The enhanced ACT has three required sections: English, Math, and Reading. Science and Writing are additional sections, with the choice controlled by the student in some testing programs and by the school, district, or state in others. Your first preparation task is to identify the exact administration you will take.
That distinction matters more than the label “new ACT.” The changes arrived at different times, and older guides remain online. A practice book can contain useful algebra or grammar while still giving you the wrong section lengths. This guide separates the current structure from the decisions you need to make before building a study plan.
The current section structure
For standard-time enhanced testing, use this schedule:
| Section | Questions delivered | Testing time |
|---|---|---|
| English | 50 | 35 minutes |
| Math | 45 | 50 minutes |
| Reading | 36 | 40 minutes |
| Science, when included | 40 | 40 minutes |
| Writing, when included | One essay | 40 minutes |
English, Math, and Reading together contain 131 questions and 125 minutes of testing. Breaks, check-in, instructions, and dismissal add time to the day. Accommodated testing follows the approved timing arrangement rather than this table. ACT section structure
Treat the table as a way to choose matching practice materials. It is not a promise that every test center will dismiss students at the same time. If your school organizes testing, ask its coordinator for the schedule instead of planning from a Saturday testing timeline.
What each section asks you to do
English: edit a passage in context
English combines sentence-level editing with decisions about how writing develops. A punctuation choice may depend on whether the words before and after it form complete clauses. A sentence-placement question requires understanding the paragraph’s logic.
For an original example, compare “The club repaired the garden beds, they planted seedlings” with “The club repaired the garden beds, and they planted seedlings.” The second version joins two complete clauses with a conjunction. On a passage question, however, grammatical correctness is only part of the work: you may also need to decide whether the sentence belongs in the paragraph.
Build two habits together. Identify the local rule, then check the surrounding meaning. Practicing only isolated comma exercises leaves part of the section unprepared.
Math: select a workable model
Math requires choosing relationships, carrying out calculations, and interpreting results. Algebra, functions, geometry, and data reasoning all belong in your review. Do not make your preparation a contest to memorize the largest formula sheet.
Suppose a rental costs $18 plus $7 per hour. A bill of $53 gives the equation 18 + 7h = 53, so h = 5. Writing the model is the important first step. If the question instead asks for the cost of six hours, solving the earlier equation does not answer it.
Practice marking the requested quantity before working. That small habit connects your calculation to the actual task.
Reading: explain answers with evidence
Reading asks you to understand what a passage says and how it works. You may identify a central idea, explain a detail’s purpose, or compare perspectives. The best answer must fit the evidence and the scope of the question.
If a passage describes one town’s successful bus trial, it does not automatically support a claim about every city. During review, name the word that made a wrong answer too broad. “All,” “never,” and “proved” often demand more evidence than a passage supplies.
Science and Writing: separate decisions
Science emphasizes working with evidence, studies, and scientific explanations. Writing asks you to develop an argument. These sections deserve separate preparation decisions; being comfortable in a biology class does not tell you whether you can organize an essay efficiently.
What changed, and why old advice can mislead
The enhanced blueprint shortened the required test and changed the distribution of time and questions. National online testing moved to the enhanced version in April 2025; National paper followed in September 2025. State and District testing transitioned in spring 2026. ACT enhancement FAQs
International testing needs its own timeline. The new Composite and optional Science began in September 2025, while the enhanced question structure arrived in February 2026. A statement that “everything changed in September” misses that distinction. ACT international enhancements
When assessing a resource, check three things:
- Does its section table match your administration?
- Does its answer key belong to that specific practice form?
- Does its Composite calculation match the score report you are interpreting?
An older worksheet can still teach solving a quadratic. An older full-test timing plan should not silently become your enhanced-test simulation.
How the Composite works now
The enhanced Composite averages English, Math, and Reading section scores and rounds to a whole number. Science does not enter that average. For example, English 26, Math 29, and Reading 28 give 83 ÷ 3, or about 27.67, which rounds to 28. ACT score definitions
That calculation starts with section scale scores, not percentages correct. Thirty correct answers in one section cannot simply be averaged with thirty in another. Use the selected form’s conversion guide first.
The ACT score calculator supports named official practice forms. It also distinguishes counts that exclude unscored questions from totals across all delivered questions. A calculator result is a practice interpretation, not an official score report.
Who chooses the optional sections?
For a student registering for National testing, the available registration options matter. For State and District testing, Science and Writing choices are made at the contract level. “Optional” does not mean a student can independently skip a section that the school’s administration includes. ACT school-day section policy
College and program requirements are another question. Before declining a section, examine the requirements for your application year and intended program. Record the source and the date you checked it. If a page is unclear, ask the institution a specific question about its ACT Science or Writing policy rather than assuming that a general testing statement answers it.
Build a preparation plan that matches your test
Start with one recent official practice form and write its identity at the top of your notes. Complete it under the conditions you are trying to evaluate. If you divide it across days for learning, label that result as divided practice.
Then make a short plan:
| Observation | Useful next action |
|---|---|
| Frequent sentence-boundary errors | Review complete clauses and punctuation, then edit a fresh passage |
| Correct Math setup, careless arithmetic | Add a substitution or estimation check |
| Reading answers lack passage evidence | Review every selected answer with a supporting location |
| Science graphs feel slow | Practice reading axes, units, and trends before answering |
| Essay ideas are strong but disorganized | Outline claims and evidence before timed writing |
Choose two or three recurring problems rather than rebuilding every skill at once. A manageable plan gives you something specific to evaluate on the next practice session.
Questions to settle before registration
Confirm whether you are taking National, international, or school-managed testing; which optional sections are included; which delivery format is assigned; and whether you need an accommodations request. Save the confirmation rather than relying on a screenshot from a friend’s registration.
SHSPrep’s ACT program includes lessons, targeted practice, and two original full-length mock tests with raw performance results. Explore the ACT prep overview for the current scope, and use your official practice results to identify the skills your next study sessions should address.