Skip an ACT Reading passage only if you already know you cannot finish four passages cleanly and you are aiming around the mid-20s—not if you want a 30 or a 36. On the enhanced test each passage is nine questions. Guessing a whole passage is a last-resort timing strategy, not a shortcut to a high score.
When skipping can be rational
If your last three timed sections leave 8–10 questions blank because you drown in passage four, you are already skipping—just randomly. A planned skip means: pick your weakest passage type, guess a letter pattern on those nine, and spend ~13 minutes each on the other three so accuracy there actually rises.
Passage flavors: ACT Reading passage types. Many students skip Literary Narrative last if fiction is their slow genre—or do it first if it is their strength.
When you should not skip
- Target 30+: you need most of the 36 questions. Nine guesses will cap you.
- Target 36: skip nothing. How to get a 36 on ACT Reading.
- You finish with minutes left: the problem is accuracy, not volume. Stay focused on Reading.
Guessing math, roughly
Four choices, nine guesses: expect about two correct if you pick a letter and stick with it. That only helps if those extra minutes buy you more than two additional correct answers on the passages you do read. Track it on two timed sections before you take it into a real test.
There is no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave the nine blank— always guess.
Better than skipping: order and checkpoints
Do passages in the order that keeps you calm, glance at 10-minute checkpoints, and skip individual hard questions—not entire passages— unless the data says otherwise. Strategy hub: best ACT Reading strategy. Score climbs: improve your Reading score.
The bottom line
Skipping a passage is a mid-score timing patch. Prove it on practice tests first. If you can train to four passages, that is the higher ceiling.
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.