You get 40 minutes to write, but ACT graders have to grade each essay in less than five.
The way to get a great ACT writing score is to make the graders’ jobs easy. So, don’t sweat the small stuff. Focus on the big picture: a clear position, logical organization, and strong examples.
ACT Writing Rubric
Your essay will be read by two graders, each of whom will assign it a series of four subscores, each from 1 to 6. Their scores will be combined and then scaled into a score of 1–36.
The scores will be based on how well you can do the following:
| Subscore | What It Is | How to Score Big |
|---|---|---|
| Ideas and Analysis | Can you build an argument and assess the argument of others? | You won’t be graded on whether you pick the “right” answer. Instead, you’ll be graded on how complex and sophisticated your answers are. |
| Development and Support | Can you support your ideas with examples? | Graders want to see that you can justify your position. Nothing damages the opposing argument like a killer counterexample. |
| Organization | Can you make your points in an order that makes sense? | Make sure your essay is organized. Must-haves: introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion. |
| Language Use and Conventions | Can you write clearly? | Graders will forgive a few stray errors, but if your grammar and spelling get in the way of what you’re trying to say, those mistakes could cost you. |
More ACT Writing Tips
Your argument, organization, and supporting examples are the most crucial pieces of your essay, but these four writing tips can help boost your score.
1. Go Long
Yes, ACT graders really do tend to reward longer essays. Try to write at least four paragraphs spanning two to three pages. If your handwriting is large, make sure you write an extra page to compensate!
Read More: What's A Good ACT Score?
2. Keep It Interesting
Vary your sentence structure to improve the rhythm of your essay. If you write a really long sentence with lots of modifiers and dependent clauses, it sometimes helps to follow it with a shorter, more direct sentence. It really works.
3. Watch Your Word Choice
Sprinkle some nice vocabulary words throughout your essay (make sure to spell them correctly!). If you’re uncertain about the meaning or spelling of a word, it’s best just to pick a different word. Using a big word incorrectly makes a worse impression than using a smaller word correctly.
4. Practice Your Best Handwriting
Though graders shouldn’t take neatness into consideration when determining your ACT writing score, the bottom line is that a neat, legible essay is easier to read. And a happy grader is a good thing! For an essay that's truly easy on the eyes, make sure you ident each paragraphs and avoid messy cross-outs
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