ACT PREP SPRING 2012

ENGLISH 1 TEAM

I. PARTS OF SPEECHII. FALL REVIEWIII. COLONSIV. APOSTROPHESV. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

CONTENTS

I. PARTS OF SPEECH

PARTS OF SPEECHWhat are the parts of speech?

Noun—person, place, thing, or ideaPronoun—word used in place of a nounVerb—express actions, events, or state of beingAdjective—word used to describe a nounAdverb—word used to describe an adjective or verbPreposition—links nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words in a sentence. Usually indicates spatial, temporal or logical relationship .Conjunction—links words, phrases, and clausesInterjection—word added to convey emotion. Not grammatical connected to any other part of the sentence.

(1)Every night my (2)family has what we call a “talk time.” We (3)readily (4)discuss what we have done (5)during the day. Sometimes it (6)is hard for my (7)little brother to remember. Then Mom asks (8)him some questions. “(9)Oh, I remember now,” my brother eventually says.

For this passage, identify which part of speech each of the italicized words is.

IDENTIFYING

KNOW HOW TO USE WORDS IN CONTEXTSentence Set 1:

a. Do not run down the stairs, please.

b. The child fell down and scraped her knee.

Identify the part of speech of the italicized words.

KNOW HOW TO USE WORDS IN CONTEXTSentence Set 2:

a. Mr. Gates told her to hand in her test.

b. I will test the water temperature first.

Identify the part of speech of the italicized words.

KNOW HOW TO USE WORDS IN CONTEXTSentence Set 3:

a. These are extremely tasty pears.

b. I prefer these flowers rather than those.

Identify the part of speech of the italicized words.

KNOW HOW TO USE WORDS IN CONTEXTSentence Set 4:

a. The principal will address the students this afternoon.

b. Octavio has a principal part in the play.

Identify the part of speech of the italicized words.

II. FALL REVIEW

FALL REVIEWI. Identifying subject, verbs, and

prepositionsII. Independent vs. Dependent ClausesIII. Simple, compound, & complex

sentencesIV. Comma useV. Semicolon use

SUBJECT – THE NOUN THAT IS DOING OR BEING SOMETHING1. Find the verb2. Put the word WHO or WHAT in front of the

verb1. “Who [verb]s?”2. “What [verb]s?”

3. The answer to that question is the subject.

The computers in the Learning Center must be replaced.

DEPENDENT V. INDEPENDENT CLAUSESIndependent clause – a clause that can stand alone as a sentence.

Dependent clause – a phrase that cannot stand alone as a sentence (still subject+object).

DEPENDENT MARKERSBoth independent & dependent clauses have subject + predicate. HOWEVER, dependent clauses have a dependent marker.

AS, AFTER, BEFORE, UNTIL, ONCE, SINCE, WHILE, WHEN, WHENEVER (RELATING TO TIME)

WHERE, WHEREVER (RELATING TO PLACE)

ALTHOUGH, THOUGH, DESPITE (ACKNOWLEDGING CONTRADICTIONS)

IF, EVEN IF, EVEN THOUGH, HOW, UNLESS, WHETHER (ACKNOWLEDGING CONTINGENCIES)

BECAUSE, IN ORDER TO, WHY (EXAMINING CAUSE AND EFFECT)

WHO, WHICH, THAT (RELATIVE PRONOUNS)

SENTENCE VARIETYThis sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.

Gary Provost, quoted in Roy Peter Clark’s Writing Tools

SENTENCE TYPESSimple Sentence• an independent clause. One thought with a subject +

object/predicate.

Compound Sentence• contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator• FANBOYS

Complex Sentence• an independent clause joined by one or more dependent

clauses.

COMMA RULES--LUCIL—Lists• To separate the elements in a series. • To separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe

the same noun.U—Unnecessary clauses, phrases, or words• Nonrestrictive clauses and phrases and other parenthetical

elements are set off with commasC—Combining• To separate independent clauses when they are joined by any

of the seven coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS).I—Introductory elements• Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c)

words that come before the main clause.

SEMICOLONSSemicolonsIndependent clause ; independent clause.

ColonsIndependent clause : dependent clause/independent clause.

Lets look at the rules of the semi-colon in comic form!

The Oatmeal

III. COLONS

You use a colon to mean ‘note what follows.’

WHEN DO YOU USE A COLON?

COLONSIn some cases, a colon is used before a list of items, especially after the expressions the following and as follows.

Ex: Please submit copies of the following documents: your driver’s license, birth certificate, and Social Security card.

COLONSIf a word is followed by a list of appositives, use a colon to make the sentence clear.

Ex: I have the autographs of three stars: Danny Glover, Justin Bieber, and Cher.

COLONSMake note:DO NOT use a colon before a list that follows a verb or a preposition.

Incorrect: I like playing: football, baseball, and soccer.Correct: I like playing the following sports: football, baseball, and soccer.

COLONSUse a colon before a long, formal statement or a long quotation.

Ex: The director made these remarks: “I am proud the finished film and its message that people can overcome serious problems. We don’t have to accept problems and their results; we can call upon our inner strengths, however dormant, to combat them and get us back on the right track.”

COLONSUse a colon in certain conventional situations:1. Between the hour and the

minute. 10:302. Between chapter and

verse in referring to passages from the Bible Psalms 3:8

3. After the salutation of a business letter.

Dear Mr. Ames:

CORRECT THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH BY ADDING COLONSDear Professor Liu

Thank you for accepting our invitation to discuss the biblical story of David and Goliath. I understand that the text of your discussion will be I Samuel 17 20-50. The session will be held on Monday, February 10 at 11 25 A.M. Other non-biblical stories that we will be discussing are the following Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, “Wanjiru,” and “Cupid and Psyche.” Dr. Frank Evans has this to say about our conference “It will be a scholarly meeting with much discussion about the literary, religious, and philosophical merits of the works and selections; but it also will be an informal gathering at which interested persons from all backgrounds can exchange knowledge and ideas.”

IV. APOSTROPHES

1. To form the possessive of nouns and indefinite pronouns

2. To mark the omitted material in contractions

3. To form certain plurals, such as those of letters and abbreviations

THE APOSTROPHE HAS 3 USES.

USE #1:TO FORM THE POSSESSIVE OF NOUNS AND INDEFINITE PRONOUNSAny noun, whether singular or plural, that does not end in s shows ownership by adding an apostrophe and s:

a boy’s hatmen’s shoes

Plural nouns that end in s form possessives by adding an apostrophe after the s:

boys’ hatsthe Smiths’ homethe ladies’ dresses

USE #1:TO FORM THE POSSESSIVE OF NOUNS AND INDEFINITE PRONOUNSSingular nouns ending ins or z form the possessive by adding ‘s, unless the pronunciation of the word with the additional s-sound would be awkward

The countess’s castlefor goodness’ sake

Compound words and word groups form the possessive by adding an apostrophe and s to the last word of the group:

My sister-in-law’s last visit was in December.Did you get anyone else’s opinion of your paper?

USE #1:TO FORM THE POSSESSIVE OF NOUNS AND INDEFINITE PRONOUNSSpecial Note: Establishing ownership of two or more items requires special attention.***For individual ownership, add ‘s at the end of both owners

Oliver Stone’s and Alfred Hitchcock’s movies (indicating that each owned certain movies)

***For joint ownership, as ‘s at the end of the second owner’s name.

Rogers and Hammerstein’s musicals (indicating that they wrote the musicals as joint

projects)

V. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

A VERB MUST AGREE IN NUMBER WITH ITS SUBJECT.

*A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.

ExamplesA bike and a scooter (is, are) my means of getting around until I get a car.

The principal, along with a bunch of teachers, (is, are) getting ready for a snow day.

RULES1. If subjects are joined by and, they are considered plural.

Ex. The quarterback and the coach are having a conference.

2. If subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the closer subjectEx: Either the actors or the director is at fault. Ex: Either the director or the actors are at fault.

3. A verb is not affected by material that comes between the verb and the subject.The cost of replacing the asbestos shingles with cedar shakes was considerable.

SomeoneSomebodyEachEither one EveryoneAnyone

Apparently, the SAT testing service considers none as a singular word only. However, according to Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, "Clearly none has been both singular and plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism" (p. 664).

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS - SINGULAR

NONE? SINGULAR OR PLURAL?

None of us ( is / are ) going to see Transformers 3.

1. Three-quarters of the students (is, are) against the detention policy. 2. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator (is,

are) going to have to make a decision. 3. Either the chief administrator in this hospital or the physicians (is,

are) going to have to make a decision.4. Kara Cannon, together with her teammates, (present, presents) a

formidable opponent on the basketball court.  5. Everyone selected to serve on this jury (has, have) to be willing to

give up a lot of time.

1. Are

2. Is

3. Are

4. Presents

5. Has

RULES CONT.4. A verb agrees with its subject even when the subject follows

the verb.On the wall hangs a portrait of his father.

***Be especially careful to find the real subject in sentences starting with here or there.

There was barely enough time remaining.

5. Plural nouns of amount, distance, and so on, when they are used as singular units of measurement, take singular verbs.

Ex: A hundred dollars was once paid for a single tulip bulb.

Ex: Thirty miles seems like a long walk to me.

RULES CONT.6. A collective noun is considered singular when the group is

regarded as a unit: it is plural when the individuals of the group are referred to.

Ex: The audience is very enthusiastic tonight. Ex: The audience are returning to their seat.

7. When a relative pronoun (that, those, which, whose, who, whom, etc.) is the subject of a clause, the antecedent of the pronoun determines which verb you should use.

Jack is one of the boys who enjoy fierce competition.

Ready to practice some tough ones?

TROUBLE STRUCTURESFor each of the following, please identify the subject of the sentence or clause and the correct verb.

1. Left behind in the closet (was, were) only a sweater and three old shirts.

2. The connection between time spent watching television and poor academic performance (is, are) becoming quite clear.

3. The rest of the money in the entertainment fund (has, have) been donated to the Children’s Home Society.

4. A number of people (has, have) come by the office to ask about concert tickets.

TROUBLE STRUCTURES CONT.5. We worked very hard on that project, but the results of

our work (is, are) still in doubt.6. Tom Wilson, in addition to three other people, (has, have)

verified that a school holiday has been declared.7. Neither Wayne nor Martha (is, are) prepared for a pop quiz

this morning.8. Alice is one of those people who (enjoy, enjoys) both

classical and rock music.9. The value of the tapes and compact disks lost in the fire

(is, are) a subject for debate.10. In our college library, unrestricted access to books in the

stacks (is, are) not permitted.

ANSWERS1. sweater and three old

shirts were2. connection is3. rest has4. number have5. results are6. Tom Wilson has7. Wayne nor Martha is8. (people) who enjoy

9. value is10. access is