ACT study set English/Reading

Sentence Fragment

an incomplete sentence missing a subject, verb, and/or complete thought

Passage Strategy

- Read for the main idea and author's purpose - Don't focus on details. They're distracting and you can go back to find them if necessary - Not more than one short note per paragraph.

Correctly separate independent clauses with:

1. A period 2. A semicolon or colon 3. A comma and a conjunction

Other gestures or combinations of gestures represent abstract concepts such as love, ignorance, or enlightenment, or tells old stories that convey moral lessons. Throughout the performance, dancers smile slightly but never open their mouths. (tells) A. No Change B. telling C. told D. tell

D. tell

Sentence Structure (incorrect sentence structure)

1. Sentence Fragment 2. Run on sentence

Sentence Structure (correct sentence structure)

1. Subject 2. Verb 3. Complete Thought

"Because the three toed sloths move very slowly" What's this missing? A. Complete thought B. Verb C. Subject

A. Complete thought

Centuries ago, Cambodian classical court dances originated in palaces and temples in Angkor, the ancient royal city of Cambodia, as part of sacred ceremonies that sought the favor of the gods. Today, these dances have retained vitality in part due to their dramatic movements, magnificent costumes, and compelling music. (have) A. No Change B. had C. has D. Delete underlined portion

A. No Change

He was a high school mathematics teacher, and I thought he was the smartest dad in the world. A. No Change B. thought; C. thought, D. thought, that

A. No Change At first reading, the sentence seems to be correct, so take a quick glance at the answer choices to determine the issue the question is testing. The different punctuation marks following "thought" indicate that the question is testing sentence structure. Carefully review the sentence containing the underline for proper structure.

Notetaking

As you read, take brief notes on the topic and author's purpose. Think about point their trying to make in each paragraph.

Zi had purchased some souvenir peacock feathers at a market in southern China and was entranced by their beauty. Wanting to understand the process behind the display, Zi and a group of colleagues will examine the feathers under optical microscopes and scanning electron microscopes. The minuscule crystals they discovered are each a hundred times thinner than a human hair. (will examine) A. No Change B. examined C. examines D. is examining

B examined

The sound effects and detailed graphics in many of the latest popular computer games gives players the sense of seeing three-dimensional (3-D) environments. Three-dimensional games are one form of virtual reality, or VR, a relatively new technology. (gives) By the 1980s, scientists such as Jaron Lanier had developed interactive tools with greater practical value. Placed on a user's head, Lanier's EyePhones resemble high-tech scuba goggles. The EyePhones respond to head motion and display images to the user in panoramic 3-D. The user's hand, encased by Lanier's robotic-looking DataGlove, appears on-screen as a virtual hand. Sensors in the glove responds to the user's motions. (responds to) A. No Change B. give C. giving D. that have given

B give

During performances, which Cambodian classical dancers use simple but meaningful stylized movements. (performances, which) A. No Changes B. Performances, C. Performances that D. Performances, and

B. Performances As written, "which" in the original statement creates a dependent clause, and the sentence lacks an independent clause. Expect that the correct answer choice will provide an independent clause that expresses a complete idea

Designer Klaus Teuber's Settlers of Catan, is one of the most popular Euro games. Players compete to collect resources, build roads, and establish settlements on the fictitious island of Catan. (Teuber's Settlers of Catan,) A. No Change B. Teuber's Settlers of Catan C. Teuber's, Settlers of Catan, D. Teuber's, Settlers of Catan

B. Teuber's Settlers of Catan The noun phrase "Designer Klaus Teuber's Settlers of Catan" is the subject of the sentence and should not be separated from its verb ("is"). Moreover, the word "Teuber's" shows possession of "Settlers of Catan" and should not be separated from it using a comma.

"Three toed sloths very slowly" what's this missing? A. Complete thought B. Verb C. Subject

B. Verb

Mr. Allen shines at the center of the action. He greets us as we arrive. He finds the best spot for the volleyball net. When Mr. and Mrs. Lin appear with a metal washtub full of watermelon fresh from their garden; Mr. Allen turns it into the centerpiece of the main table. (garden;) A. No Change B. garden, C. garden: D. garden.

B. garden, "When" introduces a dependent clause, which must be separated from the main clause of the sentence using a comma.

Like all martial arts, kali, the oldest Filipino martial art, requires intense concentration. Students practicing kali must remain alert as they spar, moving their arms and legs in a fluid, circular pattern. The Tagalog word kali refers to any weapon with a blade, even though the sticks that are used now in kali are bladeless. Typically, a student grasps an arm-length stick made of rattan, and he or she trains by striking the stick against an opponent's stick. (rattan, and he) A. rattan; then he B. rattan, whom he C. rattan. He D. rattan; he

B. rattan, whom he An acceptable alternative to the underlined portion will properly separate the two independent clauses and will convey their logical relationship; the clauses depict two steps in training in this martial art. The correct answer will NOT be an acceptable alternative.

They disguised their training as dances called sinulogs, which translates as "moving like a river," those mimicked the circular arm and leg movements of kali. (those) A. No Change B. that C. these D. this

B. that The original sentence connects two independent clauses with only a comma, creating a run-on. Note that since the comma isn't underlined, it cannot be changed. Expect that the correct answer choice will change the second clause so it is no longer independent.

The swimmer Gertrude Ederle loved the water so much that even when doctors told her that her hearing problem worsens if she continued swimming, she wouldn't stop. (worsens) A. No Change B. would worsen C. becomes worse D. would become worse

B. would worsen

The man who revolutionized the shoe industry by inventing an automatic shoe-lasting machine was Jan Ernst Matzeliger, a mechanic. Born in 1852 of Dutch and African parents. Matzeliger was ten years old when he began working in the machine shop that his father supervised. There, Matzeliger developed his interest in machines. (Born) A. No Change B. Having been born C. He was born D. Since he was born

C. He was born The underlined portion is part of a sentence fragment as it does not contain a subject. The correct answer will add a subject to the sentence and will modify the verb to match the subject.

"Moves very slowly" what is this missing? A. Complete thought B. Verb C. Subject

C. Subject

In the late 1960s, New York City officials made plans to build an expressway, that would cut through Greenwich Village, Jacobs's neighborhood. (expressway, that) A. No change B. Expressway, it C. Expressway that D. Expressway; being it that

C. expressway that A quick glance at the answer choices may help to pinpoint the issue this question is testing. A couple of choices have commas and one has a semicolon, so the formation of a complete sentence is likely at issue.

A spacious cavern lies before me at the bottom of the stairs. I explore lighted paths, reading signs along the way that tell about the formation of the cave. A great half-cylindrical limestone reef that formed 250 million years ago in the inland sea that once covered the region; after the sea dried up, gypsum and salt deposits buried the reef. A few million years ago, erosion and the geologic upheaval that created the surrounding mountains exposed the reef again. (that formed) A. No change B. that was formed C. formed D. Delete the underlined portion

C. formed Since a semicolon separates two independent clauses, the clause containing the underlined portion must be independent. But as written, the phrase containing the underlined part is a fragment that does not express a complete thought: "a limestone reef that formed 250 years ago. . ." did what? The problem is that the verb "formed" is part of a dependent phrase beginning with "that." The correct answer must remove "that" to allow the subject to have a verb.

The sound effects and detailed graphics in many of the latest popular computer games gives players the sense of seeing three-dimensional (3-D) environments. Three-dimensional games are one form of virtual reality, or VR, a relatively new technology. (gives) By the 1980s, scientists such as Jaron Lanier had developed interactive tools with greater practical value. Placed on a user's head, Lanier's EyePhones resemble high-tech scuba goggles. The EyePhones respond to head motion and display images to the user in panoramic 3-D. The user's hand, encased by Lanier's robotic-looking DataGlove, appears on-screen as a virtual hand. Sensors in the glove responds to the user's motions. (responds to) A. No Change B. respond for C. respond to D. responds for

C. respond to

After years of use by guests, the college towels had frayed at the edges, and the yellow flowers had been bleached out of existence. Nevertheless, my mother persisted in her loyalty to them. From my mother's point of view, as long as those towels still had a few inches of absorbent terry cloth, new towels were mere luxuries. Saving for her daughters' college educations were more important than buying anything as trivial as new towels. (were) A. No Change B. have been C. was D. are

C. was

Architects have used the dome for thousands of years. For example, the Pantheon in Rome—a famous circular, domed building constructed in AD 120, remains structurally sound after nearly two millennia. A. No change B. 120 C. 120; D. 120-

D. 120- The best clue to the correct answer is the dash that is not underlined. That dash must remain, so the nonessential information that starts with the dash must also end with a dash, not a comma.

Doctors have used VR to render 3-D images of their patients' bodies; one day, surgeons may be able to experience what it feels like to perform delicate operations before ever picking up a scalpel. (bodies; one) A. bodies; indeed, one B. bodies, and one C. bodies. One D. Bodies, one

D. Bodies, one The two clauses joined in the underlined portion are both independent clauses, and the second clause follows logically from the first. Two independent clauses should be separated using a comma (and a FANBOYS conjunction), a semicolon, or a period. Since this is a NOT question, the incorrect choices will be appropriate ways of separating independent clauses, and the correct answer will NOT be an appropriate way of separating independent clauses.

The swimmer Gertrude Ederle called herself a "water baby" and, said she was "happiest between the waves." (and, said she was) A. No Change B. and, said she was, C. and said she was, D. and said she was

D. and she said she was This sentence contains a compound verb: "called herself . . . and said." A compound verb should not be separated by a comma.

Humans likewise are impressed by the spectacular colors, the feathers are widely valued as decorations. In 2003, physicist Jian Zi from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, led the first research group to identify the source of this vibrant color. (colors,) A. No Change B. colors, but instead, C. colors if, after all, D. colors, and, as a result,

D. colors, and as a result, The sentence contains two independent clauses, and the second clause follows logically from the first. The underlined portion must be altered to properly separate the two clauses. Two independent clauses can be separated using a period, a colon, or a comma with a FANBOYS conjunction. If a conjunction is used, it should convey the continuation in meaning from the first clause to the second, as is captured by "and" or "so."

In 1983, Hollywood arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, after the city was chosen as the site for several key scenes in the movie: Terms of Endearment. The film follows the relationship between a mother and her daughter, Emma, who grows up, marries, and has children of her own. The movie starred many well-known actors, including, Jack Nicholson, Shirley MacLaine, and Debra Winger. (including, Jack Nicholson) A. No Change B. including Jack Nicholson C. including; Jack Nicholson, D. including Jack Nicholson,

D. including Jack Nicholson, The word "including" introduces nonessential information in the sentence and should not be separated from the list that it introduces. Items in a list, however, should be separated by commas, so the correct answer will include a comma after "Jack Nicholson," the first item in the list.

Sidewalks should bustle with pedestrians who don't have to travel far from home to work, shop, or meeting with one another. (meeting) A. No Change B. when they met C. having met D. meet

D. meet

In 1983, Hollywood arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, after the city was chosen as the site for several key scenes in the movie: Terms of Endearment. The film follows the relationship between a mother and her daughter, Emma, who grows up, marries, and has children of her own. The movie starred many well-known actors, including, Jack Nicholson, Shirley MacLaine, and Debra Winger. (movie:) A. No Change B. movie, C. movie- D. movie,

D. movie The movie title Terms of Endearment is essential information and does not need to be separated from the rest of the sentence through punctuation.

Three-dimensional games are one form of virtual reality or VR a relatively new technology. (reality or VR) A. No Change B. reality or VR; C. reality, or VR D. reality, or VR,

D. reality, or VR, The phrase "or VR" provides another name for "virtual reality," but this information is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Look for an answer choice that correctly uses punctuation to separate this phrase from the rest of the sentence.

"The sloth moves very slowly algae grows on its fur"

Run on

Commas and Dashes

Separate nonessential information from the rest of the sentence. Its nonessential if you can remove and the sentence is still correct. Example: "The segway, invented by Dean Kamen, was heralded as revolutionary at the time of its debut."

Parallelism

Verbs in a list must have the same form

Agreement

Verbs must match the noun that is taking the action. Ex. swim vs he swims

Tense

Verbs must match the time they took place. Past - she swam Present - She swims Future - She will swim

FANBOY

for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Run-on Sentence

two or more complete clauses, incorrectly combined

Run-on Sentence

two or more independent that are incorrectly combined

Colons

used to indicate that new information after a complete sentence example: "One of the smallest animals on Earth is also one of the toughest: the humble tardigrade."