Including a 30 minute break, the full ACT without the writing component takes roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete.

If students elect to write the optional essay, the test takes an additional 40 minutes to complete (so roughly 4 hours, including breaks). 

How many questions are on the ACT?
The ACT is composed of 215 total multiple-choice questions and 1 optional essay, with breakdown of question totals by section as follows: 

  • English: 75 questions (45 minutes)
  • Math: 60 questions (60 minutes) 
  • Reading: 40 questions (35 minutes) 
  • Science: 40 questions (35 minutes)
  • Writing: 1 prompt (40 minutes)