ACT English Grammar & Rhetoric Essentials

Vocabulary flashcards covering punctuation, grammar, and rhetorical concepts essential for the ACT English section.

Comma (before a conjunction)

Used to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction such as and, but, or although.

Independent Clause

A clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Conjunction

A word that connects clauses or phrases; examples include and, but, for, although.

Comma in a Series

Separates three or more items in a list (Oxford comma optional unless style requires).

Coordinate Adjectives

Adjectives modifying the same noun that can be reordered or joined by 'and'; separated by commas.

Nonrestrictive Clause

Adds extra information that can be removed without altering a sentence’s core meaning; set off by commas.

Appositive

A noun or noun phrase that identifies or explains a nearby noun; commas set off nonrestrictive appositives.

Direct Address

Name or title of a person being spoken to; set off by commas (e.g., "Lisa, please sit").

Non-Coordinate Adjectives

Adjectives of unequal rank that do not take a comma between them (e.g., three yellow suns).

Restrictive Clause

Essential clause that defines the noun it modifies; no commas used.

Restrictive Appositive

Essential appositive necessary to a sentence’s meaning; not set off by commas.

Dependent Clause

A clause that cannot stand alone and must be linked to an independent clause.

Comma Splice

Error caused by joining two independent clauses with only a comma.

Apostrophe (singular possessive)

Formed by adding ’s to a singular noun (dog’s leash).

Apostrophe (plural possessive)

Formed by adding an apostrophe after the s of a regular plural noun (teachers’ lounge).

Irregular Plural Possessive

Add ’s to irregular plurals (children’s games, women’s rights).

Contraction

Combination of two words with omitted letters replaced by an apostrophe (can’t = can not).

Possessive Pronoun

Shows ownership without an apostrophe (hers, theirs, its).

Non-Possessive Plural

Plural noun with no ownership; does not take an apostrophe (dogs, Joneses).

Dash (em dash)

Punctuation mark (—) used to add emphasis, insert appositives, replace parentheses or colon, or show interruption.

Semicolon (independent clauses)

Links two closely related independent clauses not joined by a conjunction.

Conjunctive Adverb

Adverb such as however, therefore, moreover used after a semicolon to connect clauses.

Semicolon in a Complex Series

Separates items in a list when those items already contain commas.

Run-On Sentence

Two or more independent clauses improperly joined without correct punctuation or conjunction.

Sentence Fragment

Incomplete sentence lacking a subject, verb, or complete thought.

Idiom

A phrase whose accepted form cannot be altered without sounding incorrect (e.g., "capable of").

Verb Tense Consistency

Maintaining the same verb tense within a sentence or passage where appropriate.

Pronoun

Word that takes the place of a noun (he, she, it, they).

Nominative Case Pronoun

Pronoun used as a subject (I, he, she, we, they).

Objective Case Pronoun

Pronoun used as an object (me, him, her, us, them).

Possessive Case Pronoun

Pronoun indicating ownership (my/mine, your/yours, their/theirs).

Gerund

Verb form ending in –ing that functions as a noun (running is fun).

Elliptical Clause

Clause with omitted words after than or as; pronoun form depends on the implied full clause.

Compound Subject Pronoun Rule

Use nominative pronouns in compound subjects (She and I went).

Pronoun Clarity

A pronoun must clearly reference one specific antecedent.

Who vs. Whom

Who = subject; whom = object.

Who vs. That

Use who for people and that for animals/things.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Verb must match its subject in number (singular or plural).

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.

Parallelism

Keeping grammatical structures the same within lists, phrases, or clauses.

Modifier Placement

Modifiers must be positioned next to the word they describe to avoid confusion.

Comparative vs. Superlative

Use -er or more for two items; -est or most for three or more.

Transitional Logic

Use of words/phrases to show relationships between ideas (however, therefore, moreover).

Relevance & Wordiness

Choose concise sentences that include only ideas directly related to the topic.

Macro Logic

Overall organization of sentences and paragraphs within a passage.

Author’s Intention

Purpose and emphasis the author aims to achieve in a passage.

Formality & Tone

Degree of seriousness or style appropriate to the context and audience.