Vocabulary.com's Roadmap to the ACT provides comprehensive vocabulary instruction and a simple study plan to help students prepare for the ACT Test.
Follow the Path to Success
The ACT contains five sections: English, Reading, Math, Science, and Writing (optional). Vocabulary.com's ACT Roadmap prepares students for the ACT through rigorous practice sessions that teach the challenging language that frequently appears on college entrance exams.
The ACT vocabulary lists are organized in five groups:
The Language of the Test — essential vocabulary for understanding test directions and questions
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words — words you’re likely to see in reading passages and questions about word meaning
The ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone — words you’ll come across in questions about an author’s attitude, tone, or point of view
The ACT Math Test — foundational vocabulary and concepts from algebra, geometry, statistics and probability, and more
The ACT Science Test — essential vocabulary that will help you decode reading passages and test questions
How It Works
Students simply start with practice sessions based on our vocabulary lists. As students practice, Vocabulary.com will automatically keep track of their individual trouble words, so their effort will be focused on the words they still need to learn, not the ones they already know.
In addition to practicing these lists, students play the Challenge, an open-ended learning game that delivers personalized instruction. The Challenge is where students get the follow-up they need to master those trouble words, with questions chosen just for them.
Study Plan
| Focus Area | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Language of the Test (LoT) |
LoT: List 1 |
LoT: List 2 |
LoT: List 3 |
LoT: List 4 |
LoT: List 5 |
|||
| Multiple-Meaning Words (MMW) |
MMW: List 1 |
MMW: List 2 |
MMW: List 3 |
MMW: List 4 |
MMW: List 5 |
MMW: List 6 |
MMW: List 7 |
MMW: List 8 |
| Words to Capture Tone (Tone) |
Tone: List 1 |
Tone: List 2 |
Tone: List 3 |
Tone: List 4 |
Tone: List 5 |
Tone: List 6 |
||
| ACT Math Terms | Number and Quantity | Geometry: List 1 | Geometry: List 2 | Algebra | Functions | Statistics and Probability | ||
| ACT Science Terms | Scientific Method | Biology: Part 1 | Biology: List 2 | Space Science | Physics | Chemistry: List 1 | Chemistry: Part 2 | |
| Play the Challenge (mins. x # of days) |
15 x 5 | 15 x 5 | 15 x 5 | 15 x 5 | 15 x 5 | 15 x 5 | 15 x 5 | 15 x 5 |
Students, here's how to get started:
Practice the weekly lists in order. Start at the top of the Week 1 column, Language of the Test List 1. Click the link, then click Start Practice.
The amount of time it takes to complete practice on a list depends on how well you know the words. You can always stop a practice session and resume at another time. Once you complete the practice activity for LoT List 1, move on to practicing MMW List I. When you've finished practicing that, practice Tone List 1 and then Scientific Method, the first ACT Science list.
Aim for 3-5 practice sessions each week. We recommend that you complete the four weekly practice activities over the course of 3-5 sessions. The amount of time it takes to finish practicing a list will vary depending on your understanding of the words. That's because when you answer a question incorrectly, Vocabulary.com will give you additional questions on that word to increase your exposure and teach you what it means.
Mix in Challenge play along the way. Take time between list practice sessions to play the Challenge by clicking "Learn" in the top navigation or clicking the Challenge card on the "Learn" page.
That's where you'll get the extra instruction you need to learn any of the trouble words you struggled with during practice. You don't have to finish practicing an entire list to play the Challenge — any trouble words will already be part of your personalized learning experience the next time you play.
Aim for 5 sessions of Challenge play each week. We recommend playing the Challenge for 15 minutes or more, five times a week. If you want to turbo-charge your test prep, spend more time playing the Challenge. Increasing your Challenge time will increase the follow-up that you're getting on your trouble words, plus expose you to new words that we think you're ready to learn.
Repeat your routine each week. Once you complete the practice and Challenge combo for Week 1, move on to Week 2. You'll notice that the words you see in Challenge play will change over time. New trouble words from the weekly lists will be added to the mix, and you'll get the occasional brush-up question for words you've recently mastered.
Monitor your progress. To view your recent activity and accomplishments, visit the My Progress section. The summary graph shows you how many questions you've answered, how much time you've spent, and how many words you've mastered for any time period you select. You'll see any unfinished practice activities, which words are currently giving you the most trouble, and all of the words you've mastered so far.
FAQs
Here's a more in-depth look at Vocabulary.com's Roadmap to the ACT.
Why do I need to work on my vocabulary for the ACT?
Think of the ACT test as an obstacle course that requires you to tackle several subjects. You want to be prepared to understand any of the challenging words that you encounter along the course, so learning essential academic vocabulary words is a great way to prepare yourself.
How much time should I play Vocabulary.com each week?
It varies, but you should plan to spend at least 3 hours each week to complete the practice assignments and mix in Challenge play. Keep in mind that some lists may take more time to finish than others, and you can complete a practice activity over more than one session.
Why should I play the Challenge in addition to practicing the word lists?
Playing the Challenge will provide targeted instruction to help you learn the specific words that gave you trouble during list practice. Vocabulary.com knows what words you need to learn, so the more you play, the more prepared you'll be for understanding the complex language that will appear on the ACT.
What if I have less than eight weeks to prep for the ACT?
Don't panic! If you have only a couple of weeks before taking the ACT, you should prioritize practicing the Language of the Test lists. The LoT lists will focus your learning on the vocabulary that appears in directions and questions on all sections of the test. If you can invest more time, we recommend that you focus on those sections that you tend to find more challenging on standardized tests. If you're confident in your math skills but sometimes struggle with reading comprehension, for example, you should focus on reviewing for the ACT Reading Test.
What if I have more than eight weeks to prep for the ACT?
That's great! If you have plenty of extra time, one option is to spread out the practice sessions over more weeks. Regardless of how much time you have to complete the practice activities on the Roadmap, it is critical that you continue to play the Challenge on a regular basis. That way, Vocabulary.com can give you personalized follow-up to help you master any trouble words and challenge you with "reach words" that extend your learning above and beyond the words on these lists.
Additional Test Prep Resources
For students and teachers, Vocabulary.com offers many more test prep resources, including word lists and practice activities for the SAT, GRE, TOEFL and more. Visit the Test Prep section of our list library to find what you need.
For teachers, we offer free webinars to help you get the most out of our Test Prep resources. Visit the webinar calendar to register.