Part VI
Writing Rightly: The Optional Writing Test
Five Ways to Elevate Your Writing Test Score
- Vary your vocabulary. The ACT essay readers don’t expect you to draw from a glossary of Shakespearian terms to advance your position. However, incorporating precise phrasings that allow you to get your point across in the fewest number of words, avoiding generic terms, such as thing and everyone, and steering clear of repeating the same words will result in an essay even the Bard would approve.
- Use descriptive examples to make your points. Personal anecdotes and vivid images draw your reader in and make your essay more relatable.
- Include a concluding paragraph. Even though a couple sentences that summarize your points may seem unnecessary, your essay is incomplete without them.
- Pay attention to length. Of course, the quality of your writing is more important than quantity, but essay readers will think that an essay shorter than two wide-lined pages hasn't thoroughly examined the issue.
- Explore more than just the given considerations. Before you start writing, list the pros and cons of each side of the issue. A good essay examines the considerations provided in the three perspectives; a great essay analyzes the ramifications of additional aspects.
Check out www.dummies.com/extras/act for an article that offers tips on how to analyze the validity of a perspective in the Writing Test prompt.