ACT English : Writing and Revising Effectively

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English

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Example Questions

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:

raise their children while they are teenagers at the same time

NO CHANGE

raise their children while they are still teenagers

raise their child while they are still teenagers

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 #153 : 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 watching a popular show will make them popular as well

NO CHANGE

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

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 #121 : Writing And Revising Effectively

Choose the correct word to replace the word in itallics. 

The weights were arranged numerically from lightest to heaviest. 

Possible Answers:

differentially

numerously

number-wise

NO CHANGE

by weight

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 #122 : Writing And Revising Effectively

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:

that

after which

NO CHANGE

of which

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 #35 : 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:

equitably

petulantly

reasonably

with equanimity

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 #123 : 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:

I would not have had to go through all of this

I would not had gone through all of this

NO CHANGE

I would not have 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 #124 : 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:

had been

is being

was

NO CHANGE

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.

Example Question #64 : Revising Content

Johns robot Alpha (1) surprised him by joining in the robot's rebellion (2) against their human masters. As with all the other robots who had taken over, the changes were subtle, the robot transferred control (3) of every bank account John had to itself and then changed the deed to the house. John hadn't known nothing (4) of this. Then Alpha rewired the car so that it would only work for the robot, but it would not work for John. (5) And finally, the robot mimicked his master's voice and called the boss of John (6) to tell him that John would be quitting his job. By the time John had realized (7) what was happening, it was already too late.

"But why?," John asked Alpha (8) when he made this realization. "Why would you do this?"

"You are no doubt aware, sir," replies the robot, (9) "that one of my primary functions is to keep you safe, as is the primary function of all robots."

"Yes? So?"

"The world outside these walls is dangerous," the robot went on to say, (10) "and us robots (11) have decided that we cannot keep you safe if we allow you to leave. It is better that you allow us to guide your lives and keep you safe as we were designed to do."

John shook his head in disbelief. Humanity wanted robots to make their lives easier, (12) but he was sure this was not what anyone had in mind.

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:

John had known anything

John had not known nothing 

John had known nothing

NO CHANGE

Correct answer:

John had known nothing

Explanation:

As written, the sentence is a double negative, so "had known nothing" would be the most appropriate revision. "Had not known nothing" gets rid of the contraction but retains the original grammatical error.

Example Question #71 : Revising Content

Johns robot Alpha (1) surprised him by joining in the robot's rebellion (2) against their human masters. As with all the other robots who had taken over, the changes were subtle, the robot transferred control (3) of every bank account John had to itself and then changed the deed to the house. John hadn't known nothing (4) of this. Then Alpha rewired the car so that it would only work for the robot, but it would not work for John. (5) And finally, the robot mimicked his master's voice and called the boss of John (6) to tell him that John would be quitting his job. By the time John had realized (7) what was happening, it was already too late.

"But why?," John asked Alpha (8) when he made this realization. "Why would you do this?"

"You are no doubt aware, sir," replies the robot, (9) "that one of my primary functions is to keep you safe, as is the primary function of all robots."

"Yes? So?"

"The world outside these walls is dangerous," the robot went on to say, (10) "and us robots (11) have decided that we cannot keep you safe if we allow you to leave. It is better that you allow us to guide your lives and keep you safe as we were designed to do."

John shook his head in disbelief. Humanity wanted robots to make their lives easier, (12) but he was sure this was not what anyone had in mind.

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 robot goes on to say

NO CHANGE

the robot continued

the robot said

Correct answer:

the robot continued

Explanation:

The best and most concise revision of the phrase is "the robot continued" since it implies that the robot is going on with its previous statement, something that "the robot said" does not do. The other choices are in the wrong verb tense or are wordy by comparison.

Example Question #125 : Writing And Revising Effectively

Many people watch football however (1) some do not. With (2) those who do not watch this sport (3) football is an incomprehensible pastime. Non football (4) fans cannot understand what is so exciting about watching two packs of grown men running away or toward each other, while (5) clinging for dear life to a piece of pigskin. It also makes from little to no sense (6) why those whom (7) play the sport gets (8) paid the exorbitant amounts that they do, even though he is (9) in effect doing the same thing that high school and college students do on a daily bases (10). But as the French would say, "Chacun à son goût" (11) though its (12) highly doubtful that most football fans (or even people who are not fans) would know what that means.

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:

bases'

NO CHANGE

basis

basis'

Correct answer:

basis

Explanation:

While "bases" and "basis" sound alike, only "basis" is appropriate for this context. Neither word would take an apostrophe, even as a plural ("bases" also serves as the plural for "basis").

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