All ACT English Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #51 : Writing And Revising Effectively
How can the writer most effectively combine the following sentences?
Mississippi Blues has its roots in both folk and gospel music. Blues songs often address the concerns of working-class people.
NO CHANGE
Mississippi Blues songs, they have their roots in both folk and gospel music, and they often address the concerns of working class people.
Mississippi Blues songs having their roots in both folk and gospel music and often addressing the concerns of working class people.
Mississippi Blues has its roots in both folk and gospel music, its songs often address the concerns of working class people.
Mississippi Blues songs, which have their roots in both folk and gospel music, often address the concerns of working class people.
Mississippi Blues songs, which have their roots in both folk and gospel music, often address the concerns of working class people.
The correct answer correctly places the second sentence as a modifying phrase.
The second incorrect answer uses a main clause as a modifier, thus creating a run-on sentence.
The third incorrect answer is a fragment.
The fourth incorrect answer is a comma splice
Example Question #52 : Writing And Revising Effectively
What is the best way to combine the following sentences?
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor. His professor had not provided James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, the professor had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester projects.
NO CHANGE
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor which had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, who had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, failing to provide James's class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, who had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
The original sentences are choppy and somewhat redundant. Main clauses cannot be used as modifiers since they create run-on sentences. "Which" cannot be used to refer to people.
Example Question #61 : Writing And Revising Effectively
What is the best way to effectively combine the following sentences?
Highway construction legislation is often controversial. It is controversial due to high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
Highway construction legislation is often controversial due to high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
Highway construction legislation is often controversial; having high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
Highway construction legislation, it has high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions, and is often controversial.
Highway construction costs that are often controversial, with high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
NO CHANGE
Highway construction legislation is often controversial due to high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
The original sentences are choppy and redundant.
Placing a main clause into a modifying position creates a run on sentence.
A semi-colon requires two main clauses and may only be used to separate two independent clauses.
Example Question #62 : Writing And Revising Effectively
Choose the answer that best reorders the sentences in this passage.
(1) Baking a cake is an easy way to celebrate a birthday with your family. (2) It doesn't require much planning in advance, and it's not expensive. (3) When you are finished, you can all enjoy the results of your project by slicing and serving the cake. (4) Decorations like sprinkles and candles make the baking process more fun for children.
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 1.
NO CHANGE
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 3.
Move Sentence 1 after Sentence 4.
Move Sentence 2 before Sentence 1.
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 3.
This question asks you about the most effective way to order sentences in a paragraph. The best answer is to move Sentence 4 before Sentence 3. Sentence 1 introduces the topic of the sentence, so it should come first. Sentence 2 expands upon the topic introduced in Sentence 1. Sentence 4 adds further detail about the process of baking the cake. Sentence 3 begins with the phrase "When you are finished," indicating that it provides a conclusion for the paragraph as well as coming last chronologically. Therefore, Sentence 3 should end the paragraph.
Example Question #63 : Writing And Revising Effectively
Which choice most effectively combines the given sentences?
Accurate forecasting of the weather is a somewhat inexact science. Relying on many factors that are constantly changing and difficult to measure exactly.
NO CHANGE
Relying on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly is the inexact science that is forecasting the weather accurately.
Forecasting the weather accurately is a somewhat inexact science since it relies on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly
An inexact science is forecasting the weather accurately, relying on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly.
Forecasting the weather accurately is a somewhat inexact science, it relies on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly.
Forecasting the weather accurately is a somewhat inexact science since it relies on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly
The original answer choice has a fragment. The correct answer correctly links the main clause with a subordinate clause, signalled by "since." The other answer choices are wordy and awkward.
Example Question #91 : Act English
Josh suffered from a fear of dogs ever since he is a little boy. He would shiver in his boots thinking of a dog barking at him, biting him, or that could chase him. He had never met a single dog he liked. The scarier dog he had ever seen was Mr. Green’s dog, whom he had to pass every day. On his way to school. This dog barked so loudly it made Josh’s hairs stand on end.
[1] She said that there was no need to be afraid. [2] Josh’s mom told him that dogs only barked because they were excited to see him. [3] She told him that he just needed to be confident and not act afraid of this dogs’ barking, and speak in a reassuring tone. [4] Then the dog would quiet down and act more friendly.
Josh felt that neither confidence or a reassuring tone would make any difference. He didn’t think he would ever get over his fear. However, one day he had enough. Barking for hours, he realized the dog was bored and just needed a friend. He wasn’t sure if his mother’s advice would prove true? Hiding his fear, he approached the dog and spoke to it in a reassuring tone. To his surprise, the dog wagged it’s tail and quieted down right away.
Which of the following would best correct the sentence order in Paragraph 2? If the sentences are in the correct order as written, select "NO CHANGE."
Move Sentence 2 before Sentence 1
Move Sentence 3 before Sentence 1
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 1
NO CHANGE
Move Sentence 2 after Sentence 4
Move Sentence 2 before Sentence 1
This sentence asks you about the best order for sentences in a paragraph. Sentence 2 is the topic sentence of the paragraph; it also introduces the character of "Josh's mother," who is referenced as "she" in Sentence 1 and Sentence 3. Therefore, Sentence 2 should be the first sentence in the paragraph. Sentence 1 and Sentence 3 provide further evidence and should follow Sentence 2. Sentence 4 should come last because it provides a conclusion, summing up the result of the actions described in Sentence 3.
Example Question #64 : Writing And Revising Effectively
[1] Some people are excited, some people are just annoyed. [2] Being called to jury duty can inspire a range of different emotions. [3] Unsure how long the trial will take, a call to jury duty can be stressful for people who can’t afford to miss work or school.
Some people will be making attempts to get out of jury duty. However, most will still need to serve. Fortunately, many cases are settled before going to trial and is not uncommon for trials to just last only one day. Either way, once you have served on a jury, you won’t have to do it again for a while!
The author is considering moving Sentence 2. What is the most logical placement for this sentence?
Delete the sentence entirely
At the very end of the passage
Before Sentence 1
NO CHANGE
After Sentence 3
Before Sentence 1
This question asks you about the most logical order for sentences in a paragraph. The sentence "Being called to jury duty can inspire a range of different emotions" is the topic sentence of this paragraph, so it should come first. The information in Sentence 1 about different emotions ("excited" and "annoyed") references the idea introduced in Sentence 2, so Sentence 2 should come first.
Example Question #31 : Reorganizing Content
Josh and Mary, who have been married for several years, told us the story of the early years of their relationship. They first met on a cold day in December of 1993. They were very different--Josh was an artist and spent his days painting murals, and his nights bartending. Mary was on the fast track to a partnership at a law firm. At first, Josh was not sure he was interested. Mary felt it was love at first sight. Over time, as their relationship developed, Josh could not imagine his life without Mary anymore, so he suggested that they get married. They have been living happily in the country ever since.
The author is considering combining these sentences. What would be the best way to accomplish this?
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, and Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, if Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, considering that Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, but Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, but Mary felt it was love at first sight.
This sentence asks you to combine two sentences to improve the flow of a paragraph. These two statements present a contrast: Josh's uncertainty contrasts Mary's certainty. A conjunction that conveys a contrast, "but," along with a comma, is therefore the best choice to combine these statements.
Example Question #1 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Paragraphs
Adapted from The Autobiography of John Adams (ed. 1856)
Here I will interrupt the narration for a moment to observe that, from all I have read of the history of Greece and Rome, England and France, and all I have observed at home and abroad, articulate eloquence in public assemblies is not the surest road to fame or preferment, at least, unless it be used with caution, very rarely, and with great reserve. The examples of Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson is enough to show that silence and reserve in public is more efficacious than argumentation or oratory. A public speaker who inserts himself, or is urged by others, into the conduct of affairs, by daily exertions to justify his measures, and answer the objections of opponents, makes himself too familiar with the public and unavoidably makes himself enemies. Few persons can bear to be outdone in reasoning or declamation or wit or sarcasm or repartee or satire, and all these things that are very apt to grow out of public debate. In this way, in a course of years, a nation becomes full of a man’s enemies, or at least, of such as have been galled in some controversy and take a secret pleasure in assisting to humble and mortify him. So much for this digression. We will now return to our memoirs.
If you wanted to split this paragraph into two separate paragraphs, what would be the best first sentence of the second paragraph?
In this way, . . .
The examples of Washington, Franklin . . .
A public speaker who inserts himself . . .
Few persons can bear . . .
A public speaker who inserts himself . . .
While the two paragraphs would be relatively short, this could be acceptable for an autobiography, particularly given the length of Mr. Adams' sentences. At the sentence beginning, "A public speaker who inserts," he begins to explain specifically why it is not advisable to be extremely public and argumentative. The first two lengthy sentences merely assert the fact that "articulate eloquence is not the surest road to fame or preferment."
Example Question #1 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Paragraphs
Adapted from “The Fisherman and His Wife" in German Fairy Tales and Popular Stories by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (trans. Taylor, ed. 1864)
The next morning, when Dame Ilsabill had awoke, it was broad daylight, and she jogged her husband, the fisherman, with her elbow, and said, "Get up husband and bestir yourself, for we must be king of all the land."
"Wife, wife," said the man, “why should we wish to be king? I will not be king."
"Then I will," said she.
"But, wife," said the fisherman, "how can you be king? The fish cannot make you a king."
“Husband," said she, "say no more about it; instead, go and try! I will be king." So the man went away quite sorrowful to think that his wife should want to be king. This time, the sea looked a dark gray color, and was overspread with curling waves and ridges of foam as he cried out, “O man of the sea! Hearken to me! My wife Ilsabill will have her own will, and hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!"
"Well, what would she have now," said the fish?
"Alas!" said the poor man, 'my wife wants to be king."
"Go home," said the fish, “for she is king already."
Then, the fisherman had went home. As he came close to the palace he saw a troop of soldiers, and heard the sound of drums and trumpets. When he went in, he saw his wife sitting on a high throne of gold and diamonds, with a golden crown upon her head. On each side of she stood six fair maidens, each a head taller than the other.
After which sentence would you start a new paragraph in the underlined paragraph?
"Husband," said she, "say no more about it; instead, go and try! I will be king."
It would be best not to split this paragraph into two paragraphs.
So the man went away quite sorrowful to think that his wife should want to be king.
"Husband," said she, "say no more about it; instead, go and try! I will be king."
There are two thoughts here. The first is the wife's remark to her husband. The second is his action of going away and speaking to the sea. The latter thought begins immediately after the wife's words. Therefore, you should start the new paragraph there.