ACT English : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Appositive And Interrupting Phrase Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
This is what the CEO of Tiny i Appetizers William Montegue had to say to his investors.
This is what CEO of William Montegue's Tiny i Apps had to say to his investors.
This is what the CEO of William Montegue and Tiny i Apps had to say to his investors.
This is what CEO William Montegue's Tiny i Apps had to say to his investors.
NO CHANGE
This is what William Montegue, CEO of Tiny i Appetizers, had to say to his investors.
This is what William Montegue, CEO of Tiny i Appetizers, had to say to his investors.
The descriptive information in the original sentence is best set off as an appositive describing the agent of action, namely William Montegue. Placing his title, etc., between commas as an appositive allows for greater clarity. Appositives are words or phrases (often proper nouns) that modify or rename the subject of a sentence.
Example Question #11 : Appositive And Interrupting Phrase Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Rachel mustered up the courage to ask Davis, the most popular boy in school, to prom.
NO CHANGE
Rachel mustered up the courage to ask Davis, the most popular boy in school to prom.
Rachel mustered up the courage to ask Davis: the most popular boy in school, to prom.
Rachel mustered up the courage to ask Davis the most popular boy in school to prom.
NO CHANGE
This sentence is correct as written. Appositives follow the noun they describe and are separated out by commas. There is no reason the other nouns cannot have appositives, though it is not necessary and will likely lead to the sentence being clunky and awkward.
Example Question #221 : Phrase, Clause, And Sentence Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
The boy, a new addition to the classroom proved to be quite the disruption to the class that had previously sailed smoothly.
The boy, who was a new addition to the classroom proved to be quite the disruption
The boy a new addition to the classroom, proved to be quite the disruption
The boy, a new addition to the classroom, proved to be quite the disruption
The boy a new addition to the classroom proved to be quite the disruption
NO CHANGE
The boy, a new addition to the classroom, proved to be quite the disruption
Appositives, which rename a noun, should usually be offset by two commas when in the middle of a sentence. Here, "a new addition to the classroom" renames "the boy" and should be enclosed within commas.
Example Question #1731 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Sandra chose mint chocolate chip ice cream, the restaurant's newest flavor for dessert.
NO CHANGE
mint chocolate chip, ice cream the restaurant's newest flavor for dessert.
mint chocolate chip ice cream, the restaurant's newest flavor, for dessert.
mint chocolate chip ice cream the restaurant's newest flavor, for dessert.
mint chocolate chip ice cream the restaurant's newest flavor for dessert.
mint chocolate chip ice cream, the restaurant's newest flavor, for dessert.
This question asks you to correct the punctuation surrounding an appositive phrase. An appositive phrase is a phrase that describes something already introduced in the sentence. In this case, the appositive phrase "the restaurant's newest flavor" describes the "mint chocolate chip ice cream" that has been previously introduced. Appositive phrases should almost always be surrounded by commas on either side.
Example Question #12 : Appositive Errors
The senator who was more popular in other states gave a rousing speech to a nearly empty auditorium in Ohio. It was truly a depressing spectacle, and one that spoke to the factious, partisan nature of party politics in this century. In the corner of the room, a small, sharp-eyed woman made a discrete check mark in a notebook, then she quietly exited the room. One had to wonder, not what she wrote, but what she knew.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded and underlined portion of the passage. If the bolded and underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
senator, who was more popular in other states, gave
senator, who was more popular in other states gave
NO CHANGE
senator who was more popular, in other states, gave
senator who was more popular in other states, gave
senator, who was more popular in other states, gave
This sentence asks you to correctly punctuate an interrupting clause. The clause "who was more popular in other states" is a parenthetical element, which means it could be removed from the sentence without changing its meaning. A parenthetical element should be surrounded on either side by commas.
Example Question #15 : Appositive And Interrupting Phrase Errors
“John Adams—A Forgotten American Founder”
Sadly, the great exploits of important [46] men and women is often forgotten in the mists of history. The myths and historical tales of a nation can lead the people to forget [47] some of their most important founders and national heroes. In the United States of America, this kind of forgetfulness has occurred in the case of the Founding Father, John Adams. For a number of reasons, President Adams [48] had been forgotten. Recounting the [49] tales of the nations’ founding, many remember figures like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. [50] However, during those early years of the republic, Adams was a pivotal figure in assuring independence to the burgeoning nation.
[51] During the debates concerning the Declaration of Independence, Adams was something of a “chief orator,” tirelessly attempting to convince the gathered parties of the importance of declaring independence from England. [52] Adams a temperamental and passionate man, was the perfect person to fill such a role. In contrast to the judicious Franklin and the controlled and quiet Jefferson, he was fit for performing such oratorical shows and bombasts. [53] Although he joined Jefferson and Franklin on the drafting committee for the declaration, his most important work during this time was arguably this long project of oratory.
[54] In addition, many forget the lonely years Adams spent as a minister to France and as the first minister to England. What a difficult affair such posts would have been at the time. [55] As the minister to France, what weight could he have had with the court of such an old European nation? Furthermore, Adams [56] was not temperamentally [57] suited for French courtly customs being a stern and somewhat moralistic man. [58] Then, to be sent to England—how difficult that must have been. As the minister on behalf of a once-rebel nation, how could he stand before the Court of King James? Nevertheless, Adams served his [59] post nobly and deserves great recognition for this devoted service to his young nation.
Choose the answer that best corrects section [52].
Adams, a temperamental and passionate man, was the perfect person to fill such a role.
Adams a temperamental and passionate man was the perfect person to fill such a role.
Adams a temperamental and passionate man, had been the perfect person to fill such a role.
NO CHANGE
Adams, a temperamental and passionate man, was the perfect person to fill such a role.
In this sentence, "Adams" is in apposition to "a temperamental and passionate man." These two words refer to the same "thing" (to the same person, that is—John Adams). Whenever you have an apposition like this, you need to surround the second expression (or word if it is only a word) with commas. As written, the first comma (directly after Adams) is missing.
Example Question #1732 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Adapted from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley (1855)
Not that Lucy ever proceeded to any such fearful extremities. On the contrary, her boast, and her belief too, was, that she was sent into the world to make poor souls as happy as she could, by lawful means, of course, if possible, but if not—why, unlawful ones were better than none; for she "couldn't a-bear to see the poor creatures taking on; she was too, too tender-hearted." And so she was, to everyone but her husband, a tall, rabbit-faced man, a good deal older than herself.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the passage. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
And so she was, to everyone except for her husband, a good deal older than herself, a tall rabbit-faced man.
And so she was, to everyone but her husband, a tall, rabbit-faced man, a good deal older than herself.
And so she was, to everyone but her husband being a tall rabbit-faced man a good deal older than herself.
NO CHANGE
And so she was, to everyone except for her husband; a tall rabbit-faced man a good deal older than herself.
And so she was, to everyone but her husband, a tall, rabbit-faced man, a good deal older than herself.
The phrase "a tall, rabbit-faced man" is an appositive phrase, which contains an appositive (a noun that explains or identifies a previous noun) as well as a few modifiers (the adjectives). The appositive must always appear after the word that it identifies. Also, the appositive phrase must be surrounded by two commas. Also, a comma must be placed between the coordinate adjectives "tall" and "rabbit-faced." A colon is inappropriate here.
Example Question #13 : Appositive Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
The director, he has been preparing for this film for the past four years, has finally been given approval to begin filming this month.
whom has been in preparation for this film for the past four years,
NO CHANGE
preparing for this film for the past four years,
who has been preparing for this film for the past four years,
which has been preparing for this film for the past four years,
who has been preparing for this film for the past four years,
The comma after the subject indicates the need for an appositive phrase.
A main clause used in this position would create a run-on sentence.
"which" cannot be used to refer to people.
"whom" is the objective form of the pronoun and cannot be the subject of the appositive.
"preparing" would make the time referent of the phrase present.
Example Question #1733 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Adapted from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)
As they entered, they saw Dorian Gray who was seated at the piano his back to them, turning over the pages of a volume of Schumann's "Forest Scenes." "You must lend me these, Basil," he cried. "I want to learn them. They are perfectly charming." "That entirely depends on how you sit to-day, Dorian."
"Oh, I am tired of sitting, and I don't want a life-sized portrait of myself," answered the lad, swinging round on the music-stool in a willful, petulant manner. When he caught sight of Lord Henry, a faint blush colored his cheeks for a moment, and he started up. "I beg your pardon, Basil. I did’nt know you had any one with you."
"This is Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian, an old Oxford friend of mine. I have just been telling him what a capital sitter you were, and now you have spoiled everything."
"You have not spoiled my pleasure in meeting you, Mr. Gray," said Lord Henry, stepping forward and extended his hand. "My aunt has often spoken to me about you. You are one of her favorites, and, I am afraid, one of her victims also."
"I am in Lady Agatha's black books at present," answered Dorian with a funny look of penitence. "I promised to go to a club in Whitechapel with her last Tuesday, and I really forgot all about it. We were to have played a duet together: three duets, I believe. I don't know what she will say to me. I am far too frightened to call."
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the passage. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
at the piano with his back to them
at the piano and his back to them
at the piano his backing to them
NO CHANGE
at the piano his back being to them
at the piano with his back to them
There are at least two potential options for this sentence, though one of them is not provided. You could write, "at the piano, his back to them." This would make "his back to them" a descriptive subordinate clause. However, given the number of commas already needed in this sentence, this form is likely confusing. Therefore, the correct answer provided is "at the piano with his back to them." The preposition "with" is being used in the sense of in the state of having (his back to them).
Example Question #1734 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
My childhood was fairly idyllic. I grew up in southern suburbia, we could play outside nearly year round. We almost played outside every day. Our days were filled with bike rides, jumping on the trampoline, playing in the sprinklers, and also imagination games. Countless afternoons were spent in the side yard of our home, where our imaginations were the limit to our fun. One of our favorite games was “Lost Children.” Oddly enough, the parents in the game were always deceased or fighting in a foreign war. The source of this game likely stemmed from the books we read.
My mother’s old, rusty, orange wheelbarrow was perpetually propped up against the fence, to serve as the base for our makeshift range. The metal braces beneath the wheelbarrow bin provided the perfect resting place for a pair of burners, hastily sketched on a flat board. Old paint buckets became a sink and a stained picnic table was scrubbed to a relative state of cleanliness. Our visitors, who were often kings and queens, were served heaping helpings of mud and grass pie, possibly adorned with a side helping of flowers. Household chores were far more fun to do in our imaginary world, and we would eagerly sweep and dust our humble home. Even covered in leaves, we loved our outdoor kitchen.
Other days, we would scamper around the neighborhood park, sometimes venturing into the woods to go exploring. One time we borrowed my little sister’s wagon and flew down the sides of the ditch. Although we had a grand time my mother was not pleased when she had to replace the broken axle. On adventurous days, we would pretend to be statues on the entrance sign to our neighborhood. But, the most perfect afternoons were spent biking up to the local corner store. With spending money burning a hole in our pockets, we would peruse the convenience store shelves, and after carefully picking our selections, we would pedal home. Our plastic shopping bags hung from the handlebars, rustling in the wind.
The bite of crisp fall evenings would barely phase our childlike fantasies. But, to our dismay, twilight would inevitably seep into our childhood world. Mother would call us in for dinner and a bath, if needed. Tired, beds were welcomed. I would often fall asleep to the gentle rhythm of my mother’s voice.
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
Our visitors who were often kings and queens
Our visitors, who were often kings and queens
Our visitors who were often kings and queens,
NO CHANGE
"Our visitors, who were often kings and queens," is the best choice because “who were often kings and queens” is a parenthetical element and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence.
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