ACT and SAT Prep

English Test2013-2014

Hyman

ACT – English

• Assesses your knowledge of English grammar and writing

• 45 minutes, 75 questions, 5 passages

• 2 types of content– Usage/ Mechanics– Rhetoric

• 2 question formats– Underlined information– Boxed numbers

Usage/ Mechanics

The 40 Usage/ Mechanics questions on the test deal with the proper use of standard written English. This is the “technical” aspect of the

test because they ask you to apply the rules of standard English to sections of the passages.

These are almost always presented as underlined information sections of the passage

Rhetorical SkillsThe 35 Rhetorical Skills questions test your ability to refine written

English. This is the “intuitive” part of the test, and require a sense of what

good writing looks like.

These are almost always presented as boxed numbers sections of the passage; however, few underlined sections may cover this as

well.

Strategies for the English Test

• Skim the ENTIRE passage first

• Answer the questions in order

• Use Process of Elimination

• If the phrase doesn’t fit, you must “omit”

• Be above the influence

Skim the ENTIRE Passage First

ACT Question… her dogs

has14 sleek brown hair.

a) NO CHANGEb) arec) haved) having

Let’s Continue…The girl walking her dogs has14 sleek brown hair.

a) NO CHANGEb) arec) haved) having

DING!

DING!

Answer Questions in Order

For the English section, this really is just common sense.

The questions appear in order because of the flow of the passage. In other words the questions at the beginning deal with

the beginning, the questions at the middle, deal with the middle and the questions at

the end, deal with the end.

Use “Process of Elimination”

Let’s try this example:a) Cathys’ friends left they’re bags in the

room.b) Cathy’s friends left there bags in the

room.c) Cathys friends left their bags in the

room.d) Cathy’s friends left their bags in the

room. Ding

X

X

X

You Try…

a) When I swung the bat I knew, I had hit a home run.

b) When I swung the bat, I knew I had hit a home run.

c) When I swing the bat I will know I always hit a home run.

d) When, I swung the bat I knew, I had hit a home run.

If the Phrase Doesn’t Fit, You Must “Omit”

The ACT writers want your edits as clear and concise as possible. Let’s look at this example:

The bag was free. I didn’t have to pay for it.21

a) NO CHANGEb) I paid five dollars for it.c) I paid almost nothing for it.d) OMIT the underlined portion

HINT

Th

ink

Red

un

dan

cy

Be Above the Influence

Be wary of answer choices that try to trick you into overcorrecting the

problem. You shouldn’t be fooled into finding additional “errors” by an answer choice that has completely made over the original. The correct answer to a question is not always the one that has changed the most elements of the underlined phrase.

Passing the English Test

What YOU Need To Know…

Punctuation

Be ready to learn

everything you ever

wanted to know

about:

• Commas• Apostrophes• Semicolons• Colons• Parenthesis • Dashes

The Great Comma Debate

For years “Grammar Nazis” have argued over whether we should use the serial comma (“salt, potatoes, and fish”) or

not (“salt, potatoes and fish”). This culminated in a long and brutal war that cost us many

lives, but yielded no clear winner. Regardless, always use the serial comma on the ACT!

For Example…

My English teacher gave us daily quizzes, which angered and confused us. Soon, the teachers’ motives became clear.

A. NO CHANGEB. teachers

motives C. teacher’s motives

D. teacher’s motive’s

Think About It:

How many teachers are

there?

If you said “1”

AWESOME!

Can “motive’s” be possessive?

I didn’t think so either!

Grammar

• Subject-Verb Agreement• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement• Pronoun Cases• Verb Tenses• Adverbs and Adjectives• Idioms• Comparative and Superlative

Modifiers

For Example…

Attending a large university has taught me to understand and appreciate differently cultures from my own

A. NO CHANGEB. cultures

different then C. cultures different from

D. cultures differently by

Think About It:

What does the word “then”

indicate?

If you said “time”

AWESOME!

Just in case you didn’t know…

Than = Contrast

Sentence Structure

• Connecting and Transitional Words• Subordinate or Dependent Clauses• Sentence Fragments• Comma Splices• Run-on Sentences• Misplaced Modifiers• Parallelism

For Example…

You calmly begin writing a list that includes names of family and friends placing checkmarks next to those whose gifts you’ve purchased.

A. NO CHANGEB. friends.

Placing C. friends; placing

D. friends, placing

Think About It:

How many independent

thoughts can you find?

If you said “1”

AWESOME!

Are you breathing between “friends” and “placing?”

GOOD… Use a comma!

Writing Strategy

Writing Strategy questions are concerned with a passage’s effectiveness. These

questions require that you understand the point, purpose and tone of a passage.

You must be able to decide the best way to support a point, to introduce or conclude a

paragraph, to make transitions between paragraphs, or to phrase a statement.

For Example…Horseback riding requires less skill than many people think. Granted., not just anyone can hop onto the back of a horse and maneuver the animal around a racetrack or jumping course, but many people can sit comfortably in a saddle for a short period of time while a horse calmly walks along a wooded trail.

1

1. The writer wishes to add information here that will further support the point made in the preceding sentence. Which of the following sentences will do that best?

A. Saddles are designed for specific purposes, such as pleasure riding, barrel racing, and roping.B. Each year, thousands of people who have never before been on a horse enjoy guided, one-hour trail rides.C. Even experiences riders enjoy the peace and tranquility of a ride through the woods after a long day of training.D. Former racehorses are often used as trail horses when they retire from the track.

Organization

Organization questions can deal with individual sentences, individual paragraphs, or passages as a whole.

They will ask you either to restructure the passage or paragraph or to decide on the best placement of a word or phrase within a sentence

For Example…[1] Prior to this, my mother had stated that she and my dad would only be staying with me for three days. [2] As adults, we often have mixed feelings about a visit from our parents – while we are happy to see them, we also hope that their stay is for a definite and short period of time. [3] My parents recently planned a trip to my neck of the woods, and I prepared my humble home for their arrival. [4] They showed up on the appointed day and my mother announced that they would stay for a full week.

2. Which of the following sequences of sentences will make this paragraph most logical?

A. NO CHANGE

B. 1, 4, 3, 2C. 2, 3, 4, 1D. 4, 3, 2, 1

Think about it…

The best approach to this type of question is to determine which

sentence should come first. The first sentence of a paragraph usually

introduces the topic of a paragraph.

Look for the answer choice that places that sentence in the first

position answer choice.

Style

• Style questions focus on effective word choice. They will ask you to

eliminate redundancy and to select the most appropriate word or phrase.

In order to answer style questions correctly, you need to have a good

eye for clear written English.

Common Redundancies

• (end) result• estimated (roughly) a

t• (free) gift• (frozen) ice• (general) public• green (in color)• join (together)• (natural) instinct• never (at any time)• (null and) void• (pair of) twins• (past) experience• (poisonous) venom• reason is (because)• (regular) routine• (small) speck• (suddenly) exploded• surrounded (on all

sides)• (unexpected) surprise

• (actual) experience• (advance) planning• (advance) reservations• (advance) warning• all meet (together)• (armed) gunman• autobiography (of my

life)• (awkward) predicamen

t• (basic) fundamentals• cease (and desist)• cheap (price)• (close) proximity• cold (temperature)• commute (back and

forth)• consensus (of opinion)• (difficult) dilemma• each (and every)• (empty) space

For Example…While having the appearance3 to be a simple game, checkers is actually quite complicated. Mathematically there are about 500 quintillion possible ways to win the game. Despite this, checkers continues to be mostly a fun game for those who play it, even at the competitive level. Checkers was first played in the twelfth century.4 Some of the classic moves used in competitions have names like Goose Walk, Duffer’s Delight, and the Boomerang. With names like these, it seems that even a serious game5 has its own sense of humor.

3. A. NO CHANGEB. appearingC. appearing thatD. appearances show it

3. The best answer choice is B. Look for the most concise, least redundant way to say something!

4. A. NO CHANGEB. First played in the twelfth century was checkersC. Checkers was originally from the twelfth century.D. OMIT the underlined portion.

5. A. NO CHANGEB. crucial that a serious gameC. that a serious gameD. in all seriousness, a game

4. The best answer choice is D. The sentence doesn’t fit the context of the paragraph

5. Because the tone is informational, no change is needed.

Exit Slip

HELP ME! – Pick 2PunctuationGrammar

Sentence StructureWriting Strategy

OrganizationStyle