Most ACT English score drops come from a short list of fixable errors—comma splices, agreement slips, picking NO CHANGE without testing alternatives, and rhetorical choices that sound good but break flow—not from exotic grammar you never learned. Log which mistake caused each miss and patterns appear fast. Part of how to improve your ACT English score.
1. Comma splices and run-ons
Fix: Two complete sentences need a period, semicolon, comma + conjunction, or dash—not a lone comma. See comma splices and run-on sentences.
2. Subject-verb and pronoun agreement
Fix: Find the real subject before the verb; match pronouns to one clear antecedent. Guides: subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement.
3. Defaulting to NO CHANGE
Fix: Test every alternative for a concrete error before keeping the original. See ACT English NO CHANGE answers.
4. Concision traps
Fix: Shorter wins when meaning stays equal—but DELETE and short answers that drop needed words are wrong. See redundancy and wordiness.
5. Ignoring passage context on rhetoric
Fix: Read the paragraph before and after the underline. Relevance and transitions fail when you edit in isolation. See relevance questionsand transition questions.
6. Homophone slips
Fix: Expand contractions mentally. Dedicated drills: its vs it's, there, their, and they're.
Build an error log
After each practice section, tag every miss with one label from this list. Drill the top two tags before the next full test. What skills the section covers: what's actually tested on ACT English. Practice playbook: ACT English practice tests guide.
Start practicing
Start with a free diagnostic, then drill your weak spots with 15-question quizzes and track how you're doing across Reading, English, and Math. Compare plans whenever you're ready to go further.
This article offers general ACT prep guidance. The ACT can change from year to year, including its format, scoring, policies, test dates, and fees, so always confirm the latest details on the official ACT website at act.org before you make decisions. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. thirty-six is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ACT.