Rhetorical Skills

Adding and deleting, transitions, organization, purpose and concise style.

🎯 Strategy Questions

Part 1 of 7 — Adding, Deleting & Revising Sentences; Purpose of a Phrase

Strategy questions ask you to think about why a writer makes certain choices rather than just fixing grammar. They typically come in three flavours:

These questions appear throughout every ACT English test, mixed in with the grammar and punctuation questions. On the Enhanced ACT (2025 and later), English has 50 questions in 35 minutes (about 42 seconds each), and every question has 4 answer choices. Because strategy questions ask you to read the whole paragraph, they take a little longer than most grammar fixes, so plan for that.

Golden Rule: Always consider the main idea of the paragraph. Any addition must support that main idea; any deletion should be justified by whether the sentence is relevant to the paragraph's focus.

🗂️ Organization

Part 2 of 7 — Logical Order, Transitions, and Topic Sentences

Organization questions test whether you can tell if sentences and paragraphs are arranged logically. You'll see questions like:

• "For the sake of logic and coherence, Sentence 3 should be placed …"
• "Which of the following sentences would best introduce this paragraph?"
• "Which sequence of sentences makes this paragraph most logical?"

Three Key Principles:

Organization questions show up in most ACT English passages, often as the last question about a passage (where a numbered sentence or paragraph should go).

🎨 Style & Tone

Part 3 of 7 — Word Choice, Conciseness, Redundancy & Register

Style and tone questions ask you to pick the answer that best fits how the passage communicates — not just what it says. The ACT rewards answers that are:

• Concise — no unnecessary words.
• Consistent in tone — formal passages stay formal; informal ones stay casual.
• Precise — the right word for the context.

Key Concepts:

ACT Rule of Thumb: When in doubt, choose the shortest answer that preserves the full meaning. The ACT almost always favours conciseness.

🔗 Transitions & Connectors

Part 4 of 7 — However, Moreover, Therefore — Picking the Right One

Transition questions are among the most common rhetorical skills questions on the ACT. Expect to see several on every test, each asking you to choose the word or phrase that best connects two ideas.

The Big Three Categories:

The Method:

1. Read the sentence before the transition.
2. Read the sentence after the transition.
3. Determine the logical relationship: Are the ideas agreeing? Disagreeing? Is one causing the other?
4. Pick the transition that matches that relationship.

✂️ Sentence Combining & Revision

Part 5 of 7 — Combining Short Sentences, Eliminating Wordiness & Improving Flow

The ACT frequently asks you to combine short, choppy sentences into a single, smoothly flowing sentence. It also tests your ability to eliminate wordiness without losing meaning.

Why This Matters:

• Short, repetitive sentences make writing sound immature.
• Wordy sentences obscure the point and waste the reader's time.
• The ACT rewards clear, fluent writing that communicates efficiently.

Two Core Skills:

Combining Methods:

1. Subordination — Make one idea a dependent clause: "Although the trail was steep, hikers enjoyed the view."
2. Coordination — Join equal ideas with a conjunction: "The trail was steep, but hikers enjoyed the view."
3. Appositive phrases — Rename a noun inline: "Dr. Lee, a marine biologist, studies coral reefs."
4. Participial phrases — Use -ing or -ed phrases: "Running along the shore, she spotted a seal."

📖 Author's Purpose & Audience

Part 6 of 7 — Why the Author Wrote It, Who the Audience Is & Evaluating Effectiveness

Some ACT questions zoom out and ask about the big picture: why a passage exists, who it's written for, and whether it achieves its goal.

Three Question Types:

Common Author Purposes:

• Inform — present facts neutrally (news article, textbook)
• Persuade — convince the reader of a position (editorial, speech)
• Entertain — engage the reader with a story (narrative, memoir)
• Describe — paint a vivid picture (travel writing, character sketch)
• Explain — break down a process or concept (how-to, science explainer)

ACT Tip: Look at the passage's tone, evidence, and structure to determine purpose. Persuasive passages use arguments and emotional language; informative passages use neutral facts and data.

🏆 Review & Mixed Practice

Part 7 of 7 — Cheat Sheet & Mixed ACT Rhetorical Questions

You've covered all the major rhetorical skills tested on the ACT. Here's your quick-reference cheat sheet:

Test-Day Strategy:

1. Read the full paragraph before answering rhetorical questions.
2. Identify the paragraph's main idea first.
3. For "best accomplishes" questions, focus on the stated goal — not your personal preference.
4. When in doubt, pick the most concise answer that maintains meaning.