ACT EnglishGrammar and Usage

Pronoun

• Pronoun – words used to replace the noun– He – she – it– they

Pronoun Agreement

• Rule #1– The pronoun must always agree with the noun to

which it refers.

• Spot the error:– Any young boy who watched the first moon landing

probably spent the next few years wishing that they could become an astronaut.

• Who are we talking about?• How many?• Do boy and they mean the same thing?

Pronouns

Singular Pronouns

Subject Object Possessive

I Me my, mine

You You You, yours

He Him His

She Her Hers

It It its

Plural Pronouns

Subject Object Possessive

We Us Our, ours

You You You, yours

They Them Their, theirs

Indefinite Pronouns

• These pronouns are all singluar– Anybody -Someone– Anyone -Nobody – Either– Each– Everybody– Everyone– Somebody

Rule #1 Example

Although the American bald eagle has been on the

endangered species list for years, they have been sighted

in wildlife preserves much more frequently during the past

two years.

A. NO CHANGEB. they areC. it can beD. it has been

•What is underlined?–Pronoun

•Who/what are we talking about?•How many?•Find the pronoun that agrees.•Check for the tense.

Pronoun Agreement

• Rule #2– If the pronoun is the subject of the sentence

use: I, we, you, he, she, it , they and who.– If the pronoun is the object of the sentence

use: me, us, you, him, her, it, them and whom.

Rule #2 Example

The students, who had been studying the space program, were thrilled to witness the lunar landing.

NO CHANGEA. about whom had been

studying the space program,

B. whom had been studying the space program,

C. who had been studying the space program

•What is underlined?–who

•Is who the subject?•Which answers can we eliminate?•What is the difference between the remaining answers?•Is the comma necessary?

Subject-Verb Agreement

• The verb of the sentence must always agree with the subject. – Singular subject singluar verb– Plural subject plural verb

• Ex:– The best moment during a broadcast filled with

many great moments were when the astronaut stepped out of the lunar lander and bounced on the moon.

– Moment is the subject so the verb should be was

Pronoun – Verb Agreement

• Sometimes the subject of the sentence is a pronoun. That’s ok!

• The verb must still agree with the pronoun.

• Ex:– Each of these moments have played in my

mind again and again as I try to recapture the excitement of that momentous day in June.

– Each is the pronoun and it is singular– Have played is plural and should be has

played

Verb Tense

• Present tense • Past tense• Future tense• Present perfect tense

– Started in the past, continues to the present• Past perfect tense

– Happened in the past before another past action

• Future perfect tense– Will be completed in the future

ACT and Verb Tense

• ACT doesn’t want you to know the names and meanings of the tenses

• They want you to be able to spot inconsistencies.

• EX:– Sam is walking down the street when he

found a large suitcase.

– Sam was walking…

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives – modify the noun• Adverbs – modify everything else

• Which is correct?– He is very intelligent.– He is very intelligently.

Idiomatic Expressions

• You already know most of the idiomatic expressions ACT will use.

• EX: My sculpture is based after Rodin’s Thinker.A. No ChangeB. is based overC. is based onD. based on