ACT Prep Grammar Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core English grammar rules and concepts for ACT preparation.

Active Voice

Sentence construction that puts the sentence in SUBJECT-VERB-OBJECT order.

Passive Voice

Sentence construction where the subject receives the action rather than performing it (e.g., "The Constitution was written by the Founding Fathers").

Misplaced Modifier

A modifier—clause, phrase, or word—that is not placed as close to the word it is modifying as possible.

Verb Tense

The conjugation of verbs (action words) for past, present, and future time, using clue words and phrases in the passage.

Irregular Participles

Past participles of verbs that are structured differently from their simple past tense forms (e.g., "had rung" versus "rang").

Subject-Verb Agreement

The rule requiring singular and plural nouns to be paired with matching singular or plural verbs, especially in the present tense.

Singular vs. Plural Verb Conjugations

Specific verb forms used for singular subjects (is, was, has) versus plural subjects (are, were, have).

Adjectives

Words that modify nouns or pronouns.

Adverbs

Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often formed by adding -ly to an adjective.

Comparative and Superlative Forms

The rule of using -er when comparing two items and -est when comparing more than two or an indefinite number of items.

Idioms

Commonly accepted usages of a word or phrase, often testing the correct selection of a preposition.

Redundancy

The inclusion of unnecessary or repeated information in a sentence, which should be eliminated for clear, simple, and concise writing.