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ACT English reporting category

ACT Knowledge of Language Practice

Knowledge of Language questions ask you to choose words that are precise, concise, and consistent with the tone of the passage. According to ACT, this category makes up 18–23% of scored English questions, the smallest of the three English categories. The best answer is the clearest choice that fits, not just one that is grammatically correct.

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18–23% of scored English questions3 original questionsInstant answer checks

At a glance

Knowledge of Language on the ACT: the key numbers

Section and category facts from ACT.org, checked October 9, 2026. Time per question is ACT's section time divided by its question count.
SectionACT English: 50 questions in 35 minutes
Scored questions40 scored, 10 field test
Reporting categoryKnowledge of Language
Share of scored questions18–23%, according to ACT
Average time per questionAbout 42 seconds
Counts toward the CompositeYes
Practice on this page3 original questions: Easy, Medium, Hard

What this tests

What does ACT Knowledge of Language test?

Practice questions

Practice ACT Knowledge of Language questions

Pick an answer to check it. Each question has one correct choice.

Question 1 of 3Easy

The city council voted on Tuesday to keep the public pool open through the end of September. Council members pointed to record attendance this summer and to requests from three local swim teams. The proposal was pretty much a no-brainer for the council, which approved it by a vote of 8 to 1.

Which choice best replaces the underlined portion "was pretty much a no-brainer for" while keeping the tone of the passage consistent?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answerB. had broad support on

How to solve it

  1. The passage reads like a news report: it states facts plainly and avoids casual phrasing.
  2. "Pretty much a no-brainer" is slang, so it breaks that tone even though the sentence is grammatical.
  3. "Had broad support on the council" states the same idea in neutral language, and the 8 to 1 vote backs it up.
Why the other choices miss
A keeps the slang phrase "pretty much a no-brainer. " C, "a slam dunk," is a sports idiom that is just as casual. D, "super popular," uses a conversational intensifier that does not fit a news report.
Question 2 of 3Medium

Marisol had practiced her piano solo for months, but on the night of the recital her hands shook as she walked onstage. She played the opening measures, missing two notes, before her nerves settled. The rest of the piece came easily.

The writer wants to emphasize how unsteady Marisol's playing was at first. Which choice best replaces the underlined portion "played" to accomplish this goal?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answerD. stumbled through

How to solve it

  1. The goal is specific: the word must show that her playing was unsteady, not just that it happened.
  2. The passage supports that idea with her shaking hands and the two missed notes.
  3. "Stumbled through" suggests halting, error-filled playing, so it is the only choice that meets the goal.
Why the other choices miss
A, "played," is accurate but neutral, so it emphasizes nothing. B, "breezed through," suggests ease, which contradicts the shaking hands and missed notes. C, "raced through," emphasizes speed rather than unsteadiness.
Question 3 of 3Hard

The planning committee first reviewed the skate park proposal in June and voted it down. After more than two hundred residents signed a petition asking for a second look, the committee agreed to reconsider the proposal again at its October meeting.

Which choice best replaces the underlined portion "reconsider the proposal again"?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answerC. consider the proposal again

How to solve it

  1. The prefix "re-" in "reconsider" already means "again. "
  2. The October meeting is the committee's second look at the proposal, so adding "again" or "once more" to "reconsider" repeats the same idea.
  3. "Consider the proposal again" states the idea once, with no repeated meaning, so it is the best choice.
Why the other choices miss
A pairs "reconsider" with "again," saying the same thing twice. B swaps in "once more," which still repeats the meaning of "re-. " D moves "again" in front of the verb, but the redundancy remains.

Avoid these traps

What mistakes do students make on Knowledge of Language?

Picking the longest choice

Students assume a longer, more formal-sounding choice is better, even when it repeats an idea or adds words that carry no meaning.

Fix: Compare each choice to the shortest one. If the extra words add no new information, choose the shorter version.

Missing hidden repetition

Students miss redundancy that is split across a sentence, such as the prefix "re-" followed later by "again," or "a.m. " followed by "in the morning. "

Fix: For each choice, ask whether any word repeats a meaning another word already carries, including prefixes and nearby phrases.

Ignoring the passage's tone

Students judge a choice by whether it sounds natural in conversation, then pick slang or casual phrasing that clashes with a formal passage.

Fix: Before answering, read a few nearby sentences and decide whether the passage is formal, neutral, or casual. Match that register.

Study method

How should you practice ACT Knowledge of Language?

  1. When the choices differ mainly in length, start with the shortest one and check whether it keeps the full meaning and is grammatically correct.
  2. For word-choice questions, reread the sentences before and after, and predict the exact meaning the writer needs.
  3. For tone questions, label the passage as formal, neutral, or casual before you read the choices.
  4. When a question states a goal, note its key word, such as "unsteady," and test each choice against that word.
  5. Practice Knowledge of Language questions in Dolphin, and for each miss, write down the redundant or imprecise words you overlooked.
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FAQ

Questions about ACT Knowledge of Language

How much of the ACT English section is Knowledge of Language?

According to ACT, Knowledge of Language makes up 18–23% of scored English questions. With 40 scored English questions, that is about 7 to 9 questions. It is the smallest of the three English reporting categories; Production of Writing and Conventions of Standard English each account for 38–43%.

Is the shortest answer always right on ACT English?

No. On concision questions the shortest choice is worth checking first, but it is wrong if it drops needed meaning, creates a grammar error, or does not fit the sentence. Choose the shortest version that is complete, correct, and clear.

How is Knowledge of Language different from Conventions of Standard English?

Conventions questions are about rules: sentence structure, punctuation, and usage such as agreement and verb tense. Knowledge of Language questions are about effectiveness: choosing words that are precise, concise, and consistent in tone. In a Knowledge of Language question, several choices may be grammatically correct, and you pick the one that works best in the passage.

How do tone questions work on ACT English?

Tone questions check whether wording fits the rest of the passage. A choice can be grammatically fine and still be wrong because it is too casual for an informative article or too stiff for a personal story. Decide whether the passage is formal, neutral, or casual from the nearby sentences, then pick the choice that matches.

Does the ACT score report show results for Knowledge of Language?

Yes. According to ACT, your score report lists each reporting category with the number of questions in it, the number you answered correctly, and your percent correct. Because this category has fewer questions than the other two English categories, each miss moves its percent correct more.

Related practice

ACT Production of Writing PracticeACT Conventions of Standard English PracticeACT Craft and Structure PracticeAll ACT English practiceACT Math practiceACT Reading practiceACT Science practiceDolphin ACT prepSAT vs ACTCollege ACT score ranges

Sources

Where these facts come from

ACT facts checked . Every practice question on this page is original Dolphin practice written to match one ACT reporting category. None is a released ACT item.

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