ACT English : Word Choice, Style, and Tone

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Word Choice, Style, And Tone

In the last day of classes (1), everyone was distracted and unable to do their (2) work.  Even the teacher, which normally (3) was attentive and cheery, seems (4) unable to focus.  The final test took (5) way too long for everyone to complete, and many of students (6) had put down his head (7) on the desk.  The sound of the heat blowing through the room was enough to put everyone (8) to sleep, and the teachers' (9) eyes began drooping despite hisself (10).  After what seemed an eternity; (11) the bell had rung (12) and everyone, including the teacher, ran out of the room.

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."

Possible Answers:

their heads

his or her head

NO CHANGE

his or her heads

Correct answer:

their heads

Explanation:

"Many" indicates a plural, so "their heads" would be the correct combination of possessive pronoun and number for this phrase.

Example Question #32 : Word Choice, Style, And Tone

In the last day of classes (1), everyone was distracted and unable to do their (2) work.  Even the teacher, which normally (3) was attentive and cheery, seems (4) unable to focus.  The final test took (5) way too long for everyone to complete, and many of students (6) had put down his head (7) on the desk.  The sound of the heat blowing through the room was enough to put everyone (8) to sleep, and the teachers' (9) eyes began drooping despite hisself (10).  After what seemed an eternity; (11) the bell had rung (12) and everyone, including the teacher, ran out of the room.

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."

Possible Answers:

anyone

someone

no one

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

NO CHANGE

Explanation:

The word "everyone" most accurately implies that all students in the class are likely to be put to sleep by the sound of the heat.

Example Question #151 : Act English

In today's society, (1) they have a popular TV series that (2) follows the life of 4-5 (3) young teenage girls who are trying to raise their child while being a teenager at the same time (4). The television series shows hardships, but they (5) focus more on the relationships of these girls rather than how much their baby’s diaper is changed or how often the baby spits up all over them. They always have a happy ending, giving teen girls these days hope that it (6) will do the same for them. The show focuses of (7) a different group of teen moms each season, but all being held back by having a child at a young age. Some are alone, some have significant others, and some even decided to give (8) their baby up for adoption, but not one of their lives are perfect nor easy (9). Some teenagers enjoy watching the show just to watch the babies grow, but others watch it because they think it’s popular, they think it will make them popular as well (10). The show is based upon these girl’s (11) lives and it doesn’t always seem to have to do with their children it has to do with them being teenagers (12).

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."

Possible Answers:

the lives of four or five

NO CHANGE

the lives of four-five

the life of four or five

Correct answer:

the lives of four or five

Explanation:

Since there is more than one girl, "life" should be a plural, and since it is either four or five girls rather than a range of four to five girls, the "or" is more appropriate.

Example Question #152 : Act English

In today's society, (1) they have a popular TV series that (2) follows the life of 4-5 (3) young teenage girls who are trying to raise their child while being a teenager at the same time (4). The television series shows hardships, but they (5) focus more on the relationships of these girls rather than how much their baby’s diaper is changed or how often the baby spits up all over them. They always have a happy ending, giving teen girls these days hope that it (6) will do the same for them. The show focuses of (7) a different group of teen moms each season, but all being held back by having a child at a young age. Some are alone, some have significant others, and some even decided to give (8) their baby up for adoption, but not one of their lives are perfect nor easy (9). Some teenagers enjoy watching the show just to watch the babies grow, but others watch it because they think it’s popular, they think it will make them popular as well (10). The show is based upon these girl’s (11) lives and it doesn’t always seem to have to do with their children it has to do with them being teenagers (12).

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."

Possible Answers:

NO CHANGE

raise their child while they are still teenagers

raise their children while they are still teenagers

raise their children while they are teenagers at the same time

Correct answer:

raise their children while they are still teenagers

Explanation:

Since there is more than one teenager, the nouns should all be plural, and the sentence can be made more concise by using "while they are still teenagers."

Example Question #152 : Act English

In today's society, (1) they have a popular TV series that (2) follows the life of 4-5 (3) young teenage girls who are trying to raise their child while being a teenager at the same time (4). The television series shows hardships, but they (5) focus more on the relationships of these girls rather than how much their baby’s diaper is changed or how often the baby spits up all over them. They always have a happy ending, giving teen girls these days hope that it (6) will do the same for them. The show focuses of (7) a different group of teen moms each season, but all being held back by having a child at a young age. Some are alone, some have significant others, and some even decided to give (8) their baby up for adoption, but not one of their lives are perfect nor easy (9). Some teenagers enjoy watching the show just to watch the babies grow, but others watch it because they think it’s popular, they think it will make them popular as well (10). The show is based upon these girl’s (11) lives and it doesn’t always seem to have to do with their children it has to do with them being teenagers (12).

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."

Possible Answers:

but others watch it because they think it will make them popular as well

but others watch it because they think, since it’s popular, they think it will make them popular as well

but others watch it because they think watching a popular show will make them popular as well

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

but others watch it because they think watching a popular show will make them popular as well

Explanation:

The phrasing "but others watch it because they think watching a popular show will make them popular as well" is the only one of the choices that captures the original intent of the sentence and manages not to introduce any new grammatical problems.

Example Question #33 : Word Choice, Style, And Tone

Choose the correct word to replace the word in itallics. 

The weights were arranged numerically from lightest to heaviest. 

Possible Answers:

by weight

numerously

number-wise

differentially

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

by weight

Explanation:

The correct choice is "by weight" because the sentence is discussing "heaviest" and "lightest." The best stylistic choice is "by weight." 

Example Question #34 : Word Choice, Style, And Tone

John was realizing (1) that if he ever wanted to get any work done (2) he needed to turn off his phone.  Putting it on vibrate was not going to be enough (3).  If it weren't (4) a message from a disgruntled student or an update to an app, it would be (5) a call from a relative or from a creditor.  He has only recently realized (6) how ironic it is that "creditor" rhymes with "predator." (7)  When the phone is on vibrate, he could feel it (8) from across the room which (9) makes it difficult for him to ignore it.  Eventually he instituted a rule by which (10) he would only turn the phone on during certain hours of the day.  At night he would turn it completely off, and he caught up (11) with his messages at lunchtime or dinnertime, but only if he were dining (12) alone.  After that, he felt a little bit happier - but only a little bit.

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."

Possible Answers:

after which

of which

NO CHANGE

that

Correct answer:

that

Explanation:

The word "that" is all that is needed here to show what the rule is that John is following.

Example Question #33 : Word Choice, Style, And Tone

My lunch I had with my friend Gary (1) did not go very well. For one thing (2) he said he would come to pick me up (3) at noon. He normally texts me when he's outside, so I waited until 12:25.  Finally, at 12:30, he sends (4) a text: "Left my phone at home and had to come back to get it since you weren't downstairs waiting."

When he came back to get me, he was mad, at me. (5) "I couldn't find your doorbell," he shouted, "because there was no name tag on it, so I had gone (6) all the way home to get my phone just to text you!" (7)

"Wait a minute," I said, starting to get angry myself, "you're mad at me because you left your phone at home and you couldn't find my doorbell?"

"That's right," he replied __________ (8). "If you had been waiting downstairs, I would have had to not go through all of this." (9)

"But you're the one who left your phone at home," I countered, "and you always text me when you get here. Never have you asked me (10) to wait outside for you."

"Well, you should have," he muttered.

The rest of the day goes (11) downhill from there, all because my former friend Gary is (12) too proud to admit when he makes a mistake.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best completes the sentence preceding the question number.  

Possible Answers:

reasonably

with equanimity

equitably

petulantly

Correct answer:

petulantly

Explanation:

"Petulantly" means "with ill grace" whereas all the other choices make the friend sound reasonable, which he is not being in this instance.

Example Question #39 : Word Choice, Style, And Tone

My lunch I had with my friend Gary (1) did not go very well. For one thing (2) he said he would come to pick me up (3) at noon. He normally texts me when he's outside, so I waited until 12:25.  Finally, at 12:30, he sends (4) a text: "Left my phone at home and had to come back to get it since you weren't downstairs waiting."

When he came back to get me, he was mad, at me. (5) "I couldn't find your doorbell," he shouted, "because there was no name tag on it, so I had gone (6) all the way home to get my phone just to text you!" (7)

"Wait a minute," I said, starting to get angry myself, "you're mad at me because you left your phone at home and you couldn't find my doorbell?"

"That's right," he replied __________ (8). "If you had been waiting downstairs, I would have had to not go through all of this." (9)

"But you're the one who left your phone at home," I countered, "and you always text me when you get here. Never have you asked me (10) to wait outside for you."

"Well, you should have," he muttered.

The rest of the day goes (11) downhill from there, all because my former friend Gary is (12) too proud to admit when he makes a mistake.

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."

Possible Answers:

NO CHANGE

I would not have had to go through all of this

I would not have gone through all of this

I would not had gone through all of this

Correct answer:

I would not have had to go through all of this

Explanation:

The phrase "I would not have had to go through all of this" best captures what the friend is trying to say.

Example Question #121 : Writing And Revising Effectively

My lunch I had with my friend Gary (1) did not go very well. For one thing (2) he said he would come to pick me up (3) at noon. He normally texts me when he's outside, so I waited until 12:25.  Finally, at 12:30, he sends (4) a text: "Left my phone at home and had to come back to get it since you weren't downstairs waiting."

When he came back to get me, he was mad, at me. (5) "I couldn't find your doorbell," he shouted, "because there was no name tag on it, so I had gone (6) all the way home to get my phone just to text you!" (7)

"Wait a minute," I said, starting to get angry myself, "you're mad at me because you left your phone at home and you couldn't find my doorbell?"

"That's right," he replied __________ (8). "If you had been waiting downstairs, I would have had to not go through all of this." (9)

"But you're the one who left your phone at home," I countered, "and you always text me when you get here. Never have you asked me (10) to wait outside for you."

"Well, you should have," he muttered.

The rest of the day goes (11) downhill from there, all because my former friend Gary is (12) too proud to admit when he makes a mistake.

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."

Possible Answers:

is being

NO CHANGE

had been

was

Correct answer:

NO CHANGE

Explanation:

The present tense here implies that the friend is still too proud, which in the context of the sentence makes sense.

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