Transcript English Rhetorical Skills Review

ACT English Test
5 passages
75 questions (15 per passage)
45 minutes
English Test Content Covered
Usage/Mechanics – 53% (40 Questions)
Rhetorical Skills – 47% (35 Questions)
Usage/Mechanics Questions
Punctuation – 13% (10 questions)
Grammar/Usage – 16% (12 questions)
Sentence Structure – 24% (18 questions)
Rhetorical Skills Questions
Strategy – 16% (12 questions)
Organization – 15% (11 questions)
Style – 16% (12 questions)
Questions about Writing Strategy
12 questions based on the concepts
covered in the following slides
Audience
Questions which ask you to determine
if the writing does what
the author intended for it to do.
Example - Pg. 48
Support
Questions which ask you to determine
the effect of adding or removing
material from the essay.
Example – pg. 43 and 45
Introductory Paragraphs and
Introductory Sentences
Questions asking you to identify the
best introductory paragraph or
introductory sentences for paragraphs
Example – pg. 46 and 47
Introductory Paragraphs
Present background information on topic
Provide interesting quote related to the subject
Use a hook to gain the reader’s attention
Establish relevance of the subject matter
Present the thesis statement
Transitional Movements
Questions which ask you to recognize
adequate and appropriate use of
transitional words and phrases
Transitions
Addition: also, besides, furthermore
Contrast: however, nevertheless, yet
Cause & Effect: thus, therefore, since
Emphasis: in fact, indeed, especially
Time: next, then, finally, meanwhile
Example: for instance, for example
Relevancy of Material
Questions which ask you to recognize
irrelevant material--material that is
technically correct but does not relate
to the topic being discussed.
Questions about the Writing Style
12 questions based on the concepts
covered in the following slides
Formal or Casual Style
Point of view
Word choice (diction)
Subject Matter
Diction – Connotation of Words
The doctor found that the new
procedure caused his mortality rate
to drop alarmingly.
Questions about the Organization
of the Writing
11 questions testing your ability to
recognize proper order of words,
sentences, and paragraphs
Tests your ability to recognize logical
order in…
Sentences
Paragraphs
Essays
Rules for Answering Rhetorical
Skills Questions.
Rule #1 – When in doubt, remove the
underlined portion.
Taking it out…
1/3 of questions on the ACT are for
bad writing habits such as long
windedness, repetitiousness, and
irrelevance.
Be Concise – The shortest answers are
correct ½ of the time.
Omit – when offered is the shortest
answer.
When in doubt…omit or remove
The first thing to think about is getting
rid of unnecessary or irrelevant words.
When in doubt…omit or remove
Only after you have decided that the
underlined selection is concise and
relevant do you go on and look for
technical errors.
Taking it out…
Redundancy – Never let the passage repeat.
Relevance – Information that is technically
correct but not relevant must go.
Wordiness – Don’t use more words than
necessary to say something
Rule #2 for Answering
Rhetorical Skills Questions
Make it make sense!
Make it make sense!
Complete sentences – Fragments and
run-ons appear frequently on the ACT
Correctly placed modifiers
Adequate and appropriate transitions
Correct verb usage
Consistent Tone
Rule #3 for Answering
Rhetorical Skills Questions
Trust your ear!
Trust your ear!
Shifts in construction
Tone/Point of View/Tense/Number
Dialects