The ACT Writing section often gets overlooked—but it can be your secret weapon for standing out.
This optional—but recommended—essay measures your ability to build a strong argument, respond to different perspectives, and organize your thoughts under pressure. Sounds like a lot, right?
Don’t worry. With the right tools, you can crush the ACT essay—and we’re here to help.
In this guide, you’ll find:
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A breakdown of how ACT Writing works
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Proven essay strategies
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Over 50 practice prompts based on real ACT-style questions
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Writing tips to help you feel confident on test day
🧠 What Is the ACT Writing Section?
The ACT Writing test is a 40-minute, optional essay that follows the multiple-choice portion of the exam. You’ll be given:
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A writing prompt with a central issue
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Three different perspectives on the issue
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Your task: write an essay where you present your own perspective and compare it to the others
You’re scored in four areas:
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Ideas & Analysis
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Development & Support
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Organization
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Language Use & Conventions
Each domain is scored on a scale from 2 to 12, and your final writing score is an average.
💡 Note: Some colleges still require the ACT essay—always check with your target schools!
✍️ ACT Essay Format: What Your Essay Should Look Like
Here’s a reliable structure for a high-scoring ACT essay:
📌 Introduction
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Briefly summarize the issue
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Mention the three perspectives
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Clearly state your own perspective (this is your thesis)
📌 Body Paragraph 1
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Discuss one of the given perspectives
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Compare it to your own
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Use evidence or examples
📌 Body Paragraph 2
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Discuss a second perspective
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Contrast it with your view
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Back up your point
📌 Optional Body Paragraph 3
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Introduce your own example or further defend your view
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Show insight or nuance
📌 Conclusion
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Restate your main idea
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Tie everything together with a final thought
🧪 Sample ACT Writing Prompt (Official Style)
Prompt: Automation is rapidly changing how people work. Machines are taking over tasks once performed by humans, raising questions about the role of technology in the workforce.
Perspective 1: Automation will eliminate jobs and lead to mass unemployment.
Perspective 2: Automation frees people from boring, repetitive tasks and opens up creative opportunities.
Perspective 3: The challenge is not automation, but how we adapt our education and training systems.
Task: Write an essay that clearly states your own perspective on this issue and analyzes how it relates to at least one of the provided perspectives. Support your ideas with logical reasoning and examples.
🧾 50+ ACT Writing Prompts by Category
🧑🏫 Education
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Should schools eliminate letter grades?
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Is college worth its cost?
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Should students have a say in what they study?
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Is online learning a threat or opportunity?
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Should schools focus more on life skills than academics?
🌐 Technology
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Does technology make us more or less connected?
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Should social media platforms be regulated?
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Can artificial intelligence replace human judgment?
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Should smartphone use be banned in classrooms?
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Is digital privacy a basic human right?
⚖️ Social Issues
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Should voting be mandatory?
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Is cancel culture harming free speech?
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Should public transportation be free?
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Do social movements on social media drive real change?
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Should all citizens receive a basic universal income?
🌱 Environment
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Should governments ban plastic altogether?
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Is climate change more of a political issue than a scientific one?
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Can individual actions actually help the planet?
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Should developed nations do more to fight climate change?
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Is nuclear power a safe alternative to fossil fuels?
💼 Work & Economics
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Is remote work here to stay?
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Should employers monitor employees digitally?
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Are gig economy jobs hurting or helping workers?
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Should companies be forced to pay a living wage?
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Is job security more important than job satisfaction?
🧬 Science & Ethics
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Should we allow human gene editing?
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Is animal testing still necessary for science?
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Can science and religion coexist?
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Should parents be allowed to choose traits for their children?
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Is scientific knowledge always beneficial?
🎭 Culture & Identity
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Does art have a role in solving social issues?
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Should cultural traditions ever be challenged?
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Can entertainment media influence real-world behavior?
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Is celebrity influence good for society?
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Do we lose identity in a globalized world?
🔑 ACT Essay Writing Tips to Boost Your Score
✔ Take a clear position – Don’t sit on the fence. State your view early.
✔ Engage with the other perspectives – Don’t ignore them—analyze and compare.
✔ Use real-world examples – Think history, current events, school experiences.
✔ Stay organized – Use transitions and paragraph breaks to guide the reader.
✔ Practice timing – 40 minutes goes by fast. Train your writing speed.
✔ Edit if you can – Leave 2 minutes to fix awkward phrasing or errors.
🛠 Bonus: Use the PEEL structure in body paragraphs — Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link.
✅ ACT Essay Checklist
Before submitting your essay, ask yourself:
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❓ Did I clearly state my opinion?
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❓ Did I address at least one of the provided perspectives?
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❓ Did I explain my reasoning with examples?
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❓ Is my essay well-organized and easy to follow?
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❓ Did I check for spelling and grammar issues?
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