ACT 1-on-1 CurriculumEnglish: Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• 75 questions• 45 minutes

• Two types of questions:

– Usage/Mechanics• 40 questions

– Rhetorical Skills• 35 questions

English Section at a Glance

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS: There are five passages for you complete. In each passage there are particular words, phrases and paragraphs that are underlined, boxed or numbered. Directly across from those marked passages, you will see other options for the underlined parts. There will be 4 options to choose from. You should base your answer on standard written English, and the choice that matches the tone of the passage. Some questions will have an option of “NO CHANGE”; choose that answer if you think the underlined portion is correct. There will be other various questions beyond correcting the underlined portion. There will be questions there will be a question that deals with the underlined portion. There will also be questions that will deal with the overall passage. Choose the best answer and bubble it in the answer documents. Take your time and you may have to read beyond the underlined portion to answer some of the questions.

English Directions:

ACT English

• The English section has 5 passages with 15 questions each.

• In this test, you are working to improve an essay grammatically, like the editor of a newspaper.

• To answer all questions, you need to work at a pace of 9 minutes per passage (a little over 30 seconds per question).

• Questions are next to the essays for easy reference. Answer questions as you go.

The Basics – English

ACT English

• If you find that a number of answer choices are grammatically correct and say similar things, choose the shortest choice.

• Many times, longer answer choices add redundant information.

Example:Pilot Charles Lindberg, who flew planes, crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

Better choice: Pilot Charles Lindberg crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

• The only time shorter is not better is if one of the answer choices offers relevant information.

Shorter Is Better—Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Many questions on the ACT English test involve commas.

• There are six uses of a comma:– To Separate Items in a List

• Example: The baseball player was concerned about leaving his baseball glove bat and helmet at the ball field.

– Introductory Phrases• Example: In addition the members asked for a recount of the election.

– Between Coordinate Adjectives• Example: Did you read about Madison’s short, tumultuous life?

– Nonessential Clauses• Example: John Smith who was not participating just got removed from the

program.– Parenthetical Expressions

• Example: The contemporary art however was popular with the tourists.– Separating Independent Clauses with a Conjunction

Commas—Usage and Mechanics

1. The blanket is yellow green and blue.

2. Jonathan Chapman also known as Johnny Appleseed planted apple trees all over the Midwest.

3. I tripped over a large bumpy log and lost my balance.

4. Beyond the forest there is a stream with fresh water.

5. Oranges for example are a good source of Vitamin C.

ACT EnglishCommas – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English• Quick Grammar Review:

– Independent clauses contain a subject and verb and can stand on their own as complete sentences.

– Dependent clauses contain a subject and a verb but cannot stand on their own. They are fragments.

• You must link dependent clauses to an independent clause to make it a complete sentence.

• To join two independent clauses:– Use a period.

• Example: My school teacher is great. I’ve learned a lot from her.– Use a semicolon.

• Example: My school teacher is great; I’ve learned a lot from her– Use a comma and a conjunction

• Example: My school teacher is great, and I’ve learned a lot from her.

Independent and Dependent Clauses—Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Common Conjunctions and their meaning:– F– A– N– B– O– Y– S

Independent and Dependent Clauses—Usage and Mechanics

ACT EnglishCommas – Usage and Mechanics

SAMPLE PASSAGE

Just up the road from my home is a field with two horses in it. From a distance; each horse looks like any other horse. If you get a closer look you will notice something quite interesting: one of the horses is blind.

The owner has chosen not to have him put down, but he has made him a safe and comfortable barn to live in.

Attached to the seeing horse’s halter is a small, copper-colored bell.

SAMPLE QUESTION

1. (A) NO CHANGE(B) From a distance(C) From a distance,(D) From a distance:

2. (F) NO CHANGE(G) put down but he(H) put down but, he(J) put down; but he

3. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable?

(A) small and copper-colored(B) copper-colored, small(C) copper-colored and small(D) small copper-colored

ACT EnglishCommas – Usage and Mechanics

SAMPLE PASSAGE It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is so he can follow. As you stand and watch these two friends you’ll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening he will, stop occasionally to look back, making sure that the blind friend isn’t too far behind to hear the bell.

SAMPLE QUESTION

4. (F) NO CHANGE(G) other horse is, so he can follow(H) other horse is so, he can follow(J) other horse is; so he can follow

5. (A) NO CHANGE(B) blind: horse and(C) blind horse and(D) blind horse and,

6. (F) NO CHANGE(G) each evening he will stop,(H) each evening, he will stop(J) each evening; he will stop

ACT English

• Make sure that the subject of the sentence agrees with the verb.– Singular subjects require singular verbs.– Plural subjects require plural verbs.

• Special rules:– Two singular subjects connected by and require a plural verb.– Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.– Collective nouns, such as committee, family, group, number, and team,

can be either singular or plural. The verb depends on whether the collective noun is being treated as a single unit or as separate entities.

– Indefinite pronouns as the subject of sentences are always singular and require singular verbs.

Subject/Verb Agreement—Usage and Mechanics

1. Dave and his brothers (play, plays) in every baseball game.

2. Everybody (eat, eats) at Joe’s Subs in my neighborhood.

3. The boss (wants, want) to hire a new staff for the project.

4. The team (is, are) headed to the nationals since winning the state finals.

5. Timmy nor his brother Ken (like, likes) carrots.

ACT EnglishSubject/Verb Agreement – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• In many subject/verb agreement questions, the subject and verb are separated by other words. To answer these, find the verb and the subject, and remove all information between them.

ExampleThe books at the bottom of her locker (is, are) for her least favorite class.

– Locate the verb: __________________________– Locate the subject linked to the verb: ______________________– Remove everything between the subject and the verb:

_________________________– The correct verb choice is: _______________________

Subject Verb Agreement—Usage and Mechanics

ACT EnglishSubject Verb Agreement – Usage and Mechanics

SAMPLE PASSAGE

When a woman in a certain African tribe knows she is pregnant, she goes out into the wilderness with a few friends and together they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the child.

They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When the women attune to the song, they sings it out loud. Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone else.

When the child is born, the community gather and sing the child’s song to him or her. Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child’s song. When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood, the people again come together and sing. At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song.

Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person’s bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.

SAMPLE QUESTION

1. (A) NO CHANGE(B) know(C) will have known(D) have known

2. (F) NO CHANGE(G) they sing(H) they singing(J) they singed

3. (A) NO CHANGE(B) gathered and sung(C) has gather and sing(D) gathers and sings

4. (F) NO CHANGE(G) Gathers(H) Gathering(J) have gathered

ACT English

• Verb tense refers to when the action occurred (present, past, or future).

• For verb tense questions, pay attention to context.– Use other verbs in the passage to determine the tense the passage is

in.

• Pay attention: The ACT will ask verb tense questions at the beginning of a sentence to get you to choose a quick, wrong answer.

• The only time to change tense is if the sentence has words that indicate time.

Verb Tense – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Pronouns are words that replace nouns.

• In any sentence, make sure that a pronoun agrees with the word it is replacing (its antecedent).

– Singular nouns have singular pronouns.– Plural nouns have plural pronouns.

• Most of the time the antecedent and the pronoun are separated by phrases or clauses.

Pronouns– Usage and Mechanics

1. During early rehearsals, an actor may forget (his or her, their) lines.

2. The committee members put (its, their) signatures on the document.

3. The Washington team was opportunistic; (it, they) took advantage of every break.

4. Each of these companies had (its, their) books audited.

5. If any one of the sisters needs a ride, (she, they) can call me.

ACT EnglishPronouns – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Colons only come up occasionally on the ACT but are important.

• Use colons for two reasons:

– A colon is used to introduce a list of items.• Example: Jim’s store had many markers of success: a great location,

friendly staff, and energetic crowds.

– A colon is used instead of a semicolon between two sentences when the second sentence explains or illustrates the first sentence.• Example: She needed to talk to the server: he forgot to bring out her food.

Colons – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Apostrophes are used to show possession and form contractions.

• To make a word possessive:

– Add ‘s to the singular forms of words, even those that end in s.• Example: The doctor’s truck

– Add ‘ to the plural form of words that end in s.• Example: Houses’ roofs

– Add ‘s to the plural form of words that do not end in s.• Example: The children’s game

Apostrophes – Usage and Mechanics

1. __________A. The Halloween decorations are decaying, especially the pumpkins teeth. Cedric carved all ten jack-o- lanterns, and he can't bear to throw them away.B. The Halloween decorations are decaying, especially the pumpkins' teeth. Cedric carved all ten jack-o- lanterns, and he can't bear to throw them away.C. The Halloween decorations are decaying, especially the pumpkin's teeth. Cedric carved all ten jack-o- lanterns, and he can't bear to throw them away.

2. __________A. Bagels stick to your teeth.B. Bagels’ stick to your teeth.C. Bagel’s stick to your teeth.

3. __________A. In the picture, you can see the womens lipstick-stained teeth as they smile.B. In the picture, you can see the womens’ lipstick-stained teeth as they smile.C. In the picture, you can see the women’s lipstick-stained teeth as they smile.

ACT EnglishApostrophes – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Modifiers are words that modify something else.

• Modifiers need to be close to the words that they are signify, or else they will modify something that you did not intend.

Examples:

1. Chris offered him a book swinging in the hammock.

2. I sent a poster to Mom rolled in a tube.

3. Looking through the telescope, the moon seemed enormous.

Misplaced Modifiers – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• In active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action.– Example: The mail man delivered the letter yesterday.

• In passive voice, the action is being performed on the subject.– Example: The letter was delivered yesterday

• For the English section, write in active voice.

Active/Passive Voice – Usage and Mechanics

ACT English

• Whose• Who’s

• You’re• Your

• There• Their• They’re

• Its• It’s

Commonly Confused Words– Usage and Mechanics

• Affect• Effect

• Than• Then

• Lay• Lie

• Who• Whom

ACT English

• For practice, turn to p. 576 and do 1-30.

• Try the elimination or prediction strategies.

Practice