ACT English : Pronoun Usage Errors
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Example Questions
Example Question #81 : Pronoun Case Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Professor Gates assigned the task of presenting his research findings to Maribel and I.
myself.
me.
NO CHANGE
I's.
mine.
me.
The preposition "to" indicates that the pronoun that follows should be in the objective case. Subjective case ("I"), genitive case ("mine") and reflexive case ("myself") are not appropriate in this sentence.
Example Question #82 : Pronoun Case Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Whom is the new president of the university?
Who is
whom is going to be
whom will be
NO CHANGE
who is it that is
Who is
The sentence as worded needs the subject pronoun "who" rather than the object pronoun "whom."
Example Question #83 : Pronoun Case Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
It was her who ate the last cupcake.
It was she whom ate
It was she who ate
It was her whom ate
It was her that ate
NO CHANGE
It was she who ate
The sentence requires the subject pronoun "she." Think of it as answering the question "who ate the last cupcake?" The answer is "she ate the last cupcake" not "her ate the last cupcake."
Example Question #94 : Pronoun Usage Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Every Wednesday evening, Larissa, Cecilia, and me get together to play soccer.
and they get together
and I get together
and we get together
all of them get together
NO CHANGE
and I get together
The sentence as written needs an object pronoun "I" instead of the subject pronoun "me" (or plural subject pronoun "them"). Getting together is the action (verb phrase), and the subjects (Larissa, Cecilia, and I) are the ones completing the action. The pronoun also needs to be singular, as it is part of a list of singular people (so the plural "we" and "they" are also incorrect even though they are subject pronouns).
Example Question #95 : Pronoun Usage Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
I cook more than her, so I will win the cooking competition.
more then she
more than she do
more than she does
more then her
NO CHANGE
more than she does
The singular subject pronoun "I" needs to be paired with another singular subject pronoun "she," rather than the object pronoun "her." Some of the incorrect answer choices change the spelling of the comparative "than" to "then." The comparative "than" is correct in this case.
Example Question #571 : Word Usage Errors
“Intellectual Virtues”
Whenever someone talks about being “virtuous,” we immediately think of someone whose very moral. Perhaps we even think of people who are a bit boring for virtuous people can appear to have no fun at least in the popular imagination. Whatever the case might be, almost any reader would be surprised to see the expression “intellectual virtues.” What could this expression mean to designate! At best, most people would say, “Such virtues must describe people for who knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline.” That is; they would seem to describe the person who has a disciplined character in addition to being intelligent.
However, in ancient and medieval philosophy, certain intellectual capacities were considered virtues. These character traits were not quite the same as moral character traits or virtues. To understand this idea, it can be helpful to consider two example people, one whose skills are the fruit of a so-called intellectual virtue and the other whose skills are not.
It is easier to start with the person who does not have a given intellectual virtue. We all know someone who is not very good at math, that is, someone for who math is difficult even though he or she might be quite skilled at many other tasks It makes sense to say that this person doesn’t have an intellectual virtue. Likewise, think of the person who is only able to memorize formulas. Such a person is often very good at working through many problems with deft skill. This person seems to be a “wiz” at geometry and algebra, quickly solving equations and proofs.
However, this latter person might suddenly be presented with a difficult, new problem. When we notice that he or she does not have the creative skill and insight to solve the problem, we realize that he or she does’nt have a so-called “intellectual virtue.” This person merely has a habit—a particular skill that is helpful but does not indicate true and complete mathematical knowledge. The person who is able to understand the mathematics and creatively apply this knowledge to solve new problems. This person has a true intellectual virtue. They have a particular ability for intellectual insight, able to probe the difficult domain of this topic. This is much more noble as the mere habit of being able to balance equations and repeat facts about geometric figures!
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the passage. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
NO CHANGE
Such virtues must describe people for whose knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline
Such virtues must describe people, for who knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline
Such virtues must describe people for whom knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline.
Such virtues must describe people for who's knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline
Such virtues must describe people for whom knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline.
This sentence has a problem with regard to the case of the word "who" that is an object of "for." Whenever "who" is an object in any form, it must be inflected with a terminal "-m," giving us "whom" (as opposed to the plain "who"). Thus, the "for who" in this sentence needs to be altered to "for whom."
Example Question #572 : Word Usage Errors
“Intellectual Virtues”
Whenever someone talks about being “virtuous,” we immediately think of someone whose very moral. Perhaps we even think of people who are a bit boring for virtuous people can appear to have no fun at least in the popular imagination. Whatever the case might be, almost any reader would be surprised to see the expression “intellectual virtues.” What could this expression mean to designate! At best, most people would say, “Such virtues must describe people for who knowledge is combined with devotion and rigorous discipline.” That is; they would seem to describe the person who has a disciplined character in addition to being intelligent.
However, in ancient and medieval philosophy, certain intellectual capacities were considered virtues. These character traits were not quite the same as moral character traits or virtues. To understand this idea, it can be helpul to consider two example people, one whose skills are the fruit of a so-called intellectual virtue and the other whose skills are not.
It is easier to start with the person who does not have a given intellectual virtue. We all know someone who is not very good at math, that is, someone for who math is difficult even though he or she might be quite skilled at many other tasks It makes sense to say that this person doesn’t have an intellectual virtue. Likewise, think of the person who is only able to memorize formulas. Such a person is often very good at working through many problems with deft skill. This person seems to be a “wiz” at geometry and algebra, quickly solving equations and proofs.
However, this latter person might suddenly be presented with a difficult, new problem. When we notice that he or she does not have the creative skill and insight to solve the problem, we realize that he or she does’nt have a so-called “intellectual virtue.” This person merely has a habit—a particular skill that is helpful but does not indicate true and complete mathematical knowledge. The person who is able to understand the mathematics and creatively apply this knowledge to solve new problems. This person has a true intellectual virtue. They have a particular ability for intellectual insight, able to probe the difficult domain of this topic. This is much more noble as the mere habit of being able to balance equations and repeat facts about geometric figures!
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the passage. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
someone for who math is difficult, even though she might be quite skilled at many other tasks
someone for who math is difficult, even though he or she might be quite skilled at many other tasks
NO CHANGE
someone for whom math is difficult even though he or she might be quite skilled at many other tasks
someone for who math is difficult even though they might be quite skilled at many other tasks
someone for whom math is difficult even though he or she might be quite skilled at many other tasks
The main issue in this sentence is the error with the relative pronoun "who." When "who" is used as an object of a preposition (or of a main verb), it should be inflected with "-m" to "whom." Now, it is arguable that a comma is also needed after "difficult," but this is not 100% necessary. Therefore, the most critical change is the expression "from who" to "from whom."
Example Question #96 : Pronoun Usage Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
My cat gets much more sleep each night than me.
I do.
NO CHANGE
myself.
my sleep.
mine.
I do.
I is the subject of the elliptical clause I do and should thus be in the subjective case.
Example Question #97 : Pronoun Usage Errors
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Ellen cannot complete the daily sales reports as quickly or efficiently as me.
us
mine.
myself.
I can
NO CHANGE
I can
The sentence is an ellipsis ("as I can") and thus requires the subject pronoun "I"
Example Question #581 : Word Usage Errors
Over winter break, our AP Spanish class took a trip to South America to practice the language and learn more about different Spanish-speaking cultures. Before we left, every student had to get their vaccinations for yellow fever and typhoid. Our first stop was Bolivia. When we landed at El Alto airport the highest in the world, we could see the city of La Paz sprawling up the hillsides in the shadow of the Andes. The first day in La Paz, we went to the Witches’s Market, run by local yatiri. The yatiri are medical practitioners who perform healing rituals in they’re communities. At the market, we saw dried frogs, llama fetuses, herbs, and seeds, used in various rituals. After we visited La Paz, we traveled to Cochabamba. Cochabamba is Bolivia’s culinary capital, with delicious specialties such as salteñas and rellenos. In Cochabamba, we also climbed 1400 steps to see the Cristo de La Concordia statue, the tallest of it’s kind in South America. Next, we visited the salt flats of Uyuni. Several lagoons dotted the high desert landscape, some of who were full of flamingos!
On our way out of Bolivia, we stopped at Lake Titicaca on the Peruvian border. Because the lake’s elevation is over 12,000 feet, some of my classmates experienced a bit of altitude sickness. Despite the altitude sickness, everyone said they loved seeing the beautiful scenery and visiting the mysterious “floating islands” made of reeds. When we crossed the border into Peru, one of my classmates thought she had lost her passport. I would of had a panic attack! She ended up finding it buried in a pocket of her backpack and we were on our way.
My favorite part of Peru was our trek to the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. We spent four days hiking in the Andes on a trail to the ruins. Our guides, whom spoke Spanish, English, and Quechua, were very knowledgeable about the history, flora, and fauna in the region. Upon waking up the next morning, a beautiful sunrise greeted us and cast the mountains in its soft pink glow. After we explored the ruins, we took a train ride back to Cuzco. The next day, we flew to Lima and prepared to return home. I was sad to leave, but I know I would be back some day!
Select the answer choice that best corrects the bold underlined portion of the passage. If the sentence is correct as written, select NO CHANGE.
some of them were full of flamingos!
some of which were full of flamingos!
NO CHANGE
some of who were full of flamingos!
some of that were full of flamingos!
some of which were full of flamingos!
The correct pronoun for "lagoons," which are inanimate (non-living) objects, is "which." Who and whom are for people. "Some of that" is not idiomatically correct, and "some of them" turns the fragment into an entirely new sentence that would need to be separated by a period instead of a comma. Additionally, "who" is a subject pronoun and in this sentence, we need an object pronoun.
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