Transcript Introduction to the

Introduction to the
ACT English Test
The Princeton Review, 2009
ACT English
• Tests how well you know and can
apply the rules of standard written
English
• If you don’t know what the question
is testing, look at the answers for
clues
ACT English
• 5 passages to read – portions of passage
underlined – you must decide whether the
underlined portion is correct or needs correcting
• Measures knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and
sentence structure
• Some questions are designed to see if you know
how to revise and strengthen a passage, how to
change particular words for style or clarity, or
how to “explain or support a point of view clearly
and effectively”
• 75 questions – 45 minutes
ACT English
• DO NOT RELY ON YOUR EAR – just
because it sounds right does not make it
correct
• Better approach: look for specific errors
that appear on the test all the time – by
looking for these errors you can take the
guess work out of your approach
ACT English – looking for
clues…
• Look at the following example:
–
–
–
–
A. NO CHANGE
B. one goes
C. you go
D. he goes
Looking for clues –
example…
• By looking at the answers you can tell
the question is asking about pronouns
• The choices are telling you to look to
see which of these pronouns agrees
with the noun referred in the
passage
More than one thing
wrong in the sentence…
• This is often the case
• Don’t try to see everything at once – Find
ONE error and eliminate the answer
choices that contain the same error and
compare the remaining answer choices
• FOCUS ON the differences in the answer
choices
POE
• Even though you are not sure what the right
answer is, you’re certain that some of the answers
are wrong – cross these out immediately – then
guess from what is left (by doing this you are
preventing yourself from picking a wrong choice if
you use your “Letter of the Day”
• You should still mark this question just in case
there is time left to go back
NO CHANGE
• This is the first answer on many of
the questions
• DON’T assume that there is always
something wrong!
• NO CHANGE tends to be the correct
answer a little less than ¼ of the
time – Don’t be Afraid to chose it!
OMIT the underlined
portion
• A few questions have this as the last
answer choice
• When this is offered – it has a high
probability of being correct – better
than ½ the time – however; don’t
always assume it is the answer just…
• Don’t be afraid of it
Some Terminology
• Tom broke the vase.
• This sentence is made up of two nouns, a
verb, and an article.
• NOUN – word used to name a person, place, thing, or an
idea.
• VERB – a word that expresses action.
• ARTICLE – word that modifies or limits a noun.
Tom broke the vase.
(con’t)
•
•
•
•
Nouns – Tom and vase
Article – The
Verb – broke
Tom is the subject of the sentence b/c it is the
person, place, or thing that is “doing” the action.
• Vase is the object of the sentence b/c it
receives the action of the verb.
More terminology
• Tom accidentally broke the big vase of flowers.
•
•
•
•
•
ADVERB – word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
ADJECTIVE – word that modifies a noun.
PREPOSITION – word that notes the relation of a noun to an
action or a thing.
PHRASE – group of words that acts as a single part of speech. A
phrase is missing either a subject, a verb, or both.
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE – group of words beginning with a
preposition.
Tom accidentally broke the big
vase of flowers.
(con’t)
• Accidentally is an adverb modifying the
verb broke.
• Big is an adjective modifying the noun
vase.
• Of is a preposition because it shows a
relationship between vase and flowers.
• Of flowers is a prepositional phrase that
acts like an adjective by modifying vase.
Even more terminology
• As he ran across the room, Tom
accidentally broke the big vase of flowers.
• PRONOUN – word that takes the place of a noun.
• CLAUSE – group of words that contains a subject and a
verb.
• Tom accidentally broke the big vase of flowers –
independent clause – it contains the main idea of the
sentence and can stand alone.
• As he ran across the room – dependent clause – this is not
a complete thought.
Sentence Structure and
Punctuation
The Most often used
sentence structures
• Indep. Clause (period) new indep. Clause (period)
• Jane lit the campfire. Frank set up the tent.
• Indep. Clause (comma plus conjunction) indep. Clause
(period).
• Jane lit the campfire, and Frank set up the tent.
• Indep. Clause (semicolon) independent clause (period)
• Jane lit the campfire; Frank set up the tent.
• Indep. Clause (comma) dependent clause (period)
• Jane lit the campfire, while Frank set up the tent.
• Dependent clause (comma) indep. Clause (period)
• As Jane lit the campfire, Frank set up the tent.
The Glue: Punctuation
• Punctuation is the glue that holds the
sentence together. If correct
punctuation is not used – your
sentences won’t make sense.
The rules for punctuation
and 2 independent clauses…
• Mary wondered why there was a bird in the
classroom and she decided to ask the teacher
what the bird was doing indoors.
• When 2 indep. Clauses appear in the same sentence, they
are usually joined by a conjunction (and, or, but, for, nor, or
yet) – a COMMA goes before the conjunction
• OR
• Remove the conjunction and replace it with a PERIOD or a
SEMICOLON.
Using the colon
• You can also use a colon (:) to connect
two independent clauses if the
second is an expansion or explanation
of the first clause.
• I didn’t know what to do: I could
either go camping or stay home and
study for the ACT.
An independent clause
and a dependent clause
• COMMAs are used to separate independent clauses (can
stand alone) from dependent clauses (can’t stand alone).
• Before Mary could reach the teacher she saw the woman
offer the bird part of the bagel.
• Before Mary could reach the teacher, she saw the woman
offer the bird part of the bagel.
An independent clause
and a modifying phrase
• A modifying phrase modifies or describes
something else – usually a noun. Commas are used
to separate indep clauses from modifying phrases.
• Hungry and excited, the bird snapped up the
bagel.
Commas and
Restrictive/NonRestrictive
Phrases
• “Restrictive” clause is essential to the meaning of
a sentence and should NOT be separated from
the rest of the sentence by commas.
• EXAMPLE: People who snore are advised to sleep
on their sides.
• “NONRESTRICTIVE” clause is NOT essential to
the meaning of a sentence (it merely adds a
thought)
• EXAMPLE: My father, who snores loudly, always
sleeps in his long johns.
Dashes
(-)
• Separate a word or group of words
from the rest of the sentence
– Either indicate an abrupt break in
thought or…
– Introduce and explanation or
afterthought
LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES….
Dash Example
• 1. I tried to express my gratitude
not that any words could be adequate
but she just nodded and walked away.
• 2. Just outside the door to the cabin
we heard the howling of wolves a
sound that made our hair stand on
end.
Where do the dash(es)
go?
• 1. I tried to express my gratitude – not
that any words could be adequate – but
she just nodded and walked away. (the
sentence can stand alone w/o the center piece)
• 2. Just outside the door to the cabin we
heard the howling of wolves – a sound that
made our hair stand on end. (when the
phrase falls at the end of a sentence, only one
dash is required)
How do you spot dash
errors?
• If underlined portion or any of the answer choices contains
a dash, compare the dash to the punctuation marks available
in the other choices.
• Check the non-underlined portion of the passage for dashes
that might be linking up with this one to isolate a clause or
phrase.
• Does the sentence contain a sudden break in thought, an
explanation, or an afterthought.
• Isolation occurs in middle – 2 dashes needed
• Isolation occurs at end – only one dash needed
Colons
(:)
• Used after a complete statement to
introduce a list of related details
(one or more details)
• Let’s look at some examples:
Colon Examples
• Maria just purchased all the camping
supplies for our trip, a backpack, a
sleeping bag, and a pair of hiking
boots.
Answer
• Maria just purchased all the camping
supplies for our trip: a backpack, a
sleeping bag, and a pair of hiking
boots.
How do you spot colon
errors?
• If underlined phrase or any of the answer choices
contains a colon, you should ask yourself: Is a list
of some kind introduced by an independent
clause?
• If the answer is yes – a colon preceding the list or
statement is correct.
ACT’s favorite COLON
trick…
• Is to write a sentence that utilizes a colon to introduce a
list but to do so incorrectly because it follows an incomplete
thought. LOOK OUT FOR COLONS THAT FOLLOW THE
VERB INCLUDING OR THE PHRASE SUCH AS!!!!
• Incorrect use:
• Maria just purchased all the camping supplies for
our trip, including: a backpack, a sleeping bag, and
a pair of hiking boots.
Avoid these common errors in
sentence structure
• Error #1: Sentence Fragments:
• 1. a dependent clause by itself
• 2. punctuation changes in the answer
choices
1st Type of sentence
fragment example:
• Dependent clause by itself:
• The bride and groom drove away in their car. As
the children ran behind, shouting and laughing.
–
–
–
–
A.
B.
C.
D.
NO CHANGE
While the
During which the
The
2nd Type of sentence fragment
example:
• Punctuation changes in the answer choices:
• Although it will always be associated with
Shakespeare’s famous literary character. The
castle at Elsinore was never home to Hamlet.
–
–
–
–
A.
B.
C.
D.
NO CHANGE
Character, the
Character; the
Character. A
Avoid these common errors in
sentence structure
• Error #2: Comma Splices and Run-ons
• Comma splice – 2 indep. Clauses are jammed together into
one sentence, with only a comma to try to hold them
together.
•
Aunt Sally ran into the room, Tom was already gone.
• Run-on sentence – the same thing as a comma splice but with
out the comma
•
Aunt Sally ran into the room Tom was already gone.
Comma Splice Example:
• There is not much difference between the
decision to enter politics and the decision to jump
into a pit full of rattlesnakes, in fact, you might
find a friendlier environment in the snake pit
–
–
–
–
A.
B.
C.
D.
NO CHANGE
Rattlesnakes. In fact,
Rattlesnakes in fact
Rattlesnakes, in fact
Run-On sentence
example:
• The college’s plans for expansion included a new science
building and a new dormitory if the funding drive is
successful, there will be enough money for both.
–
–
–
–
F.
G.
H.
J.
NO CHANGE
Dormitory, if
Dormitory; if,
Dormitory. If
Avoid these common errors in
sentence structure
• Error #3: Misplaced modifiers:
– Modifying phrases followed by commas
– Do the nouns being modified appear right after
the modifiers?
*Walking to the pawnshop, Bob’s watch
dropped into the sewer.
A. No Change
B. Bob’s watch dropped in the sewer
C. Bob dropped his watch into the sewer
D. Bob’s dropped watch into the sewer
Avoid these common errors in
sentence structure
• Error #4: Non-Parallel Construction
• Consist of a list/series of verbs
and/or nouns….
Non-Parallel Construction
Examples
• When Tom finally came home, Aunt Sally kissed
him, hugged him, and gives him his favorite
dessert after dinner.
• Three explanations for Sid’s locking himself in his
room were a desire to do his homework, a sense
that he needed to hone his college essays, and
disliking his brother Tom, who always got away
with murder.
Apostrophes
(not part of sentence structure but
ACT likes to test you on them)
• Indicates possession or marks missing letter in a word
• Possession = it appears right before or right after the s at
the end of the possessive noun
– Rules:
– 1. noun in possession is singular – apostrophe falls before
“s” = Peter’s car
– 2. noun in possession is singular AND ends in “s” – boss’s
– 3. noun in possession is plural but doesn’t end in “s” – it
falls before the “s” = women’s
– 4. noun in possession is plural AND ends in “s” –
apostrophe falls after the “s” = girls’
Apostrophes
(not part of sentence structure but
ACT likes to test you on them)
• The apostrophe is also used to indicate missing
letters in a word:
– Could not = couldn’t
– Would not = wouldn’t
– Can not = Can’t
Apostrophes
(not part of sentence structure but
ACT likes to test you on them)
• Its/It’s/Its’
• It’s = used only when you want to say
“it is” or “it has”
• Its = the possessive form of the
word it = The baby bear could not find its mother.
•Its’
= NOT A WORD AT ALL – but ACT
will use it! BEWARE!