ACT English Vocabulary
What is a sentence fragment?
An incomplete sentence.
What is the difference between a possessive apostrophe (ex: Susan's car) and a contraction (They're going)?
Possessive apostrophes show ownership.
Jason's car exploded.
Contractions are two words joined by an apostrophe.
They're on their way over.
(they + are)
Write one sentence in which you correctly use all of the following:
1) a semi-colon
2) a comma
3) a FANBOYS word
Answers will vary
Botany is surely the more gentler of sciences.
a. NO CHANGE
b. the most gentle of
c. the gentler of
d. the gentlest in the
B: the most gentle of
When five minutes are left on the test, what should you do?
Either answer is acceptable:
1. Do not leave ANY blank! Start guessing!
2. If you are almost done, finish strong!
Are you sure???
+100 YAY!
What does a Dependent Clause need to be a complete sentence? AND what conjunction does it often use?
MUST join an independent clause to be a complete sentence
Correctly use the following:
semi-colon
colon
dash
Answers will vary
Break down this sentence into its independent and dependent parts.
After the end of the world, I ate nothing but fries.
After the end of the world (Dependent)
I ate nothing but fries (independent)
Break down this sentence into its independent and dependent parts AND name the type of sentence:
I wanted to drive my car in the middle of the road, but a police car was right behind me.
I wanted to drive my car in the middle of the road (independent)
but (compound)
a police car was right behind me (independent)
Compound sentence
How many questions are on the ACT English test, and how many minutes do you have to answer all of the questions?
75 questions - 45 minutes
REALLYYYYYY???
+200 to the team after you!
What are the two necessary parts for a sentence or independent clause?
Subject + predicate (aka verb)
What are the three ways to fix this sentence below?
I love to write papers I would write one every day if I had the time.
1. Period
I love to write papers. I would write one every day if I had the time.
2. Semicolon
I love to write papers; I would write one every day if I had the time.
3. Comma + Conjunction (FANBOYS)
I love to write papers, and I would write one every day if I had the time.
Is the sentence below correct? Explain your answer
Either Jared or our parents will lend us their car.
If one singular and one plural antecedent are joined by or, either ... or, or neither ... nor, the pronoun agrees in number with the closer antecedent.
Either Jared or our parents will lend us their car.
The pronoun their agrees with the plural antecedent “parents.”
Edna Gellhorn’s “Walkless-Talkless Parade”
In 1916, as the Democratic Party’s national convention met in St. Louis, Missouri, to nominate candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency and to establish a platform, a set of positions on issues. Therefore, suffragists (those who advocated extending voting rights to women) wanted the Democrats’ platform to support women’s right to vote.
A. NO CHANGE
B. while
C. when
D. OMIT the underlined portion.
D. OMIT the underlined portion.
The best answer is D because the other choices insert subordinating conjunctions (as, while, when), which create sentence fragments. This choice offers the only complete sentence.
What are the times that the person running the ACT will call out?
Time start and 5 minutes left
Hmmmm..... someone likes to live on the wild side!
-300
Give an example of a:
Simple Sentence
Compound Sentence correctly using a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).
Simple: I ran home
Compound: I ran home, and I ate pasta
Correctly use a colon in a sentence where the part after the colon is NOT a complete sentence.
Answers will vary
The Andean Panpipe
Whether its bright and jaunty or haunting and melancholic, the music of the Andes highlands has a mellow sound unique in the musical world. The instrument responsible for this sound is the antara, or Andean panpipe, known for the hollow-sounding, breathy notes it creates.
A. NO CHANGE
B. they’re
C. it's
D. its'
C. it's
The contraction it's, meaning it is, is needed in this context because otherwise the introductory, dependent clause would have no subject or verb. In addition, the singular pronoun form (it's) is required for proper subject-verb agreement.
The challenge to start to begin to make timely progress toward removing the threat of nuclear war is the most important challenge in international relations today.
A: NO CHANGE
B. to begin making
C. to begin the making of
D. of beginning the making of
B: to begin making
(eliminate unnecessary repetition).
What are the different categories on the ACT?
Math, Science, English, Writing & Reading
You're really something, you know that?
+400
Define a Noun, Verb, Clause, and Subject
Noun: a person, place, thing, or idea.
Verb: an action or state of being
Clause: Part of a sentence that includes one subject and one verb
Subject: Refers to what the sentence is about, it contains the main noun. It is the main topic of the sentence
When I was a boy growing up in Delhi, India, we had a kitchen garden behind our downstairs apartment. My father was an avid gardener, he still is: and every Saturday morning he would put on his work clothes, pick up his hoe and trowel, and head out the back door.
A. NO CHANGE
B. gardener—he still is—
C. gardener, he still is—
D. gardener and he still is
B. gardener—he still is—
It offers the best punctuation for this nonessential parenthetical element. The phrase "he still is" needs to be set off with the same punctuation marks on both ends. In this case, the dashes are best for avoiding ambiguity.
Vatican City’s Wonders
Surrounded by the ancient city of
Rome, Vatican City is an independent nation
on the west bank of the Tiber River. This tiny
country—about one-sixth of a square mile in all—is
also home to a disproportionately large number of
sites with great historical, artistic, and
religious significance.
E. NO CHANGE
F. approximately about one-sixth of a square mile, all told—
G. a grand total sum of about one-sixth of a square mile—
H. a total of about one-sixth of a square mile when added together—
E. NO CHANGE
It provides the clearest, most concise wording for this parenthetical phrase. The other choices add unnecessary words.
Edna Gellhorn’s “Walkless-Talkless Parade”
In 1916, as the Democratic Party’s national convention met in St. Louis, Missouri, to nominate candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency and to establish a platform, a set of positions on issues. Therefore, suffragists (those who advocated extending voting rights to women) wanted the Democrats’ platform to support women’s right to vote.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Similarly, suffragists
C. However, suffragists
D. Suffragists
D. Suffragists
The best answer is D. No transitional word is needed here because the sentence introduces information about the suffragists that is not directly linked back to the preceding sentence.
If you finish your test early, what should you do?
Review your answers and make any corrections you need to
Winner takes all?
-500 to the team of your choice!