Test traps

This chapter is a warning: the ACT Reading section includes common traps designed to pull you toward wrong answers. You’ll see these patterns on the test, so your job is to recognize them and stay cautious.

Test trap #1: Familiar language

A wrong answer choice may copy words or phrases you’ve already seen in the passage. Because the language feels familiar, it’s easy to pick that answer and move on. Be careful: familiar wording doesn’t guarantee the choice answers the question.

In fact, a trap answer may reuse passage language but:

• fail to address what the question is asking, or
• rearrange familiar words in a way that changes the meaning and becomes untrue.

Here’s an example of the familiar language trap:

Now that you’ve read the question, look at the passage below. Notice that familiar language from the passage appears in answer choices A, B, and C (as annotated in the passage).

Now take a moment to answer the question above.

What do you think it is? Hint: it’s a bit ironic.

To guard against the familiar language trap:

1. Be suspicious of familiar language in answer choices.
2. Ask yourself if your chosen answer truly answers the question.
3. Cover up the answer choices and answer the question in your own words before looking at the answer choices so they don’t have a chance to confuse you.

You might have recognized the example above as an inference question. Remember: an inference question won’t have an answer stated directly in the passage. That’s another clue that D is the only possible correct answer here - it’s the only choice that requires you to infer rather than simply match words on the page.

Test trap #2: Extreme words

Be cautious with extreme words in answer choices. The ACT Reading section often uses words like “always,” “never,” “best,” “worst,” and similar terms that place a strong restriction on the statement.

For example, if the passage says Megan often goes for walks on Sundays, then an answer choice claiming Megan always goes for walks on Sundays would be false. It may sound right at first, but the extreme word makes it too strong.

So, watch for extreme or absolute language. This doesn’t mean an answer with an extreme word can never be correct, but it often isn’t. Safer wording is usually more flexible, such as “many,” “usually,” “often,” or “some.”

To guard against the trap of extreme words:

1. Be suspicious of extreme or absolute language.
2. Check whether the answer choice’s extreme words make the statement false.

Test trap #3: Irrelevant information

Beware of answer choices that include information irrelevant to the question. An answer choice can be a true statement and still be wrong if it doesn’t answer what the question is asking.

Here’s an example of this trap:

Now that you’ve read the question, look at the passage below. Notice that all four answer choices appear in the passage, which means each one is true on its own.

However, only one answer choice actually answers the question.

Do you know which one it is?

To protect yourself against the irrelevant information trap:

• Ask yourself: “What is this question asking?” Keep this at the forefront of your mind as you answer. It’s easy to get stuck comparing answer choices and lose track of what the question is actually asking.

Look out for these traps during your practice and on test day, and you’ll be ready for the tricks the test uses.