Name: ______

Examine the italicized choices and circle the correct answer. Remember, the ACT expects formal, written rules of English. These do not always match the way we speak.

  1. When Hailee felt lonely, somebody used her/his or their lunch money to surprise her with a candy bar.
  1. When the candidate came late to the interview, he or they blew his or their chances for the job.
  1. If everyone lacks the backbone to stand up to injustice, he/she or theyneed or needsto expect that it will continue.
  1. All students are excited about the holiday; he/she or they plan to enjoy the newfound sunshine.
  1. No one should be afraid to hold his/her or their head high even if he/she or theyhave or has made some mistakes.
  1. Each puppy of this house of animals are or isexcited to play.
  1. Any young boy who watched the first moon landing probably spent the next few years wishing that they or he could become an astronaut.
  1. Some of the seniors are or is repeatedly disrespectful in the commons area.
  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Subjects need to agree with their verbs and their pronouns. So if a subject is singular, it needs to have a singular pronoun. Also, subjects are not found in prepositional phrases (i.e., “The class of angry kindergartners comes”—we look at class not at kindergartners). Furthermore, indefinite pronouns (everybody, no one, nobody, somebody, someone, anybody, anyone, etc.) count as singular (so they go with his/her, he/she, and singular verbs). Other pronouns, such as “all” and “some” can be plural.
  1. Tides on the earth rise or rises according to the moon’s gravitational pull.
  1. The group of rambunctious senators come or comes to lunch every day at 11:30.
  1. The sun, like the earth, influence or influencesthe moon’s motion.
  1. Photography from lunar-orbiting vehicles show or shows features on the moon’s surface.
  1. Todd and Jesse always arrive or arrives late to fourth period.
  1. Abby—like Steph—arrive or arrives late to fourth period.
  1. A famous author of short stories and novels are or is Bernard Malamud.
  1. Jewish writers of fiction include or includes Saul Bellow.
  1. I’m not one of the kids who have or has time to begin a novel about high school or dragons or starships.
  1. The class of first-year med. students (in their bright white lab coats) stand or stands at attention as the presiding doctor enters.
  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?) Subjects need to agree with their verbs. Also, subjects are not found in prepositional phrases (i.e., “The class of angry kindergartners comes”—we look at class not at kindergartners). Plural subjects can be formed with “and,” but if there is something tacked on to the subject with commas or dashes (i.e., Susie, like Helen, speaks), then it still stays with the original (usually singular) subject.
  1. The car keeps shutting off. Perhaps something is wrong with it’s or its engine.
  1. The kids are particularly proud of they’re or their win against Davis.
  1. Brenda, you’re or your the best librarian I’ve ever met.
  1. The soccer player who’s or whose the fastest will win a slurpee.
  1. Nobody is allowed in with muddy feet. There or Their is enough dirt in here already.
  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Careful with homonyms. It’s = it is. Its is possessive. Who’s = who is. They’re = they are. There is possessive.
  1. Caity and I or me plan to be there.
  1. The boss gave Henry and I or me a raise last month.
  1. Do you want to come with I or me to lunch?
  1. They gave we or usa casserole while Mom was in the hospital.
  1. They or Them and she or her are coming along for the ride. (Note: Usually, we’d say “She” first, but this is just tradition/convention and not actually a grammar rule. The most important thing is to choose the right case—subject form or object form.)
  1. I’m fatter than she or her, so I’ll probably win this sumo wrestling match.
  1. She broke up with he or him because he or him has been so moody lately.
  1. This vase goes to who or whom?
  1. Who or whom won the game Saturday?
  1. The boss gave who or whom a raise?
  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Use subject form pronouns (I, we, they, he, she, who) when they are the subject of the sentence. Also use them when they are an implied subject (I’m fatter than she [is]. Or She plays piano better than I [do].) Use object pronouns the rest of the time (me, us, them, him, her, whom). Also, it often helps to take out the extra word when two pronouns are together (i.e., instead of saying “Katie and I” just say “I” and it often helps to figure out which pronoun to use).
  1. Which of the following sentences is correct?

Who does this go to? To whom does this go? To who does this go?

  1. Which of the following sentences is correct?

Who is this present for? For whom is this present? For who is this present?

  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Don’t split prepositions from their object of the preposition (i.e., don’t leave the little words like “to,” “for,” “with,” “from,” and “by” hanging out at the end of the phrase or sentence). And pronouns should be in object case (whom, him, her, us, me) if they are the object of a preposition.
  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

Aluminium is a metal that is very light in weight.

Aluminium is a metal that is very light. [could be either depending on your argument]

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

The office manager wanted all the memos to be typed. She wanted all the memos to be typed so that they would be easy to read.

The office manager wanted all the memos to be typed so that they would be easy to read.

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

The library wants me to return For Whom the Bell Tolls.

The book that the library wants me to return is called For Whom the Bell Tolls.

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

I personally feel that the monster should be left alone by itself.

I personally feel that the monster should be left alone.

I feel that the monster should be left alone.

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

Trot told Ted that he should get the mauve pants from the sale rack.

Trot told Ted that Ted should get the mauve pants from the sale rack.

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

Writers can rely on online indexes of journals to start their research.

Generally speaking writers can kind of rely on certain online indexes of journals to basically start their research.

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

The endresult was brighterin color than we had hoped, but we plan to repaint the wall in the future.

The result was brighter than we had hoped, but we plan to repaint the wall.

  1. Which of the following sentences is best?

I am having trouble understanding this.

I am having trouble understanding your jargon-filled introduction.

  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Cut down on wordiness. Be concise. However, sometimes you need more words to be clear and concrete (so replacing pronouns such as “this,” “that,” and “it” is often a good idea).
  1. Mom made dinner good or well.
  2. Danny talks fast or quickly.
  3. I got an easy or easily A.
  4. I got an “A” easy or easily.
  5. She shut him up quick or quickly.
  6. I didn’t do good or well in the game last night.
  7. The fast or quickly talker had good or well grammar.
  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Use adverbs when you are modifying/describing the verb (or other adverbs or adjectives). Use adjectives only to describe nouns. So if you are describing how something was done, use the adverb, which is often an “ly” word. “Well” is the adverb form; “good” is the adjective form. When we speak, we often over-use the adjective forms.
  1. Which of the following is a better sentence?

After striding into the store in a foul mood, the treats even bothered Martha.

After striding into the store in a foul mood, Martha was bothered even by the treats.

  1. Which of the following is a better sentence?

I stood amid the cheering of my fourth-grade peers and happily received a giant blue ribbon labeled first place from Mr. Ambrose.

I stood amid the cheering of my 4th grade peers and happily received a giant blue ribbon from Mr. Ambrose, labeled first place.

  1. Which of the following is a better sentence (grammatically speaking)?

Despite what he put off with his appearance, Gary was still accepted by his neighbors.

Despite what he put off with his appearance, the neighbors knew Gary was a good man.

  1. Which of the following is a better sentence (grammatically speaking)?

Known as a bright colorful flower that symbolizes love and life, it is no wonder why Morrie was so fond of this flower.

Known as a bright colorful flower that symbolizes love and life, the hibiscus perfectly paralleled Morrie.

  1. Which of the following is a better sentence?

A small book sat on the desk that Sarah had read.

A small book that Sarah had read sat on the desk.

  1. Which of the following is a better sentence?

Walking through the park, the grass tickled my feet.

The grass tickled my feet as I walked through the park.

  1. Which of the following is the best sentence?

Coping with a daily foreign language and flying in capricious, unstable machines held together with baling wire was daunting, but Coleman persevered.

Coping with a foreign language and flying daily in capricious, unstable machines held together with baling wire was daunting, but Coleman persevered.

Coping with a foreign language and flying in daily capricious, unstable machines held together with baling wire was daunting, but Coleman persevered.

  1. Based on the above set of questions, what rule can you generalize (i.e., In your own words, what seems to be the point of this section?)? Keep phrases that describe something next to what they describe. Also, with introductory describing phrases, the word that follows should be what was being described. It shouldn’t be implied or come later in the sentence.

Note: Some of the questions came from online sources.

Numbers 10, 12, 13, 16, 17:

Numbers 41-43:

Numbers 32, 45, 50, 53-55:

Numbers 46-47:

A few (7, 62-64) also pulled from the ACT PowerPoint.