English ACT Prep

Commas

100

Fix this sentence! To participate in a triathlon, you must be able to run swim and bike.

To participate in a triathlon, you must be able to run, swim, and bike.

200

What other words do we need to combine two independent clauses with a comma?

FANBOYS For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

300

Fix this sentence! Having completed all of the arrangements she sat down and waited for her guests to arrive.

Having completed all of the arrangements, she sat down and waited for her guests to arrive.

400

Fix this sentence! We warned them of the icy road so they waited for the weather to warm up.

We warned them of the icy road, so they waited for the weather to warm up.

500

Fix that sentence! Jules, gave us his word, in an honest pledge of loyalty even though he didn't know us very well.

Jules gave us his word in an honest pledge of loyalty, even though he didn't know us very well.

Redundancy

100

What are the two Cs that the ACT is looking for in the English section?

Clarity and concision

200

What do we call the types of questions where three of the answers are wrong for the same reason?

3-1 splits

300

After the sale, the Red Sox endured one of the longest championship droughts, without winning a championship, in baseball history. A. NO CHANGE B. droughts, in which they were not winners, in C. droughts, by failing to win a championship, in D. droughts in

D. droughts in

400

It was there that he truly found his voice as a writer, waking before dawn each day to record his thoughtful introspections of life before his wife and four children would awake. A. NO CHANGE B. thoughts C. thoughtful ideas about life D. introspection of life's ideas

B. thoughts

500

As I grabbed my backpack from the rusty motorboat (which could have been form the 1970s), my feet sank into the warm mud of the island. A. NO CHANGE B. (which was likely built in the 1970s) C. (which had peeling paint and some leaks) D. OMIT the underlined portion

D. OMIT the underlined portion

Transitional Flow

100

What are the two main types of transitions we see on the ACT?

Forward and reverse

200

Name two reverse transition words.

But, however, although, yet, on the other hand, nevertheless, etc.

300

Name two forward transition words.

Thus, therefore, as a result, so, consequently, furthermore, etc.

400

When these chemicals reach our olfactory receptor cells, messages are sent to our brains which, along with the information from our taste buds, tell us how something tastes. Otherwise, when you have a cold and your nasal passages are congested, you may not be able to perceive taste as well as you normally would. F. NO CHANGE G. Consequently, H. Still, J. Meanwhile,

G. Consequently

500

Stafford won the National Book Award and also was Oregon's Poet Laureate for a time, but he is best known for his generosity to other writers. He passed away in 1993. His legacy, however, will live on through the many writers and readers he impacted. A. NO CHANGE B. in time, C. in addition, D. on the contrary,

A. NO CHANGE

Inserting/Deleting

100

What are the two questions you have to ask yourself when deciding to insert or delete a sentence?

Is it relevant and new to the passage? Is it relevant to the question?

200

The possibility of cleaning textiles without using water was discovered by Jean Baptiste Jolly in the middle of the nineteenth century. One day, after his maid spilled kerosene on his tablecloth, Jolly noticed that it was much cleaner. Although early dry cleaners used this type of flammable liquid originally, by the 1930s safer solvents were being used. The writer is considering adding the following sentence at this point in the essay: Especially important to note is the high cost of dry cleaning fabrics such as silk or alpaca. Should the writer make this addition? A. Yes, because the addition of such subtle detail helps clarify his argument. B. Yes, because the high cost of dry cleaning certain fabrics has been a significant factor since its discovery. C. No, because the comment on the cost of dry cleaning does not develop the main idea of the passage. D. No, because the cost of dry cleaning such fabrics as silk or alpaca is no more expensive than the cost of dry cleaning other fabrics.

C. No, because the comment on the cost of dry cleaning does not develop the main idea of the passage.

300

Not many people would argue with the statement that some things we eat taste better than other things. How exactly do we determine what tastes good or bad, though?* If the writer were to delete the preceding sentence, the paragraph would primarily lose: A. a transition designed to introduce the main topic of the essay B. a detailed definition of the terms "good" and "bad" C. a presentation of a scientific hypothesis D. a definitive statement of the author's argument

A. a transition designed to introduce the main topic of the essay

400

A young couple owned four "houses," including their own. I opted for one that the husband had recently cleaned. The writer would like to provide further evidence that the "houses" were fairly rustic. Given that all the choices are true, which one best accomplishes the writer's purpose? A. NO CHANGE B. that a friend had stayed at on a previous trip. C. with a toilet and shower (really just water pumped from the river) that cost about four dollars per night. D. with a view of the river to watch the gorgeous sunsets at the end of the day.

C. with a toilet and shower (really just water pumped from the river) that cost about four dollars per night.

500

Each day on the island, I spent my time there happily reading, eating, and walking. * I met lovely ladies who cooked traditional dishes, as well as an Australian baker who had fallen in love, gotten married, and never left, despite the fact that there was no electricity, Internet, or hot water. * Assuming all are true, which of the following sentences, if added here, would best support the idea that the narrator found the trip exciting and enjoyable? A. The bicycle was red with a white stripe and had a very wobbly wheel. B. Throughout my adventures, I saw rice fields, water buffalo, and beaches, and heard tales of river dolphins. C. The cost of boat travel between islands was high. D. Several of the island restaurants served fruit shakes.

B. Throughout my adventures, I saw rice fields, water buffalo, and beaches, and heard tales of river dolphins.

Sentence Construction

100

What does a sentence need to be complete?

A subject, verb, and complete thought.

200

What makes a dependent clause different from an independent clause?

A dependent clause doesn't have a complete thought.

300

Fix that sentence! Ate all of the jellybeans except for the popcorn-flavored ones.

I ate all of the jellybeans except for the popcorn-flavored ones.

400

Fix that sentence! The jury members deliberated for days they simply couldn't agree. A. NO CHANGE B. days, they simply couldn't agree. C. days they; simply couldn't agree. D. days, for they simply couldn't agree.

D. days, for they simply couldn't agree.

500

Fix that sentence! Covered in mold, Karen found a rotten tomato in her purse. A. NO CHANGE B. Covered in mold, Karen's purse held a rotten tomato. C. Karen, covered in mold, found a rotten tomato. D. In her purse, Karen found a rotten tomato covered in mold.

D. In her purse, Karen found a rotten tomato covered in mold.