Main idea and accomplish questions are important components of the ACT® English test. These questions assess your ability to understand the overall purpose and central theme of a passage.
Main idea / Accomplish questions are closely related to Kept / Delete and Yes / No questions. The skills you use to answer those question types combine when tackling main idea and accomplish questions. If you're proficient with Kept/Delete and Yes/No questions, you're well-equipped to handle these as well.
It's worth noting that these questions are almost always the last question on a passage (question numbers divisible by 15).
Understanding the Main Idea
- Read or skim the entire article if you haven't already
- Identify the central theme or purpose
- Consider what the passage is trying to say overall
Accomplish Questions
- Evaluate whether the passage achieved its stated goal
- Find evidence supporting the main point throughout the passage
Strategies for Success
- Come up with your own answer before looking at the options
- Use the process of elimination
- Consider the passage as a whole, not just individual parts
Conclusion
As you work through ACT® English practice tests, pay special attention to the questions at the end of each passage. These are likely to be main idea or accomplish questions.