ACT English : Correcting Grammatical Errors
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Example Question #641 : Word Usage Errors
Known as Prohibition the political fight in the United States to ban the sale, consumption, and possession of alcohol took a long time. The official ratification of the 18th Amendment, which banned alcohol, took place in January of 1919, after Nebraska became the 36th state to have its legislature ratify the amendment. The Amendment had first been passed of the United States Senate in 1917, and needed vigorous political action taken by its supporters just to get the necessary 36 states to ratify it. Its official enactment on January 1, 1920 was met with equal amounts of relief and joy by it’s proponents.
Most of them had been fighting to ban alcohol for decades. The American Temperance Society was founding in 1826. Frances Willard had been running the Women’s Christian Temperance Union for decades by the time a national debate was taking place on Prohibition. Carrie Nation had banded together women in the Midwest since the turn of the century to destroy bars and saloons with her trademark hatchet. The Anti-Saloon league organized thousands of everyday Americans to vote against any politician that did not support Prohibition. A burgeoning movement had grown into a legitimate groundswell, by the late 1910s.
After the ratification of the 18th Amendment, few of these supporters thought that it would be the abject failure it turned out to be. Most Americans did not want the absolute ban of all sale, consumption, and possession of alcohol. The most enterprising Americans found many illicit ways to profit from alcohol’s new illegal status. Americans looking for alcohol were seldom out of options, as every corner had either a speakeasy or a bootlegger selling imported or homemade liquor. Criminal organizations grew in strength thanks to profits from illegal booze, and federal agents were hopelessly outmanned of mobsters and thugs. On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution repealed the 18th Amendment, eliminating the Prohibition of alcohol and turning back the work of all of the Prohibition activists.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
The Anti-Saloon league organizing
The Anti-Saloon league organizes
NO CHANGE
The Anti-Saloon League organized
The Anti-Saloon League organized
"The Anti-Saloon league" is a proper noun as the name of an organization, and every element of a proper noun must be capitalized. In the bolded portion, the word "league" needs to be capitalized. The only answer choice that uses proper capitalization is "The Anti-Saloon League organized," so it is the correct answer.
Example Question #1431 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
As a child the only thing I wanted to be was a race car driver. My mothers family all lived in central Indiana, and I went to the Indianapolis 500 every year growing up. Between the colors on the cars the speed of the race and the enthusiasm of the crowd, nothing in the world seemed more exciting to a child. I would lay awake at night thinking about getting behind the wheel of my own race car. My bedroom walls were adorned with posters of the all great racers from all over the world.
When I was a teenager, I had the opportunity to race go karts on small tracks against other kids my age. Very quickly I realized I am the terrible driver. Any bumping with another driver was too much for me to handle, and I could not take the turns quick enough to keep pace with the best drivers. None of this diminished my love of racing, however, because just being at the track was such a thrill. The noise, the speed, and rushing were all more exciting from the pits than from the grandstand. If I could never be in the driver’s seat, then I would place myself behind the scenes.
With this new focus, I began studying mechanical engineering and automotive design. I might not have been able to drive a race car; but now I could design a car, build a car, and engineer it to win a race. The drivers still get all the credit for the championships, but everyone knows they would never win without the people like myself.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
I would lying awake at night
I would lie awake at night
I would laying awake at night
NO CHANGE
I would lie awake at night
"Lay" means set something down, as in, "I usually lay the mail on the front table." "Lie," on the other hand, can mean fib, but it can also mean lie down. So, in this case, since nothing is being set down anywhere, "lie" is the appropriate choice, and the underlined section should read, "I would lie awake at night."
Example Question #1432 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Adapted from “The Fear of the Past” in What’s Wrong with the World by G.K. Chesterton (1910)
The last few decades have marked by a special cultivation of the romance of the future. We seem to have made up our minds to misunderstand what has happened; and we turn, with a sort of relief, to stating what will happen—which is (apparently) more easy. The modern man no longer presents the memoirs of his great grandfather; but is engaged in writing a detailed and authoritative biography of his great-grandson. Instead of trembling before the specters of the dead, we shudder abject under the shadow of the babe unborn. This spirit is apparent everywhere, even to the creation of a form of futurist romance. Sir Walter Scott stands at the dawn of the nineteenth century for the novel of the past; Mr. H. G. Wells stands at the beginning of the twentieth century for the novel of the future. The old story, we know, was supposed to begin: "Late on a winter's evening two horsemen might have been seen . . ." The new story has to begin: "Late on a winter's evening two aviators will be seen . . ." The movement is not without its elements of charm; theres something spirited, if eccentric, in the sight of so many people fighting over again the fights that have not yet happened; of people still aglow with the memory of tomorrow morning. A man in advance of the age is a familiar phrase enough. An age in advance of the age is really rather odd.
What is an equivalent expression for the bolded selection, "has to begin"?
had to begin
will begin
must begin
NO CHANGE
must begin
The expression "to have to" expresses obligation. Therefore, "it has to begin," means, "it is necessary that it begins." More simply, this could be stated with the modal "must": "it must begin."
Example Question #643 : Word Usage Errors
Paul stood waiting, for the meeting with James. He had arrived early at the little alleyway in northern Bramville, waiting to meet the other man at a pub named the “Pick and the Shovel.” The whole situation was extremely strange, for Paul had never met James. Indeed, nobody whom Paul knew had met him. Hitherto, the mysterious man had been nothing more than a voice on the phone and a conversationalist via e-mail.
The making, of the trip to Bramville, was utterly unexpected, and his companions had encouraged him to reconnoiter the situation, record his thoughts, and communicate them within the coming week. Many peoples’ fates rode on the character of this mysterious man, this James. By stroke of luck, Paul was about to meet him.
Although Paul was quite certain that this was the appropriate course of action, he was still quite unnerved. Thousands of miles from his home, far from any friends, and without a cell phone, he could well be the target of a dangerous man. For this reason, he watched very intently as every person passed by, particularly those men who were alone. Many times, he asked himself, “Is that him”?
Thus, Paul watched and waited, somewhat overcome with fear yet also anxious to meet this mysterious man. It was time for a meeting with this man, upon whose mysterious persona were placed so many hopes. Though Paul was nervous to be the person to meet James, he knew that he was the man to whom this task had been appointed by fate.
What is the meaning of the bolded expression "about to meet him"?
soon to meet him
around the area of the meeting
determined to meet him
nearby to meet him
soon to meet him
The expression "about to meet him" is an idiomatic expression meaning "soon to meet him." The word "about" can be used as an adverb meaning "approximately" ("about fifteen dollars") or indicating a given place ("clothes that are laying about the room"). In the idiomatic expression being used here, the word "about" can indicate that somethings is going to be done soon or in a short time.
Example Question #1432 : Correcting Grammatical 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 snob woman looked down on the slovenly young man, who always dressed in a disheveled manner.
The snob woman looking down on the slovenly young man
The snob woman looks down on the slovenly young man
The snob woman looked down on the slovenly young man
The snobby woman looked down on the slovenly young man
The snob woman looked down to the slovenly young man
The snobby woman looked down on the slovenly young man
The use of "snob" as an adjective in this sentence is incorrect, as "snob" is a noun and cannot properly modify "woman." The word needs to be changed to an adjectival form. "The snobby woman looked down on the slovenly young man" is the only answer choice to appropriately use an adjective.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Conventional And Idiomatic 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.
I learned a lot from the woman that I talked to.
I learned a lot from the woman who I talked to.
I learned a lot from the woman that I talked to.
I learned a lot from the woman to whom I talked.
I would learn a lot from the woman that I had talked to.
I learned a lot from the woman whom I talked to.
I learned a lot from the woman to whom I talked.
We do not end a sentence with a preposition. Also, we use the pronoun "whom" when a person is the object of the verb. Here, the woman is the object of the verb "talked".
Example Question #642 : 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.
No matter how hard I concentrated on the question, the solution to it kept alluding me.
the solution to it kept alluding me.
the solution was keeping allusive.
the solution to it kept eluding me.
alluding me was the solution to it.
the solution was kept elusive.
the solution to it kept eluding me.
This question deals with incorrect word choice. The correct word is elude, which means to stay out of reach. Allude means to indirectly refer to something.
Example Question #643 : 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.
The rain has a big affect on his mood.
His mood has a big affect on the rain.
The rain affects his mood.
(No changes to original.)
The rain has a big effect on his mood.
On his mood, the rain is largely effecting.
The rain has a big effect on his mood.
Here, we need the noun “effect,” not the verb “affect.”
Example Question #491 : 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.
Many New Yorkers had no choice but to evacuate the area because of the imminent danger of the approaching snow storm.
because of the imminent danger from the approaching snow storm.
because of the eminent danger from the approaching snowstorm.
because of the imminent danger of the approaching snow storm.
because of the imminent danger of the approaching snowstorm.
because of the eminent danger of the approaching snow storm.
because of the imminent danger of the approaching snowstorm.
“Imminent” means threatening or looming, while “eminent” means well-known or famous. Also, “snowstorm” is a compound word (two words put together).
Example Question #492 : 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. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The car was determined to be the one which was used in the robbery.
the one having been used in the robbery.
the one which was used in the robbery
that was used in the robbery.
that which was used in the robbery.
which was used in the robbery.
the one which was used in the robbery
While the underlined phrase is a bit convoluted, the phrase is fully grammatically correct. Either "that" or "which" would be appropriate in the sentence, but using both or futher modifying the phrase makes it confusing and unclear.
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