ACT English : Punctuation Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English
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Example Questions
Example Question #4 : Correcting Semicolon 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.
He worked at the factory for thirty years; but he never once got a promotion.
He worked at the factory for thirty years he never once got a promotion.
He worked at the factory for thirty years or he never once got a promotion.
He worked at the factory for thirty years, but he never once got a promotion.
He worked at the factory for thirty years; and he never once got a promotion.
He worked at the factory for thirty years; but he never once got a promotion.
He worked at the factory for thirty years, but he never once got a promotion.
The sentence is written as a compound sentence, one that joins two independent clauses together to show their relationship. A compound sentence can only be joined by either a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction, but never a semicolon and a conjunction as in the sentence above. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "He worked at the factory for thirty years, but he never once got a promotion."
Example Question #41 : Punctuation 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.
In the end it became clear, that Jennifer had never liked camping; she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
In the end it became clear, that Jennifer had never liked camping; she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
In the end, it became clear that Jennifer had never liked camping; she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
In the end, it became clear that Jennifer had never liked camping, she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
In the end it became clear that Jennifer had never liked camping; she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
In the end it became clear that Jennifer had never liked camping, she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
In the end, it became clear that Jennifer had never liked camping; she only went along on the trips to placate her friends.
Here, “In the end” is an introductory phrase, so it must be followed by a comma. Because “In the end, it became clear that Jennifer had never liked camping” and “she only went along on the trips to placate her friends” are both independent clauses (in other words, they can stand as complete sentences on their own), they must be separated by a semicolon. Using a comma between the two independent clauses would result in a comma splice, which is grammatically incorrect.
Example Question #402 : Act English
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.
You’ve never been a fan of roses, which are many people’s favorite flowers, the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes.
You’ve never been a fan of roses which are many people’s favorite flowers; the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes.
You’ve never been a fan of roses, which are many people’s favorite flowers; the flowers seem too fancy, for your simple tastes.
You’ve never been a fan of roses, which are many people’s favorite flowers, the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes.
You’ve never been a fan of roses, which are many people’s favorite flowers; the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes.
You’ve never been a fan of roses which are many people’s favorite flowers, the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes.
You’ve never been a fan of roses, which are many people’s favorite flowers; the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes.
There are two independent clauses in this sentence—“You’ve never been a fan of roses, which are many people’s favorite flowers” and “the flowers seem too fancy for your simple tastes." They must be separated by a semicolon. Using a comma between the two independent clauses would result in a comma splice, which is a grammatical error.
The words “which are many people’s favorite” are a relative clause that modify “roses,” and since that clause can be removed and still leave a complete sentence (it’s non-essential information, in other words), it must be set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
Example Question #403 : Act English
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.
Carrie and her cat, Mittens; were having a relaxing afternoon, Mittens was basking in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet.
Carrie and her cat, Mittens; were having a relaxing afternoon, Mittens was basking in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet.
Carrie and her cat, Mittens, were having a relaxing afternoon; Mittens was basking in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet.
Carrie and her cat; Mittens, were having a relaxing afternoon. Mittens was basking in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet.
Carrie and her cat, Mittens, were having a relaxing afternoon. Mittens was basking in a sunbeam; near Carrie's feet.
Carrie and her cat, Mittens, were having a relaxing afternoon. Mittens was basking; in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet.
Carrie and her cat, Mittens, were having a relaxing afternoon; Mittens was basking in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet.
The correct use of a semicolon is connecting two related independent clauses. If a part of a sentence can't stand alone as a sentence, it can't be connected to another part of the sentence with a semicolon. In this case, the correct form is "Carrie and her cat, Mittens, were having a relaxing afternoon; Mittens was basking in a sunbeam near Carrie's feet," which connects the two related sentences with a semicolon.
Example Question #41 : Punctuation Errors
The French philosopher Rene Descartes once went out to dinner at a French restaurant because (1) after all (2) where else would he go to eat? On that occasion (3) he ordered the escargot en beurre, the chicken liver paté, the gratineed scallops (4) and the blanquette de veau. Then he proceeded to order another portion of each dish. The waitress was appeased (5). She had never seen anyone order so much food in one sitting it (6) made her slightly ill to watch him eat it all. What made it worse he had no table manner at all since (7) philosophers tend to be thinking about life and death and (8) not about using a napkin. Finally (9) as he sipped the last of his burgundy (10) Descartes made a motion for the check. The waitress asked (11) "Would you care for any desert, monsieur?" At that point, Descartes replied, "I think not" (12) and promptly vanished.
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."
NO CHANGE
sitting; it
sitting: it
sitting, it
sitting; it
Since there are two complete sentences not joined by a conjunction but which still are related to one another in meaning, the semicolon would be most appropriate here; the colon would only be used if the sentence that followed illustrated the statement in the first sentence, which it does not.
Example Question #13 : Correcting Semicolon 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 entire party worked to get the candidate elected; but the election still went against him.
The entire party worked to get the candidate elected but the election still went against him.
The entire party worked to get the candidate elected; but the election still went against him.
The entire party worked to get the candidate elected; so the election still went against him.
The entire party worked to get the candidate elected; and the election still went against him.
The entire party worked to get the candidate elected, but the election still went against him.
The entire party worked to get the candidate elected, but the election still went against him.
The sentence is written as a compound sentence, one that joins two independent clauses together in order to show their relationship. A compound sentence can only be joined by either a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction, but not a semicolon and a conjunction, as in this sentence as it is written. The only answer choice that correctly joins the two clauses is "The entire party worked to get the candidate elected, but the election still went against him."
Example Question #71 : 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."
At first, Corey seemed agitated and unwilling to talk about the incident; but further questioning actually calmed him down and led to a productive interview.
At first, Corey seemed agitated and unwilling to talk about the incident, but further questioning
NO CHANGE.
At first: Corey seemed agitated and unwilling to talk about the incident; but further questioning
At first Corey seemed agitated and unwilling to talk about the incident but further questioning
At first Corey seemed agitated and unwilling to talk about the incident, but further questioning
At first, Corey seemed agitated and unwilling to talk about the incident, but further questioning
A semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses - a clause that could stand on its own as a full, complete sentence. Because the second of these two clauses has the conjunction "but," it should be linked by a comma instead of a semicolon. Because the subject of the two clauses is different, a comma is, indeed necessary. The introductory adverbial phrase "at first" should be offset by a comma, as well.
Example Question #72 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
Humanities: This passage is adapted from chapter three of Sir John Lubbock’s The Pleasures of Life. The chapter is entitled “A Song of Books” and was written in 1887.
Of all the privileges we enjoy in this nineteenth century there is none, perhaps, for which we ought to be more thankful than for the easier access to books.
The debt we owe to books was well expressed and articulated by Richard de Bury, Bishop of Durham, author of Philobiblon, written as long ago as 1344, published in 1473, and the earliest English treatise on the delights of literature: "These,” he says, “are the masters who instruct us without rods and ferules, without hard words and anger, without clothes or money. If you approach them, they are not asleep; if you interrogate them, they conceal nothing; if you mistake them, they never grumble; if you are ignorant, they cannot laugh at you. The library, therefore, of wisdom is more precious than all riches, and nothing that can be wished for is worthy to be compared with it. Whosoever therefore acknowledges himself to be a zealous follower of truth, of happiness, of wisdom, of science, or even of the faith, must of necessity make himself a lover of books.”
This feeling that books are real friends is constantly present to all who love reading. “I have friends,” said Petrarch, “whose society is extremely agreeable to me; they are of all ages, and of every country. They have distinguished themselves both in the cabinet and in the field, and obtained high honors for their knowledge of the sciences. It is easy to gain access to them, for they are always at my service, and I admit them to my company, and dismiss them from it, whenever I please. They are never troublesome, but immediately answer every question I ask them. Some relate to me the events of past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of Nature. Some teach me how to live, and others how to die. Some, by their vivacity, drive away my cares and exhilarate my spirits; while others give fortitude to my mind, and teach me the important lesson how to restrain my desires, and to depend wholly on myself. They open to me, in short, the various avenues of all the arts and sciences, and upon their information I may safely rely in all emergencies. In return for all their services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace; for these friends are more delighted by the tranquillity of retirement than with the tumults of society.”
“He that loveth a book,” says Isaac Barrow, “will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counsellor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, so in all fortunes.”
"In return for all their services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace, these friends are more delighted by the tranquillity of retirement than with the tumults of society."
peace for
NO CHANGE
peace;
peace because we must consider that for
peace;
While "peace because we must consider that for" is redundant, "peace, for" commits the error of placing a comma between two independent clauses (or complete sentences).
Example Question #73 : 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."
You will not need to bring any food or drinks with you; however, if you have any special dietary restrictions, you must advise us in advance.
you: however, if
you however, if
NO CHANGE
you, however, if
NO CHANGE
A semicolon must be used in front of however when it precedes a complete sentence. A comma should then follow however. Similar terms include namely, therefore, and that is.
Example Question #74 : 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."
The students came from Paris, France, San Francisco, California, and Kansas City, Missouri.
NO CHANGE
The students came from Paris, France San Francisco, California and Kansas City, Missouri.
The students came from Paris France, San Francisco California, and Kansas City Missouri.
The students came from Paris, France; San Francisco, California; and Kansas City, Missouri.
The students came from Paris, France; San Francisco, California; and Kansas City, Missouri.
In a series of items that already contain commas, a semicolon should be used to separate the items. When the sentence only uses commas, it creates a list of six places rather than three.
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