ACT English : Avoiding Ambiguity and Redundancy
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English
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Example Questions
Example Question #262 : Revising Content
Maybe your thinking of getting a dog; but you are not sure how it will affect your budget. Don’t worry! It’s possible to enjoy the companionship with a dog without spending too much of your precious dollars.
First, you will want to make a list of all the necessary items needed before you bring Fluffy home. Compare costs at different pet stores, grocery stores and big box stores. You will need to buy food, a leash, and purchase toys for your dog.
When it comes to the many dog food choices, you don’t want to just buy the cheaper option. You will want to do some research to see what is healthiest for your dog! One of the best ways to save money on dog food is to buy it in bulk.
Don’t forget to plan for some other big expenses, the vet consultation, wellness exam, and any treatments your dog needs. When you bring your pet to the vet, they may need shots, which can vary for price. Call different clinics in the area and ask how much they charge for the standard immunizations? You might find that there is a lot of differences between offices.
The key to sticking to your budget is planning everything out! With good preparation and organization, a dog will not cost you more money than you planned for.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded and underlined portion of the passage. If the bolded and underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
a list of all the necessary items
NO CHANGE
a list of all the necessary items you need
a necessary list of all the needed items
a list of all the required items needed
a list of all the necessary items
This question asks you to eliminate redundant words. The words "necessary" and "needed" convey the same meaning in this statement, so it is not necessary to include both. The phrase "all the necessary items" conveys the same meaning concisely.
Example Question #51 : Avoiding Ambiguity And Redundancy
That little dog is so cute--he is small, fluffy, and sweet. I enjoy adorable tiny animals of all kinds! Do you have any for sale?
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded and underlined portion of the passage. If the bolded and underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
That sweet dog is so cute--he is small, cute, and little.
That little dog is so cute--he is fluffy.
NO CHANGE
That sweet little dog is small, fluffy, and cute.
That little dog is so cute--he is fluffy and sweet.
That little dog is so cute--he is fluffy and sweet.
This question asks you to eliminate redundant words from a sentence. Since the words "little" and "small" have the exact same meaning, we do not need to use both in this sentence. However, removing any of the other adjectives is incorrect because to do so changes the sentence's meaning.
Example Question #52 : Avoiding Ambiguity And Redundancy
[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!
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded and underlined portion of the passage. If the bolded and underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
for trials only to last just one day
for trials to last only one day
for trials just to last only one day
NO CHANGE
for trials to last just only one day
for trials to last only one day
This question asks you to correct redundancy in a sentence. The words "just" and "only" have the same meaning in this context, so it is not necessary to use both. Removing the word "just" makes the sentence more concise while preserving its meaning.
Example Question #51 : Avoiding Ambiguity And Redundancy
Coupons
Are you trying to stick to a budget? Using coupons for [61] purchases, also known as “couponing” is a great way to save money on groceries. [62] Coupons are a little piece of paper that can give you a discount on what you buy. You will be amazed at the [63] great bargains and amazing savings you can get!
It’s easy to get started. [64] When you open up your daily newspaper, one might find a glossy insert full of coupons. [65] Some of the coupons will be for things you don’t buy, some will be for things you buy all the time. Go through the coupons and [66] chop out the ones you can use.
The key to successful couponing is getting multiple copies of coupon circulars. Ask [67] your friends, your neighbors, and family if they have any extras. Some coupon users even go through the recycling at their office to find more coupons! [68] Completely devoted, these circulars help coupon users to get even more savings.
Couponing might sound like hard work, but for [69] many people, it’s also a hobby. Not only does it help them save hundreds of dollars per year, [70] but instead it gives them a fun challenge every time they do their shopping.
Is there perhaps a greater value to a life lived without constant counting, penny-pinching, and miserliness? [71] But of what value are such savings? [72] At the end of the day; money is a construct, invented by the elite for the sole purpose of controlling the populace. [73] If we accept this fundamental truth, it behooves one to question the monetary structures that control our lives. Indeed, from this perspective, the very practice of couponing might seem a venial distraction from the valuable human endeavor of personal philosophical consideration. [74]
The papers we pore over should be in our books; the pennies we save should be in the currency of our happiness; [75] the budget we have made should have been a budget of our contentment.
A sort of couponing of the soul might ultimately be the solution.
Choose the answer that best corrects section [65].
When you open up your daily newspaper, one finds a glossy insert full of coupons.
When you open up your daily newspaper, you might find a glossy insert full of coupons.
NO CHANGE
Upon opening up your daily newspaper, one might find a glossy insert full of coupons.
When you open up your daily newspaper, you might find a glossy insert full of coupons.
This question asks you to correct ambiguity caused by a subject shift. The first part of the sentence uses the second-person subject, “you,” but the second part of the sentence switches to the third-person neutral subject, “one.” This reduces the clarity and consistency of the text. To correct this error, replace “one” with “you.”
Example Question #53 : Avoiding Ambiguity And Redundancy
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
William told his friend, Timothy, that he should go golfing with their boss when the chance arises.
Timothy
NO CHANGE
he or she
you
Timothy
If the sentence is left as it appears, the highlighted pronoun is ambiguous and could refer to either William or Timothy. Two of the options make the sentence nonsensical. When the pronoun is properly replaced, it may sound strange when spoken, but it does properly fix the presented error.
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