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English Test
45 Minutes
75 questions (5 passages-9 minutes per passage)
36 seconds per question
Multiple choice
Production of Writing ≈24 questions
Purpose of writing, meets intended goal, relevance of material for focus
Organized, flow smoothly, effective introduction and conclusion
Knowledge of Language ≈11 questions
Efficient use of language (EUOL), correct word choice, transitional words, style and tone
Conventions of Standard English ≈40 questions
Punctuation, usage, sentence structure and grammar
Read the whole passage (skimming when no question)
Do the questions in order that they appear
Okay to choose no change
OMIT -delete part underlined
Consider all answer choices
Eliminate wrong answers
Read the whole sentence when answering
Reread answer choice once chosen
Pace yourself
Pay attention to the writing style, this will help you answer the questions
Determine the best answer (only 4 answer choices)
Watch for questions on the whole passage or a section, they are marked with a boxed number
Two part questions- first answer yes/no and then the reasoning why
Avoid “slang”
No penalty for wrong answers so guess
Understand your errors when made
• Watch for commas, easy to miss
• Used to keep parts either together or separated
as needed
• Watch to see if the comma is underlined or not
• Double comma, introductory clause, comma
and a coordinating conjunction, list
2 commas are needed in a sentence if the information between the commas can be taken out and the sentence still is grammatically correct.
Among the most effective tools are new tax incentives for those who renovate, rather than demolish, old barns.
a. NO CHANGE
b. renovate, rather than demolish
c. renovate rather than demolish,
d. renovate, rather than, demolish
Among the most effective tools are new tax incentives for those who renovate, rather than demolish, old barns.
a. NO CHANGE
b. renovate, rather than demolish
c. renovate rather than demolish,
d. renovate, rather than, demolish
• Use a comma to set off introductory elements, signals the main part of
the sentence is starting.
• In the winter of 1644, nearly half the settlers died of starvation or
exposure.
• Anxious about the upcoming winter, settlers began to bicker
among themselves about supplies.
• Because the music was so loud, we had to make sure the door was
closed.
• Clearly, she holds high expectations for her students.
• Exhausted, the swimmers collapsed the moment they exited the
pool.
• Use a comma and a coordinate conjunction to separate 2
independent clauses (2 complete sentences).
• Coordinate conjunction-FANBOYS-for, and, nor, but, or, yet & so
The public seems eager for some kind of gun control
legislation, but the congress is obviously too timid to enact any
truly effective measures.
The design for the new gym adds a great deal of space for the
athletic team so hope to see construction begin soon.
Therefore, sandhill cranes have graced the earth for at least
nine million years. They are considered to be the world’s
oldest surviving bird species.
1. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion
would NOT be acceptable?
a. years and
b. years, and they
c. years, they
d. years: they
Therefore, sandhill cranes have graced the earth for at least nine million years. They are considered to be the world’s oldest surviving bird species.
1. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable?
a. years and
b. years, and they
c. years, they
d. years: they
You know what is given is correct.
The answer is C.
Since no change is not an option you
know what is there is correct.
; Used to join 2 complete sentences
; The setting sun caused the fields to take on a special glow; all was bathed in a pale light.
; Used with conjunctive adverbs
; Transition words joining two complete sentences
; SEMI-COLON first, then COMMA after
; I used to play volleyball; however, after I hurt my knee, I had to quit.
; Used to separate a potentially confusing list that includes commas
; I wanted to visit Paris, France; Venice, Italy; and Athens, Greece on our honeymoon.
; The old gentleman’s heirs were Margaret Whitlock, his half-sister; James Bagley, the butler; William Frame, the companion to his late cousin, Robert Bone; and his favorite charity, the Salvation Army.
: Always a complete sentence before a colon can be used
: What follows the colon explains what is before the colon
: Used to precede a list
: There are three branches of government: executive, judicial, and
legislative.
: Used to indicate an example from a sentence
: My freshman year gives me my best memory: football season.
: Between two complete sentences when the second explains the first
: He asked why I hadn’t said hello: I hadn’t seen him.
: Used to introduce a quote
: I have always believed in what Albert Einstein had to say: “Learn
from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important
thing is to never stop questioning.”
– Used to set off set of words that explain
– The tools of his trade- probe, mirror, and cotton swabs- were
neatly arranged on the dentist’s tray.
– Used to indicate a summary or reversal of what preceded it.
– Patience, sensitivity, understanding- these are the marks of a
good friend.
– He knew that he did a good job- he just didn’t feel good
about himself.
– Sudden break in thought or to draw attention to words
– Sudden break in thought that leaves sentence unfinished
– He was not pleased with - in fact, he was completely hostile
toward - the student.
Used to form possessive forms of nouns
First, determine if possessive
Second, how many owners are there
One owner not ending is “s”, ’s
Tony’s hours
My student’s essay (just one kids paper)
One owner ending is “s” s’
Mrs. Wolters’ class
More than one owner, s’
The boys’ locker room
Used to create contractions
Don’t= do not, Should’ve=should have
• It’s = it is
• It’s hot in this room today.
• Its = possessive form
• I need to know if the dog got its medicine
today.
• Its’ = not a word
• You’re = you are
• You’re welcome
• Your = possessive form
• You need to get your homework done.
• Who’s = who is
• Who’s going to rock the ACT test after this
review?
• Whose =possessive form
• Whose coat did I find on the back of this
chair?
• There = a place
• I met you there.
• Their = possessive
• I know it’s their work
• They’re = they are
• They’re happy to be done.
Subject verb agreement
Figure out what or who is the subject in the sentence and then what
verb goes with that subject.
As a result, the competition for roles in commercials have been fierce.
F. NO CHANGE
G. were
H. are
J. is
As a result, the competition for roles in commercials have been fierce.
F. NO CHANGE
G. were
H. are
J. is
The competition is the subject,
not roles or commercials.
I had bought some souvenirs there that I wanted to send home. My
friend, a young man who had lived in Bombay his entire life except a
few years spent studying in the United States, if he were to walk with
me to the post office.
A. NO CHANGE
B. walked
C. if he would walk
D. is walking
Verb tense, context clues
Use the sentence before or after to help figure out verb tense
I had bought some souvenirs there the I wanted to send home. My friend, a young man who had lived in Bombay his entire life except a few years spent studying in the United States, if he were to walk with me to the post office.
A. NO CHANGE
B. walked
C. if he would walk
D. is walking
My friend is the subject and we
want past tense
Once something is stated in a sentence or paragraph it should not be stated again.
EUOL- should be written clear and concise.
Almost always the shortest answer as long all detail there.
Live and dwell, ascertained and verified, rude and impolite
I took a business trip in conjunction with my work.
In the beginning, it was love at first sight.
Although both were built as walls intended to defend
the city protectively and stood ten meters tall, they were
erected under different historical circumstances.
a. NO CHANGE
b. defensive walls for defending the city
c. walls to provide defensive protection
d. defensive walls
Although both were built as walls intended to defend
the city protectively and stood ten meters tall, they were
erected under different historical circumstances.
a. NO CHANGE
b. defensive walls for defending the city
c. walls to provide defensive protection
d. defensive walls
This allowed the cave-creating process to be a
process that repeated at different depths hundreds
of feet apart.
a. NO CHANGE
b. repeat again and again at various different depths.
c. repeat at different depths that varied.
d. repeat at different depths.
Answer D
This allowed the cave-creating process to be a process
that repeated at different depths hundreds of feet apart.
a.NO CHANGE
b. repeat again and again at various different depths.
c. repeat at different depths that varied.
d. repeat at different depths.
Most video games are designed so that your main
opponent in these video games is a predictable
computer program.
a. NO CHANGE
b. during these video games
c. in video games
d. OMIT the underlined portion
Most video games are designed so that your main
opponent in these video games is a predictable
computer program.
a. NO CHANGE
b. during these video games
c. in video games
d. OMIT the underlined portion
Even as a child, Williams loved to prepare food,
and as a young adult, he refined his cooking skills
at the prestigiously acclaimed Culinary Institute of
America.
a. NO CHANGE
b. famed, renowned, and notable
c. luscious
d. prestigious
Even as a child, Williams loved to prepare food,
and as a young adult, he refined his cooking skills
at the prestigiously acclaimed Culinary Institute of
America.
a. NO CHANGE
b. famed, renowned, and notable
c. luscious
d. prestigious
Agreement, Additionally, Similarly
• Furthermore, likewise, then, also, in addition to, thus
Opposition, contradict
• But, nevertheless, however, otherwise, even so, on the other hand
Cause
• When, in case, if, while, whenever
Examples
• In other words, indeed, in fact, in this case
Time, Sequential,
• Finally, Lastly, since, meanwhile
A key finding from her intensive field studies is the extent to which
elephant survival depends on learned behavior.
As Moss has observed, however, a calf must learn how to use its
trunk.
a. NO CHANGE
b. for instance,
c. as always,
d. by now,
As Moss has observed, however, a calf must learn how to use its
trunk.
a. NO CHANGE
b. for instance,
c. as always,
d. by now,
Affect vs. effect (affect=influence, effect=noun)
Then vs. Than (then=time, than=comparison)
Accept vs. except (accept=to receive, except=to exclude)
Principal vs. principle (pal=office, ple=system of belief)
To vs. too (to the store, too much food)
There vs. their vs they’re (there=place, their=possessive, they’re=they are)
Lie vs. lay (lie-act of reclining, lay-putting something down)
1. Figure out what words or words tell you what the question
wants you to do.
2. Look for that in the answer choices.
3. For example: specific and vividly = examples that most
can make a picture of.
It was nineteen kilometers long greatly expanded and surrounded the city
of Rome as well as a small section of the Tiber’s west bank.
Which of the following placements for the underlined portion
makes it most clear that it was Rome that had expanded?
a. Where it is now
b.After the words surrounded the
c. After the word Rome
d.After the words of the
It was nineteen kilometers long greatly expanded and surrounded the city
of Rome as well as a small section of the Tiber’s west bank.
Which of the following placements for the underlined portion
makes it most clear that it was Rome that had expanded?
a. Where it is now
b.After the words surrounded the
c. After the word Rome
d.After the words of the
I collect ghost signs. Not the signs themselves, but photos of them. I
started my collection one chilly October evening, driving home from school.
I made the same drive countless times before, but I had never noticed the
sign.
Then there it was, an ad for “Joe’s Café,” perched atop a metal pole, which
was upright under a cape of kudzu vines.
Given that all the choices are accurate, which one echoes the
central point the writer makes about ghost signs?
a. NO CHANGE
b.was not what interested me,
c. might have been wood,
d.was disappearing
I collect ghost signs. Not the signs themselves, but photos of them. I
started my collection one chilly October evening, driving home from school.
I made the same drive countless times before, but I had never noticed the
sign.
Then there it was, an ad for “Joe’s Café,” perched atop a metal pole, which
was upright under a cape of kudzu vines.
Given that all the choices are accurate, which one echoes the
central point the writer makes about ghost signs?
a. NO CHANGE
b.was not what interested me,
c. might have been wood,
d.was disappearing
• Can not be a phrase or clause
• Ex: In the story “The Scarlet Ibis” it says that …. UNCLEAR
PRONOUN
• The story “The Scarlet Ibis” says that…. Much better
• The pronoun must agree with who or what you are talking about.
• Either both plural or singular
• Ex: I have two cousins. Their names are Sarah and Laura. Both are
plural
Some one-word modifiers often cause confusion: almost, just nearly,
simply, even, hardly, merely, only.
How are the following sentences different in meaning?
-Almost everyone in the class passed the calculus exam.
-Everyone in the class almost passed the calculus exam.
Misplaced or unclear phrases can change the meaning of a sentence.
-Jennifer called her adorable kitten opening the can of tuna and filled
the food bowl.
-Better: Opening the can of tuna, Jennifer called her adorable kitten
and filled the food bowl.
• Portia rushed to the store loaded with cash to buy the birthday gift.
• Better: Portia, loaded with cash, rushed to the store to buy the
birthday gift.
I think of taking the ACT test, I know I’ll do well.
• Period and Capital letter
• I think of taking the ACT test. I know I’ll do well.
• Semi-colon
• I think of taking the ACT test; I know I’ll do well.
• FANBOYS (coordinate conjunctions)
• I think of taking the ACT test, and I know I’ll do well.
During the time that I was in the hospital. I read
everyone of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
A. NO CHANGE
B. During the time that I was hospital, reading
C. During the time that I was in the hospital, I read
D. During the time of being in the hospital,
During the time that I was in the hospital. I read
everyone of the Sherlock Holmes stories.
A. NO CHANGE
B. During the time that I was hospital, reading
C. During the time that I was in the hospital, I read
D. During the time of being in the hospital, I read
“During” is a prepositional phrase. It need to be added to the next
sentence to have a complete thought. It should be set off form the
subject with a comma.
The house on the corner was completely empty, no
one came to the door.
A. NO CHANGE
B. is completely empty, no one
C. was completely empty, therefore no one
D. was completely empty, so no one
The house on the corner was completely empty, no
one came to the door.
A. NO CHANGE
B. is completely empty, no one
C. was completely empty, therefore no one
D. was completely empty, so no one
Comma splices can be fixed with FANBOYS or semi-colons.
Remember that there must be a complete sentence after the coordinate conjunction (CC) to
put a comma before the CC.
The loud noise from the overly sensitive alarm on
the car parked in front of the building making it
difficult for the audience to understand the speaker.
A. NO CHANGE
B. that was parked in front of the building making
C. which parked in front of the building making
D. parked in front of the building made
The loud noise from the overly sensitive alarm on
the car parked in front of the building making it
difficult for the audience to understand the speaker.
A. NO CHANGE
B. that was parked in front of the building making
C. which parked in front of the building making
D. parked in front of the building made
Verb needs to be “made” –”making” creates a participial phrase and
leaves the sentence without a subject and verb.
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