ACT English : Phrase, Clause, and Sentence Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English

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Example Questions

Example Question #121 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."

I've always been an introvert. I like staying at home and reading more than to go to a party or to visit a bar.

Possible Answers:

going to a party or visiting a bar.

to party or to visit a bar.

NO CHANGE

a party or a bar.

Correct answer:

going to a party or visiting a bar.

Explanation:

In this sentence, we have to make sure that the structure of the underlined part matches the structure of the previous part of the sentence. Here, “staying at home and reading” is being compared to “to go to a party or to visit a bar”. To create parallel structure, we should change “to go to a party or to visit a bar” to “going to a party or visiting a bar” so that it matches the -ing form of the verbs in the first part of the sentence.

Example Question #122 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

In my class on the sociology of science, we learned about how science is socially constructed and science is both similar to and different from other disciplines.

Possible Answers:

science both resembles and differs from other disciplines.

science, in both its similarities to and differences from other disciplines.

how science is both similar to and different from other disciplines.

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

how science is both similar to and different from other disciplines.

Explanation:

According to this sentence, the narrator learned about two things in his class: “how science is socially constructed” and “science is both similar to and different from other disciplines.” To create parallel structure in this sentence, we have to change the structure of the second phrase so that it matches the structure of the first phrase. Since the first phrase starts with a “how”, we should also add a “how” in front of the second: “how science is both similar to and different from other disciplines.”

Example Question #123 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

This Saturday, after lunch, Tom will play basketball, practice the piano, and his friends will watch a movie with him.

Possible Answers:

watch a movie with his friends.

Tom will watch a movie with his friends.

see his friends, watching a movie together.

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

watch a movie with his friends.

Explanation:

The underlined part of this sentence sounds awkward because its structure does not match the structure of the two previous phrases in the list of what Tom will do. According to the sentence, Tom will “play basketball” and “practice piano”. The third item in the list of what Tom will do should also be an active verb phrase. So, “watch a movie with his friends” is the best answer.

Example Question #124 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

Clara, my new dog, gets anxious when she's left alone. One day, I came home from work to find that she had not only upended the flowerpots but the couch cushions were chewed up, too.

Possible Answers:

the couch cushions had been chewed up, too.

also chewed up the couch cushions.

the couch cushions were chewed.

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

also chewed up the couch cushions.

Explanation:

This sentence uses the format of “not only X, but also Y”. According to the narrator, Clara had done two things: “upended the flowerpots” and “chewed up” the couch cushions. We should change the underlined part of the sentence into the active voice, so that it matches the structure of the previous phrase, “upended the flowerpots”. The best and most concise way to create parallel structure would be to say that Clara “had not only upended the flowerpots but also chewed up the couch cushions.”

Example Question #125 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

After having talked to my teacher, gone to the library, and when I had looked on the Internet, I still had no idea of how to find more information about my topic.

Possible Answers:

since I looked on the Internet

looked on the Internet

looking on the Internet

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

looked on the Internet

Explanation:

In this sentence, we have a list of three things. The narrator says that she had “talked to [her] teacher” and “gone to the library”. The third item in the list, “when I had looked on the Internet”, doesn't match the structure of the first two items. We should shorten the underlined part of the sentence by changing it to a phrase that begins with the past participle of a verb, so that it matches the structure of the first two phrases in the list. Simply writing “looked on the Internet” is the best answer.

Example Question #126 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

My mom is going to San Francisco for a few days on a business trip; she hasn't decided yet whether she should rent a car there or a taxi.

Possible Answers:

a taxi would be better.

whether she should take a taxi there.

NO CHANGE

take a taxi.

Correct answer:

take a taxi.

Explanation:

To correct this sentence, we have to think about how to create parallel structure and about what the speaker wants to express. In the way the sentence is currently written, it sounds like the narrator's mother doesn't know whether she will “rent a car” or rent a taxi – the word “rent” being implied in the second phrase. However, we actually say “rent a car” and “take a taxi”. The best way to rewrite the sentence is, “She hasn't decided whether she should rent a car there or take a taxi. The other choices either do not create parallel structure or contain redundant elements.

Example Question #127 : Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

The vast amount of recyclable material that ends up in landfills illustrates two basic ideas: that people don't care enough about recycling, and our current social and political attitude toward the environment needs to be changed.

Possible Answers:

that our current social and political attitude toward the environment needs to be changed.

NO CHANGE

change is needed in our current social and political attitude toward the environment.

changing our current social and political attitude toward the environment is necessary.

Correct answer:

that our current social and political attitude toward the environment needs to be changed.

Explanation:

According to this sentence, the amount of material that ends up in landfills illustrates two ideas: “that people don't care enough about recycling” and “our current social and political attitude toward the environment needs to be changed.” The second phrase sounds awkward, because it doesn't match the structure of the first phrase. We should add a “that” to the beginning of the second phrase to make it echo the structure of the first phrase. So, “that our current social and political attitude toward the environment needs to be changed” is the best answer.

Example Question #127 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”

This painting is a masterpiece. It shows the artist's great technical skill, his attentive observation of detail, and his remarkable sensitivity to human emotions.

Possible Answers:

NO CHANGE

that the artist attentively observed detail

details attentively observed by the artist

observed details

Correct answer:

NO CHANGE

Explanation:

This sentence is correct as it is. The sentence includes a list with three items: the artist's “great technical skill”, his “attentive observation”, and his “remarkable sensitivity”. Each of these items has the same kind of structure: they are all noun phrases that each begin with modifying adjectives. The list already shows good parallel structure, so nothing needs to be changed in the underlined part.

Example Question #128 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."

Tammy spent the day speaking with friends, riding her bike, and went for a walk as the sun set in the sky.

Possible Answers:

Tammy spent the day speaking with friends, riding her bike, and going for a walk as the sun set in the sky.

Tammy spent the day speaking with friends, rides her bike, and went for a walk as the sun set in the sky.

Tammy spent the day speaking with friends, rode her bike, and went for a walk as the sun set in the sky.

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

Tammy spent the day speaking with friends, riding her bike, and going for a walk as the sun set in the sky.

Explanation:

When listing a set of actions, parallel structure must be used.  This means that the verbs mush be in the same tense.  In the sentence above, there are two verbs (speaking and riding) in the same tense, but went is in the past tense.  Went must be changed to going in order for parallel structure to be achieved.

Example Question #129 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors

Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."

Alyce is admired for her athleticism, intelligence, and being a kind person.

Possible Answers:

and kindness.

and having kindness.

and being kind.

and is a kind person.

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

and kindness.

Explanation:

This is a parallel structure error. There are three items in a list (athleticism, intelligence, and the underlined portion). The first two are listed as nouns that describe Alyce's positive traits. The last one, as written, introduces a verb tense. We want the underlined portion to be in the same form as the first two words, so we need a simple descriptive noun (kindness).

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