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
Example: I am looking forward to this weekend; it's the first Saturday that I haven't worked in 5 Saturdays, and I'm looking forward to a slow Saturday morning!
Correctly write a sentence that uses then and than.
Answers will vary.
Example: I am going to study for the ACT so that I can do better than I did last time; then, I am going to relax!
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 is diction?
essentially word choice
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/or 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?
50 questions in 35 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.
Fix this sentence: One architect built a new roller coaster, and another was designing a new subway system.
Correct: One architect built a new roller coaster, and another architect designed a new subway system.
One architect built a new roller coaster, and another was designing a new subway system.
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.
How long do you have to write the ACT essay, and what type of prompt is it?
Argument & 40 minutes
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 an independent clause (complete sentence).
Answers will vary
Example: I want to the store to get the following items: coffee, soda water, & oat milk.
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 three tests make up your composite score?
Math, English, & 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.
Correctly use principal and principle in a sentence.
Principal - the head of a school or company
principle - rule, law, guidance, fact
What two types of punctuation could you use to correctly fix this sentence?
The Chicago Triathlon a race of endurance, strength, and skill is difficult to complete.
The Chicago Triathlon - a race of endurance, strength, and skill - is difficult to complete.
The Chicago Triathlon (a race of endurance, strength, and skill) is difficult to complete.
What is highest score you can get on the ACT writing?
12 (two people score it on a scale of 1 to 6)
Winner takes all?
-500 to the team of your choice!