
Impetus – something that makes a process or activity happen or happen faster – Nġ1. Galvanize – to shock or excite someone into taking action – Vġ0. Foster – to encourage the development of something – Vĩ. Entrenched – characterized by something that is firmly established and difficult to change – Adj.Ĩ. Defunct – no longer in existence or functioning – Adj.ħ. Catalyst – an agent that provokes or triggers change – NĦ. Burgeon – to begin to grow or increase rapidly – Vĥ. Bellwether – something that indicates a trend – NĤ. Bastion – an institution/place/person that strongly maintains particular principles, attitudes, or activities – Nģ. Antecedent – a precursor, or preceding event for something – NĢ. On ACT essays, common examples are trends or patterns of human behavior, current or past events, and large-scale laws or regulations.ġ. These words can easily be used when stating facts and describing examples to support one’s argument. Below are 50 above-average vocabulary words sorted by the contexts in which they could most easily be worked into an ACT essay. One way to demonstrate such mastery is through the correct usage of advanced vocabulary words. In addition to some of the more obvious categories, like grammar and structure, students’ essays are also evaluated on their mastery of the English language. Test-takers are expected to convey some stance on the issue and support their argument with relevant facts and analysis. Oftentimes, these subjects carry implications for broader issues such as freedom or morality. The new ACT Essay prompts tend to be about “debate” topics - two sides of an issue are presented, with no obviously “right” side. When taking the ACT essay section, students have 45 minutes to write a well-reasoned argumentative essay about a given prompt.
