ACT Grammar Blitz

PUNCTUATION

100

(What punctuation, if any, should go in the blank?) To start, I wasn't on the kind of farm everyone imagines. I didn't feed cows or pigs __ I didn't grow corn or wheat.

STOP PUNCTUATION (; / . / , + FANBOYS) --> I didn't feed cows or pigs; I didn't grow corn or wheat.

200

(What punctuation, if any, should go in the blank?) Every half hour, using a meat thermometer __ Eric reads the temperature of the roast and carefully examines the soup.

, COMMA (Every half hour, using a meat thermometer, Eric reads the temperature of the roast and carefully examines the soup.)

300

(What punctuation, if any, should go in the blank?) The llama wool business turned out to be so successful __ in fact, that my great-grandmother converted the family business to a full-fledged llama farm.

, COMMA (The llama wool business turned out to be so successful, in fact, that my great-grandmother converted the family business to a full-fledged llama farm.)

400

(What punctuation, if any, should go in the blank?) From the outset of the "Great Experiment" of having African-Americans in baseball __ Jackie Robinson knew that his performance on the field would be a determining factor in sports segregation.

, COMMA (From the outset of the "Great Experiment" of having African-Americans in baseball, Jackie Robinson knew that his performance on the field would be a determining factor in sports segregation)

500

SPOT THE ERROR: Rewrite the following sentence without any errors in punctuation (There is only one!): Post-baseball, Jackie became an entrepreneur; but his focus did not stray as he found time to write impassioned letters to the President.

Post-baseball, Jackie became an entrepreneur, but his focus did not stray as he found time to write impassioned letters to the President.

VERBS

100

Neither Mr. Gallia's friends nor Winston (has/have) expressed any interest in joining him for dinner.

HAS

200

After I had settled into my new home, however, I realized that farm work was much more involved than I WOULD EXPECT. (A. NO CHANGE / B. would be expecting / C. had expected / D. have expected)

C. HAD EXPECTED

300

Each of the girls' dogs, although they were all quite ugly, (is/are) still somehow cute.

IS

400

Cooking a delicious roast with vegetables REQUIRES three things: the freshest ingredients, a slow-cooker, and good timing. (A. NO CHANGE / B. has the requirements of / C. requiring / D. requires)

D. REQUIRES

500

Although Chesnut CONTINUES to write until his death in 1932, it had become clear that the work completed after "The House Behind the Cedars" had become too inflammatory to society at that time. (A. NO CHANGE / B. has continued / C. still continues / D. continued)

D. CONTINUED

ADJECTIVES vs. ADVERBS

100

The senior patio was SUCCESSFUL AND completed by the Class of 2016 on Campus Beautification Day and has been used very often since then. (A. NO CHANGE / B. successfully / C. successfully and / D. successful)

B. successfully (The senior patio was SUCCESSFULLY completed by the class of 2016 on Campus Beautification Day.)

200

Although the blind artists painted their Lady Gaga themed cat portraits quite (good / well), no one seemed interested in buying them.

WELL

300

I thought the movie was INTERESTINGLY AND well-produced, but lacked character development. (A. NO CHANGE / B. interestingly, and / C interesting and, / D. interesting and)

D. INTERESTING AND (I thought the movie was interesting and well-produced, but lacked character development. )

400

Because I didn't feel (sufficient/sufficiently) prepared for the test, I went into it with a lot of anxiety.

SUFFICIENTLY

500

I doubt Windsor will find Mr. Gallia's story about how he once spent 24 hours lost in Wal-mart REAL INTERESTING. (A. NO CHANGE / B. really interestingly / C. really interesting)

C. REALLY INTERESTING (I doubt Windsor will find Mr. Gallia's story about how he once spent 24 hours lost in Wal-mart really interesting.)

TRANSITIONS

100

Excluding its aquatic life, Antarctica has a lower species diversity than any other place on earth. NEVERTHELESS, Antarctica is a haven for 67 documented species of insects and 350 species of flora, proof that life persists in the most dramatic of conditions. (A. NO CHANGE / B. Indeed, / C. Consequently, / D. Therefore,

A. NO CHANGE

200

Neutron stars are highly compact, very hot stars formed during the supernova of smaller stars that are not sufficiently massive to create black holes. LIKEWISE, on occasion these stars will actually collide with each other and together become massive enough to form a black hole. (A. NO CHANGE / B. Similarly, / C. However, / D. In addition,)

C. However (Neutron stars are highly compact, very hot stars formed during the supernova of smaller stars that are not sufficiently massive to create black holes. HOWEVER, on occasion these stars will actually collide with each other and together become massive enough to form a black hole.)

300

EVEN THOUGH I didn't do my biology homework, Ms. Feighery threw a bucket of African spiders on me. (A. NO CHANGE / B. Although / C. Since / D. Despite the fact that)

C. SINCE (Since I didn't do my biology homework, Ms. Feighery threw a bucket of African spiders on me.)

400

"The Conjure Woman" was written in the tradition of earlier folklorists Joel Harris and Thomas Nelson PAGE. HOWEVER, it presented a much more frank treatment of race relations in the South during slavery. (A. NO CHANGE / B. Page, however, / C. Page. Consequently, / D. Page, consequently,)

A. NO CHANGE

500

The vast amount of energy Jackie Robinson expended avoiding a myriad of potential pitfalls could have caused an ordinary man to wilt; FOR EXAMPLE, Jackie instinctively and relentlessly increased his efforts for positive civil rights changes. (A. NO CHANGE / B. as a result, / C. rather, / D. therefore,)

C. RATHER

SORPRESA

100

Curiosity overwhelming ME AND I tiptoe through the common room to her still-open door. (A. NO CHANGE / B. me, and I / C. me, I / D. me. I)

C. me, I (Curiosity overwhelming me, I tiptoe through the common room to her still-open door.)

200

How do you use the POOD strategy, and how will it help increase your score?

POOD = personal order of difficulty. It ensures you spend your time on questions you are more likely to get right. You save time AND increase your score, and are left with a 25% chance guessing the rest.

300

What are the 3 kinds of STOP punctuation? When can they be used?

STOP Punctuation can only go where a complete idea STOPS - aka, between two independent clauses. Examples: period, semicolon, or comma + FANBOYS

400

I also learned about LLAMA'S habits, such as spitting when they are unhappy. (A. NO CHANGE / B. llamas' habits, / C. llamas habits / D. llamas habits)

B. LLAMAS' HABITS,

500

Which two of the following answer choices CANNOT possibly be the correct answer to a question? Why? A. NO CHANGE / B. plummeting to Earth, it orbited / C. plummeting to Earth. It orbited / D. plummeting to Earth; it orbited.

C and D - they are exactly the same--they both use STOP punctuation--so it would be impossible to choose between them. Therefore, neither one can be the correct answer.