Chapter 22: Attention, Parents! Ten Ways You Can Help Your Child Succeed on the ACT 339

Index 343