ACT English : Word Usage Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English

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Example Questions

Example Question #2104 : Correcting Grammatical Errors

Due to his condition, the professor keeping an extra pair of glasses by his podium.

Possible Answers:

 keeps an extra pair of glasses

 keeping the extra pair of glasses

by keeping an extra pair of glasses

 keeping an extra pair of glasses

 keeping extra pair of glasses

Correct answer:

 keeps an extra pair of glasses

Explanation:

The use of the participle form "keeping" is incorrect without a  version of the verb "to be," and needs to either be changed to a non-participle or have the version of "to be" added. This is the only issue with the sentence as it is written. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "keeps an extra pair of glasses."

Example Question #851 : Word Usage Errors

The protesters moving into position to have a confrontation with the police.

Possible Answers:

The protesters moves into position

The protesters moving into position

The protesters move into position

The protesters had moving into position

The protesters moving in towards position

Correct answer:

The protesters move into position

Explanation:

The use of the participle form "moving" makes the sentence have no actual verb, as any participle needs a form of the verb "to be" to function as the verb in a sentence. The form needs to to either have the active form "is" attached or be changed into the active form; therefore, "The protesters move into position" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #22 : Correcting Other Verb Errors

Under the terms of the treaty, the victorious nation keeping the territory it acquired during the war.

Possible Answers:

the victorious nation having keeping the territory

the victorious nation keep the territory

the victorious nation keeping the territory

the victorious nation kept the territory

the victorious nation keeping territory

Correct answer:

the victorious nation kept the territory

Explanation:

The use of the verb "keeping," a participle, is incorrect and confusing in the sentence, as a participle always needs to function with a version of the form to be. Either one of these forms needs to be added in or the form should be changed. The only answer choice that appropriately does this is "the victorious nation kept the territory."

Example Question #821 : Psat Writing Skills

How long a person could live in outer space is a question scientists still debating.

Possible Answers:

still debated.

debating.

debating still.

still debate.

still debating.

Correct answer:

still debate.

Explanation:

The underlined portion of the sentence needs to align with what it describes, the "scientists." To make it grammatically correct, the verb form of "debating" needs to be changed to a simple present form. "Still debate" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #21 : Other Verb Usage Errors

The nervous woman making mistakes every time she tried to make cupcakes.

Possible Answers:

making the mistakes

making, mistakes

makes mistakes

made mistakes

making mistakes

Correct answer:

made mistakes

Explanation:

The use of "making," a participle means the sentence has no verb, as a participle needs some form of "to be" to function as a full verb; therefore, a complete verb form needs to be used, and has to match the past tense usage of "tried." This makes the correct answer choice "made mistakes."

Example Question #65 : Correcting Other Verb Errors

For a long time, the man having issues with his wife that they could not resolve.

Possible Answers:

the man having had issues

the man has issues

the man had issues

the man have issues

the man having issues

Correct answer:

the man had issues

Explanation:

The use of the patriciple form "having" is incorrect in the sentence, as the participle cannot stand on its own as the verb of the sentence. The word needs to be changed, and must match the later use of the past tense construction "that they could not." The correct answer, therefore, is "the man had issues."

Example Question #31 : Other Verb Usage Errors

His father was usually ready telling a joke to lighten the mood.

Possible Answers:

telling a joke

telling a joking

telling jokes

to tell a joke

telling the joke

Correct answer:

to tell a joke

Explanation:

The use of "telling" in the sentence is strange and confusing, as the participle form appears to modify "ready." To appropriately explain what the father was "ready" for, an infinitive, which gives a sense of action; therefore, the correct answer choice is "to tell a joke."

Example Question #824 : Psat Writing Skills

Most men feel very uncomfortable reveal their feelings to loved ones.

Possible Answers:

reveal there feelings

revealed their feelings

revealing their feelings

reveal they're feelings

reveal their feelings

Correct answer:

revealing their feelings

Explanation:

The use of the present tense verb "reveal" is confusing in the sentence, as it essentially would act as a second verb in the sentence. The verb needs to be changed to a form that can function as a non-verb. The only answer choice that does this is "revealing their feelings," which uses the gerundive form.

Example Question #2111 : Correcting Grammatical Errors

Politicians having grown increasingly aware of the proper way to deal with the media in recent years.

Possible Answers:

Politicians growing increasingly aware

Politicians having grown increasing aware

Politicians having grown increased aware

Politicians having grown increasingly aware

Politicians have grown increasingly aware

Correct answer:

Politicians have grown increasingly aware

Explanation:

The use of "having grown" in the sentence actually makes the sentence not have a verb, because the use of that verb creates a verbal phrase.  The sentence needs the phrase "having grown" to be turned into an actual verb. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "Politicians have grown increasingly aware."

Example Question #391 : Correcting 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.

The new law was specifically targeted people making over one million dollars each year.

Possible Answers:

specifically targeted of people

specific targeting of people

specifically targeting people

specifically targeted people

specific targeted people

Correct answer:

specifically targeting people

Explanation:

Whlie one might say that something "was targeted," one cannot say that something "was targeted" something else and be grammatically correct. As only "targeted" is underlined, and not "was," it needs to be changed. Of all the answer choices, only "specifically targeting people" corrects the sentence's error without introducing new errors or extraneous words.

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