SAT vs ACT: Writing & English

Today I want to talk to you about one section the SAT and ACT have in common that’s a little different from one test to the next – the writing & English. 

On the SAT, Section 2 is the Writing & Language section; it’s worth 400 out of the 800 points in the Evidence-Based Reading & Writing score. On the ACT, Section 1 is the English section, that’s one of the four sections scored from 1 to 36, then averaged to get your composite score. 

Both have stories, and within those stories an underlined word, phrase, or sentence, and then options to the right asking you to figure out how to better write that underlined portion, or delete it, or move it, or whatever it is they’re looking for. 

Both SAT and ACT sections contain grammar, both contain punctuation, and both contain these kinds of Reading Comp-style writing questions that ask you to understand the passage.  

The difference is the SAT gives you about 48 seconds per question for those 44 questions, while the ACT gives you 36 seconds per question for those 75 questions. So 70% more questions but 25% less time per question. 

But it’s the same skills, the same strategies, and the same knowledge you’ll need to solve the questions on both of them. So studying for one is good studying for both. 

If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 732-556-8220. We are here to help!