THE ACT ENGLISH TEST

HOW TO CRACK THE SYSTEMHOW TO CRACK THE SYSTEM

TRIAGE

LOOK FOR ERRORS BY LOOKING AT LOOK FOR ERRORS BY LOOKING AT THE ANSWER CHOICES FOR CLUES:THE ANSWER CHOICES FOR CLUES:

A. NO CHANGEA. NO CHANGE B. ONE GOESB. ONE GOES C. YOU GOC. YOU GO D. HE GOESD. HE GOES THE PROBLEM HAS SOMETHING TO THE PROBLEM HAS SOMETHING TO

DO WITH PRONOUNSDO WITH PRONOUNS

SOME QUICK TRICKS

““NO CHANGE” – IS THE RIGHT NO CHANGE” – IS THE RIGHT ANSWER A LITTLE LESS THAN 25% ANSWER A LITTLE LESS THAN 25% OF THE TIMEOF THE TIME

““OMIT THE UNDERLINED PORTION” OMIT THE UNDERLINED PORTION” IS THE RIGHT ANSWER A LITTLE IS THE RIGHT ANSWER A LITTLE MORE THAN 50% OF THE TIMEMORE THAN 50% OF THE TIME

SENTENCE STRUCTURE

CLAUSES AND PHRASES PUT TOGETHER CLAUSES AND PHRASES PUT TOGETHER LOGICALLYLOGICALLY

INDEPENDENT CLAUSES VERSUS INDEPENDENT CLAUSES VERSUS DEPENDENT CLAUSESDEPENDENT CLAUSES

SINGLE WORDS CAN MAKE DEPENDENT SINGLE WORDS CAN MAKE DEPENDENT CLAUSES, INDEPENDENTCLAUSES, INDEPENDENT

AS HE RAN ACROSS THE ROOM (LOSE THE AS HE RAN ACROSS THE ROOM (LOSE THE “AS”)“AS”)

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW, IF, AS, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW, IF, AS, BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH, WHILE, BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH, WHILE, DESPITE, THAT, WHO, WHATDESPITE, THAT, WHO, WHAT

LOOK FOR THESE WORDS TO SIGNAL LOOK FOR THESE WORDS TO SIGNAL A SENTENCE FRAGMENTA SENTENCE FRAGMENT

THESE WORDS LEAVE YOU THESE WORDS LEAVE YOU ASKING… “AND”?ASKING… “AND”?

PUNCTUATION

MORE THAN HALF THE MORE THAN HALF THE PUNCTUATION QUESTIONS ON THE PUNCTUATION QUESTIONS ON THE ACT DEAL WITH THE PROPER USE OF ACT DEAL WITH THE PROPER USE OF COMMASCOMMAS

TOO FEW COMMAS CREATE TOO FEW COMMAS CREATE CONFUSION REGARDING THE CONFUSION REGARDING THE THOUGHT PROCESSTHOUGHT PROCESS

TOO MANY BREAK UP THE FLOWTOO MANY BREAK UP THE FLOW

COMMA RULES

CLAUSES: BETWEEN A DEPENDENT CLAUSES: BETWEEN A DEPENDENT AND AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSEAND AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

MODIFYING PHRASES: BETWEEN AN MODIFYING PHRASES: BETWEEN AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE AND ITS INDEPENDENT CLAUSE AND ITS MODIFYING PHRASE “HUNGRY AND MODIFYING PHRASE “HUNGRY AND EXCITED, THE BIRD SNAPPED UP THE EXCITED, THE BIRD SNAPPED UP THE BAGEL”BAGEL”

COMMA RULES

RESTRICTIVE AND NONRESTRICTIVE RESTRICTIVE AND NONRESTRICTIVE ELEMENTS: AROUND ELEMENTS: AROUND NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES OR NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSES OR PHRASESPHRASES

MY GRANDFATHER, WHO SNORES MY GRANDFATHER, WHO SNORES LOUDLY, ALWAYS SLEEPS IN HIS LOUDLY, ALWAYS SLEEPS IN HIS LONGJOHNSLONGJOHNS

THAT v. WHICHTHAT v. WHICH

COMMA RULES

SERIAL COMMA: SEPARATE ITEMS IN SERIAL COMMA: SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES (COMMA BEFORE AND AND A SERIES (COMMA BEFORE AND AND ;);)

SEPARATING CLAUSES: BEFORE SEPARATING CLAUSES: BEFORE COORDINATING CONJUNCTION COORDINATING CONJUNCTION (AND, OR, BUT, FOR, NOR, YET) (AND, OR, BUT, FOR, NOR, YET) BETWEEEN TWO INDEPENDENT BETWEEEN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSESCLAUSES

COMMA SPLICES

IN A COMMA SPLICE TWO INDEPENDENT IN A COMMA SPLICE TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES ARE JAMMED TOGETHER INTO CLAUSES ARE JAMMED TOGETHER INTO SENTENCE, USUALLY WITH ONLY A SENTENCE, USUALLY WITH ONLY A COMMA TO TRY TO HOLD THEM COMMA TO TRY TO HOLD THEM TOGETHERTOGETHER

AUNT SALLY RAN INTO THE ROOM, TOM AUNT SALLY RAN INTO THE ROOM, TOM WAS ALREADY GONE.WAS ALREADY GONE.

FIX ITFIX IT

RUN-ONS

A RUN-ON SENTENCE IS PRETTY MUCH A RUN-ON SENTENCE IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING AS A COMMA SPLICE, THE SAME THING AS A COMMA SPLICE, WITHOUT THE COMMAWITHOUT THE COMMA

AUNT SALLY SWEPT UP THE SHARDS OF AUNT SALLY SWEPT UP THE SHARDS OF GLASS SHE WAS FURIOUSGLASS SHE WAS FURIOUS

FIX ITFIX IT USUALLY THEY ARE MUCH LONGER AND USUALLY THEY ARE MUCH LONGER AND

YOU CAN’T READ THEM OUTLOUD YOU CAN’T READ THEM OUTLOUD WITHOUT RUNNING OUT OF BREATHWITHOUT RUNNING OUT OF BREATH

COMMA SPLICE/RUN-ON

LOOK FOR PUNCTUATION CHANGES IN LOOK FOR PUNCTUATION CHANGES IN THE ANSWERS THE ANSWERS

IF YOU SEE AN ANSWER THAT BREAKS UP IF YOU SEE AN ANSWER THAT BREAKS UP THE “SENTENCE” CHECK FOR THE “SENTENCE” CHECK FOR INDEPENDENT CLAUSES ON BOTH SIDESINDEPENDENT CLAUSES ON BOTH SIDES

REMEMBER THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS REMEMBER THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMSTO FIX THESE PROBLEMS

TRY ALL OF THE OPTIONSTRY ALL OF THE OPTIONS

SEMICOLONS and COLONS

PUT TWO OR MORE INDEPENDENT PUT TWO OR MORE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES TOGETHER TO FORM ONE BIG CLAUSES TOGETHER TO FORM ONE BIG SENTENCESENTENCE

THE CLAUSES THE CLAUSES MUST MUST BE RELATEDBE RELATED YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE

BETWEEN A SEMICOLON AND PERIODBETWEEN A SEMICOLON AND PERIOD USED AFTER COMPLETE STATEMENT TO

INTRO LIST LAST WORD CANNOT BE A VERB

APOSTROPHES

MARK POSSESSION OR MISSING MARK POSSESSION OR MISSING LETTERSLETTERS

PETER’S CAR; WOMEN’S ISSUESPETER’S CAR; WOMEN’S ISSUES THE NOUN MUST BE FOLLOWED BY THE NOUN MUST BE FOLLOWED BY

ANOTHER NOUN (NOT VERB) TO BE ANOTHER NOUN (NOT VERB) TO BE NECESSARY NECESSARY

STUDENTS MUST HAVE STUDENTS MUST HAVE IDENTIFICATION CARDSIDENTIFICATION CARDS

APOSTROPHE

THE MOST COMMON APOSTROPHE THE MOST COMMON APOSTROPHE ERROR ON THE ACT IS “ITS/IT’S”ERROR ON THE ACT IS “ITS/IT’S”

IT’S IS THE CONTRACTION IT ISIT’S IS THE CONTRACTION IT IS ITS IS THE POSSESSIVE OF IT. THE ITS IS THE POSSESSIVE OF IT. THE

DOG LOST ITS COLLAR.DOG LOST ITS COLLAR.

DASHES SEPARATE A WORD OF GROUP OF WORDS SEPARATE A WORD OF GROUP OF WORDS

FROM THE REST OF THE SENTENCEFROM THE REST OF THE SENTENCE IT IS AN ABRUPT BREAK IN THOUGHT OR TO IT IS AN ABRUPT BREAK IN THOUGHT OR TO

INTRODUCE AN EXPLANATION OR INTRODUCE AN EXPLANATION OR AFTERTHOUGHTAFTERTHOUGHT

I TRIED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE—NOT I TRIED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE—NOT THAT ANY WORDS COULD BE ADEQUATE—THAT ANY WORDS COULD BE ADEQUATE—BUT SHE JUST NODDED AND WALKED AWAY.BUT SHE JUST NODDED AND WALKED AWAY.

MAKE SURE IT IS AN ABRUPT BREAK IN MAKE SURE IT IS AN ABRUPT BREAK IN THOUGHT AND THERE ARE TWO IN THE THOUGHT AND THERE ARE TWO IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE, ONE AT THE ENDMIDDLE OF A SENTENCE, ONE AT THE END

QUOTATION MARKS

DIRECT QUOTESDIRECT QUOTES POEMS, JOURNALS, ARTICLES, POEMS, JOURNALS, ARTICLES,

SONGSSONGS PERIODS INSIDE, QUESTION MARKS PERIODS INSIDE, QUESTION MARKS

DEPENDDEPEND

GRAMMAR AND USAGE

TEST YOUR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE TEST YOUR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE PROPER USES OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF PROPER USES OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF SPEECHSPEECH

FREQUENTLY THE FOCUS IS: NOUN-FREQUENTLY THE FOCUS IS: NOUN-PRONOUN AGREEMENT, PRONOUN CASE PRONOUN AGREEMENT, PRONOUN CASE AGREEMENT, SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT, SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT, VERB TENSE, PROPER AGREEMENT, VERB TENSE, PROPER PLACEMENT OF ADJECTIVES AND PLACEMENT OF ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS, CORRECT PLACE OF IDIOMADVERBS, CORRECT PLACE OF IDIOM

VERB ERRORS

LOOK FOR AN UNDERLINED VERBLOOK FOR AN UNDERLINED VERB IT WILL BE EITHER A SUBJECT-VERB IT WILL BE EITHER A SUBJECT-VERB

AGREEMENT PROBLEM OR A TENSE AGREEMENT PROBLEM OR A TENSE ISSUEISSUE

FIND SIMPLE SUBJECT AND SIMPLE FIND SIMPLE SUBJECT AND SIMPLE VERBVERB

SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT

VERBS MUST ALWAYS AGREE WITH THEIR VERBS MUST ALWAYS AGREE WITH THEIR SUBJECTSSUBJECTS

LOOK FOR NUMBER ERRORLOOK FOR NUMBER ERROR THE BEST MOMENT DURING A THE BEST MOMENT DURING A

BROADCAST FILLED WITH MANY GREAT BROADCAST FILLED WITH MANY GREAT MOMENTS WERE WHEN THE ASTRONOUT MOMENTS WERE WHEN THE ASTRONOUT STEPPED OUT OF THE LUNAR LANDER STEPPED OUT OF THE LUNAR LANDER AND BOUNCED ON THE MOON.AND BOUNCED ON THE MOON.

FIND THE SIMPLE SUBJECT; FIND THE FIND THE SIMPLE SUBJECT; FIND THE SIMPLE VERBSIMPLE VERB

PRONOUN-VERB AGREEMENT

EACH OF THESE MOMENTS HAVE EACH OF THESE MOMENTS HAVE PLAYED IN MY MIND AGAIN AND PLAYED IN MY MIND AGAIN AND AGAIN AS I TRY TO RECAPTURE THE AGAIN AS I TRY TO RECAPTURE THE EXCITEMENT OF THAT MOMENTOUS EXCITEMENT OF THAT MOMENTOUS DAY IN JUNEDAY IN JUNE

SAME STRATEGYSAME STRATEGY

VERB TENSE

THE ACT WRITERS DON’T CARE IF THE ACT WRITERS DON’T CARE IF YOU KNOW THE NAMES OF VERB YOU KNOW THE NAMES OF VERB TENSESTENSES

THEY WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO THEY WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SPOT INCONSISTENCIESSPOT INCONSISTENCIES

SAM IS WALKING DOWN THE STREET SAM IS WALKING DOWN THE STREET WHEN HE FOUND A LARGE WHEN HE FOUND A LARGE SUITCASESUITCASE

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

ADJECTIVES MODIFY NOUNSADJECTIVES MODIFY NOUNS ADVERBS MODIFY VERBSADVERBS MODIFY VERBS IF AN ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB IS IF AN ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB IS

UNDERLINED, CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT UNDERLINED, CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT MODIFIES THE CORRECT THINGMODIFIES THE CORRECT THING

ADVERBS FREQUENTLY END IN “LY”ADVERBS FREQUENTLY END IN “LY” WATCH FOR COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES WATCH FOR COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES

(TALLER VERSUS MORE TALL)(TALLER VERSUS MORE TALL)

PRONOUNS

WHAT IS A PRONOUN?WHAT IS A PRONOUN? THE FIRST RULE – AGREEMENT THE FIRST RULE – AGREEMENT AGREEMENT IN NUMBER – MANY AGREEMENT IN NUMBER – MANY

ARE OBVIOUSARE OBVIOUS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE

INDEFINITE PRONOUNSINDEFINITE PRONOUNS MEMORIZE THE ODD ONESMEMORIZE THE ODD ONES

PRONOUNS

PRONOUNS MUST AGREE IN “CASE”PRONOUNS MUST AGREE IN “CASE” NOMINIATIVE = SUBJECTNOMINIATIVE = SUBJECT OBJECTIVE = SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ITOBJECTIVE = SOMETHING HAPPENS TO IT POSSESSIVE = OWNERSHIPPOSSESSIVE = OWNERSHIP (SHE/HER) BOUGHT A SOUVENIR NASA (SHE/HER) BOUGHT A SOUVENIR NASA

SWEATSHIRTSWEATSHIRT JANE BOUGHT A SOUVENIR NASA JANE BOUGHT A SOUVENIR NASA

SWEATSHIRT FOR (HE/HIM)SWEATSHIRT FOR (HE/HIM) WHO/WHOMWHO/WHOM

RHETORICAL SKILLS

35 QUESTIONS35 QUESTIONS DEAL WITH STYLE AND EDITINGDEAL WITH STYLE AND EDITING A FEW WILL DEAL WITH THE A FEW WILL DEAL WITH THE

PASSAGE AS A WHOLE (LEAVE PASSAGE AS A WHOLE (LEAVE THESE TO THE END)THESE TO THE END)

MISPLACED MODIFIERS

A MODIFYING PHRASE NEEDS TO BE NEAR A MODIFYING PHRASE NEEDS TO BE NEAR WHAT IT IS MODIFYING. WHAT IT IS MODIFYING.

SWEEPING UP THE SHARDS OF GLASS, THE SWEEPING UP THE SHARDS OF GLASS, THE MISSING KEY TO THE JEWELRY BOX WAS MISSING KEY TO THE JEWELRY BOX WAS FOUND BY AUNT SALLY.FOUND BY AUNT SALLY.

WHO IS SWEEPING?WHO IS SWEEPING? AGAIN TRY THE ANSWERS TO FIND THE AGAIN TRY THE ANSWERS TO FIND THE

CORRECT ONECORRECT ONE

PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION

TWO MAJOR TYPES ON ACTTWO MAJOR TYPES ON ACT BOTH INCLUDE LISTS OF SOME KINDBOTH INCLUDE LISTS OF SOME KIND VERBSVERBS WHEN TOM FINALLY CAME HOME, WHEN TOM FINALLY CAME HOME,

AUNT SALLY KISSED HIM, HUGGED AUNT SALLY KISSED HIM, HUGGED HIM, AND GIVES HIM HIS FAVORITE HIM, AND GIVES HIM HIS FAVORITE DESSERT AFTER DINNERDESSERT AFTER DINNER

PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION

NOUNSNOUNS THREE EXPLANATIONS FOR SID’S THREE EXPLANATIONS FOR SID’S

LOCKING HIMSELF IN HIS ROOM WERE LOCKING HIMSELF IN HIS ROOM WERE AA DESIREDESIRE TO DO HIS HOMEWORK, TO DO HIS HOMEWORK, A SENSEA SENSE THAT HE NEEDED TO HONE HIS COLLEGE THAT HE NEEDED TO HONE HIS COLLEGE ESSAYS, ANDESSAYS, AND HATING HATING HIS BROTHER TOM, HIS BROTHER TOM, WHO ALWAYS GETS AWAY WITH WHO ALWAYS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER.MURDER.

THE NUMBER OF NOUNS OR VERBS IS NOT THE NUMBER OF NOUNS OR VERBS IS NOT ALWAYS THREEALWAYS THREE

HOW TO SPOT THEM

LOOK FOR A SERIES OF ACTIONS OR LOOK FOR A SERIES OF ACTIONS OR NOUNSNOUNS

LOOK AT THE ANSWER OPTIONSLOOK AT THE ANSWER OPTIONS LOOK FOR CHANGES IN VERB TENSELOOK FOR CHANGES IN VERB TENSE LOOK FOR CHANGES IN THE WAY LOOK FOR CHANGES IN THE WAY

THE NOUNS ARE SET UPTHE NOUNS ARE SET UP

TRANSITIONS

NEEDED AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEEDED AT THE BEGINNING OF A CLAUSE, SENTENCE, OR PARAGRAPHCLAUSE, SENTENCE, OR PARAGRAPH

THREE MAIN ONES ARE “BUT”, “THUS” THREE MAIN ONES ARE “BUT”, “THUS” AND “ALSO” OR A VARIATION ON THE AND “ALSO” OR A VARIATION ON THE ABOVE THREEABOVE THREE

BUT IS A CONTRADITION; THUS IS FOR BUT IS A CONTRADITION; THUS IS FOR CAUSE AND EFFECT; ALSO MEANS IN CAUSE AND EFFECT; ALSO MEANS IN ADDITIONADDITION

STRATEGY QUESTIONS

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS BEST WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS BEST SUMMARIZES THE MAIN POINT OF THE SUMMARIZES THE MAIN POINT OF THE PASSAGE?PASSAGE?

IS THE USE OF FORMAL ENGLISH IS THE USE OF FORMAL ENGLISH APPROPRIATE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS APPROPRIATE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PASSAGE?PASSAGE?

IF THE PASSAGE WERE REVISED TO PRESENT IF THE PASSAGE WERE REVISED TO PRESENT CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS, WHICH OF THE CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING CHANGES WOULD BEST FOLLOWING CHANGES WOULD BEST REPRESENT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REPRESENT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AUTHOR’S ARGUMENT?AUTHOR’S ARGUMENT?

STRATEGY

LEAVE THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE LEAVE THOSE QUESTIONS TO THE ENDEND

ELIMINATE AS MANY OPTIONS AS ELIMINATE AS MANY OPTIONS AS POSSIBLEPOSSIBLE

USE READING STRATEGY USE READING STRATEGY TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES

IF ALL ELSE FAILS, GUESS!IF ALL ELSE FAILS, GUESS!

ORGANIZATION

TWO KINDSTWO KINDS REORDER SENTENCES WITHIN A REORDER SENTENCES WITHIN A

PARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH REORDER PARAGRAPHS AS A REORDER PARAGRAPHS AS A

WHOLEWHOLE DO THIS WITH TRIAL AND ERRORDO THIS WITH TRIAL AND ERROR

STYLE

REDUNDANCYREDUNDANCY THE ACT HATES REDUNDANCY THE ACT HATES REDUNDANCY

BECAUSE IT REPEATS ITSELFBECAUSE IT REPEATS ITSELF OMIT IS FREQUENTLY THE ANSWEROMIT IS FREQUENTLY THE ANSWER LOOK FOR SIMILAR ADJECTIVES OR LOOK FOR SIMILAR ADJECTIVES OR

WORDINESSWORDINESS TONE OF OVERALL PASSAGE TONE OF OVERALL PASSAGE