ACT English : Word Usage Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English
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Example Questions
Example Question #191 : Word Usage Errors
Adapted from Sozein ta Phainomena: An Essay Concerning Physical Theory from Plato to Galileo by Pierre Duhem (translated by Matthew Minerd)
What are physical theories’ value? What relation does it have with metaphysical explication? These are questions that are greatly stirred and raised in our days. However, as with other questions, they are in no manner completely new. It is a question that has been posed in all ages. As long as there has been a science of nature, they have been posed. Granted, the form that they assume changes somewhat from one age to another, for they borrow their various appearance from the scientific vocabularies of their times. Nevertheless, one need only dismiss this outer vestment in order to recognize that they remain essentially identical to each other.
The science of nature offers us up until the 17th century at least, very few parties that managed to create theories expressed in a mathematical language. . . . If we leave aside several exceptions, an historical investigation places before our eyes strong evidence of a type science that would indeed be a prediction of modern mathematical physics. This science is astronomy. That is, where we would say, “Physical theory,” the Greek, Muslim, Medieval, and early Renaissance sages would say, “Astronomy.” However, for these earlier thinkers, the other parts of the study of nature did not attain a similar degree of perfection. That is, they did not express the laws of experience in a mathematical manner similar to that found in astronomy. In addition, during this time, the study of the material realities generally were not separated from what we would call today, “metaphysics.”
Thus, you can see why the question that concerns us takes two related, though different forms. Today, we ask, “What are the relations between metaphysics and physical theory?” However, in past days; indeed, for nearly two thousand years; it was formulated instead as, “What are the relations between physics and astronomy?”
What is the best form of the underlined selection, “It is a question that has been”?
It is a question that is
They are questions that have been
They are a question that have been
It is a question that has been
They are questions that have been
In order to find the correct answer, two things must be noted. Looking at the previous two sentences, the referent for the pronoun is "questions." It must be plural—"they," not "it." Likewise, note that the option "They are a question that have been" does not have agreement between "they" and "a question." The first is plural, while the second is singular.
Example Question #4 : Pronoun Antecedent Number Errors
Why Text Messaging Is a Good Thing by Chelci Spiegel
Because text messaging does not require voice it is far less obtrusive in public places. When I was standing in line at the grocery store one of the ladies were using their phone while waiting for their turn. I heard her entire life story her boy troubles, her work troubles her friend troubles and her money troubles. It was very distracting. With texting people can vent all their frustrations to someone privately. If I am trying to set a date for a barbeque, I can text my neighbor to work out details rather than let the entire she store know my weekend plans. Texting is a way to conduct private business in public places.
What would make the underlined portion grammatically correct?
NO CHANGE
people can vent all they're frustration
people can vent all there frustration
a person can vent all your frustration
a person can vent all their frustration
NO CHANGE
"Their" is the possessive pronoun: "frustrations" belongs to "people," making it possessive. "They're" means "they are," and "there" means a place.
Example Question #5 : Pronoun Antecedent Number Errors
Why Text Messaging Is a Good Thing by Chelci Spiegel
Because text messaging does not require voice it is far less obtrusive in public places. When I was standing in line at the grocery store one of the ladies was using their phone while waiting for their turn. I heard her entire life story her boy troubles, her work troubles her friend troubles and her money troubles. It was very distracting. With texting a person can vent all their frustration to someone privately. If I am trying to set a date for a barbeque, I can text my neighbor to work out details rather than let the entire she store know my weekend plans. Texting is a way to conduct private business in public places.
What would make the underlined portion grammatically correct?
NO CHANGE
at the grocery store, one of the ladies was using they're phones while waiting for there turns
at the grocery store, one of the ladies was using their phones while waiting for her turn
at the grocery store, one of the ladies was using their phones while waiting for their turns
at the grocery store, one of the ladies was using her phone while waiting for her turn
at the grocery store, one of the ladies was using her phone while waiting for her turn
In the phrase, "at the grocery store one of the ladies was using their phone while waiting for their turn," the subject—or main noun—is "one," and that "one" happens to be a lady; therefore, when we use a pronoun to refer to this subject, we must use "her" instead of "their."
Example Question #191 : Word Usage Errors
Adapted from The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James (1902)
In the matter of religions, it is particularly easy distinguishing the too orders of question. Every religious phenomenon has its history and its derivation from natural antecedents. What is nowadays called the higher criticism of the Bible are only a study of the Bible from this existential point of view, neglected to much by the earlier church. Under just what biographic conditions did the sacred writers bring forth their various contributions to the holy volume? What had they exactly in their several individual minds, when they delivered their utterances? These are manifestly questions of historical fact, and one does not see how the answer to it can decide offhand the still further question: of what use should such a volume, with its manner of coming into existence so defined, be to us as a guide to life and a revelation? To answer this other question we must have already in our mind some sort of a general theory as to what the peculiarities in a thing should be which give it value for purposes of revelation; and this theory itself would be what I just called a spiritual judgment. Combining it with our existential judgment, we might indeed deduce another spiritual judgment as to the Bibles’ worth. Thus, if our theory of revelation-value were to affirm that any book, to possess it, must have been composed automatically or not by the free caprice of the writer, or that it must exhibit no scientific and historic errors and express no local or personal passions, the Bible would probably fare ill at our hands. But if, on the other hand, our theory should allow that a book may well be a revelation in spite of errors and passions and deliberate human composition, if only it be a true record of the inner experiences of great-souled persons wrestling with the crises of his fate, than the verdict would be much favorable. You see that the existential facts by itself are insufficient for determining the value; and the best adepts of the higher criticism accordingly never confound the existential with the spiritual problem. With the same conclusions of fact before them, some take one view, and some another, of the Bible's value as a revelation, according as their spiritual judgment as to the foundation of values differ.
What is the best form of the underlined selection, "by itself are insufficient"?
by itself is insufficient
by themselves is insufficient
NO CHANGE
by themselves are insufficient
by themselves are insufficient
There are two facts to consider here. First, the reflexive pronoun "itself" is singular while referring to the plural subject "facts." Therefore, it must be changed to "themselves." Now, you must be careful regarding the verb. To see the proper form of the verb, simplify the subordinate clause in which our phrase is found: "The . . . facts . . . are . . ." The subject is plural, meaning that you need the plural form "are," not "is."
Example Question #192 : Word Usage Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Bob and Joe were so hungry that a whole pizza might not have satisfied his hunger.
NO CHANGE
there
its
their
he's
their
The pronoun has to match the subject. Since the subject is compound ("Bob and Joe"), the pronoun must be plural.
Example Question #172 : Agreement Errors
"Lincoln as a Child" by Caleb Zimmerman (2013)
Abraham Lincoln's forefathers were pioneers. People that left their homes to open up the wilderness and make the way clear for others to follow them. For one hundred and seventy years, ever since the first Lincoln came from England to Massachusetts in 1638, he had been moving slowly westward as new settlements were made in the forest. They faced solitude, privation, and all the dangers and hardships that beset those who take up their homes where only beasts and wild men have had homes before; but they continued to press steadily forward, though they lost fortune and sometimes even life itself in their westward progress.
Back in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, some of the Lincolns had been people of wealth and influence. In Kentucky, where the future President was born on February 12, 1809, his parents live in deep poverty. Their home was a small log cabin of the rudest kind, and nothing seemed more unlikely than that their child, coming into the world in such humble surroundings, was destined to be the greatest man of his time and true to his heritage, he also was to be a pioneer—not into new woods and unexplored fields like his ancestors, but a pioneer of a nobler and grander sort, directing the thoughts of people ever toward the right, and leading the American people, through difficulties and dangers and a mighty war, to peace and freedom.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
they
it
NO CHANGE
Frederick Douglas
they
“Abraham Lincoln’s Forefathers” are the subject of the first paragraph, as evidenced by the plural subjects in sentences 1 and 3.
"NO CHANGE" is incorrect because the subject is plural – “forefathers” – not singular.
"It" is incorrect because the subject is personal, while “it” is an impersonal pronoun.
"Frederick Douglas" is incorrect because Frederic Douglas is not mentioned in the passage.
Example Question #193 : Word Usage Errors
Adapted from “Puritanism as a Literary Force” in A Book of Prefaces by H.L. Mencken (1917)
Naturally enough, this moral obsession has given a strong color to American literature. It is true that American literature is set off sharply from all other literatures. In none other will you find so wholesale and ecstatic a sacrifice of ideas, of all the fine gusto of passion and beauty, to notions of what is proper and nice. From the books of grisly sermons that were the first American contribution to letters down to that amazing literature of "inspiration" which now exists, one observes no relaxation of the moral pressure.
In the history of every other literature there have been periods of what might be called moral innocence. In such periods a naive “joie de vivre” (joy of living) has broken through all concepts of duty and responsibility, and the wonder and glory of the universe has been hymned with unashamed zest. The age of Shakespeare comes to mind at once. The violence of the Puritan reactions offers a measure of the pendulums’ wild swing. But in America no such general rising of the blood has ever been seen.
The literature of the nation, even the literature of the minority, has been under harsh and uneducated Puritan restraints from the beginning, and despite a few stealthy efforts at revolt, it shows not the slightest sign of emancipating itself today. The American, try as he will, can never imagine any work of the imagination as wholly without moral content. It must either tend toward the promotion of virtue or, otherwise, be questionable.
Which is the best form of the bolded expression, “The American, try as he will, can never imagine”?
NO CHANGE
The American, try as he will, can never imagines
The American, try as they will, can never imagine
The Americans, try as he will, can never imagine
NO CHANGE
Two observations will help to answer this question. First, remove the subordinate clause "try as he will." This gives you: "The American can never imagine." You can immediately eliminate one option:
"The American can never imagines..." (The helper verb "can" will take a verb form with no ending—not having the "s" on the end of "imagines.")
For the remainder, notice the pronoun agreement in the subordinate clause. You have:
American—he
American—they
Americans—he
The only option that is correct is the one that matches the two singular forms: American—he. So, the sentence is correct as it is written.
Example Question #194 : Word Usage Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
In addition to helping the environment, renewable resources—such as solar power and hydroelectricity—may also provide an economic benefit, as it may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
as it may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
as it reduces our dependence on foreign oil.
as they depend on the reduction of foreign oil.
as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
this being the reduction in our dependence on foreign oil.
as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
The pronoun "it" should be plural because its antecedent is the plural subject "resources." Only two choices correcty change "it" to "they," but one of them, "as they depend on the reduction of foreign oil," confuses cause and effect. The resources are not dependent on the reduction of foreign oil. The correct answer is "as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil."
Example Question #13 : Pronoun Antecedent Number Errors
Most men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Many men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find it to be an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Most of the men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find them an enjoyable diversion.
Most men who go to sporting events find them an enjoyable diversion.
The sentence as written contains one small error. "It," a singular pronoun, is used to refer to the plural "sporting events." In order to fix this issue, the pronoun needs to be made plural, which is done in "Most men who go to sporting events find them an enjoyable diversion."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
While it can seem like a daunting task to train for a marathon, anyone who has completed the challenge knows that preparing a plan that they stick to is the key to success.
Identify the answer choice that best improves the underlined portion of the sentence.
preparing a plan and sticking to it
sticking to a plan
preparing, and having that be a plan that they stick to
preparing a plan that he sticks to
preparing a plan that they stick to
preparing a plan and sticking to it
In this sentence, the subject is "anyone," a singular pronoun. Therefore, all pronouns relating back to "anyone" should be singular. In the underlined portion of the sentence, "preparing a plan that they stick to," "they" is plural, not singular. Now that we have identified the problem, we have to figure out how to correct it.
Given that "anyone" is gender neutral, the best way to improve this sentence is avoid the use of a gendered pronoun (meaning "he" or "she") and simply avoid using a pronoun at all. The correct answer, "preparing a plan and sticking to it," accomplishes this objective and is therefore the best way to improve the sentence.
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