ACT English : Word Usage Errors
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Example Question #471 : Word Usage Errors
Adapted from The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1774; trans. Boylan 1854)
Wilhelm, what is the world to our hearts without love. What is a magic-lantern without light? You have but too kindle the flame within, and the brightest figures shine on the white wall; and, were love only to show us fleeting shadows, we are yet happy, when, like mere children, we behold it, and are transported with the splendid phantoms. I have not been able to see Charlotte today. I was prevented by company from which I could not disengage myself. What was to be done? I sent my servant to her house, that I might at least see somebody today whom had been near her. Oh, the impatience with which I waited for his return! Oh, the joy with which I welcomed him. I should certainly have caught him in my arms and kissed him, if I had not been ashamed.
It is said that the Bonona stone, when placed in the sun, attracts its rays and for a time appears luminous in the dark. So was it with me and this servant. The idea that Charlotte's eyes had dwelt on his countenance, his cheek, his very apparel, endeared it all inestimably to me so that, at that moment, I would not have parted from him for a thousand crowns. His presence made me so happy! Beware of laughing at me, Wilhelm. Can that be a delusion which makes us happy?
Which of the following is the best form of the underlined verb "are"?
will be
NO CHANGE
were
would be
would be
Although the form is perhaps a bit confusing, the sentence expresses a conditional. You can read, "And, were love only to show us fleeting shadows, we are yet happy," as (duly corrected, also), "and, if love were only to show us fleeting shadows, we would be yet happy."
Example Question #3 : Verb Mood Errors
Adapted from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861)
As she applied herself to set the tea-things, Joe peeped down at me over his leg, as if he was mentally casting me and himself up and calculating what kind of pair we practically should make, under the grievous circumstances foreshadowed. After that, he sat feeling his right-side flaxen curls and whisker, and following Mrs. Joe about with his blue eyes, as his manner always was at squally times.
My sister had a trenchant way of cutting our bread and butter for us, that never varied. First, with her left hand she jammed the loaf hard and fast against her bib, where it sometimes got a pin into it and sometimes a needle, which we afterwards got into our mouths. Then, she took some butter (not too much) on a knife and spread it on the loaf, in an apothecary kind of way, as if she were making a plaster. She used both sides of the knife with a slapping dexterity and trimming and moulding the butter off round the crust. Then, she gave the knife a final smart wipe on the edge of the plaster and then sawed a very thick round off the loaf: which she finally, before separating from the loaf, hewed into two halves, of which Joe got one and I the other.
On the present occasion, though I was hungry, I dared not eat my slice. I felt that I must have something in reserve for my dreadful acquaintance, and his ally the still more dreadful young man. I knew, “Mrs. Joe's housekeeping to be of the strictest kind,” and that my larcenous researches might find nothing available in the safe. Therefore, I resolved to put my hunk of bread and butter down the leg of my trousers.
Which of the following is the best form of the underlined selection, "peeped down at me over his leg, as if he was mentally casting"?
peeped down at me, over his leg, as if he was mentally casting
peeped down at me over his leg, as if he were mentally casting
peeped down at me over his leg, as if one was mentally casting
NO CHANGE
peeped down at me over his leg, as if he were mentally casting
As written, the error in the sentence is the improper use of the indicative mood for the verb "was casting." In order to express a supposition such as "if he . . .," you need to use the subjunctive mood. This is more simply seen in sentences like: "If I were a scientist, I would work for the good of humanity." You do not say, "If I was a scientist. . ." As strange as this sounds, "were" is correct. We do not use the subjunctive much in English, but you might be familiar with it from a foreign language you are studying.
Example Question #472 : 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."
If I were a teacher, I would grade fairly.
can be
NO CHANGE
was
am ever
have been
NO CHANGE
This is the proper usage of the subjunctive mood. In this instance, the speaker is not (and has presumably never been) a teacher, but is instead thinking about the potential scenario. When working with hypotheticals, the subjunctive is the correct case.
Example Question #6 : Verb Mood Errors
The ship was having trouble again. Engineer James Ferguson couldn't figure out why the super-duper drive engine kept breaching. Every time he had fixed it, it seemed to go wrong again. He had a capable crew and he was friendly with all of them: but the aliens who had evolved from deer rather than from apes as humans had, had some problems when it came to fixing things. Their strong arms ended in tiny predicative hooves that sometimes makes it difficult for them to hold large objects. They were good at problem-solving though and he did like them a lot. The nearest one gave him a dough-eyed look of sympathy—appropriate, given her gender. He looked back at the breaching drive engine and sighed. "Once more into the breach, deer friends" he announced.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
couldn't have
can't have
can't
NO CHANGE
NO CHANGE
While the first phrase implies that the ship has trouble often, this phrase refers to a specific action in the past, and thus the contraction for "could not" is appropriate.
Example Question #473 : Word Usage Errors
Thomas placed his quill on the parchment, looking toward the mantel upon which, earlier that morning, he saw the painting of the old monastic saint, Benedict of Nursia. To his surprise, the mantel was empty, not having any items on it’s narrow flat surface. As the image had been a gift from his old schoolmaster; he was concerned at the absence of the item.
He asked himself “Where could it have went?” Then, he gathered together his work and decided to ask one of his officemates about the cherished image. Leaving the room, he entered the foyer and turning to the secretary asked about the whereabouts of the others’.
The secretary looked at Thomas’ imposing figure and answered, “A group of the professors departed earlier for a University meeting; however, I cant recall exactly when they departed.” Although Thomas was not known for being passionate, the young secretary could see that he was agitated than usual.
The older man did not wish to worry his younger coworker. Smiling slightly, he said, “Don’t worry, Reginald. I seem to have misplaced my image of Benedict, though I know not how.” He continued by telling the younger man the chronology of events. Suddenly, the detailed recounting jogged the latters’ memory. He forgot an obvious detail that he only now remembered.
Looking at Thomas in embarrassment, Reginald, said, “Earlier this afternoon, I came in to your working area take the painting. Bonaventure had come to visit and asked to borrow it. You were so engrossed by you’re work that I did not want to disturb you. He will be stopping by to see you and I later today, so we can ask him to return it.”
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Where should it have went
Where had it gone
Where did it go
NO CHANGE
Where could it have gone
Where could it have gone
Since Thomas is asking a question of himself in perplexity, the modal "could" is appropriate. Therefore, do not be tempted by the wrong answers that do not use this modal helping verb. However, as written, the sentence does not use the appropriate participle for "to go." Certain English verbs have different forms for the past tense and the perfect passive participle that is used for compound verbs. For instance, we say, "He ate the food," as well as, "He has eaten the food." This is likewise the case with "to go": "It has gone," and, "Where could it have gone?"
Example Question #474 : Word Usage Errors
Adapted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)
The ghost on hearing this set up another cry and clanked its chain so hideously in the dead silence of the night that the police has been justified in indicting it for a nuisance.
"Oh! captive, bound, and double-ironed," cried the phantom, "not to know that ages of incessant labor, by immortal creatures, for, this earth must pass into eternity before the good of which it is susceptible is all developed! Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness! Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused! Yet such was I. Oh, such was I."
"But you were always a good man of business, Jacob" faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.
"Business!" cried the Ghost wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive position of my business!"
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
NO CHANGE
would have been justified
had been justified
justified
was justified
would have been justified
By looking at the context of the sentence in the broader passage, you should see that nothing is said about police action. The sense that is expressed here is that the police would be justified in such an indictment (if they were there and so wished to charge the ghost with being a nuisance). The mood is not simply indicative (stating a matter of fact) but instead requires the modal verb "would."
Example Question #473 : Word Usage Errors
Adapted from "The Weakness, Unrest, and Defects of Man," from The Thoughts of Blaise Pascal (ed. 1901)
We care nothing for the present. We anticipate the future as too slow in coming, as if we could make it move faster; or we call back the past, to stop its rapid flight. So imprudent are we that we wander through the times in which we have no part, unthinking of that which alone is ours; so frivolous are we that we dream of the days which are not and pass by without reflection those which alone exist. For the days of the present generally gives us pain; we conceal it from our sight because it afflicts us, and if it be pleasant, we regret to see it vanish away. We endeavor to sustain the present by the future, and think of arranging things not in our power, for a time at which we have no certainty of arriving.
If we examine our thoughts, we shall find them always occupied with the past or the future. We scarcely think of the present, and if we do so, it is only that we may borrow light from it to direct the future. The present is never our end; the past and the present are our means, the future alone is our end. Thus we never live, but hope to live, and while we always lay ourselves out to be happy, it is inevitable that we can never be so.
Which of the following is the best form of the bolded selection, “if it be pleasant . . .”?
if it were pleasant, we regret to see it vanish away
if it is pleasant, we regretted to see it vanish away
if it is pleasant, we regret to see it vanish away
if it was pleasant, we will regret to see it vanish away
if it were pleasant, we regret to see it vanish away
As written, the sentence is maintaining the appropriate use of the subjunctive mood. This does not occur much in English, but in conditions like, "If I were" and similar forms, we do not use standard, indicative verbs like "is" and "was." None of the options provided contain the older grammatical form, "If it be." However, the option containing "If it were" does maintain an appropriate use of the subjunctive.
Example Question #475 : 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.
Victory is the ultimate goal of any general, but too precise a focus can clouds a leader's judgement.
can clouds a leader's judgements.
can cloud a leader's judgement.
can clouds a leader's judgement.
can cloud a leaders judgement.
can clouds leader's judgement.
can cloud a leader's judgement.
The phrase underlined in the sentence uses the modal verb "can," which conditions what might happen in the future. The verb form "clouds" is incorrect as the verb after "can" still needs to feature the singular form necessary with the subject "focus." "Can cloud a leader's judgement" is the best choice among the answer.
Example Question #476 : 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.
He said he wouldn’t have jumped into the murky lake if someone else hasn’t jumped before him.
if someone else was not to have jumped before him.
if someone else would not to have jumped before him.
if someone else were not to have jumped before him.
if someone else hadn’t jumped before him.
if someone else hasn’t jumped before him.
if someone else hadn’t jumped before him.
This sentence will try to trick you into using the subjunctive mood, but remember that the subjunctive is only used to describe hypothetical situations and dreams. Because the character actually did jump into the murky lake, the correct mood is simply the past indicative: “He said he wouldn’t have jumped into the murky lake if someone else hadn’t jumped before him.”
Example Question #1 : Correcting Verb Mood 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
The cheese was given to the child by the parent, who then complained that it was too smelly to eat.
The child gave by the parent the cheese
The cheese by the parent was given to the child
The cheese was given to the child by the parent
To the child the cheese was given by the parent
The parent gave the cheese to the child
The parent gave the cheese to the child
The correct answer choice ("The cheese was given to the child by the parent") uses the active voice instead of the passive voice and makes the most grammatical sense in the sentence. Sometimes the passive voice is necessary, but when it is not necessary, it should be avoided.
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