All ACT English Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #631 : Correcting Grammatical 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.
Which of the following is the best form of the bolded selection?
Many peoples fates
NO CHANGE
Many peoples' fate
Many people's fates
Many people's fates
The possessive noun here is "people." The apostrophe is added to this base, after which we add the "s." Thus, we get "people's." None of the other options provides this correct syntax.
Example Question #631 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
As he stepped into the shower that morning, Ronald wondered whether he would be scalded or frozen. It would happen every morning because his neighbors usually took their showers at the same time as he did, and the water temperature would either dip precariously or rise sharply, depending on the day. About five minutes into his shower, he could hear the telltale sound of his neighbors' turning on their shower, and he braced himself. Sure enough, a jet of steaming hot water was shooting through the shower nozzle, and Ronald darted to the side to wait until it cooled down again. As it was January, he was grateful that it wasnt cold water—if it had been, he might of spent the whole morning frozen in a block of ice. Soon the water returned to normal, and Ronald resumed his shower, cursing himself for ever moving into such an old building in the first place.
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
was'nt
NO CHANGE
weren't
wasn't
wasn't
The correct contraction of "was not" is "wasn't;" "weren't" would be inappropriate since the conditional is not warranted here.
Example Question #632 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Ivan and Oscar, two little white mice living in Mrs. Wiggins house, were desperate for some cheese, but the only way to get to the kitchen was climbing down the old suit of armor that Mrs. Wiggins brought back from England after her honeymoon. Ivan had went down to the kitchen many times before, but Oscar was new to it all and he was more nervous than he would admit. They came out at the hole in the wall above the suit of armors left shoulder, and Oscar watched as Ivan slipped fast into the joins between the steel plates. He then heard Ivan scuttling down through the shoulder, chest, and the left leg before emerging through the left foot below. "Come on down Oscar" called the courageous mouse. Oscar made his way into the shoulder just as his friend had done, but somehow got mixed up and ended up in the right arm. The twists and turns inside the armor were too complicated for his tiny, mousy mind. Finally he called out, "Help, Ivan! Help! Wont you help me make it through the knight?"
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
the house of Mrs. Wiggin
NO CHANGE
Mrs. Wiggin's house
Mrs. Wiggins' house
Mrs. Wiggins' house
A cursory glance at the rest of the passage tells us that the woman's name is "Mrs. Wiggins," and since her name ends in -s, the apostrophe to show possession must follow the -s in "Wiggins."
Example Question #633 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Ivan and Oscar, two little white mice living in Mrs. Wiggins house, were desperate for some cheese, but the only way to get to the kitchen was climbing down the old suit of armor that Mrs. Wiggins brought back from England after her honeymoon. Ivan had went down to the kitchen many times before, but Oscar was new to it all and he was more nervous than he would admit. They came out at the hole in the wall above the suit of armors left shoulder, and Oscar watched as Ivan slipped fast into the joins between the steel plates. He then heard Ivan scuttling down through the shoulder, chest, and the left leg before emerging through the left foot below. "Come on down Oscar" called the courageous mouse. Oscar made his way into the shoulder just as his friend had done, but somehow got mixed up and ended up in the right arm. The twists and turns inside the armor were too complicated for his tiny, mousy mind. Finally he called out, "Help, Ivan! Help! Wont you help me make it through the knight?"
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
armors'
armor's
armors's
NO CHANGE
armor's
There is only one suit of armor, and therefore the apostrophe would follow this phrase along with the letter -s.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Apostrophe 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 repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
The carefully prepared plan eventually came to nothing after it's leaders were discovered.
it's leader's
its leader's
its leaders'
it's leaders
its leaders
its leaders
The underlined portion of the sentence has a simple, but common, grammatical error. The form "it's" can only be used for the contraction of "it is," and not for the possesive of "it"; therefore, the correct answer is "its leaders."
Example Question #631 : 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. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
Monarch's in the Middle Ages had virtually unlimited power over their subjects.
Monarch's in the Middle Ages
Monarch's Middle Ages
Monarchs in the Middle Ages
Monarchs, the Middle Ages,
Monarch in the Middle Ages
Monarchs in the Middle Ages
The subject of the sentence, "Monarchs," is written in the underlined portion as a possessive noun. Problematically, the word is not possessing anything in the sentence, and is instead being used as a plural subject. The proper correction is to make the word a simple plural, making "Monarchs in the Middle Ages" the correct answer choice.
Example Question #631 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Many people questioned the mans motives, as he never explained his actions in public.
the mans motives,
the man's motives,
the man motives
the man's motives',
the men motives
the man's motives,
The use of "mans" in the sentence is actually the plural form without the proper use of the apostrophe to show a plural. The correct form is actually "man's," making "the man's motives," the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #631 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Amys' favorite TV show is on Tuesday night but she doesn't have time to watch it until Wednesday. No error
Wednesday.
Tuesday night
No error
Amys'
doesn't
Amys'
"Amy" is a singular subject who possesses the favorite show, so the apostrophe should be before the "s," as in "Amy's." It would only make sense to have the apostrophe after the "s" if there were multiple Amys and they all had the same favorite show, which is not the case in this sentence.
Example Question #2 : Correcting Apostrophe 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.
Certain people have quite a bit of difficulty in distinguishing color's from each other.
in distinguishing colors from another.
in distinguishing color's from each other.
in distinguishing colors' from each other.
in distinguishing colors, from each other.
in distinguishing colors from each other.
in distinguishing colors from each other.
The use of "color's" indicates a possesive, which is not the correct usage in the construction of the sentence. The phrase each other means that the plural form should be used; therefore, "in distinguishing colors from each other," is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #61 : Apostrophe 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.
Athlete's popularity in high school is a profound feature of the American educational system.
Athletes' popularities
Athletes' popularity
Athlete's popularities
Athlete's popularity
Athletes popularity
Athletes' popularity
The form "Athlete's" is incorrect in the sentence because the construction, with a lack of articles preceeding it, indicates a plural form. "Athlete's" is the singular possesive form, but the sentence requires the plural possessive "Athletes'" and the singular "popularity."
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