ACT English and Sentence Structure
Characteristics of Correct Answers
It is much easier to get to the correct answer using common sense than it is to use rules
The answer choice must contain: (depending on what is asked)
Complete sentences
Consistency
Clear meaning
Concision
Types of Questions
Usage of Mechanics
Rhetorical Skills
Steps to Get to the Correct Answers
Figure out what the question is asking you to do
Use the process of elimination to take out incorrect answers
Be sure to contextually analyze to understand what the passage is trying to say (do not skip the text that isn’t underlined)
Check the answer choice again
If you can’t find a problem in the original answer, don’t change the original answer
Grammar Concepts on the Test
Verbs
Subject Verb Agreement
Singular verbs end in “s” (plural verbs don’t end in “s”)
A singular subject will correspond with a singular verb
A plural subject will correspond with a plural verb
Tense
The tense of the verb will depend on the time the sentence takes place
Simple Tense
Past
Present
Future
Perfect Tense (doesn’t appear often on the test)
In reference to has and have
Irregular Verbs (heavily tested)
Past participle of the irregular verb
Pronouns
Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns take the place of nouns in a sentence
A single subject will correspond to a single pronoun
A plural subject will correspond to a plural pronoun
Modifying Words
Adjectives describe nouns in a sentence
Adverbs work to describe everything else in a sentence
The suffix -er works as a comparison in a sentence (use depends on context)
The suffix -est works as a superlative in a sentence (use depends on context)
Complete and Incomplete Sentence Structure
Compete sentences have a complete idea and can stand on their own
They contain a subject and a verb
Incomplete sentences ate incomplete ideas and cannot stand on their own
Types of Incompete Sentences
Does not contain a subject and/or verb
Does not contain a main idea
Does not complete the idea
Stop Punctuation
Stop punctuation is used to separate two ideas that can stand alone
Types of Stop Punctuation
Periods (.)
Semicolon (;)
Question Mark (?)
Exclamation Point (!)
Comma + FANBOYS (,and)
Keep the context in mind before making a decision about the correct answer
Go Punctuation
Used to link anything but two fully completed ideas that are able to stand alone
Commas
Works to slow down an idea
When is it used?
To link who ideas with a FANBOYS in between
To link an incomplete idea with a complete one
To separate items in a list
To separate unneeded info from the rest of the sentence (the sentence will still make sense without the phrase in between the commas)
Half Stop
Colons (:)
Single dashes (-)
Used to connect a complete idea with a definition, explanation, or list
Conjunctions
Words that connect ideas (these words will cause an idea to become incomplete)
Although
Because
That
Until
etc…
These words will not always be necessary
ACT English and Sentence Structure
Characteristics of Correct Answers
It is much easier to get to the correct answer using common sense than it is to use rules
The answer choice must contain: (depending on what is asked)
Complete sentences
Consistency
Clear meaning
Concision
Types of Questions
Usage of Mechanics
Rhetorical Skills
Steps to Get to the Correct Answers
Figure out what the question is asking you to do
Use the process of elimination to take out incorrect answers
Be sure to contextually analyze to understand what the passage is trying to say (do not skip the text that isn’t underlined)
Check the answer choice again
If you can’t find a problem in the original answer, don’t change the original answer
Grammar Concepts on the Test
Verbs
Subject Verb Agreement
Singular verbs end in “s” (plural verbs don’t end in “s”)
A singular subject will correspond with a singular verb
A plural subject will correspond with a plural verb
Tense
The tense of the verb will depend on the time the sentence takes place
Simple Tense
Past
Present
Future
Perfect Tense (doesn’t appear often on the test)
In reference to has and have
Irregular Verbs (heavily tested)
Past participle of the irregular verb
Pronouns
Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns take the place of nouns in a sentence
A single subject will correspond to a single pronoun
A plural subject will correspond to a plural pronoun
Modifying Words
Adjectives describe nouns in a sentence
Adverbs work to describe everything else in a sentence
The suffix -er works as a comparison in a sentence (use depends on context)
The suffix -est works as a superlative in a sentence (use depends on context)
Complete and Incomplete Sentence Structure
Compete sentences have a complete idea and can stand on their own
They contain a subject and a verb
Incomplete sentences ate incomplete ideas and cannot stand on their own
Types of Incompete Sentences
Does not contain a subject and/or verb
Does not contain a main idea
Does not complete the idea
Stop Punctuation
Stop punctuation is used to separate two ideas that can stand alone
Types of Stop Punctuation
Periods (.)
Semicolon (;)
Question Mark (?)
Exclamation Point (!)
Comma + FANBOYS (,and)
Keep the context in mind before making a decision about the correct answer
Go Punctuation
Used to link anything but two fully completed ideas that are able to stand alone
Commas
Works to slow down an idea
When is it used?
To link who ideas with a FANBOYS in between
To link an incomplete idea with a complete one
To separate items in a list
To separate unneeded info from the rest of the sentence (the sentence will still make sense without the phrase in between the commas)
Half Stop
Colons (:)
Single dashes (-)
Used to connect a complete idea with a definition, explanation, or list
Conjunctions
Words that connect ideas (these words will cause an idea to become incomplete)
Although
Because
That
Until
etc…
These words will not always be necessary