ACT English : Correcting Grammatical Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Comma Errors

The Channel Tunnel, commonly known as the Chunnel, is an underwater tunnel that connects England and France.

Possible Answers:

Tunnel; commonly

NO CHANGE

Tunnel commonly

 

 

Tunnel. Commonly

Correct answer:

NO CHANGE

Explanation:

The phrase "commonly known as the Chunnel" is a nonrestrictive clause because it is not required for the sentence to make sense grammatically. Nonrestrictive clauses usually appear between commas or dashes.

Example Question #12 : Comma Errors

In 1990, the two sides of the service tunnel met; one year later, the northern and southern tunnels met. And in 1993, the first test run was completed. Finally, in 1994, the tunnel opened.

Possible Answers:

met up and

NO CHANGE

met, and

met and

Correct answer:

met, and

Explanation:

When two independent clauses are connected using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), a comma must precede the conjunction. Independent clauses are clauses that have a subject and predicate and can therefore stand on their own. Although informal writing may begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction, this is not acceptable in formal writing such as the essays found on the ACT. Thus, the original version of the underlined portion is not acceptable.

Example Question #13 : Comma Errors

After the discovery of gold in California settlers began traveling west in search of fortune.

Possible Answers:

California: settlers

California; settlers

California, settlers

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

California, settlers

Explanation:

"After the discovery of gold in California" is a dependent clause because it cannot stand on its own. Dependent clauses need to be connected to independent clauses with a comma. "Settlers began traveling west in search of fortune" is an independent clause because it can stand on its own. Dependent clauses cannot be connected to independent clauses with a colon or semicolon.

Example Question #14 : Comma Errors

Then, during the winter of 1860, William H. Russell, William Bradford Waddell, and Alexander Majors designed the Pony Express.

Possible Answers:

William H. Russell.  William Bradford Waddell. And Alexander Majors

William H. Russell William Bradford Waddell and Alexander Majors

William H. Russell William Bradford Waddell, and Alexander Majors

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

NO CHANGE

Explanation:

Items in a list must be separated by commas. In this case, the list contains three names.

Example Question #21 : Comma Errors

One of the most popular programs of all those featured on the Internet (1) is a video clip show.  The format of the show is simple, each (2) week the host, a short but attractive New York native named John Jackson introduces (3) a set of three video clips from all over the Internet.  These clips shows (4) people hurting themselves in accidents, getting into crazy situations, interacting stupidly with animals, and et cetera. (5) Jackson introduces each clip comically and often comments on the action with animations where (6) he makes fun of the people in the videos.  While the videos are often funny, there is definitely an element of schadenfreude involved in watching these clips.  Schadenfreude is a German word for "the pleasure one takes at seeing the suffering of others".  (7) Jacksons (8) show are (9) not far removed from popular TV programs like (10) The U.S. Laughs at You there is also a version of which (11) on the Internet.  It is an open question whether laughing at these videos is a harmless activity or it causes harm to us. (12)

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number.  If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

Possible Answers:

Jackson: introduces

Jackson; introduces

Jackson, introduces

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

Jackson, introduces

Explanation:

The phrase "a short but attractive New York native named John Jackson" is additional information that can be lifted out of the sentence without damaging it, so the entire phrase should be set off in commas.

Example Question #21 : Comma Errors

It was about halfway through his last set of conferences that Mr. Man realizes (1) he did not (2) much like his current set of students.  Unlike his students in the past, none of them seemed to care about their (3) grades, (4) none of them was able to tell a dangling modifier from a participle, (4) and, apart from a few, (4) they didn't know (5) how to start a paper.  He would never tell any of them this, of course, (6) they might get offended, and if there was one thing that Mr. Man learned (7) about teaching, its (8) that in order to keep one's job, you couldn't offend your students (9).  As yet another student whined about not understanding Mr. Mans (10) perfectly clearly written assignments, he sighed inwardly (and possibly outwardly as well), (11) and waited for the last (12) one to finish so that he could get to the next one, finish his conferences, and get back to daydreaming about being anything but a teacher.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number.  If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

Possible Answers:

well)

well):

NO CHANGE

well);

Correct answer:

well)

Explanation:

There's no need for any punctuation since what follows the conjunction here is not a complete sentence.

Example Question #141 : Punctuation Errors

In the last day of classes (1), everyone was distracted and unable to do their (2) work.  Even the teacher, which normally (3) was attentive and cheery, seems (4) unable to focus.  The final test took (5) way too long for everyone to complete, and many of students (6) had put down his head (7) on the desk.  The sound of the heat blowing through the room was enough to put everyone (8) to sleep, and the teachers' (9) eyes began drooping despite hisself (10).  After what seemed an eternity; (11) the bell had rung (12) and everyone, including the teacher, ran out of the room.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number.  If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

Possible Answers:

eternity

eternity,

NO CHANGE

eternity:

Correct answer:

eternity,

Explanation:

The phrase "After what seemed an eternity" acts both as additional information and as an introductory phrase and therefore should be followed by a comma.

Example Question #141 : Punctuation Errors

My lunch I had with my friend Gary (1) did not go very well. For one thing (2) he said he would come to pick me up (3) at noon. He normally texts me when he's outside, so I waited until 12:25.  Finally, at 12:30, he sends (4) a text: "Left my phone at home and had to come back to get it since you weren't downstairs waiting."

When he came back to get me, he was mad, at me. (5) "I couldn't find your doorbell," he shouted, "because there was no name tag on it, so I had gone (6) all the way home to get my phone just to text you!" (7)

"Wait a minute," I said, starting to get angry myself, "you're mad at me because you left your phone at home and you couldn't find my doorbell?"

"That's right," he replied __________ (8). "If you had been waiting downstairs, I would have had to not go through all of this." (9)

"But you're the one who left your phone at home," I countered, "and you always text me when you get here. Never have you asked me (10) to wait outside for you."

"Well, you should have," he muttered.

The rest of the day goes (11) downhill from there, all because my former friend Gary is (12) too proud to admit when he makes a mistake.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

Possible Answers:

For one thing;

NO CHANGE

For one thing,

For one thing:

Correct answer:

For one thing,

Explanation:

Commas are generally used after introductory phrases such as "For one thing," but semicolons and colons are not.

Example Question #24 : Comma Errors

Many people watch football however (1) some do not. With (2) those who do not watch this sport (3) football is an incomprehensible pastime. Non football (4) fans cannot understand what is so exciting about watching two packs of grown men running away or toward each other, while (5) clinging for dear life to a piece of pigskin. It also makes from little to no sense (6) why those whom (7) play the sport gets (8) paid the exorbitant amounts that they do, even though he is (9) in effect doing the same thing that high school and college students do on a daily bases (10). But as the French would say, "Chacun à son goût" (11) though its (12) highly doubtful that most football fans (or even people who are not fans) would know what that means.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

Possible Answers:

sport;

NO CHANGE

sport:

sport,

Correct answer:

sport,

Explanation:

The lengthy prepositional phrase that begins this sentence and ends in "sport" serves as an introductory phrase, and thus it should be followed by a comma.

Example Question #21 : Comma Errors

Many people watch football however (1) some do not. With (2) those who do not watch this sport (3) football is an incomprehensible pastime. Non football (4) fans cannot understand what is so exciting about watching two packs of grown men running away or toward each other, while (5) clinging for dear life to a piece of pigskin. It also makes from little to no sense (6) why those whom (7) play the sport gets (8) paid the exorbitant amounts that they do, even though he is (9) in effect doing the same thing that high school and college students do on a daily bases (10). But as the French would say, "Chacun à son goût" (11) though its (12) highly doubtful that most football fans (or even people who are not fans) would know what that means.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

Possible Answers:

other while

NO CHANGE

other; while

other. While

Correct answer:

other while

Explanation:

Since this is one complete sentence, no punctuation is required between these two words.

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