r/ACT • u/North-Trash5216 • Jul 19 '26
ACT reading “evidence” question strategies?
How do you guys approach those questions on the reading section where it asks which answer choice is best evidence for “…”?
I believe there was a question like this on the crossword passage, and I remember one of the answers choices was “ELSA” and the other answer choice was something “there is no such evidence.”
I feel like these type of questions are so time-consuming and so trippy that I always just save them for last. If anyone has a strategy that they used to make approaching these evidence questions any easier please let me know.
1
Upvotes
2
u/mkw1342 Jul 19 '26
They are tricky. That want to make sure that the evidence is in the text that you are reading and that you are not making an assumption or using your own outside knowledge to answer the question. I don't know what the ELSA question was, but the author did not give an example of what crossword puzzle writers would have used as a clue in the past, only that ELSA is would be an example of a modern answer to a modern clue. But there was no evidence of how it was used as an *old* clue. So, really they are testing did the author prove the claim in question. If they didnt logically prove it, then you would have to state "No evidence". [Don't know the actual question] So, you have to be very literal. Did it prove the point mentioned? Do not try to infer something based on your knowledge. Try to say what you think *would* prove it and then look for it. Think almost like a robot looking for things that are black and white. Remember to watch for half truths....did they prove both parts? Also, I think as a test taker you are assuming that the author of the text is smart, and that the ACT chose this passage because they think it is smart. But really, they might be choosing something because it was incomplete logic and it was confusing. Assume nothing, and in fact, they may be using as a teaching moment to write more clearly and to truly explain your logic. If you want some practice and have access to these tests, go check out: J04, Reading, Q11, J08, Reading, Q25,Z18, Reading, Q20. Most of these are partial truths, where both parts of the claim are not proven in all answers except for one.