Award-Winning ACT English Tutors
serving Manhattan, NY
Award-Winning
ACT English
Tutors in Manhattan
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
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Scoring a 35 ACT composite while studying history at Columbia means Theo reads and edits argumentative prose constantly — skills that map almost perfectly onto the English section's rapid-fire questions about transitions, redundancy, and paragraph structure. He teaches the punctuation and grammar conventions as a short list of recurring patterns rather than abstract rules, which clicks especially well for students who read a lot but struggle to explain why one answer beats another. Rated 5.0 by students.

Penn's writing-intensive political science curriculum meant Noah spent four years crafting and revising argumentative essays under tight deadlines — exactly the kind of editing muscle the ACT English section demands when you're choosing between answer choices that all look grammatically plausible. He zeroes in on the rhetorical strategy questions about paragraph structure and writer's intent, where his political science training in building and evaluating arguments gives him a clear edge. His 34 ACT composite and 5.0 rating speak for themselves.
I am a Neuroscience and Behavior major at Columbia University. Although my major is centered in the STEM field, I am also passionate about human rights work, global engagement, and local outreach. While my future plans are subject to change, I see myself continuing in academia, going to medical school, and becoming a physician.
Punctuation rules and rhetorical effectiveness questions trip up different types of students on ACT English, and Richard diagnoses which category is costing points before drilling the fixes. His 36 ACT composite means he's navigated every question type — comma splices, dangling modifiers, transition logic, redundancy — and can explain the reasoning behind each answer choice. A Government major at Harvard, he brings genuine comfort with written English to every session.
Running a tutoring program at a Boston charter school meant Liz spent years watching middle schoolers make the exact same grammar mistakes the ACT English section exploits — subject-verb disagreement buried inside long sentences, comma splices connecting independent clauses, and transitions that don't actually connect anything. Her special education training sharpened her ability to break those rules into small, explicit steps instead of relying on "does it sound right," which is particularly effective for students whose ears haven't been reliable guides. Her 34 ACT composite and 4.7 rating confirm the approach holds up under test conditions.
After earning a perfect 36 on the ACT, Vivian developed a systematic method for the English section that sorts its 75 questions into a handful of recurring patterns: punctuation rules, pronoun agreement, sentence placement, and rhetorical strategy. She drills students on recognizing each pattern instantly so they can move through the section with time to spare. Her 4.9 rating speaks to how well that approach clicks.
Public policy writing at the college level is essentially an exercise in tight, rule-governed prose — every sentence has to be clear, concise, and structurally sound, which is exactly what the ACT English section tests at speed. Dana applies that editorial training to the rhetorical strategy and conciseness questions where students tend to lose the most points, teaching them to treat each passage as a draft that needs trimming rather than a puzzle to decode. Her perfect 36 ACT composite confirms the approach holds up under test conditions.
I am an aspiring applied mathematician, with particular interest in image processing and climate science. I graduated in May 2017 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's in physics and mathematics, and am beginning a PhD program in September 2017 at the University of Chicago in Computational and Applied Mathematics. I've tutored introductory physics students for three years and enjoyed it thoroughly, as a chance to help other students while revisiting fundamental concepts to enhance my own knowledge. I'm eager to continue reaching out and helping students of math and physics to succeed and, furthermore, to appreciate the beauty and power of these subjects.
Scoring a perfect 36 ACT composite means Sharan didn't just survive the English section — she mastered the specific rhythm of its 75 questions in 45 minutes, where hesitating on even a few rhetorical strategy questions can tank your pacing. Her premed coursework at Cornell keeps her writing tight and evidence-driven daily, and she applies that same discipline to teaching the punctuation and conciseness patterns the test loves to recycle. Rated 5.0 by students.
I'm not tutoring, I love walking through New York for design inspiration and taking carpentry, metalworking, and illustration classes.
I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing.
Michelle's background spans religious studies, literature, and college essay coaching — years of reading arguments closely and editing for clarity, which is the exact muscle the ACT English section tests under a 45-minute clock. She zeroes in on the rhetorical strategy questions (paragraph placement, writer's-goal prompts, transition logic) that trip up students who've only drilled comma rules. Her 35 ACT composite and 4.9 rating back up the approach.
I am currently interviewing for medical school for matriculation in August 2017.
The ACT English section moves fast — 75 questions in 45 minutes — so recognizing punctuation errors, redundancy, and sentence-level organization has to become almost automatic. Nicholas treats each grammar rule as a small logical system, drawing on his linguistics training to show students the pattern once so they can spot it every time. His 33 ACT composite confirms he practices what he teaches.
Most ACT English mistakes come from overthinking — students second-guess comma rules or misread transition questions because they lack a systematic approach. Aaron scored a 36 composite and tackles this section by drilling the handful of grammar patterns that account for the majority of questions, from punctuation around nonessential clauses to subject-verb agreement traps.
Scoring a 34 ACT composite means Yocheved knows firsthand how the English section tests punctuation rules, rhetorical strategy, and sentence structure in ways that look deceptively simple. She teaches students to spot the patterns behind comma-splice traps and redundancy questions so they can move through passages quickly and confidently.
Scoring a 36 ACT composite means Robert didn't just survive the English section's 45-minute sprint — he mastered the pacing and rule-application that turn it into one of the easiest places to gain points. He zeroes in on the verb tense and pronoun agreement questions that students often overthink, teaching a small set of decision rules that replace the unreliable "which one sounds better" approach. Rated 4.8 by students.
Scoring a 35 ACT composite means Grace crushed the English section's rapid-fire grammar and rhetorical strategy questions. She teaches students to spot the patterns the ACT reuses — comma splices, misplaced modifiers, redundancy traps — so they can move through all 75 questions with time to spare and confidence in their answers.
Hi! My name is Alexandra, and I am a Princeton University Neuroscience major with 5+ years of tutoring experience. I specialize in SAT/ACT/PSAT prep and have successfully taught topics ranging from computer science and basic sciences to elementary reading and writing and college essay writing. In high school, I scored a perfect 36 on the ACT on my first attempt, a perfect 1520 on the PSAT/NMSQT, won "finalist" status in the National Merit Scholarship competition, and was a medalist in the New York Science Olympiad. As an undergraduate at the top-ranked university, I focus specifically on standardized test preparation, including the SAT, ACT, and PSAT. I have an understanding of the structure and timing of the exams and the strategic approaches that are required to achieve top scores. I have successfully supported students in improving their performance through individualized study plans because I understand that not all students can use the same approaches to succeed. My approach emphasizes effective time management and a mastery of recurring question types. Outside of college test preparation, I have tutored students ages 5 to 17 in a variety of topics. A common teaching approach I use is to introduce new concepts with example problems that we work through together. I then explain each strategy and help the student through another problem, encouraging them to explain their thinking step by step. Finally, I let the student tackle a problem independently. Once a student can articulate why a method works, they are truly ready to apply it on their own. While this method suits many students, I understand that everyone learns differently and pride myself on being adaptable within and outside of lessons.
Most of the ACT English section comes down to a handful of recycled grammar rules and a knack for spotting bloated prose — Emma, who scored a 32 composite and honed her writing across neurobiology lab reports and economics papers at Harvard, treats each passage like a quick editing drill where students learn to name the exact rule being tested before touching an answer choice. She's especially sharp on the rhetorical questions about paragraph organization and writer's intent, where her scientific training in building logical arguments gives students a concrete framework instead of vague instinct. Rated 5.0 by students.
The ACT English section is essentially a grammar and rhetoric editing exercise — every question asks whether a sentence is correct, concise, or well-placed. Sanoja's editorial background at a Yale publication means she's spent years doing exactly this kind of close reading, and her 35 ACT composite shows she can translate that skill into test performance.
Scoring a 35 ACT composite while studying American Studies and Latin American Studies at Columbia means Grace lives in two worlds — literary analysis and standardized testing — and knows how to toggle between them. She's especially sharp on the rhetorical strategy questions where students need to judge whether a sentence belongs in a paragraph or whether a passage achieves its stated purpose, since that's the kind of editorial thinking her humanities coursework demands daily. Rated 5.0 by students.
As an accelerated physician scientist student juggling dense scientific writing daily, Shachi has internalized the kind of tight, rule-based editing the ACT English section demands — particularly on questions about verb tense consistency and redundant phrasing that mirror the precision required in medical documentation. Her 35 ACT composite means she's navigated the 75-questions-in-45-minutes pace herself and can teach students to stop second-guessing by ear and start recognizing the finite set of grammar patterns the test actually cycles through.
I'm Sam! I am a sophomore at Cornell University where I study the world of labor and employment and work as a volunteer EMT. I am motivated to help students learn new things and overcome challenging obstacles. I have experience tutoring, working with kids in one-on-one and group settings, and I am dedicated, patient, and creative.
I'm currently a sophomore at Stony Brook University and a member of the 8-year Scholars for Medicine Program there. I recently graduated from Stuyvesant High School in downtown Manhattan and absolutely love city life. I've had many experiences teaching kids of all ages here and abroad. I tutor subjects in math, science, and english/writing. I also tutor for the ACT(35) and SAT (2160) standardized tests. I love teaching and meeting new people so I would be glad to offer my service to you. Thank you!
Chelsey reads manuscripts professionally for an Off-Broadway literary director, which means she spots grammar errors, awkward transitions, and rhetorical weaknesses almost reflexively. On the ACT English section, she teaches students to hear the rhythm of correct punctuation and sentence structure so they can eliminate wrong answers quickly — a strategy that helped her earn a 35 composite.
Self-studying for the ACT (and scoring a 35 composite) taught Matthew something most prep courses skip: the English section isn't really testing whether you're a good writer — it's testing whether you can spot a finite set of recurring patterns under time pressure. His approach treats each passage as a quick triage exercise, identifying whether a question targets punctuation mechanics, sentence logic, or rhetorical trimming before even reading the answer choices.
The ACT English section tests grammar rules in context — comma usage, subject-verb agreement, rhetorical strategy — and the trick is learning to spot errors at speed without overthinking. Lisa scored a 33 ACT composite and breaks each passage down by teaching students to identify what the question is actually testing before looking at answer choices. Rated 5.0 by students.
I'm a graduate of Columbia College Chicago; after exploring many fields of interest (writing, linguistics, computer science, and more), I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design graduating Cum Laude.
I am originally from Alabama and graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a BA in English Language and Literature. Immediately after undergrad, I relocated to New York City to pursue my law degree at Fordham University. After earning my Juris Doctor and passing the NY bar exam, I worked for five years as a litigator in New York. In 2009, I took the opportunity to fulfill a lifetime dream to live abroad and moved to South America. Upon arriving in Chile, I worked as an ESL teacher for children and adults as well as an editor of investment research and corporate trainer. I love language and am passionate about helping others learn to speak, write and read in a more effective way. Language is a tool, and I truly believe anyone can learn to use it better. I'm excited to be back in the US and eager to work with motivated students.
Studying literature means Carmen has spent years dissecting how sentences are built — not just what they say, but how punctuation, syntax, and word choice shape meaning on the page. That close-reading reflex is exactly what the ACT English section rewards, especially on rhetorical strategy questions about tone, redundancy, and whether a detail actually serves the passage's purpose. Her 35 ACT composite confirms she applies that instinct under timed pressure.
I'm a recent Stanford graduate (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), and have been working at a major Management Consulting firm for a few years now. I personally scored a 2360 (out of 2400) on the SAT and 35 on the ACT and was successful in gaining admission to several top universities. I'm looking forward to helping you improve your scores towards improving your chances at getting in to your dream school.
I am an incoming student at Washington University in St. Louis. I have been passionate about teaching ever since I had the opportunity to teach at an Indian public school in 2018. It's one of my favorite activities the gives me genuine joy. Hopefully, I'll be able to make teaching fun for you too! Let's succeed together!
The ACT English section tests grammar rules and rhetorical strategy in a way that rewards pattern recognition — knowing, for instance, that a transition question almost always has one answer that logically connects the surrounding sentences. Mo scored a 35 composite and breaks the English section down into its recurring question types so students can spot what's being tested before they even read the answer choices. Rated 4.9 by students.
Scoring a 34 ACT composite means Dustin knows the English section inside out — the way it cycles through comma rules, parallelism, and rhetorical strategy in predictable patterns. He teaches students to spot the specific grammar concept being tested in each question, which turns a 75-question sprint into a manageable, almost mechanical process.
Through Americorps, Pia taught first-generation college-bound students how to navigate standardized tests — and the ACT English section's mix of grammar rules and rhetorical strategy questions is where her 35 ACT composite and writing-intensive Plan II coursework at Columbia overlap most directly. She treats each passage as a quick editing exercise, drilling the punctuation and sentence-structure conventions the test loves to recycle while showing students how to handle the organization questions that reward reading like a writer, not a test-taker. Rated 5.0 by students.
I am ready to help all students by answering their questions and frequently addressing some questions to them....
Sung's chemistry background means he's used to reading passages where every word carries precise meaning — a habit that pays off on the ACT English section's conciseness and redundancy questions, where the correct answer is almost always the shortest one that preserves the original point. He scored a 34 ACT composite and teaches the punctuation and rhetorical strategy rules as a closed set students can memorize and apply mechanically, rather than debating what sounds best. Rated 5.0 by students.
Scoring a 35 on the ACT required mastering exactly the kind of grammar and rhetorical strategy questions that define the English section. Rose digs into the specific patterns the test loves — comma splices, misplaced modifiers, paragraph transitions — so students learn to spot errors by ear and by rule. She's rated 5.0 across her students.
Studying sustainability at Columbia means Melody writes constantly — policy briefs, research summaries, persuasive essays — all genres that demand the exact conciseness and logical flow the ACT English section tests at speed. Her 34 ACT composite and fluency in both English and Mandarin Chinese give her a structural awareness of grammar rules that goes beyond instinct, letting her teach conventions like parallel structure and transition logic as deliberate choices rather than guesswork. Rated 4.9 by students.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Your first session typically starts with a diagnostic assessment to identify your current strengths and weaknesses across ACT English topics like grammar, punctuation, rhetorical skills, and reading comprehension. The tutor will review your practice test results, discuss your target score, and create a personalized study plan tailored to your specific needs. This foundation helps ensure every subsequent session builds directly toward your goals.
Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you engage with tutoring and practice. Students typically see 2-4 point improvements on the ACT composite scale with focused preparation, though some see more significant gains by addressing specific weak areas. The key is identifying whether you struggle with grammar rules, pacing through passages, or understanding question types—then targeting those gaps systematically.
The ACT English section gives you 45 minutes for 75 questions, so timing is critical. Expert tutors teach strategic approaches like skimming for context before answering, identifying question types quickly, and knowing when to skip difficult questions and return later. Practice with timed drills helps you internalize the pace, and many students find that mastering grammar rules reduces decision time since you can spot errors more confidently.
ACT English emphasizes practical grammar rules you'll encounter frequently: subject-verb agreement, pronoun clarity, comma usage, verb tense consistency, and sentence structure. The test also includes rhetorical skills questions about word choice, transitions, and organization. A tutor can help you prioritize these high-frequency topics and learn the specific patterns ACT uses to test them, rather than overwhelming yourself with every grammar rule.
Most students benefit from taking 4-6 full-length practice ACTs, spaced throughout their preparation timeline. This gives you enough exposure to identify patterns in your mistakes without burning out. Between full tests, targeted practice on specific question types is more efficient than repeating entire sections. Your tutor will recommend a schedule based on when you're testing and how much time you have to prepare.
Start by taking a full practice test under timed conditions, then review every question you missed or guessed on—not just the ones you got wrong. Look for patterns: Are you missing grammar questions, rhetorical skills, or both? Are certain grammar topics like commas or pronouns consistently problematic? A tutor can analyze your practice test results to pinpoint these patterns quickly and create a focused study plan rather than studying everything equally.
Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about question formats or grammar rules—both things tutoring directly addresses. As you build confidence through targeted practice and understand why answers are correct, anxiety naturally decreases. Tutors also teach mental strategies like deep breathing, positive self-talk, and permission to skip hard questions temporarily, so you stay calm and focused throughout the section.
Look for tutors with strong ACT English scores themselves, experience teaching test prep, and knowledge of the specific question types and grammar rules the ACT tests. Ideally, they've helped multiple students improve their scores and can explain not just what's correct, but why the ACT is testing that concept. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who understand both ACT English content and effective teaching strategies for test prep.
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