ACT English Strategies

What are the Big Three? What is special about them?

Separating Full Sentences, Colons, and Comma Hugs.

If you're looking at a grammar question, you try answer choices in that order (i.e. you first try any answer with a period/semicolon/,FANBOYS; if they don't work or are not present, then you try an answer choice with a colon or a single dash; if they don't work or are not correct, then you try comma hugs/dash hugs/parenthesis).

Note: Try these BEFORE Simple is Best.

How can you separate full sentences?

Periods, Semicolons and Comma + FANBOYS

What does a Grammar Question look like?

There are just 4 answer choices.

What does a Content Question look like?

There is a question before the four answer choices.

True or False: When answering an English Question, you need to read the entire sentence, even if only part of it is underlined.

True. If you don't read the full sentence, you could miss out on important phrasing/information in the sentence and get the question wrong.

2 multiple choice options

True or False: "Preceding" means you need to look at what comes after.

False. "Preceding" means you need to look at the information that comes before. Think "preseason" or "preview."

2 multiple choice options

True or False: You should study vocabulary words to improve your score on the English section of the ACT.

False. With the exception of "Words to Know," there is no reason to study vocab for the ACT. You never know what words will come up, and there's very few vocab questions on the test. Spend your time on the strategies!

2 multiple choice options

If words are underlined in a question, what happens if you choose a different answer choice?

All of the underlined words come out.

How do you test to see if a phrase/group of words is a full sentence?

Put "Is it true that...." in front of the words and see if it makes a question you can answer with a yes or no.

What does a semicolon look like?

;

3 multiple choice options

Do periods and semicolons do the same work?

Yes. They both separate 2 full sentences. The difference is that a semicolon continues an idea, and a period is a harder stop.

2 multiple choice options

What are the FANBOYS?

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

What does a colon look like?

:

3 multiple choice options

What needs to come before a colon (:)?

A full sentence. If an answer choice does not have a full sentence before the colon, eliminate it. It's not grammatically correct.

What comes after a colon (:) in a sentence?

A list, example, or explanation. It can be a word, a set of words, a phrase or a full sentence.

Does this sentence need Comma Hugs? "My favorite person, in the world, is my dad."

No. It doesn't meet BOTH criteria for Comma Hugs. We could take the phrase "in the world" out of the sentence and still have it be a full sentence (My favorite person is my dad). However, when we read the sentence out loud, we do not pause after "person" and "world," so we can't use comma hugs.

2 multiple choice options

Does this sentence need Comma Hugs? "My daughter's best friend, who often plays with her brother at the park, likes to ride her bike every day."

Yes. It meets BOTH criteria for Comma Hugs. We could take the phrase "who often plays with her brother at the park" out of the sentence and still have it be a full sentence. ("My daughter's best friend likes to ride her bike every day.") In addition, when we read the sentence out loud, we naturally pause after "friend" and "park."

2 multiple choice options

What operates exactly like a colon? (:)

A single dash. (-)

3 multiple choice options

What two forms of punctuation operate exactly like Comma Hugs?

Dash Hugs and Parenthesis.

If you see a question is a Grammar Question, which of the following would you try first in an answer choice?

Semicolon. In Grammar Questions, you should ALWAYS check the for options that would Separate Full Sentences FIRST because the ACT cannot give you two grammatically correct responses. If you have two full sentences, you need to pick a period, semicolon, or ,FANBOYS

3 multiple choice options

What two things have to be true in order to use Comma Hugs in a sentence?

(1) You should be able to pull the comma hugged phrase out of the sentence and still have a full sentence.

(2) You should pause at each comma location when saying the sentence out loud.

What is the imaginary number four of the Big Three?

Simple is Best.

Important: Simple is Best should only be used AFTER you try answer choices that are part of the Big Three.

What is the Simple is Best Rule?

As long as it's grammatically correct, ALWAYS choose answer choices that have (1) fewest words, (2) fewest commas, or (3) the easiest phrasing to understand.

How does the Specific is Best Rule apply to Grammar Questions?

You always choose nouns (dog, Keisha, my table, trees, London, etc.) over pronouns (he/she/it/they/theirs/hers/them, etc.)

If your question has three answers that are pronouns and one that is a noun, you're probably going to pick the noun.

How does the Specific is Best Rule apply to Content Questions?

You should always choose the answer choice that most specifically answers the question being asked.

How do we recognize Transition Word questions? How do we answer them?

In Transition Word questions, the answer choices will have different transition words in each one (however, therefore, additionally, moreover, consequently, etc.).

To answer these questions, we read the sentence with the Transition Word in it as well as the sentence before (to see how the sentences are related), and then sub in the answer choices to see which fits best.

True or False: If a Transition Word is in the middle of a sentence, it needs to have Comma Hugs around it.

True! A Transition Word is considered an interrupter - you do not need the word in order to have a complete sentence, so it can be comma hugged.

2 multiple choice options

If you have three answer choices with Transition Words in them, and one answer choice without a Transition Word, which one do you try first?

The answer without the transition word.

When you are answering a Content Question, the most important thing to do is...

Decide what the question is asking, and answer that (and only that!) question.

DO NOT use the Simple is Best Rule. That applies only to Grammar Questions.

Also: All answer choices will be grammatically correct, so you don't have to worry about grammar on these.

3 multiple choice options

When doing Content Questions, to find the right answer, you often have to...

Both. You need to contextualize (read before and after that sentence in the text) AND choose the most specific answer that answers the question being asked.

3 multiple choice options

When we do Writer's Goal or Primary Purpose Questions, do we decide on Yes/No first, or do we first look at the explanation?

We look at the explanation first and eliminate false explanations. (Remember, the explanation often references the title, so be sure to take a look there - or at the topic sentences of the essay.)

2 multiple choice options

For Sentence Deletion/Revision/Addition Questions, what hint should we remember?

If the answer is "Yes, delete..." or "No, don't add..." the explanation will either say it (1) repeats information that's already been given or (2) is off topic.

What should we do if we come to a Sentence Deletion, Essay Would Lose or Sentence Revision, Essay Would Gain question?

Read the sentence/phrase to be changed (deleted/revised) and choose the answer that most exactly matches/summarizes what that question does.

Which of the following uses commas correctly?

Whenever my daughter goes to her grandma's house, she gets ice cream for dessert.

Why? Rocking On with Commas - if your phrase comes first, you need a comma before your full sentence.

Note: You do not need Comma Hugs around "goes to her grandma's house" because we cannot take that out of the sentence and have a full sentence.

3 multiple choice options

Which of the following uses commas correctly?

My daughter gets ice cream for dessert whenever she goes to her grandma's house. (No comma)

You don't need a comma if your phrase comes AFTER your full sentence.

Note: You do not need Comma Hugs around "for dessert" because you do not pause before and after when reading the sentence out loud.

3 multiple choice options

Which of the following uses commas correctly?

Whenever it's cold outside, I grab a blanket and a warm cup of tea.

There are only two items in your list (blanket and cup of tea) so no comma is needed between them.

2 multiple choice options

Which of the following uses commas correctly?

Recycling, reducing our use of natural resources, and finding clean energy sources are all important ways we can combat climate change.

We need commas in this list because we have three or more items. No other commas are needed.

3 multiple choice options

When in doubt about whether or not a sentence needs a comma, what should you do?

Trust your ear. If you pause when saying the sentence out loud, you probably need a comma there.

3 multiple choice options

Is this sentence correct?

I need several things for my party tonight, such as: chips, salsa, and a cake.

No - we do have a list after the colon, but we do not have a complete sentence/thought before the colon, so we cannot use a colon there.

Interesting to note here, the words "such as" and a colon do the same work (a colon kind of means "such as") so it would also be redundant to use both.

2 multiple choice options

Is this sentence correct? For my party tonight, I need: chips, salsa, and a cake.

No. We do have a list after the colon, but we don't have a complete sentence before the colon, so we can't use it here.

2 multiple choice options

Is this sentence correct?

My brother got a medal in track; and he was the fastest runner in the whole state.

No. We are separating full sentences, but to do that we only need EITHER a Comma/FANBOYS or a Semicolon - not both.

My brother got a medal in track, and he was the fastest runner in the whole state. (Comma FANBOYS)

My brother got a medal in track; he was the fastest runner in the whole state. (Semicolon)

2 multiple choice options

Is this sentence correct?

The chef offered salad or soup as an appetizer; chicken, beef, or fish as the main course; and brownie sundaes for dessert.

Yes! Because one part of our list has commas in it already, we need to separate the larger sections with semicolons.

2 multiple choice options

Is this sentence correct?

Kids' clothing is usually made out of soft durable fabric.

No. Because we have to adjectives right next to one another and don't have FANBOYS in between, you need a comma.

Correct:

Kids' clothing is usually made out of soft and durable fabric.

Correct:

Kids' clothing is usually made out of soft, durable fabric.

2 multiple choice options

Which of these is correct?

I heard he had swum over two miles in the lap pool the day before.

3 multiple choice options

How do you know a question is testing Verb Tense?

All of the answer choices will include the same verb, just in four different tenses.

How do you know a question is testing Subject/Verb Agreement?

All of the answer choices will include the same verb, but two answers will have the same tense - in one of the following pairs:

has/have

is/are

was/were

sleep/sleeps (or play/plays, etc)

Try this question. What type is it?

The buildings on top of the mountain's peak, which stretches over a mile into the sky, is at the highest livable elevation in the region.

A. NO CHANGE

B. has been

C. are

D. was

Subject/Verb Agreement. All answer choices are the same verb, and one of our "pairs" is present: is/are.

The answer is C, are.

Steps:

1. What is at the highest livable elevation in the region? The buildings - plural subject.

2. Try "we" with the verb choices.

We is

We has been

We are

We was

Is this sentence correct? Why/Why not?

In order to complete the research paper on time, going to the library, reading many sources, synthesizing the information and, finally, to write my paper are all necessary.

No. It doesn't have parallel structure - the verbs do not match. Here's the correct sentence:

In order to complete the research paper on time, going to the library, reading many sources, synthesizing the information and, finally, writing my paper are all necessary.

Note, comma hugs are needed around "finally" because it is a transition word in the middle of the sentence.

2 multiple choice options

If all of the answer choices in a question are pronouns, what should you be on the lookout for?

The word that the pronoun should be referencing. (Matching Pronouns to Nouns.)

Is this sentence grammatically correct?

Bonus Question: What is being tested in this sentence?

Multiple supervisor's colleagues could corroborate that their claims of fraud were true.

No. The question is testing apostrophes. Since there are multiple supervisors, the colleagues belong to the SUPERVISORS so the apostrophe goes after the "s" -

Multiple supervisors' colleagues could corroborate that their claims of fraud were true.

2 multiple choice options

What do each of these words mean?

(1) it's (2) its (3) its'

It's = it is (it's cold out today); its = possessive (the dog likes its bone); its' - doesn't exist!

Climate change is significantly _________________ our global weather.

affecting

affect = verb

effect = noun

2 multiple choice options

I am happy to write a letter, but I need to know to ___________ I should address it.

whom; the phrase is "to _______ I should address it"

We would say "to hiM" or "to theM," so we need to use "whoM."

3 multiple choice options