Punctuation
In the story of Lightning and Thunder, Bryan, an award winner shares a Nigerian legend about a mother sheep and her only son.
What is the most appropriate change to "Bryan, an award winner"?
A) No Change
B) Bryan an award winner
C) Bryan, an award winner,
D) Bryan an award winner,
C
"an award winner" is a nonessential phrase, meaning that it is not important to the meaning of the sentence. Also, notice that there is a natural pause, so there should be 2 commas.
Although I didn't like the sunburn I loved the warm feeling of the sun.
What is the best change for "sunburn"?
A) No Change
B) sunburn;
C) , sunburn,
D) sunburn,
D
This is an introductory clause, so a comma is needed at the natural pause before the independent clause.
I enjoyed the slow climb up the mountain almost like they're the fast turns on the way down.
Which is the best change for "like they're"?
A) No Change
B) as much as
C) equally to
D) as
B
This is just bad wording. Of all the choices, only B allows the sentence to flow nicely.
With temperatures rising in the butterflies' southernmost habitats, plants that attract them are drying up, eliminating the insects' food source at the caterpillar stage.
What is the best change for "rising"?
A) No change
B) having rose
C) raising
D) risen
A
The verb "rising" is already best for the sentence. None of the other choices make sense.
On the ACT, you should answer the more difficult questions first, then go back and answer the easy questions.
True or False
False
The artificial light that shines down on three customers and a waiter, sets off the dark world outside.
What change should be made to "customers and a waiter,"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) customers and, a waiter,
C) customers, and a waiter
D) customers and a waiter
D
There is no need for a pause here. A comma causes an interruption.
I love going to the beach; however I hate getting a sunburn.
What is the best change for "; however I"?
A) No Change
B) ,however,
C) ;however,
D) however I
C
Both a semicolon before and a comma after are necessary for conjunctive adverbs like "however"
Los Angeles lies directly in their path should they be inclined to try migrating to cooler climates.
Which choice most clearly emphasizes Los Angeles' size as a barrier to the butterlies' migration?
A) No Change
B) sprawls
C) exists
D) sits
B
This kind of question requires vocabulary knowledge. It's best to choose a word that best indicates size. Only B gives an image of size in mind.
Quino checkerspot butterflies, each a red and black flutter of stained glass, ranging along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Canada.
What is the best change for "glass, ranging"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) glass--range
C) glass. Range
D) glass, range
D
"Ranging" doesn't make sense to the meaning of the sentence. Butterflies is plural, so a plural verb is needed. D is the best answer.
You should pace yourself and not spend too much time on a passage or question.
True or False
True
Lee presented complex issues, such as interest rates, in a confident, straightforward, manner.
What change should be made to "in a confident, straightforward, manner."?
A) No change
B) in a confident, straightforward manner.
C) in a confident straightforward manner.
D) in a confident straightforward, manner.
B
Use a comma to separate 2 adjectives. Also, note the natural pause.
The American realist painter Edward Hopper (1882-1967) loved light, in the 1920s, Hopper painted pictures of cities and New England coastal regions in which he captured varieties and intensities of light ranging from brilliant afternoons to dusk to sinister nights.
What change should be made to "light,"
A) NO CHANGE
B) light during
C) light, during
D) light. In
D
This is a run-on sentence. So, either a semicolon or period is necessary.
In other paintings people sit in light streaming through restaurant or hotel windows. Perhaps the artistic rendering of colored matter on canvas that best depicts a person experiencing light is Morning Sun.
What is the best choice for "artistic rendering of colored matter on canvas"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) painting
C) colorful, hand-rendered work of art
D) thing
B
This is an example of wordiness. Only B and D are shorter, and obviously D is too broad and unspecific, so B is best.
In his Sun in an Empty Room (1963), light coming from a single window creates large rectangles that seems to inhabit the room.
What change should be made to "seems"?
A)NO CHANGE
B) seem
C) appears
D) appeared
B
The subject of this sentence is "light" which is singular. A singular, present verb is necessary.
When an announcement of five minutes remaining occurs, you should
A) take your time and answer all that you can correctly, even if it means leaving some blank
B) Bubble in all the remaining numbers and quit answering questions
C) Continue testing as normal at the same pace
D) Bubble in the answers that you have left and then go back and check all of the answers that you can.
D
A woman, with legs drawn up sits on a bed facing an open window.
What change should be made to "woman, with legs drawn up sits"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) woman, with legs drawn up sits,
C) woman, with legs drawn up, sits
D) woman with legs drawn up, sits
C
"with legs drawn up" is a nonrestrictive clause that isn't necessary for the meaning of the sentence. Notice that there is a pause both before and after the phrase.
Once at the resort, skiers and snowboarders rely on extensive networks of energy-hungry chairlifts--gondolas and high-speed quads--to whisk them up to the top of the mountain. Often, on the other hand, the very snow they relish on the trip back down the mountain has been artificially made using powerful snow cannons that suck water from creeks and streams.
Which choice is best for "on the other hand,"?
A) No Change
B) nonetheless,
C) however,
D) Delete the portion
D
A transition word is not always needed. None of the choices are appropriate to the passage, so deletion is best. Also, notice how both A, B, and C mean basically the same thing. This is a hint that none of them are correct.
So, Parmesan has proposed a way to save the quarter-sized butterflies and that doing so, maintain biodiversity.
What change should be made to "that doing, so"
A) No Change
B) by which so doing,
C) in which doing so,
D) in doing so,
D
This is an example of bad wording. Most of the choices are wordy. Only D allows the sentence to flow nicely.
She denounced big businesses and bank owners who, she believed, created disadvantages for farmers and workers by monopolizing wealth.
What changes should be made to "who,"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) that of whom,
C) whom,
D) Delete the portion
A
The sentence already flows very well. There is no need to add or take away any words
The ACT English test contains _______ questions.
75
Hopper once stated that human figures interested him less than the light in a scene he believed light was the dramatic element that conveyed vitality and immediacy in a painting.
What change should be made to "scene he"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) scene, he
C) scene. He
D) scene that he
C
This is a run-on sentence. There needs to be a complete stop between the two complete thoughts. The 2 correct answers would be a semicolon or period.
Their caution frustrates Parmesan she believes such a mindset ignores the fact that the alternative outcome could be extinction.
What change should be made to "Parmesan she believes"?
A) No change
B) Parmesan who, believing
C) Parmesan. She believes
D) Parmesan, she believes
C
This is a run-on sentence. Run-on sentences are usually fixed with a semicolon or period.
On the other hand, those currently living now in the cool, wet climates of northern California and Canada are faring better.
What is the best change for "currently living now"?
A) No Change
B) living currently today
C) currently living
D) currently now
C
"Currently living now" is repetitive. B and D are also repetitive. C is the best choice.
After struggling financially in the Depression of 1873, she and her husband, moved to a farm in Kansas.
What is the correct change for "she and her husband,"?
A) NO CHANGE
B) her and her husband,
C) she and her husband
D) her husband and her
C
There is no pause or interruption needed after "husband". The comma interrupts the relationship between the subject and verb.
You have _______ minutes to complete the ACT English test.
45