Transcript File

THE ACT ENGLISH EXAM’S TEST QUESTIONS
COME IN FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES. ALL OF
THE QUESTIONS ARE MULTIPLE CHOICE. ONE
OF THE ANSWER CHOICES IS ALWAYS “NO
CHANGE”; ACCORDING TO THE ACT REVIEW
BOOK, “NO CHANGE” IS THE CORRECT
RESPONSE ON ONE-QUARTER OF THE
QUESTIONS.
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*Sentence Structure
-Sentence Fragments
-Run-ons and Comma
Splices
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*Punctuation
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-Commas
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-Semicolons
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-Colons
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-Misplaced Modifiers
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-Dashes
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-Parallel Construction
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-Apostrophes
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*Grammar and Usage
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-Pronoun Agreement
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-Pronoun Case
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-Subject-Verb
Agreement
-Pronoun-Verb
Agreement
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-Verb Tense Switching
*Rhetorical Skills
-Transitions
-Organization of
Sentences within a
Paragraph
-Organization of
Paragraphs within an
Essay
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-Word Choice
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-Redundancy
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Here’s what you need to do:
Read the passages, questions, and all of the
answers carefully before you choose an answer.
Several answers may seem to be correct, but only
one answer is the best response; plug all of the
answers in to be sure.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
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SENTENCE STRUCTURE
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The Parts of a Sentence
A complete sentence must have a subject and a verb
and be able to stand alone.
Joe dropped the ball.
The subject, Joe, is the main person, place or thing
(noun) discussed in the sentence.
The verb, dropped, is a word that expresses action or
helps to make a statement. A good rule of thumb for
verbs is to look for those words that change tenses
(present to past to future, etc.).
Sometimes sentences contain objects, ball, which are
also nouns, but this time, they receive the action.
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Just to refresh your memory…
Even though he was very careful, Joe dropped the ball on
the floor.
A noun is a person, place, or thing – Joe, ball, floor.
A verb shows action or helps to make a statement
(helping/linking verbs) – was, dropped.
A pronoun takes the place of a noun – he (takes the place
of Joe).
An adjective describes a noun – careful (describes Joe).
An adverb describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb –
very (describes the adjective).
A conjunction links words or groups of words together –
even though.
A preposition links a noun to the rest of the sentence –
on.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
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A complete sentence (independent clause) has a
subject and verb and can stand alone.
Sample: As the children ran behind.
A. No change
B. While the
C. During which the
D. Omit the underlined portion
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MODIFIERS
A modifier needs to be near what it is modifying.
 Ex: Sweeping up the shards of glass, the missing key
to the jewelry box was found by Aunt Sally.
 While sweeping up the shards of glass, Aunt Sally
found the missing key to the jewelry box.
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MODIFIERS, CONTINUED
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We have combs for active people with
unbreakable teeth.
For active people, we have combs with
unbreakable teeth.
STILL MORE MODIFIERS
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A.
B.
C.
D.
Sample: I got my Mustang at a great price
which is Vintage 1966.
No change
Between “my” and “Mustang”
Between “a” and “great”
Omit underlined portion
PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Two major types tested on ACT
When Tom came home, Aunt Sally kissed him,
hugged him, and gives him his favorite dessert
after dinner.
(verb tense)
To see the beauty of a sunset in Venice is
experiencing perfection.
(both verbs should be in infinitive form)
PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION, PART II
Sample: My favorite sports are fishing,
snowboarding, and to play soccer.
A. No change
B. To fish, to snowboard, and playing soccer
C. Omit to play
D. Fishing, snowboarding, and playing soccer
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GRAMMAR AND USAGE
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Agreement—noun/pronoun; pronoun case;
subject/verb
Sample: Any young boy who watched the
first moon landing probably spent the next
few years wishing that they could become
an astronaut.
 “Young boy” is singular; “they” is plural. The
answer should be “he.”
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GRAMMAR AND USAGE, AGAIN
Sample: Now is the time for all true
Americans to come to the aid of his country.
A. No change
B. Replace “Americans” with “American”
C. Substitute “their” for “his”
D. Omit “the aid”
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MORE GRAMMAR AND USAGE
Sample: We’re innocently walking down
Federal Blvd., minding our own business,
when this guy jumped out of an alley and
robbed us.
A. No change
B. Substitute “we have been” for “we’re”
C. Substitute “guys” for “guy”
D. Substitute “we were” for “we’re”
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PUNCTUATION: THE COMMA
Commas are used to separate items in a series.
 Sample: She saw a teacher, a doctor, a
woman eating a bagel and a bird.
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Commas separate phrases and clauses.
 Sample: Mary wondered why the bird was
in the classroom and she asked the teacher
what the bird was doing indoors.
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PUNCTUATION: SEMICOLON
A semicolon is used to separate two complete, but
unrelated sentences.
 Sample: Eddie is our fastest runner; we’ll
use him to anchor the race.
 Practice: I washed dishes and swept the floor,
and then I went to the grocery store.
 I washed dishes and swept the floor; then I went
to the grocery store.
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PUNCTUATION: COLON
The colon is generally used after a complete
statement to introduce a list of related items.
 Sample: I hate the following household
duties: mopping the floor; cleaning up after
sloppy kids; emptying the trash; and
dusting furniture.
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RHETORICAL SKILLS: TRANSITIONS
Common: but, also, thus
 Showing contradiction: however, despite,
rather, although, yet, but, nevertheless
 Showing cause and effect: hence, and so,
therefore, consequently, for example,
because of, finally, in conclusion, thus
 Indicating “in addition”: in addition, for
example, furthermore, another, and, first,
second, moreover, by the same token,
besides, also
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RHETORICAL SKILLS: ORGANIZATION
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1.
2.
These questions ask you to reorder the sentences
in a paragraph or to reorder the paragraphs in a
passage. Here are some strategies:
Reordering: find the topic sentence, and then
choose the answer that shows that sentence
first.
Reordering whole paragraphs: decide on
the logical order. If an answer shows two
paragraphs that follow one another logically,
that is the correct answer.
RHETORICAL SKILLS: REDUNDANCY
Many errors result from saying the same thing
more than once.
 Samples:
 Cheap and inexpensive gifts are often
thrown away after a few days.
 Immediately after their birth, newborn
babies need to be kept warm.
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SUMMARY TIPS
Do the questions in order. If you stumble on a
question, leave it and return later.
 Search the answer for clues.
 If omit the underlined portion is offered as an
answer choice, give it close consideration.
 Leave nothing blank: there is no penalty on the
ACT for choosing the wrong answer.
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Let’s
Practice!