ACT Prep - English AVID

English Basics

• 45 minutes, 75 questions • Most English questions follow the same format:• A word, phrase or sentence is underlined • You’re given four choices:• One to leave alone (NO CHANGE)• Three alternatives

• On this section you are tested on the following:• You’re understanding of the conventions of English• Punctuation, grammar, sentence structure• Rhetorical skills• Such as: organizational skills, and style

English Basics

• ACT English Question Breakdown• 18 sentence structure• 12 grammar and usage• 12 strategy• 12 style• 11 organizational• 10 punctuation

English Basics

• To Omit or not to Omit• Some questions offer the alternative to “omit”• Usually it’s the last answer choice• On recent ACT, when “omit” is a choice it has been the correct

answer more than 50% of the time• DOES NOT mean you should automatically select it

English Basics

• Nonstandard Format Questions• Some questions, usually about 10, do not follow the

standard format• These items pose a question about an excerpt• Responses are often yes or no with an explanation• Pay attention to the reasoning of the explanation

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

• Sentence Sense questions test your understanding of how words are combined to form clear and correct sentences

• Characteristics of Sentence Sense Questions• Clause = group of words that contain both a subject and a

verb• Two types of clauses:• Independent – can stand alone as a sentence

• Two indep. Clauses cannot be combined with a comma

• Dependent – cannot stand alone as a sentence

• Most Common Types of Sentence Sense Questions• Sentence Structure• Consistency• Word Order

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

Sentence Structure• Recognize whether a sentence expresses a complete thought or not or if too many

thoughts are strung together incorrectly

• Rules:• A sentence must contain an indep. clause• An –ING verb cannot stand alone• “that” always introduces a depend. clause• 4 options for fixing a run-on sentence• Separate in to two sentences• Join with a semicolon• Use a transition word• Use a comma by a FANBOYS word (for, and, nor, but, or yet, so)

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

Consistency• How non-underlined verbs/pronouns dictate underlined verbs/pronouns

• Verb Tense Consistency:• Verb tense of the underlined portion must relate to the non-underlined verb

in the sentence

• Pronoun Consistency:• If the underlined portion includes a pronoun, make the the

non-underlined portion includes the noun or pronoun to which it refers

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

Word Order• Recognize problematic phrase combinations that lead to

illogical statements • Think of these questions as a scrambled sentence• You’re task is to rearrange it to make logical sense

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

The Trap Door – Steering Clear of Answer Traps• Typical Traps:• Watch for words that introduce dependent clauses• If you see one of the following words make sure the sentence

contains an independent clause

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

AfterAlthoughBecauseBeforeIfSinceThat though

UnlessWhereasWhichWhileWho Whoever

• Verbs ending in –ING• If there is not a helping verb with it, a revision is always

needed

• Underlined Sentences• When an entire sentence is underlined:• Occasionally NO CHANGE is the correct answer, usually you

should pick OMIT because the sentence is usually off topic• And the other choices won’t make sense

Lesson 1 – Sentence Sense

Lesson 1 Practice

1. Identify each question type:• Sentence structure (SS)• Consistency: Verb or Pronoun (VC or PC)• Word Order (WO)

2. Answer the questions

Lesson 2 - Punctuation

• Rules for Commas• Separate introductory words from the main part of the

sentence• Set off words or phrases that are not essential to the

sentence• Separate two indep. clauses joined by FANBOYS• Separate items in a list or series

• Rules for Semicolon (for the ACT)• Joins two closely related independent clauses without a

FANBOYS word• Ex. Connecting Words That Can Follow a Semicolon:

Lesson 2 - Punctuation

FurthermoreHoweverMoreoverNeverthelessTherefore

Thus

• Rules for Colons• After an indep. clause to introduce an example, an

explanation, a short phrase, a quotation, or a list

Lesson 2 - Punctuation

• Rules for Dashes• Not tested frequently• Use a dash to indicate a hesitation or break in thought• Use a dash before and after the break• Can’t a pair a dash with a comma

Lesson 2 - Punctuation

• Rules for Apostrophes• Show possession• Show that one or more letters are omitted in a contraction

Lesson 2 - Punctuation

The Trap Doors – Types of Punctuation Answer Traps• Comma Trap• Answer choices with the most commas tend to be wrong• AVOID unnecessary commas

Lesson 2 - Punctuation

Lesson 2 Practice

1. Identify the punctuation being tested in each question (some questions may test more than one):• Commas (Com) • Semicolon (SC)• Colon (Col)• Dashes (D)• Apostrophes (Ap)

2. Answer the Questions

Lesson 3 – Word Choice

• Key Rules:• Irregular verbs • Ex: wrong = begun, correct = had begun

• Comparatives and Superlatives• Adj. that end in –er, comparative form ends in –er• Two things being compared

• Superlative is usually –est when three or more things are being compared

• Idiomatic Usage • Make sure the “sound” correct

• Adjectives and Adverbs• If and adj./adv. Is underlined make sure it modifies a noun/verb

Lesson 3 Practice

1. Answer the questions

Lesson 4 - Wordiness

• Wordiness Rule: Eliminate Unnecessary Words• Best answer choice forms a direct, concise statement• Keep an eye out for:• Repetitive words• Too many words• String of prepositional phrases

Lesson 4 Practice

1. Answer the questions

Lesson 5 – Writing Strategy and Style

• Asks you to explicitly consider specific choices an author makes in the writing process

• Need to understand the passage as a whole

• 4 categories of writing strategy questions:• Whether or not a particular sentence should be added to a

passage• The effect of deleting a particular phrase or sentence• Whether or not the passage fulfills a given purpose or

assignment• The most effective wording to accomplish a specified purpose

Lesson 5 – Writing Strategy and Style

• Key Rules:• Understand what the question is asking• Skip a question - know when to skip and come back after

reading the passage• Use the title of the passage to understand the focus of the

passage

Lesson 5 Practice

1. Answer the questions

Lesson 6 - Organization

• Organization questions ask you to think about how a passage

• Most common types of Organization questions• Sequence:• Determine the correct order of paragraphs

• Focus:• Either paragraph or whole passage• …or appropriate sentence for transition• Need to look at paragraph before and after

• Connections:• Looking at transition words or phrases• Focus on relationships and logical flow

Lesson 6 - Organization

• Key Rules• Order of paragraphs• Look for introduction, conclusion and body paragraphs

• Order of sentences• Look for key words such as: first, next, finally, etc.• Biographical information -> usually chronological order

• Recognizing Connections• Commonly used words and phrases• Causes and effect – as a result• Contrast – although, but• Examples – for instance

Lesson 7 – Challenging English Questions

• Key Rules:1. Don’t rush when reading questions stems• NOT-LEAST-EXCEPT questions• Printed in all caps• Circle word that appears in all caps• Read carefully

2. Two questions answer the easier one first• Sentences that contain underlined parts that relate to two

different questions, answer the easier one first.• Use context clues