ACT English : Separating, Combining, or Reordering Sentences
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English
All ACT English Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #21 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Sentences
What is the best way to combine the following sentences?
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor. His professor had not provided James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, failing to provide James's class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, the professor had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester projects.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor which had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, who had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
NO CHANGE
James wrote a detailed letter to his Chemistry professor, who had failed to provide James' class with the formulas necessary to complete the semester project.
The original sentences are choppy and somewhat redundant. Main clauses cannot be used as modifiers since they create run-on sentences. "Which" cannot be used to refer to people.
Example Question #22 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Sentences
What is the best way to effectively combine the following sentences?
Highway construction legislation is often controversial. It is controversial due to high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
Highway construction legislation is often controversial due to high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
NO CHANGE
Highway construction costs that are often controversial, with high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
Highway construction legislation is often controversial; having high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
Highway construction legislation, it has high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions, and is often controversial.
Highway construction legislation is often controversial due to high costs, complex structures, and conflicting jurisdictions.
The original sentences are choppy and redundant.
Placing a main clause into a modifying position creates a run on sentence.
A semi-colon requires two main clauses and may only be used to separate two independent clauses.
Example Question #23 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Sentences
Choose the answer that best reorders the sentences in this passage.
(1) Baking a cake is an easy way to celebrate a birthday with your family. (2) It doesn't require much planning in advance, and it's not expensive. (3) When you are finished, you can all enjoy the results of your project by slicing and serving the cake. (4) Decorations like sprinkles and candles make the baking process more fun for children.
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 1.
Move Sentence 1 after Sentence 4.
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 3.
Move Sentence 2 before Sentence 1.
NO CHANGE
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 3.
This question asks you about the most effective way to order sentences in a paragraph. The best answer is to move Sentence 4 before Sentence 3. Sentence 1 introduces the topic of the sentence, so it should come first. Sentence 2 expands upon the topic introduced in Sentence 1. Sentence 4 adds further detail about the process of baking the cake. Sentence 3 begins with the phrase "When you are finished," indicating that it provides a conclusion for the paragraph as well as coming last chronologically. Therefore, Sentence 3 should end the paragraph.
Example Question #24 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Sentences
Which choice most effectively combines the given sentences?
Accurate forecasting of the weather is a somewhat inexact science. Relying on many factors that are constantly changing and difficult to measure exactly.
Forecasting the weather accurately is a somewhat inexact science, it relies on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly.
Forecasting the weather accurately is a somewhat inexact science since it relies on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly
An inexact science is forecasting the weather accurately, relying on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly.
Relying on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly is the inexact science that is forecasting the weather accurately.
NO CHANGE
Forecasting the weather accurately is a somewhat inexact science since it relies on many factors that are constantly changing and are difficult to measure exactly
The original answer choice has a fragment. The correct answer correctly links the main clause with a subordinate clause, signalled by "since." The other answer choices are wordy and awkward.
Example Question #25 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Sentences
Josh suffered from a fear of dogs ever since he is a little boy. He would shiver in his boots thinking of a dog barking at him, biting him, or that could chase him. He had never met a single dog he liked. The scarier dog he had ever seen was Mr. Green’s dog, whom he had to pass every day. On his way to school. This dog barked so loudly it made Josh’s hairs stand on end.
[1] She said that there was no need to be afraid. [2] Josh’s mom told him that dogs only barked because they were excited to see him. [3] She told him that he just needed to be confident and not act afraid of this dogs’ barking, and speak in a reassuring tone. [4] Then the dog would quiet down and act more friendly.
Josh felt that neither confidence or a reassuring tone would make any difference. He didn’t think he would ever get over his fear. However, one day he had enough. Barking for hours, he realized the dog was bored and just needed a friend. He wasn’t sure if his mother’s advice would prove true? Hiding his fear, he approached the dog and spoke to it in a reassuring tone. To his surprise, the dog wagged it’s tail and quieted down right away.
Which of the following would best correct the sentence order in Paragraph 2? If the sentences are in the correct order as written, select "NO CHANGE."
Move Sentence 4 before Sentence 1
Move Sentence 3 before Sentence 1
NO CHANGE
Move Sentence 2 before Sentence 1
Move Sentence 2 after Sentence 4
Move Sentence 2 before Sentence 1
This sentence asks you about the best order for sentences in a paragraph. Sentence 2 is the topic sentence of the paragraph; it also introduces the character of "Josh's mother," who is referenced as "she" in Sentence 1 and Sentence 3. Therefore, Sentence 2 should be the first sentence in the paragraph. Sentence 1 and Sentence 3 provide further evidence and should follow Sentence 2. Sentence 4 should come last because it provides a conclusion, summing up the result of the actions described in Sentence 3.
Example Question #25 : Separating, Combining, Or Reordering Sentences
[1] Some people are excited, some people are just annoyed. [2] Being called to jury duty can inspire a range of different emotions. [3] Unsure how long the trial will take, a call to jury duty can be stressful for people who can’t afford to miss work or school.
Some people will be making attempts to get out of jury duty. However, most will still need to serve. Fortunately, many cases are settled before going to trial and is not uncommon for trials to just last only one day. Either way, once you have served on a jury, you won’t have to do it again for a while!
The author is considering moving Sentence 2. What is the most logical placement for this sentence?
After Sentence 3
Delete the sentence entirely
At the very end of the passage
Before Sentence 1
NO CHANGE
Before Sentence 1
This question asks you about the most logical order for sentences in a paragraph. The sentence "Being called to jury duty can inspire a range of different emotions" is the topic sentence of this paragraph, so it should come first. The information in Sentence 1 about different emotions ("excited" and "annoyed") references the idea introduced in Sentence 2, so Sentence 2 should come first.
Example Question #31 : Reorganizing Content
Josh and Mary, who have been married for several years, told us the story of the early years of their relationship. They first met on a cold day in December of 1993. They were very different--Josh was an artist and spent his days painting murals, and his nights bartending. Mary was on the fast track to a partnership at a law firm. At first, Josh was not sure he was interested. Mary felt it was love at first sight. Over time, as their relationship developed, Josh could not imagine his life without Mary anymore, so he suggested that they get married. They have been living happily in the country ever since.
The author is considering combining these sentences. What would be the best way to accomplish this?
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, and Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, if Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, considering that Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, but Mary felt it was love at first sight.
At first, Josh was not sure he was interested, but Mary felt it was love at first sight.
This sentence asks you to combine two sentences to improve the flow of a paragraph. These two statements present a contrast: Josh's uncertainty contrasts Mary's certainty. A conjunction that conveys a contrast, "but," along with a comma, is therefore the best choice to combine these statements.
All ACT English Resources
