The ACT writing test is a 40-minute essay section that is required or accepted by many colleges and universities as part of a student’s overall ACT score. As the ACT writing section weighs heavily on a student’s application and chances of acceptance, writing a high-scoring essay is crucial. Here are some key tips on how much paper a student should write for their ACT essay:
Introduction and Conclusion Paragraphs (2-3 paragraphs/300-450 words each): A strong introduction and conclusion paragraph are essential bookends to any essay. The introduction should establish the context of the prompt, provide an overview of the argument or perspectives, and give a clear thesis statement. The conclusion should restate the thesis concisely and connect back to the importance of the discussion or perspectives presented without introducing new information. Students should aim to keep their intro and conclusion paragraphs roughly 2-3 paragraphs or 300-450 words each.
Body Paragraphs (3 paragraphs/450-650 words each): The heart of any essay is developing the central argument or analyzing perspectives through body paragraphs. Students should aim to write three fully developed body paragraphs that are roughly 450-650 words each. ACT essays are graded on development and use of analysis, not length. So it’s important body paragraphs are substantive but concise. Each body paragraph should make a clear point that supports the thesis, provide analysis and examples to back up the point, and connect back to the overall discussion or perspectives.
Total Word Count (1200-1600 words): Putting it all together, a strong ACT writing essay should be around 1200-1600 words or approximately 5 paragraphs total. This comes out to roughly:
Introduction: 300-450 words (2-3 paragraphs)
Body Paragraph 1: 450-650 words
Body Paragraph 2: 450-650 words
Body Paragraph 3: 450-650 words
Conclusion: 300-450 words (2-3 paragraphs)
Total: 1200-1600 words
Students have 40 minutes to brainstorm, outline, and write their full essay. Aiming for the 1200-1600 word range helps ensure all parts of the essay are fully developed within the time constraint. Going significantly over or under this range risks not including enough substance or argument development.
Paragraph Structure: Not adhering strictly to five-paragraph structure is okay for the ACT writing, as long as logical flow and transitions between ideas are maintained. Maintaining roughly the above paragraph structure per part of the essay helps self-monitor pacing and development. Each paragraph should be united with a clear topic sentence stating its main point or purpose to keep the reader oriented.
Sentence Structure: Varying sentence structure and complexity helps essays maintain reader interest and flow. While the ACT writing isn’t graded on perfect grammar, it’s important sentences are complete, clear, and varied in length. Mixing longer, more complex sentences with shorter, more direct ones engages the reader throughout the essay. Students should aim for variety in structure, avoiding run-on sentences or very short, choppy phrasing.
Word Choice: Selecting purposeful and accurate vocabulary is important for clearly communicating the central argument. The ACT writing is not a vocab test – rather, it tests analysis abilities. Students should choose words and terms they are confident defining and discussing to support their points. Avoiding unfamiliar, flowery words that don’t add meaning helps focus on developing analysis versus complex language. Overall message and clarity of thought are prioritized.
Transitions: Struggling with transitions between paragraphs and within ideas is common on timed writing. Yet, effective transitions help create cohesion and guide the reader logically through the essay. Beyond standard transition words like “furthermore”, vary techniques like referring back to a previous point or previewing an upcoming argument. Transitions especially polish multi-paragraph analysis. Taking time to include them improves overall flow and readability.
Concision: As the ACT writing allows limited time, being concise without sacrificing substance is key. Avoiding filler, redundant phrasing, and repetitive examples keeps the reader engaged. Getting straight to the thesis and main points sets the proper scope and pace. Conversely, do not leave parts underdeveloped for the sake of word count alone – analyze thoroughly while filtering out extraneous content. With experience, finding this balance of concision and completeness improves overall essay quality.
Proofreading: Devoting the last 5-10 minutes exclusively to proofreading makes a difference. Read word-for-word to catch typos or omitted words that easily slip in with speed writing. Review transitions, flow, and paragraph cohesion as well. While the ACT is not an editing test, minimal mistakes support readability and polish more than perfectly punctuating an underdeveloped essay. Proofreading improves first impressions for graders.
Practicing these strategies for paragraph and essay structure, word choice, sentences styles, transitions, concision, and proofreading puts students in a strong position to write a high-quality 1200-1600 word ACT writing response within the time constraints. Focusing paragraph development provides logical organization and flow throughout. Going over or under the suggested length risks an imbalanced or incomplete essay. Consistently implementing feedback from practice writing also improves overall writing abilities tested on the ACT. With regular preparation, students can feel confident tackling any writing prompt that arises on test day.
A strong ACT writing response contains clear, well-developed paragraphs totaling around 1200-1600 words. Keeping introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs within rough word ranges prevents overlooking essential development. Varying sentence complexity and transitions polish cohesiveness. Though no perfect formula exists, practicing strategies like concision, cohesion, and proofreading empowers test-takers to analyze writing prompts deeply under time pressure. Overall, focusing on quality paragraph structure, idea development and communication is key to scoring well on the ACT writing section.
Andrew Stroud