ACT English : Correcting Grammatical Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #151 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
James, John and I should not be blamed for our errors in writing.
Which of the following is the best correction for this sentence?
James, John, and I should not be blamed for our errors in writing.
None of the corrections listed here are correct.
James, John, and I, should not be blamed for our errors in writing.
James John and I should not be blamed for our errors in writing.
The sentence contains no errors.
James, John, and I should not be blamed for our errors in writing.
When listing two or more items in a series wherein the last item is preceded by "and," a comma should be included before the "and." The technical name for this sort of comma is the Oxford comma.
Example Question #3 : Comma Errors
When I retired I took up sprinting. I ran for my university track team a D3 team don’t get too excited—and performed as a top athlete in our conference. I fell in love with running so much that I even signed up to run cross country in the fall. Endurance is not my thing and that is part of why I am lazy. I played soccer one season because the team needed an extra body. I was an awful terrible soccer player but it was so much fun!
What would make the underlined portion grammatically correct?
When I retired: I took up sprinting.
Although I retired I took up sprinting.
When I retired, I took up sprinting.
When I retired and I took up sprinting.
NO CHANGE
When I retired, I took up sprinting.
Commas are necessary when a sentence begins with a dependent clause. (A dependent clause is a section of a sentence that cannot stand alone with the rest of the sentence, BUT the rest of the sentence could stand alone without it. Common words that begin dependent clauses are: because, when, although, if, etc.).
Example Question #3 : Comma Errors
When I retired I took up sprinting. I ran for my university track team a D3 team don’t get too excited—and performed as a top athlete in our conference. I fell in love with running so much that I even signed up to run cross country in the fall. Endurance is not my thing and that is part of why I am lazy. I played soccer one season because the team needed an extra body. I was an awful terrible soccer player but it was so much fun!
What would make the underlined portion grammatically correct?
NO CHANGE
and performed, as a top athlete in our conference.
and I perform as a top athlete in our conference.
and, performed as a top athlete in our conference.
and performed as a top athlete, in our conference.
NO CHANGE
Commas are not necessary before an "and" if what follows the "and" is not a complete sentence. They are also unnecessary before information at the end of a sentence that is pertinent to the sentence and not an afterthought.
Example Question #152 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
When I retired I took up sprinting. I ran for my university track team a D3 team don’t get too excited and performed as a top athlete in our conference. I fell in love with running so much that I even signed up to run cross country in the fall. Endurance is not my thing and that is part of why I am lazy. I played soccer one season because the team needed an extra body. I was an awful terrible soccer player but it was so much fun!
What would make the underlined portion of the passage correct?
I played soccer one season but the team needed an extra body.
I played soccer one season, because the team needed an extra body.
I played soccer one season because the team, needed an extra body.
I played soccer one season because, the team needed an extra body.
NO CHANGE
NO CHANGE
Commas are unnecessary when there is information in a sentence relevant and necessary for understanding it. The part of the sentence beginning with "because" is essential information for understanding the sentence. Any extra punctuation would be confusing.
Example Question #11 : Comma Errors
When I retired I took up sprinting. I ran for my university track team a D3 team don’t get too excited and performed as a top athlete in our conference. I fell in love with running so much that I even signed up to run cross country in the fall. Endurance is not my thing and that is part of why I am lazy. I played soccer one season because the team needed an extra body. I was an awful terrible soccer player but it was so much fun!
What would make the underlined portion of the sentence correct?
NO CHANGE
soccer player (but) it was so much fun!
soccer player! But it was so much fun!
soccer player but it was so, much fun!
soccer player, but it was so much fun!
soccer player, but it was so much fun!
Commas are placed before conjunctions to separate two complete thoughts in a compound sentence. Generally, it is not a good idea to begin a sentence with a conjunction: and, but, for, or.
Example Question #154 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
I now ride horses and run for fun. I am lazy however because as I mentioned before I don’t have much endurance. I’m a sprinter through and through! I like the pain to be over in less than 60 seconds. I’ll run longer but I’m not usually happy about it. For as much as I love sports I also love to sit on my couch with potato chips and watch tv too! Generally I love athletics but I am a lazy relaxer also!
What would make the underlined portion of the passage correct?
NO CHANGE
I now ride horses and—run for fun
I now ride horses and even though I run for fun
I now ride horses and also running for fun.
I now ride horses, and run for fun
NO CHANGE
Commas are only necessary in front of conjunctions when they join two complete sentences or when they end a list of three or more words. This sentence is short and the and only separates two things: ride and run.
Example Question #11 : Comma Errors
I now ride horses and run for fun. I am lazy however because as I mentioned before I don’t have much endurance. I’m a sprinter through and through! I like the pain to be over in less than 60 seconds. I’ll run longer but I’m not usually happy about it. For as much as I love sports I also love to sit on my couch with potato chips and watch tv too! Generally I love athletics but I am a lazy relaxer also!
What would make the underlined portion of the text grammatically correct?
I am lazy however because as I was mentioning
I am lazy however because, as I mentioned
I am lazy, however, because as I mentioned
NO CHANGE
I am lazy, however - because as I mentioned
I am lazy, however, because as I mentioned
When there are additives to a sentence, they must be surrounded by commas and separated from the main sentence. "However" here is an effective transition from one idea to the next, but it is not essential to the sentence itself; therefore, it must be surrounded on both sides by commas.
Example Question #155 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
I now ride horses and run for fun. I am lazy however because as I mentioned before I don’t have much endurance. I’m a sprinter through and through! I like the pain to be over in less than 60 seconds. I’ll run longer but I’m not usually happy about it. For as much as I love sports I also love to sit on my couch with potato chips and watch tv too! Generally I love athletics but I am a lazy relaxer also!
What would make the underlined portion of the text grammatically correct?
For, as much as, I love sports I also
For as much as I love sports, I also
For, as much as I love sports I also
NO CHANGE
none of the other answers
For as much as I love sports, I also
"For as much as I love sports" is a dependent clause that begins the sentence. It cannot stand alone as a sentence, but the rest of the sentence can stand alone. Dependent clauses must be separated from other parts of the sentence by one comma.
Example Question #152 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Make any necessary changes to the underlined word or phrase in the sentence.
When I finished writing the essay I packed my bag and headed home.
essay and I
NO CHANGE
essay, I
essay, then I
essay, I
There needs to be a comma after the first clause, “When I finished writing the essay,” to separate it from the second action (which comprises the second clause), “I packed my bag and headed home.”
Example Question #156 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Make any necessary changes to the underlined word or phrase in the sentence.
Our dance teacher finally arrived; and she told us we were learning a new hip-hop number that day.
arrive however
arrived, next
NO CHANGE
arrived, and
arrived, and
The first clause requires a comma before the conjunction “and” in order to be grammatically correct.
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