ACT ENG strats

Appositives

If you can clearly identify a subject without the identifier (extra detail), then there must be commas around the identifier. if you cannot identify the subject without it, then you do not need commas. Appositives provide additional information about a pronoun or noun. So, (name, identifier, rest of sentence) vs (identifier + name) The description can be removed without changing who the sentence refers to. Is the name the identifier vs the details ? If the name is, no commas. If the details are, commas.

subject-verb agreement

plug in “he” and “they” into each answer choice. The odd one out is the correct answer choice.

redundancy

pick the shortest and most concise answer choice

“neither” or “nor” after subject verb agreement

the verb agrees with the subject closest to the verb

prepositional phrases

ignore “of blank “, “on the blank “, “in the blank“ “ when it is after a subject. It’s mean to throw you off.

• The team of players is practicing.

  • Subject = “team” (singular) → is

  • “of players” = extra info → ignore it

• The box of chocolates was empty.

  • Subject = “box” (singular) → was

  • “of chocolates” → ignore