The ACT consists of multiple-choice questions and an optional essay. The sections are timed, and the total testing time (including the optional Writing section) is approximately three hours and 35 minutes.

1. English Section:
   The English section assesses a student's understanding of English grammar, usage, and rhetoric. It includes passages with underlined portions where students must identify errors or improve the style and clarity of the writing. This section also tests knowledge of punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills.
2. Math Section:
   The Math section evaluates a student's mathematical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. It covers a wide range of topics, including algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and basic statistics. Calculators are allowed for a portion of this section.
3. Reading Section:
   The Reading section measures a student's reading comprehension skills. It includes four passages from various subjects, such as prose fiction, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Students must answer questions that assess their understanding of the passages, main ideas, supporting details, and author's tone.
4. Science Section:
   The Science section assesses a student's ability to interpret and analyze scientific data and to understand and evaluate scientific experiments and theories. It includes passages and accompanying questions related to biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth/space sciences. The questions do not require advanced scientific knowledge.
5. Optional Writing Section:
   The Writing section is optional but recommended by many colleges. It presents a prompt that requires students to develop an argumentative essay in response to a given issue. Students must analyze the issue, develop a clear thesis, and support their position with evidence and reasoning.

Scoring:
Each section of the ACT (except the Writing section) is scored on a scale of 1 to 36. The scores from the four required sections are averaged to calculate the composite score, which is the overall score. The optional Writing section is scored separately on a scale of 2 to 12.

Preparation:
To prepare for the ACT, students can use study guides, practice tests, and online resources. Familiarizing themselves with the test format, question types, and time constraints is crucial. They should focus on strengthening their knowledge and skills in the tested subjects and practice time management to complete each section within the given time limits.

The ACT covers a range of topics in its four main sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Here is a breakdown of the topics covered in each section:

1. English Section:

• Grammar and Usage: punctuation, sentence structure, verb tense, pronoun agreement, etc.
• Rhetorical Skills: strategy, organization, style, and effectiveness of a piece of writing.

2. Math Section:

• Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra: operations with integers, fractions, decimals; solving linear equations and inequalities, etc.
• Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry: quadratic equations, polynomials, rational and radical expressions, graphing linear and quadratic functions, etc.
• Plane Geometry/Trigonometry: properties of geometric figures, angles, triangles, circles, trigonometric functions, etc.
• Statistics/Probability: mean, median, mode, probability concepts, data interpretation, etc.

3. Reading Section:

• Prose Fiction: passages from novels, short stories, and other fictional works.
• Social Sciences: passages from disciplines such as sociology, economics, psychology, etc.
• Humanities: passages from topics like art, literature, philosophy, etc.
• Natural Sciences: passages related to biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth/space sciences.

4. Science Section:

• Data Representation: interpreting graphs, tables, and charts.
• Research Summaries: analyzing and evaluating scientific experiments and studies.
• Conflicting Viewpoints: understanding and comparing different scientific perspectives.