Showing posts with label ENGLISH. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ENGLISH. Show all posts
Thursday, February 7, 2019
ACT 2 DAYS TO EXAM - ENGLISH TIPS
Only 2 days left to CRAM for the ACT. Since you’re probably applying at an American school, let’s make sure the English section demonstrates a respectable level of knowledge.
ENGLISH - REVIEW RULES OF GRAMMAR
Several standard rules are ALWAYS tested, some more than once on a single test.
ITS-IT’S
its is like his — it shows possession
it’s is an abbreviation for it is
INTRODUCTORY PHRASES must relate to the subject of the sentence
(good) Sitting on the balcony, we watched the parade.
(not good) Sitting on the balcony, the parade passed right by us.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Single subjects do not usually end in ’s’ but single verbs do.
Plural subjects usually end in ’s’ but plural verbs do not.
VERB TENSE does not change in the middle of a paragraph.
PRONOUN REFERENCE
The pronoun usually refers to the preceding noun.
If you can’t answer the question “who?” then use the noun.
SPECIAL NOTES ON PUNCTUATION:
-- Two commas (or two dashes) means that the words in between are not needed.
-- The subject and verb can NEVER be separated by a single comma.
-- When adding an ‘-ing’ phrase after a full sentence separate it with a comma if it does NOT describe the preceding noun.
-- A COMMA ALONE CAN NEVER, NEVER, NEVER SEPARATE TWO INDEPENDENT SENTENCES! (But comma-conjunction can.)
-- A period, colon, semicolon, and comma-conjunction are usually interchangeable when there is a full sentence in front, so finding more than one in the alternatives tells you to look for special circumstances.
REMOVE REDUNDANCIES
If a shorter alternative gives enough information, pick it.
COULDAV-WOULDAV-SHOULDAV
Spell it out, don’t just say it. These contractions replace ‘could HAVE,’ ‘would HAVE,’ ‘should HAVE,’ so abbreviate them as could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.
ADVERBS VERSUS ADJECTIVES
The difference may be in the -LY (which makes the word modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb).
OMIT, DELETE
If ‘omit’ is an alternative, there is a 50% chance that it’s the right answer. Be sure information is VITAL before including it.
WHO-WHOM
“Who” is the subject doing the action.
“Whom” is the person the action is affecting (direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition).
REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS (himself, herself, myself)
The person DOING and the person RECEIVING the action must be the same person.
CONNECTOR AND TRANSITION WORDS
Lump them into general categories:
a) showing contrast (however, but, instead, although, nevertheless, yet)
b) showing cause and effect (therefore, consequently, as a result)
c) giving proof or more examples (likewise, besides, moreover, indeed)
d) Since the English section is usually informal, when given a choice between ‘however’ and ‘but’ or ‘therefore’ and ‘so,’ choose the informal ‘but’ and ‘so.’
ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO SATURDAY'S ACT, so if cramming is your style, you'd better get to it!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
THE ACT SUGGESTS DEPRESSINGLY LOW BENCHMARKS FOR COLLEGE READINESS
ACT Inc suggests "benchmark standards" which are intended to indicate a student's readiness of college. Using these criteria, the Chicago Tribune reported recently on how Illinois high schools measure up. In a nutshell, the information was not positive. The standards themselves are unbelievably low, leaving the impression that kids don't have to know much in order to "succeed" in college, and results of the ACT component on the Prairie State Achievement Exam cast a shadow on any school that hopes to prepare more than 75% of their students for at least a 50-50 chance of earning a respectable grade in freshmen level college courses.
Not wishing to be the bearer of only bad news, I’ll start by saying that entry level scores on college entrance exams, like the ACT component of the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE), are simply a starting point. There are many reasons a student may not achieve his or her best score if the test is taken “cold.” Some of these reasons are academically founded, but others hinge on knowledge of the test’s format, structure, and expectations.
That said, let’s think about the recent Chicago Tribune article highlighting Illinois statewide statistics on student readiness for college. (Friday, November 12, 2010, section 1, pp1+) Tutoring Resources’ primary service area includes North Cook, Lake, and McHenry counties. For the most part, our students are among the highest scoring in ACT’s recent survey of “college readiness benchmarks.” The creators of the popular entrance exam estimate that meeting the standard indicates a student has a 50 percent chance of earning a B or higher and a 75 percent chance of earning a C of higher in typical freshman courses. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I am of the opinion that a C in a college course is not acceptable, especially in the core courses required of a freshman. As a parent responsible for tuition and other fees, I would be less than pleased by only a 50% chance that my pecuniary investment would have a reasonable return.)
Benchmark scores established by ACT Inc for purposes of comparison are stunningly low in my opinion: English 18, Math 22, Reading 21, and Science Reasoning 24. I’m bewildered that English and Math are the lowest standards, while Science Reasoning is set at well above the average composite score nationwide. An average of the four benchmarks is lower than a national average composite score and just slightly above the state composite average. Yet, at Tutoring Resources' highest ranking high school, only 51.6% of the students met all four benchmarks.
The ACT researchers do not imply that there is blame to lay on our high schools, our teachers, or even our children. I would agree with this restraint and could, if asked, provide proof that our schools are doing better than these statistics might suggest if used in the wrong context. I DO believe that awareness of the criteria used by test developers, knowledge of the testing format, experience with actual test materials, and other nonacademic issues can have a significant impact on the scores each student can achieve and should strive to attain.
It is my experience that almost every freshman will be required to take a composition course through the college’s English department and those professors have every right, in my opinion, to expect students from our high schools to know when to use a semicolon, how to punctuate between independent sentences, that its’ is not a word, the difference between their/there/they’re, and other common grammar rules tested on the ACT English section. To achieve an 18, the student needs to answer only about 54% of the questions correctly. To propose that a student who knows only one-half of the standard grammar concepts will succeed without tremendous effort is wishful thinking.
Similarly in Math, to earn a score of 22, a student needs to find correct solutions for 32 to 35 of the 60 questions (53% to 58%). Considering as many as 5% of the questions might involve Trigonometry and/or higher level concepts not covered in some high school courses, but understanding the statistical probability that careful guessing can be rewarded with as much as a 20% success rate, setting a “benchmark” so low is anticipating that our college-bound students will be able to sustain an enormously challenging effort level in college math classes.
My tutors and I take every ACT that is made public and are constantly evaluating the concepts tested and looking for patterns of study which will help our students. So I tend to be positive about the test itself and the publishers and creators. I’m sure that researchers at ACT are cognizant of the limited ability of a single test to predict college success. Perhaps these “benchmarks” are intended to acknowledge the other factors which play into a student’s achievements at the college level: motivation, maturity, and personality. But I’m not willing to send my kids off to distant parts with only a 50% chance of succeeding.
I actually like the ACT test, not so much in terms of college admission (which is a fact of life not within my control), but as preparation for college itself. I expect my students to arrive on campus with a significant understanding of English rhetoric and grammar and with a thorough comprehension of high school level Math concepts. I want them to be prepared to focus on style and content in their first English course, not where to put a comma. I want them to obviate the need for remedial math courses, at full tuition for no credit, before qualifying to enroll in 2 semesters of required college level math. While I cringe at the low scores suggested as adequate, the ACT test itself and the English and Math concepts included in the testing are without doubt important elements for reviewing what we learned in high school and should take into the world after graduation.
Every student can use preparation for the ACT test as a foundation for success in college. Review the necessary concepts; the ACT authors test common mistakes which should be avoided in a composition class. Create study guides for use in college classes because elementary arithmetic really is necessary when solving a complex calculus problem. Raise those individual section scores to the highest possible level to demonstrate the student’s true potential and maybe even qualify for a great scholarship, but most importantly, to reinforce the foundation for academic prowess in post-secondary education. Treat the ACT as a handy checklist for packing to go off to college:
√ toothpaste
√ pillow
√ computer
√ Tutoring Resources’ “25 Grammar Rules”
√ a note card of those pesky math equations
By using the ACT test as the "benchmark" for what curricular concepts need to be firmly in place before starting college, a student is using the required entrance exam to its fullest potential and greatly increasing the 50% probability of earning outstanding grades in the ubiquitous Freshman English Composition and College Algebra classes.
Not wishing to be the bearer of only bad news, I’ll start by saying that entry level scores on college entrance exams, like the ACT component of the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE), are simply a starting point. There are many reasons a student may not achieve his or her best score if the test is taken “cold.” Some of these reasons are academically founded, but others hinge on knowledge of the test’s format, structure, and expectations.
That said, let’s think about the recent Chicago Tribune article highlighting Illinois statewide statistics on student readiness for college. (Friday, November 12, 2010, section 1, pp1+) Tutoring Resources’ primary service area includes North Cook, Lake, and McHenry counties. For the most part, our students are among the highest scoring in ACT’s recent survey of “college readiness benchmarks.” The creators of the popular entrance exam estimate that meeting the standard indicates a student has a 50 percent chance of earning a B or higher and a 75 percent chance of earning a C of higher in typical freshman courses. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I am of the opinion that a C in a college course is not acceptable, especially in the core courses required of a freshman. As a parent responsible for tuition and other fees, I would be less than pleased by only a 50% chance that my pecuniary investment would have a reasonable return.)
Benchmark scores established by ACT Inc for purposes of comparison are stunningly low in my opinion: English 18, Math 22, Reading 21, and Science Reasoning 24. I’m bewildered that English and Math are the lowest standards, while Science Reasoning is set at well above the average composite score nationwide. An average of the four benchmarks is lower than a national average composite score and just slightly above the state composite average. Yet, at Tutoring Resources' highest ranking high school, only 51.6% of the students met all four benchmarks.
The ACT researchers do not imply that there is blame to lay on our high schools, our teachers, or even our children. I would agree with this restraint and could, if asked, provide proof that our schools are doing better than these statistics might suggest if used in the wrong context. I DO believe that awareness of the criteria used by test developers, knowledge of the testing format, experience with actual test materials, and other nonacademic issues can have a significant impact on the scores each student can achieve and should strive to attain.
It is my experience that almost every freshman will be required to take a composition course through the college’s English department and those professors have every right, in my opinion, to expect students from our high schools to know when to use a semicolon, how to punctuate between independent sentences, that its’ is not a word, the difference between their/there/they’re, and other common grammar rules tested on the ACT English section. To achieve an 18, the student needs to answer only about 54% of the questions correctly. To propose that a student who knows only one-half of the standard grammar concepts will succeed without tremendous effort is wishful thinking.
Similarly in Math, to earn a score of 22, a student needs to find correct solutions for 32 to 35 of the 60 questions (53% to 58%). Considering as many as 5% of the questions might involve Trigonometry and/or higher level concepts not covered in some high school courses, but understanding the statistical probability that careful guessing can be rewarded with as much as a 20% success rate, setting a “benchmark” so low is anticipating that our college-bound students will be able to sustain an enormously challenging effort level in college math classes.
My tutors and I take every ACT that is made public and are constantly evaluating the concepts tested and looking for patterns of study which will help our students. So I tend to be positive about the test itself and the publishers and creators. I’m sure that researchers at ACT are cognizant of the limited ability of a single test to predict college success. Perhaps these “benchmarks” are intended to acknowledge the other factors which play into a student’s achievements at the college level: motivation, maturity, and personality. But I’m not willing to send my kids off to distant parts with only a 50% chance of succeeding.
I actually like the ACT test, not so much in terms of college admission (which is a fact of life not within my control), but as preparation for college itself. I expect my students to arrive on campus with a significant understanding of English rhetoric and grammar and with a thorough comprehension of high school level Math concepts. I want them to be prepared to focus on style and content in their first English course, not where to put a comma. I want them to obviate the need for remedial math courses, at full tuition for no credit, before qualifying to enroll in 2 semesters of required college level math. While I cringe at the low scores suggested as adequate, the ACT test itself and the English and Math concepts included in the testing are without doubt important elements for reviewing what we learned in high school and should take into the world after graduation.
Every student can use preparation for the ACT test as a foundation for success in college. Review the necessary concepts; the ACT authors test common mistakes which should be avoided in a composition class. Create study guides for use in college classes because elementary arithmetic really is necessary when solving a complex calculus problem. Raise those individual section scores to the highest possible level to demonstrate the student’s true potential and maybe even qualify for a great scholarship, but most importantly, to reinforce the foundation for academic prowess in post-secondary education. Treat the ACT as a handy checklist for packing to go off to college:
√ toothpaste
√ pillow
√ computer
√ Tutoring Resources’ “25 Grammar Rules”
√ a note card of those pesky math equations
By using the ACT test as the "benchmark" for what curricular concepts need to be firmly in place before starting college, a student is using the required entrance exam to its fullest potential and greatly increasing the 50% probability of earning outstanding grades in the ubiquitous Freshman English Composition and College Algebra classes.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
FINAL EXAMS -- 3 WAYS TO PROCRASTINATE
College students will be returning home soon, signaling the approach of high school final exam time. Around this point in the semester, if you are like I was, you feel your brain is already full and there is little motivation to learn any more before summer break. So here are three strategies which will improve your final exam scores and simultaneously provide valid excuses to avoid studying until the last minute.
1. Since final exams are frequently cumulative, you will need to collect data from the entire semester or even the whole year. Do that now. Rummage through your closet, your backpack, under the bed. Find all old homework assignments, class notes, study guides, tests & quizzes (if you're allowed to take them home).
Create a separate "bin" for each subject. I use sweater boxes because they're wide enough to hold an 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper without folding and tall enough to collect a lot of stuff. When you run across old work, drop it into the appropriate bin.
2. I'm a visual, creative sort of person, especially when I'm avoiding doing any real work, so I like to "decorate" my bins. I recommend card stock since it holds up well. A different color for each bin can be stimulating, but I generally steer toward plain white so I can color the sign with magic markers which takes longer but looks like I'm preparing to study. I write the subject in fancy script and add things that remind me of the subject matter. Math, for example, lends itself to formulas written in elaborate calligraphy or to geometric diagrams illustrating concepts like "if sides, then angles." History suggests a time line or caricatures of historic figures. Science might involve terminology, molecular diagrams, or physics diagrams. English could include the novels discussed with reference to setting, characters, or actions. The options are limitless as long as they relate to the subjects covered during the semester. Check out textbooks for suggestions.
3. Ask the teacher for the Final Exam Study Guide. The one from last year is probably what will be used again this year, so it's in the classroom file somewhere. Start asking for it now so the teacher has a warning to locate it and have it printed. Since this will take at least a week or so, you won't have to actually work on it for a while but you've demonstrated to the one person who evaluates your grade that you are a conscientious, dedicated, hard-working, well-organized student (and that can't hurt your grade).
Keep reading ONLY if you really ARE that hard-working student who wants to start preparing for finals now. The activities described above are, in reality, the basis for study. By collecting old work, you have the chance to review what has been learned during the semester. The next step might be to create a list of the concepts that will probably appear on the final exam. To get ahead of the next blog, organize the collected material into topic, unit or chapter. You might even create a cover sheet that lists the concepts that were addressed in each unit or add the information to your decorative subject sign (which is your personal study guide in disguise).
By spending time designing your "sign" you are moving related concepts to the creative side of your brain where they will be more readily available for solving new problems. Keep adding things and periodically review what's on the card -- a strategy for getting details into long term memory.
Asking the teacher for the study guide really DOES create the impression that you are committed to earning a remarkable grade! You might become a self-fulfilling prophesy!!
Don't tell anyone that you're already studying for finals, though. Let everyone (except your folks) think you're just killing time until a cramming session the day before the exam.
1. Since final exams are frequently cumulative, you will need to collect data from the entire semester or even the whole year. Do that now. Rummage through your closet, your backpack, under the bed. Find all old homework assignments, class notes, study guides, tests & quizzes (if you're allowed to take them home).
Create a separate "bin" for each subject. I use sweater boxes because they're wide enough to hold an 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper without folding and tall enough to collect a lot of stuff. When you run across old work, drop it into the appropriate bin.
2. I'm a visual, creative sort of person, especially when I'm avoiding doing any real work, so I like to "decorate" my bins. I recommend card stock since it holds up well. A different color for each bin can be stimulating, but I generally steer toward plain white so I can color the sign with magic markers which takes longer but looks like I'm preparing to study. I write the subject in fancy script and add things that remind me of the subject matter. Math, for example, lends itself to formulas written in elaborate calligraphy or to geometric diagrams illustrating concepts like "if sides, then angles." History suggests a time line or caricatures of historic figures. Science might involve terminology, molecular diagrams, or physics diagrams. English could include the novels discussed with reference to setting, characters, or actions. The options are limitless as long as they relate to the subjects covered during the semester. Check out textbooks for suggestions.
3. Ask the teacher for the Final Exam Study Guide. The one from last year is probably what will be used again this year, so it's in the classroom file somewhere. Start asking for it now so the teacher has a warning to locate it and have it printed. Since this will take at least a week or so, you won't have to actually work on it for a while but you've demonstrated to the one person who evaluates your grade that you are a conscientious, dedicated, hard-working, well-organized student (and that can't hurt your grade).
Keep reading ONLY if you really ARE that hard-working student who wants to start preparing for finals now. The activities described above are, in reality, the basis for study. By collecting old work, you have the chance to review what has been learned during the semester. The next step might be to create a list of the concepts that will probably appear on the final exam. To get ahead of the next blog, organize the collected material into topic, unit or chapter. You might even create a cover sheet that lists the concepts that were addressed in each unit or add the information to your decorative subject sign (which is your personal study guide in disguise).
By spending time designing your "sign" you are moving related concepts to the creative side of your brain where they will be more readily available for solving new problems. Keep adding things and periodically review what's on the card -- a strategy for getting details into long term memory.
Asking the teacher for the study guide really DOES create the impression that you are committed to earning a remarkable grade! You might become a self-fulfilling prophesy!!
Don't tell anyone that you're already studying for finals, though. Let everyone (except your folks) think you're just killing time until a cramming session the day before the exam.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
JUNIORS: 2 Weeks to the PSAE Study Plan
Fourteen days to the PSAE for Illinois high school juniors and time for a little "intensive study." If you haven't already, get a few copies of old ACT tests. The library or college department at your high school should have copies of the ACT preparation materials which include one sample. There are numerous prep manuals at bookstores. ACT publishes one and I also recommend the Barron's version because of it's similarity to real ACT questions and the clarity of answer explanations. Some online sources have samples too. Check out previous blogs for links.
YOUR 14 DAY PLAN...
1. Take a sample test, possibly over 4 days (one day for each section if you're under a time constraint) and keep track of how much time it takes to finish each section. Scoring your work will give you an indication of how much you need to study and timing will alert you to any need for pacing practice.
2 (One day) Choose the section in which you scored the lowest. Identify the concepts tested in each question you missed. Read the instructional material on that concept in the Barron's text or other answer key. Complete any sample questions available.
3. (The next day) Take another test on your #1 section. Score. Recognize improvement. Look over the rationale for the correct answer for any question you missed.
4. Repeat the process on the next lowest scoring section -- 2 days of review -- one day to study and the next day to retest and review. Repeat Step 4 until all sections have been studied.
If you used 4 days to take the original test, you've spent 12 days studying. Two more to go.
5. Take another full test. If pacing has been problematic, follow these guidelines:
ENGLISH (75 questions in 45 minutes): There are 5 articles, each with 15 questions. Try to finish all questions in an article in 9 minutes. Answer each question as you come to it. Don't skip any. Put answers directly on the scantron.
MATH (60 problems in 60 minutes): This may appear to give you 1 minute for each question, but the easier ones come at the beginning and the more difficult ones after #45. Try to spend just 30 seconds on most of the first 30 questions. From 31 to 45, plan on one minute each. From 46 through 60, you'll have about 2 minutes for each. If a problem requires too much time, skip it if you aren't looking for a perfect score. Either mark the scantron lightly so you know to return to the question, or default the question right away but lightly so you can change the answer if you have time to come back and work on it again.
READING (40 questions in 35 minutes): Each Reading passage has 10 questions. Plan to spend 8 minutes on each passage, leaving 3 minutes extra for the "extra hard" questions. Try answering direct questions first and inferential ones once you have an idea what the article is about. Mark answers directly on the test booklet until all 10 are complete and then transfer your selections to the scantron before moving to the next article.
SCIENCE REASONING (40 questions in 35 minutes): For pacing, plan to spend one less minute than the number of questions in the data set. This timing gives you 2 additional minutes; that's not much, so use it wisely. Answer questions in the order they are asked within the data set and mark your alternative choices directly on the scantron. BUT if you're not reaching for a 35 or 36 (nearly perfect or perfect score), hold an extremely difficult data set for last. Default the answers if you think you'll run out of time, but do so lightly enough so that you can erase if you get back to it and work out answers.
READY? SET? STUDY!
YOUR 14 DAY PLAN...
1. Take a sample test, possibly over 4 days (one day for each section if you're under a time constraint) and keep track of how much time it takes to finish each section. Scoring your work will give you an indication of how much you need to study and timing will alert you to any need for pacing practice.
2 (One day) Choose the section in which you scored the lowest. Identify the concepts tested in each question you missed. Read the instructional material on that concept in the Barron's text or other answer key. Complete any sample questions available.
3. (The next day) Take another test on your #1 section. Score. Recognize improvement. Look over the rationale for the correct answer for any question you missed.
4. Repeat the process on the next lowest scoring section -- 2 days of review -- one day to study and the next day to retest and review. Repeat Step 4 until all sections have been studied.
If you used 4 days to take the original test, you've spent 12 days studying. Two more to go.
5. Take another full test. If pacing has been problematic, follow these guidelines:
ENGLISH (75 questions in 45 minutes): There are 5 articles, each with 15 questions. Try to finish all questions in an article in 9 minutes. Answer each question as you come to it. Don't skip any. Put answers directly on the scantron.
MATH (60 problems in 60 minutes): This may appear to give you 1 minute for each question, but the easier ones come at the beginning and the more difficult ones after #45. Try to spend just 30 seconds on most of the first 30 questions. From 31 to 45, plan on one minute each. From 46 through 60, you'll have about 2 minutes for each. If a problem requires too much time, skip it if you aren't looking for a perfect score. Either mark the scantron lightly so you know to return to the question, or default the question right away but lightly so you can change the answer if you have time to come back and work on it again.
READING (40 questions in 35 minutes): Each Reading passage has 10 questions. Plan to spend 8 minutes on each passage, leaving 3 minutes extra for the "extra hard" questions. Try answering direct questions first and inferential ones once you have an idea what the article is about. Mark answers directly on the test booklet until all 10 are complete and then transfer your selections to the scantron before moving to the next article.
SCIENCE REASONING (40 questions in 35 minutes): For pacing, plan to spend one less minute than the number of questions in the data set. This timing gives you 2 additional minutes; that's not much, so use it wisely. Answer questions in the order they are asked within the data set and mark your alternative choices directly on the scantron. BUT if you're not reaching for a 35 or 36 (nearly perfect or perfect score), hold an extremely difficult data set for last. Default the answers if you think you'll run out of time, but do so lightly enough so that you can erase if you get back to it and work out answers.
READY? SET? STUDY!
Monday, March 29, 2010
QUICK TIPS FOR THE ACT
April 10....the next national administration of the ACT. Really too late to start studying, but a few quick tips could help raise that score by a point or two. For English and Math you might need 2 more correct answers to gain one more section score point; each Reading and Science Reasoning question should usually give you a point. Four more section score points are needed to raise the composite average by just one point.
ENGLISH: Recognize the punctuation questions relating to independent sentences. You always need a full sentence in front of a period, semi-colon, comma-conjunction, or colon. For the first 3 you also need a full sentence (not a prepositional phrase) after the punctuation. A colon can be followed by either a full sentence or a list or just more detail.
Recognize prepositions. They introduce phrases, not full sentences, and might need a comma at most.
SHORTER IS BETTER. At least consider the shortest alternative since it's the right answer more often than not.
MATH: Avoid silly mistakes, especially on the first 30 questions. And work problems for the entire hour; there are some easy questions in the last 10.
READING: Keep moving. Don't get "stuck" on one difficult question. Unless you're working toward a perfect score (which means you've been studying for weeks), you don't need to get every question right. Take the loss of one point rather than denying yourself the chance to gain 2 by finding easier questions further along in the section.
SCIENCE REASONING: Get the first two questions in every data set correct. These ask if you can read the data given and the answer should be "sure." If the last 2 questions are too hard, default them and move on to the next data set where the first few questions will be easier.
IN GENERAL: Leave nothing blank. Pick a default answer and use it to fill in bubbles for any question you can't answer. ONE DEFAULT ONLY. Pick the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth alternative and use only that one for default. Statistically you will be correct 20 - 25% of the time. Arbitrarily picking a different alternative every time could result in a success rate of 0%!
SIT UP! If you start to fade, take a second to sit up straight, stretch, breath deeply. Get the brain oxygenated again and dig back in!!
GOOD LUCK! And remember that if your score doesn't turn out to be what you hoped, there is also June, September, and October for 2011 graduates. With any of these test dates, you'll have results in time for early admission to most colleges.
ENGLISH: Recognize the punctuation questions relating to independent sentences. You always need a full sentence in front of a period, semi-colon, comma-conjunction, or colon. For the first 3 you also need a full sentence (not a prepositional phrase) after the punctuation. A colon can be followed by either a full sentence or a list or just more detail.
Recognize prepositions. They introduce phrases, not full sentences, and might need a comma at most.
SHORTER IS BETTER. At least consider the shortest alternative since it's the right answer more often than not.
MATH: Avoid silly mistakes, especially on the first 30 questions. And work problems for the entire hour; there are some easy questions in the last 10.
READING: Keep moving. Don't get "stuck" on one difficult question. Unless you're working toward a perfect score (which means you've been studying for weeks), you don't need to get every question right. Take the loss of one point rather than denying yourself the chance to gain 2 by finding easier questions further along in the section.
SCIENCE REASONING: Get the first two questions in every data set correct. These ask if you can read the data given and the answer should be "sure." If the last 2 questions are too hard, default them and move on to the next data set where the first few questions will be easier.
IN GENERAL: Leave nothing blank. Pick a default answer and use it to fill in bubbles for any question you can't answer. ONE DEFAULT ONLY. Pick the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth alternative and use only that one for default. Statistically you will be correct 20 - 25% of the time. Arbitrarily picking a different alternative every time could result in a success rate of 0%!
SIT UP! If you start to fade, take a second to sit up straight, stretch, breath deeply. Get the brain oxygenated again and dig back in!!
GOOD LUCK! And remember that if your score doesn't turn out to be what you hoped, there is also June, September, and October for 2011 graduates. With any of these test dates, you'll have results in time for early admission to most colleges.
Friday, March 26, 2010
START SLOWLY. WORK SMART. DO IT TODAY!
I know from experience how difficult it is to get moving on a task that seems as massive as working toward the score you deserve on the ACT. But this weekend of Spring Break is the perfect time to start.
Begin slowly: download a few questions from the ACT website, sign up for the question of the day while your there, get a copy of The Real ACT Prep Guide (about $25). Complete a small part of each section:
English -- answer the 15 questions in any of the 5 passages.
Math -- work 10 problems.
Reading -- answer the 10 questions in any of the 4 essays.
Science Reasoning -- pick one data set and answer all of the questions. Just for fun, keep track of the data sets as you do them and we can look later at a pattern that should tell which are the easiest and which are more challenging.
Work Smart: Stick to this daily plan and you'll gain knowledge of each of the sections. Don't time yourself yet. Concentrate on thinking about the problems you're working. It should take you only about half an hour to do this work but at the end of the week, you'll have completed 1.5 English sections, 1 Math, 2 Reading, and one whole Science Reasoning. That's a pretty good study week, especially since you may be on holiday!! CONGRATULATIONS!!
Begin slowly: download a few questions from the ACT website, sign up for the question of the day while your there, get a copy of The Real ACT Prep Guide (about $25). Complete a small part of each section:
English -- answer the 15 questions in any of the 5 passages.
Math -- work 10 problems.
Reading -- answer the 10 questions in any of the 4 essays.
Science Reasoning -- pick one data set and answer all of the questions. Just for fun, keep track of the data sets as you do them and we can look later at a pattern that should tell which are the easiest and which are more challenging.
Work Smart: Stick to this daily plan and you'll gain knowledge of each of the sections. Don't time yourself yet. Concentrate on thinking about the problems you're working. It should take you only about half an hour to do this work but at the end of the week, you'll have completed 1.5 English sections, 1 Math, 2 Reading, and one whole Science Reasoning. That's a pretty good study week, especially since you may be on holiday!! CONGRATULATIONS!!
Friday, March 19, 2010
IMPROVING ACT ENGLISH
English questions on the ACT consist of a mix of grammar rule applications and rhetorical situations concerning placement of words, sentences, or paragraphs,vocabulary, and purpose. The concepts tested are generally less complicated than in the high school English curriculum and are specifically designed to follow rules that leave no room for choice. Every correct answer is provably correct and every incorrect alternative breaks an identifiable rule.
When using sample tests to identify concepts to study, notice recurrent errors and list the missed concepts as ones to study fully. Write out the grammar rule and highlight similar questions in subsequent homework assignments. Recognizing that a question relates to a rule you've studied increases the odds that you will apply the correct concept when selecting an answer.
Silly mistakes are those which occur only periodically. You've answered two similar questions correctly, but missed this one. Study these errors differently. They represent a point at which greater caution and controlled attention would have eliminated the mistake. Be aware of these points and guard against them.
GRAMMAR: Some grammar questions are frequently missed by even the highest ability students. A single "problematic" concept may appear several times on a single test. Watch for these:
- its/it's - "Its" is possessive. Think of the word "his" when deciding whether to use "its." "It's" is a contraction. Think of the two words "it" and "is."
- avoiding redundant words - As a general rule, reduce the number of words in a sentence. The ACT is looking for concise writing -- always. Plan to select the shortest response unless it's wrong for another reason like punctuation.
- subject-verb agreement - Identify the subject and verb in any sentence involved in a question about either part of speech. Reading only the subject and verb may allow you to rely on what sounds right.
- punctuating independent sentences - The ACT is not looking for creative writing and has ironclad rules for punctuating a sentence break. A period, semicolon, comma-conjunction, or colon may follow the full sentence. For the period, semicolon, or comma-conjunction, another complete sentence must follow the punctuation. Colons can can be followed by either a full sentence or a sentence fragment like a list or additional detail. A comma alone can NEVER separate two full sentences.
RHETORIC: Questions that have additional instructions in the stem provide clue words which make selecting a correct answer easier. Don't pass over these vital clues without reading them carefully:
- transition, introduce, connect - These key words tell you to pick an answer which relates both to the previous idea and the next.
- add/delete - Be suspicious. If the thought is not specifically needed to understand the topic, leave it out. Remember that the ACT is looking for concise written communication.
- sentence/word placement - Look for pronouns and chronology. If the sentence is "She came home," ask yourself who "she" is. Place the sentence after the person has been identified. If dates are give, put them in order. If relative timing is indicated, "Then this happened," think about logical order. Don't have the plane touch ground before the landing gear is down.
- NOT - Be aware when a question asks which alternative would NOT be satisfactory. If you are using a system of elimination, this question type will be obvious because you'll have 3 "good" answers and one "bad" alternative which will be the correct answer.
Knowing the rules that are acceptable for the ACT will improve your scores in two ways. You'll get more questions right on the English section and applying the same concepts in the Writing essay will increase your score.
When using sample tests to identify concepts to study, notice recurrent errors and list the missed concepts as ones to study fully. Write out the grammar rule and highlight similar questions in subsequent homework assignments. Recognizing that a question relates to a rule you've studied increases the odds that you will apply the correct concept when selecting an answer.
Silly mistakes are those which occur only periodically. You've answered two similar questions correctly, but missed this one. Study these errors differently. They represent a point at which greater caution and controlled attention would have eliminated the mistake. Be aware of these points and guard against them.
GRAMMAR: Some grammar questions are frequently missed by even the highest ability students. A single "problematic" concept may appear several times on a single test. Watch for these:
- its/it's - "Its" is possessive. Think of the word "his" when deciding whether to use "its." "It's" is a contraction. Think of the two words "it" and "is."
- avoiding redundant words - As a general rule, reduce the number of words in a sentence. The ACT is looking for concise writing -- always. Plan to select the shortest response unless it's wrong for another reason like punctuation.
- subject-verb agreement - Identify the subject and verb in any sentence involved in a question about either part of speech. Reading only the subject and verb may allow you to rely on what sounds right.
- punctuating independent sentences - The ACT is not looking for creative writing and has ironclad rules for punctuating a sentence break. A period, semicolon, comma-conjunction, or colon may follow the full sentence. For the period, semicolon, or comma-conjunction, another complete sentence must follow the punctuation. Colons can can be followed by either a full sentence or a sentence fragment like a list or additional detail. A comma alone can NEVER separate two full sentences.
RHETORIC: Questions that have additional instructions in the stem provide clue words which make selecting a correct answer easier. Don't pass over these vital clues without reading them carefully:
- transition, introduce, connect - These key words tell you to pick an answer which relates both to the previous idea and the next.
- add/delete - Be suspicious. If the thought is not specifically needed to understand the topic, leave it out. Remember that the ACT is looking for concise written communication.
- sentence/word placement - Look for pronouns and chronology. If the sentence is "She came home," ask yourself who "she" is. Place the sentence after the person has been identified. If dates are give, put them in order. If relative timing is indicated, "Then this happened," think about logical order. Don't have the plane touch ground before the landing gear is down.
- NOT - Be aware when a question asks which alternative would NOT be satisfactory. If you are using a system of elimination, this question type will be obvious because you'll have 3 "good" answers and one "bad" alternative which will be the correct answer.
Knowing the rules that are acceptable for the ACT will improve your scores in two ways. You'll get more questions right on the English section and applying the same concepts in the Writing essay will increase your score.
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