ACT English : Sentence Fragment and Sentence Combination Errors

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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 television show became an overnight success and it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

Possible Answers:

The television show became an overnight success, it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

The television show became an overnight success it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

The television show became an overnight success and it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

The television show became an overnight success; and it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

The television show became an overnight success; it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

Correct answer:

The television show became an overnight success; it quickly became the network's biggest hit.

Explanation:

The sentence is a compound sentence, or two sentences that are joined into one sentence to show their relationship. The two independent clauses that form a compound sentence must be connected by either a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction. The only answer choice that appropriately employs either of these ways of joining two independent clauses is "The television show became an overnight success; it quickly became the network's biggest hit."

Example Question #1 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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.

Cats were traditionally used as pest control on small farms and the use of the animals was an inexpensive way to protect food stores.

Possible Answers:

on small farms, the use of the animals

on small farms; and the use of the animals

on small farms and the use of the animals

on small farms, and the use of the animals

on small farms so the use of the animals

Correct answer:

on small farms, and the use of the animals

Explanation:

The sentence is written as a compound sentence, with two independent clauses joined together to show their relationship. All compound sentences must be joined either by a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction. The correct answer is the only answer choice that features the appropriate joining, "on small farms, and the use of the animals."

Example Question #11 : Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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 smaller child never had any hope fighting his brother one-on-one but he kept picking fights anyway.

Possible Answers:

one-on-one but he kept 

one-on-one and he kept 

one-on-one he kept 

one-on-one, but he kept 

one-on-one; but he kept 

Correct answer:

one-on-one, but he kept 

Explanation:

The sentence is a compound sentence, one that joins two independent clauses together to show their relationship. Any compound sentence needs to be joined by either a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction. Only "one-on-one, but he kept" properly joins the two independent clauses of the compound sentence.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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.

Her daughters were all exemplary students and she was always proud of their academic accomplishments.

Possible Answers:

exemplary students, and she was always proud

exemplary students; and she was always proud

exemplary students, she was always proud

exemplary students and she was always proud

exemplary students so she was always proud

Correct answer:

exemplary students, and she was always proud

Explanation:

The sentence is written as a compound sentence, one that joins two indpendent clauses in one sentence in order to show their relationship. A compound sentence can only be joined by either a semicolon or a comma followed by a conjunction. The only answer choice that properly joins the two clauses is "exemplary students, and she was always proud."

Example Question #11 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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.

"What's that noise?" asked Thelma "oh, it's only the cat."

Possible Answers:

asked Thelma, "Oh, it's only the cat."

asked Thelma "Oh, it's only the cat."

asked Thelma. "Oh, it's only the cat."

asked Thelma. "Oh, it's only the cat".

asked Thelma. "Oh, it's only the cat"?

Correct answer:

asked Thelma. "Oh, it's only the cat."

Explanation:

"What's that noise?" and "Oh, it's only the cat." are two separate sentences, not one sentence that is broken up by the phrase "asked Thelma." So, that means that a period is needed after "Thelma," and that "Oh" needs to be capitalized as the first word of a second sentence. The placement of the period after "cat" but before the double quotation marks is correct in American English, so its position does not need to be changed. Also, "Oh, it's only the cat" is a declarative statement, or at least we have no context clues that suggest it to be a question, so the answer ending the statement with a question mark is incorrect. That answer is also incorrect because the question mark falls outside of the quotation marks when it would need to be be inside of the quotation marks if the statement were a question.

Example Question #151 : Correcting Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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 every part of the world, troubling developments in politics.

Possible Answers:

In every part of the world trouble developments in politics.

In every part of the world, the troubling developments in politics.

In every part of the world there are troubling developments in politics.

In every part of the world, troubling developments in politics.

In every part of the world, and troubling developments in politics.

Correct answer:

In every part of the world there are troubling developments in politics.

Explanation:

The error in the sentence as it is written is that there it doesn't contain a verb. "Troubling" is actually a participle, a verbal that acts like an adjective; in the sentence given, it is describing "developments." To make a participle into a verb, one needs to introduce a form of the verb "to be" immediately before it; therefore, "In every part of the world there are troubling developments in politics" is the correct answer choice, as it is the only one that correctly inserts a verb.

The answer choice that changes "troubling" to "trouble" may look like a potentially correct answer, since "trouble" can function as a verb (as in "The questions he cannot answer trouble him"), but in this case, the verb "trouble" doesn't have a plural noun to refer to; it is followed by "developments," but "trouble" is a transitive verb—you don't just "trouble," you "trouble" something, so even if it were intended to refer to "developments," it would still be grammatically incorrect from having nothing to refer to.

Example Question #11 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination Errors

The defeated army was allowed to go home, and able to take the rations necessary to let them survive the trip.

Possible Answers:

and able to taking

and able taking

and they were able to take

and they able to take

able taking

Correct answer:

and they were able to take

Explanation:

The sentence is a compound one, featuring two distinct sentences, joined by a conjunction. As such, the second phrase, beginning with the underlined portion, needs to have a subject and a verb as with any sentence; therefore, "and they were able to take" is the best choice among the answers.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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 detective was an expert in these kinds of cases, always called on when the force needed expert advice.

Possible Answers:

always call on when the force needed expert advice.

always calling on when the force needed expert advice.

and was called on when the force needed expert advice.

always called on when the force needed expert advice.

always called on when the force needs expert advice.

Correct answer:

and was called on when the force needed expert advice.

Explanation:

The underlined portion of the phrase is a dependent clause that is confusing because of the way it is worded. The phrase needs to be better linked to the main portion of the sentence. The answer choice which best does this is "and was called on when the force needed expert advice."

Example Question #101 : Correcting Other Phrase, Clause, And Sentence 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.

When Thomas, who used to be the town bully, finally learned his lesson. He started being extra nice to everyone.

Possible Answers:

When Thomas, who used to be the town bully and finally learned his lesson, he then started being extra nice to everyone.

When Thomas, who used to be the town bully, finally learned his lesson, he started being extra nice to everyone.

When Thomas, who used to be the town bully, finally learned his lesson, and then he started being extra nice to everyone.

He then started being extra nice to everyone; when Thomas finally learned his lesson, who used to be the town bully.

Correct answer:

When Thomas, who used to be the town bully, finally learned his lesson, he started being extra nice to everyone.

Explanation:

The fragment and the sentence can be joined together with a simple comma to make one complete sentence.

Example Question #11 : Correcting Sentence Fragment And Sentence Combination 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.

First I had a cough. And then I had a sore throat. Now I have a fever.

Possible Answers:

First I had a cough, and then I had a sore throat; now I have a fever.

First I had a cough, then I had a sore throat, now I have a fever.

First I had a cough and then I had a sore throat and now I have a fever.

First I had: a cough, and then I had a sore throat, now I have a fever.

Correct answer:

First I had a cough, and then I had a sore throat; now I have a fever.

Explanation:

Because all three of these sentences can stand independently by themselves, separating the third with a semicolon keeps the new sentence from being a run-on.

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