Writing while being timed can be stressful. When you have never seen a prompt before, it can be hard to put together an essay that makes sense. Sometimes, the prompt may be about an unfamiliar topic. Keep in mind that the graders understand that this is not the ideal situation for you and that this will not be an example of your best work. That being said, there are a few things you can do in order to improve:

1. You will have 40 minutes for this section of the test.
2. Review sample essays and the ACT Writing Test Scoring Rubric to better understand what you should include in your writing.
3. Remember the 4 Cs of writing. Good writing is:
   1. Clear
   2. Concise
   3. Consistent
   4. Has Complete Sentences
4. Pay attention to current events. Prompts often are about a topic of debate.
5. Address all three points of view.
   1. Address the counter arguments in addition to your point of view. You should provide evidence about why your point of view is better than each other perspective.
6. Provide specific examples to support your points.

7. Spend 5-7 minutes in the beginning to plan and create a basic outline of your passage.
8. Vary the way your present information (word choice, grammar, and so on).
9. Work on your grammar and spelling. While you can make some mistakes, it is still important.
10. Work on creating smooth transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
11. If you are having trouble writing your thesis and introductory paragraph, try skipping a few lines and writing one or two of your body paragraphs first. Then, return to write your introduction.
12. Write neatly – scorers will be grading many essays, so make it as easy as possible for them to grade so that your penmanship and errors don’t distract from the points you are trying to make.
13. Don’t spend time editing your essay until the very end. While grammar, spelling, and punctuation is important, the argument you make is what is most important.
14. Write a strong introduction and conclusion.

Looking for more help? Check out our ACT practice worksheets.

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