How to Practice for ACT Reading: Only 27 of the 36 Questions Are Scored, So Be Confident on Every Single One

Among the three scored sections of the ACT, Reading is the hardest to score high in. Looking at the official ACT national percentile ranks: scoring a 33 puts you in the 98th percentile for Math, but only the 95th for Reading; scoring a 30 puts you in the 96th percentile for Math, but only the 89th for Reading. At the high end, every single question in Reading is "expensive." This article explains what the new ACT Reading section tests, how the official categories are structured, and how to practice for each type of question.

Each Question is Worth a Point or Two

The new ACT Reading section has 36 questions in 40 minutes, but only 27 are scored. The rest are pretest questions, and you won't be able to tell which ones they are during the test.

Fewer scored questions mean each one carries a lot of weight. In the conversion table for one of the official new online ACT practice tests, getting all 27 scored Reading questions right yields a 36; missing 1 gives a 35; missing 2 gives a 34; missing 3 drops you to a 32. The exact conversion varies by test, but the pattern is the same: at the high end, there is almost zero margin for error in Reading (as we discussed in detail in this article on high ACT scores).

Therefore, when practicing for ACT Reading, the goal isn't just to get "most of them right," but to be confident in "every single one."

What the New Reading Section Tests

According to the ACT, the difficulty and types of reading passages are equivalent to texts commonly found in first-year college courses. The Reading section is divided into several parts: some consist of one longer passage, while others feature two shorter passages—with questions for the dual-passage section covering both texts.

The ACT categorizes Reading questions into three types and has published the approximate percentage for each:

The ACT also notes that compared to the old version, the new version has a slightly lower percentage of "Key Ideas and Details" questions and slightly higher percentages for the other two categories. In other words, the new test focuses more on understanding the author's craft and comparing different points of view, rather than just finding details.

How to Practice for the Three Question Types

Key Ideas and Details: Summarize Accurately, Infer with Evidence

This is the largest category. Common questions include: What is the main idea of the passage? What is a specific paragraph mainly about? What can be inferred from the passage?

• Summarize each paragraph in one sentence while reading. You don't need to write it down; just say it in your head. When tackling main idea questions, you'll have a ready-made "outline" at hand.
• Base your inferences on evidence. The correct answer will always be supported by the text, even if it's not explicitly stated. After choosing an answer, ask yourself: Which sentence in the text led me to this conclusion? If you can't point to one, you're relying on outside knowledge.
• Locate details back in the text. Don't answer from memory, even if you feel you remember it clearly.

Craft and Structure: Explain Why the Author Wrote It This Way

These questions ask: What does a specific word mean in this context? Why did the author use this word? What is the function of this paragraph in the overall text? What is the author's attitude toward a certain topic?

• For vocabulary questions, rely on context, not the dictionary. Cover the choices first, come up with your own meaning based on the context, and then look for it in the options. A common trap is the most common definition of a word, which doesn't fit the context here.
• For structure and purpose questions, assign a "function label" to each paragraph. Introducing a topic, providing an example, presenting a counterargument, drawing a conclusion—knowing what each paragraph does makes function questions much easier to answer.
• For tone questions, look for evaluative words. What adjectives or adverbs did the author use? Are they approving, skeptical, sarcastic, or neutrally descriptive?

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Compare Two Passages, Distinguish Facts from Opinions

• Dual-passage questions: First, clarify each author's stance separately. Write down the core argument of each passage in one sentence, then identify what they agree and disagree on. A common question type is the relationship between the two authors on a specific point: completely opposed, partially in agreement, or one supplementing the other.
• Distinguish between facts and opinions. "Research shows..." is a fact; "This indicates..." is usually the author's opinion. Questions might ask whether a statement is the author's claim or evidence cited by the author.
• Chart and graph questions: Match the data with the text. First, understand the units and axes of the chart, then see which piece of information from the chart the question asks you to connect with which claim in the text.

Two Official Recommendations

The ACT's official advice for Reading is straightforward but highly useful:

1. Read each passage carefully, paying attention to the relationships between ideas as you read.
2. Refer back to the text when answering. Some answers are stated directly in the text, while others require you to infer implied meanings or draw conclusions based on the text.

Combined, these two points form the most fundamental rule of ACT Reading: the answer to every question must be supported by the text.

How to Manage Your Time

With 36 questions in 40 minutes, you have about 67 seconds per question on average, which includes reading the passages. Here are a few tips:

• Allocate time by section. During practice, track how long you spend on each section to find a steady pace. The most common problem is reading the first passages too carefully and running out of time for the last section.
• Skip questions you're stuck on. Finish the ones you're confident about first, and come back to the others at the end.
• Answer every question. There is no penalty for wrong answers on the ACT. When time is running out, just pick a letter for all remaining questions.
• Don't ignore questions that "look weird." They might be pretest questions, but since you can't tell which ones they are, treat every single question as if it counts.

What to Read in Your Daily Life

Since the ACT states that the passages are equivalent to first-year college reading materials, you should read English texts at this level regularly: long popular science articles in the humanities (art, history, philosophy), social sciences (psychology, economics, sociology), and natural sciences (biology, astronomy, environment), as well as excerpts from British and American literary works. Read for 20–30 minutes a day, and after finishing, summarize what the author is saying and what their attitude is in one sentence.

Literary passages can be unfamiliar to many Chinese students: character psychology, narrator's tone, and unspoken emotions. Reading more short stories and consciously asking yourself, "What does the author want the reader to feel?" will help address these weaknesses much better than just reading popular science articles.

A Step-by-Step Practice Routine

1. Start with an official new practice test to see where your Reading score stands. The ACT website offers free online practice, and the Official Guide contains full-length real tests.
2. Practice by section with a timer. Do one section at a time and strictly time yourself.
3. Categorize your mistakes by the three question types. Are they Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, or Integration of Knowledge and Ideas? Focus your practice on the category where you make the most mistakes.
4. Find the evidence in the text for every wrong answer. Write down the exact sentence that supports the correct answer, and identify why your chosen answer was wrong.
5. Take one full-length timed Reading section every week. Check if your pacing is steady.

Final Thoughts

With only 27 scored questions in the new ACT Reading section, almost every question is worth a point or two at the high end. The focus of your practice shouldn't be reading faster, but reading more accurately: knowing what each paragraph is about and being able to find the evidence for every question in the text.

If you're not sure which type of Reading question is costing you the most points, you can start with a diagnostic test. Our instructors will analyze your performance based on the ACT's three official categories.

Verification note: The number of questions and scored questions, the percentages and descriptions of the three question types, passage difficulty, official test-taking advice, national percentile ranks, and practice test conversion tables in this article were verified against the following official ACT webpages and documents on September 26, 2026. The practice test conversion is just an example from one test; the conversion will differ for each actual test.

References:

• ACT: What's on the ACT Test? (36 Reading questions, 27 scored, percentages for the three categories)
• ACT: Description of Reading Test (Passage difficulty, structure, and descriptions of the three question types)
• ACT: ACT Reading Test Tips
• ACT: ACT Score National Ranks 2025–2026
• ACT: New Online Practice Test Scoring Key and Conversion Tables
• ACT: Tips to Taking the ACT Test (No penalty for wrong answers)