English Grammar & Usage

Master the rules of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure to conquer the ACT English section!

0%

Understanding the ACT English Section

ACT English Format and Strategy

The ACT English section tests your understanding of standard written English, including grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills.

Key ACT English Facts

  • Format: 75 questions in 45 minutes
  • Passage Structure: 5 passages with 15 questions each
  • Question Types: Usage/Mechanics (55-60%) and Rhetorical Skills (40-45%)
  • Scoring: Raw score converted to a scale of 1-36

Time Management Strategy

With 75 questions in 45 minutes, you have about 9 minutes per passage (including reading and answering 15 questions).

  • Allocate about 9 minutes per passage
  • Read the passage as you answer questions (don't read the whole passage first)
  • If you're unsure about a question, mark it and come back later
  • Don't spend more than 30 seconds on any single question

Example: ACT English Passage Format

Below is an example of how passages appear on the ACT English section. Underlined portions correspond to questions, and numbers in brackets indicate question numbers.

Many people believe that the Great Wall of China is visible[1] from space with the naked eye. However this is a common misconception.[2] While the wall stretches for thousands of miles, it's[3] width is relatively narrow, making it virtually impossible to see from orbit without magnification. Astronauts have confirmed this fact, they report[4] that natural formations like rivers and coastlines are far more visible from space than any human-made structure.

Example Questions:

1. F. is visible

G. has been visible

H. was visible

J. has visibility

2. A. However this is a common misconception.

B. However, this is a common misconception.

C. However; this is a common misconception.

D. However: this is a common misconception.

Punctuation Rules

Punctuation questions make up a significant portion of the ACT English section. Mastering these rules is essential for success.

Key Punctuation Rules

Commas
  • Use commas to separate items in a list: "I bought apples, oranges, and bananas."
  • Use commas after introductory phrases: "After the game, we went out for pizza."
  • Use commas to separate independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so): "I wanted to go to the beach, but it was raining."
  • Use commas to set off non-essential information: "My brother, who lives in Chicago, is visiting next week."
  • Don't use a comma to separate a subject from its verb: "The dog that was barking all night belongs to my neighbor."
Semicolons
  • Use semicolons to join two related independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction: "I love swimming; it's my favorite exercise."
  • Use semicolons to separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas: "I've lived in Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; and Miami, Florida."
  • Don't use a semicolon when a dependent clause follows: "I love swimming; because it's good exercise." (Incorrect)
Colons
  • Use colons to introduce a list, explanation, or definition: "I need three things: a pen, paper, and quiet."
  • Use colons to join two independent clauses when the second explains or elaborates on the first: "I made my decision: I'm going to medical school."
  • Don't use a colon after a preposition or verb that would normally take an object: "The ingredients include: flour, sugar, and eggs." (Incorrect)
Apostrophes
  • Use apostrophes to show possession: "The dog's bone" (singular) or "The dogs' bones" (plural)
  • Use apostrophes in contractions to indicate omitted letters: "don't" (do not), "it's" (it is)
  • Don't use apostrophes to form plurals: "The 1990's" should be "The 1990s"
  • Remember that "its" (possessive) does not have an apostrophe, while "it's" (contraction of "it is") does
Dashes and Hyphens
  • Use em dashes (—) to indicate an abrupt change in thought or to emphasize information: "The concert—which was sold out—was amazing."
  • Use hyphens to join compound modifiers before a noun: "well-known author," "six-year-old child"
  • Don't use hyphens after adverbs ending in -ly: "highly regarded professor" (no hyphen)

Example: Punctuation in Action

Original Sentence: "After hiking for three hours we finally reached the summit and the view was breathtaking."

Options:

  1. NO CHANGE
  2. three hours, we finally reached the summit, and
  3. three hours, we finally reached the summit and
  4. three hours we finally reached the summit, and

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: This sentence needs two commas: one after the introductory phrase "After hiking for three hours" and one before the coordinating conjunction "and" that joins two independent clauses.

Grammar and Usage

Understanding grammar rules is crucial for the ACT English section. Here are the most commonly tested concepts:

Key Grammar Rules

Subject-Verb Agreement
  • Singular subjects take singular verbs: "The dog barks."
  • Plural subjects take plural verbs: "The dogs bark."
  • Compound subjects joined by "and" take plural verbs: "The cat and dog play together."
  • Subjects joined by "or" or "nor" agree with the closer subject: "Neither the dog nor the cats are outside." (cats = plural, so "are" is correct)
  • Collective nouns (team, committee, family) usually take singular verbs: "The team is winning."
Pronoun Agreement and Case
  • Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents: "Each student must bring their book" should be "Each student must bring his or her book."
  • Use subjective case pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) as subjects: "She and I went to the store."
  • Use objective case pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) as objects: "The teacher gave the book to him and me."
  • Use possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) to show ownership: "That is her book."
Verb Tense and Form
  • Maintain consistent verb tense unless there's a logical reason to shift: "Yesterday, I walked to the store and bought groceries." (both past tense)
  • Use present perfect tense (has/have + past participle) for actions that began in the past and continue to the present: "I have lived here for five years."
  • Use past perfect tense (had + past participle) for actions that occurred before another past action: "I had already eaten when she called."
  • Know irregular verb forms: go/went/gone, see/saw/seen, do/did/done, etc.
Modifiers and Parallelism
  • Place modifiers close to what they modify to avoid confusion: "Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful." (Incorrect - trees aren't walking)
  • Use parallel structure for items in a series or comparison: "I enjoy swimming, hiking, and running." (all gerunds)
  • Maintain parallelism in correlative conjunctions (both/and, either/or, neither/nor): "She neither called nor texted me."
Commonly Confused Words
  • Its (possessive) vs. It's (contraction of "it is")
  • Your (possessive) vs. You're (contraction of "you are")
  • Their (possessive) vs. They're (contraction of "they are") vs. There (location)
  • Affect (usually a verb) vs. Effect (usually a noun)
  • Than (comparison) vs. Then (time sequence)
  • Who (subject) vs. Whom (object)

Example: Grammar in Action

Original Sentence: "Neither the players nor the coach were happy with their performance in the championship game."

Options:

  1. NO CHANGE
  2. Neither the players nor the coach was happy with their
  3. Neither the players nor the coach were happy with his
  4. Neither the players nor the coach was happy with his

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: With "neither/nor," the verb agrees with the closer subject. Since "coach" is singular, the verb should be "was." Additionally, since "coach" is the closer antecedent to the pronoun and is singular and masculine, "his" is the correct pronoun.

Rhetorical Skills

Beyond grammar and punctuation, the ACT English section tests your ability to improve writing through organization, style, and clarity.

Key Rhetorical Skills

Organization
  • Logical sequence of ideas
  • Effective introductions and conclusions
  • Appropriate transitions between ideas
  • Unity and coherence within paragraphs
Style
  • Concise and precise language
  • Appropriate word choice
  • Varied sentence structure
  • Active vs. passive voice
  • Elimination of wordiness and redundancy
Purpose
  • Relevance to the main topic
  • Supporting details that strengthen the argument
  • Maintaining focus throughout the passage
  • Achieving the writer's goal (inform, persuade, entertain)

Example: Rhetorical Skills in Action

Original Sentence: "The museum's new exhibit, which was very interesting and engaging for visitors of all ages, featured artifacts from ancient civilizations that existed thousands of years ago in the past."

Options:

  1. NO CHANGE
  2. The museum's new exhibit featured artifacts from ancient civilizations.
  3. The museum's new exhibit, which was very interesting and engaging for visitors of all ages, featured artifacts from ancient civilizations.
  4. The museum's new exhibit featured artifacts from ancient civilizations that existed thousands of years ago in the past.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: This is a question about concision and eliminating redundancy. Option B removes both the subjective claim about the exhibit being "interesting and engaging" and the redundant phrase "thousands of years ago in the past."

Common ACT English Traps

The ACT English section often includes common traps that can trip up test-takers. Here's how to avoid them:

Watch Out For These Common Traps

The "No Change" Trap

Problem: Many students avoid selecting "NO CHANGE" because they assume something must be wrong.

Solution: Treat "NO CHANGE" as a legitimate answer choice. It's correct about 25% of the time.

The "Shorter is Better" Trap

Problem: While concision is valued, sometimes the shortest answer eliminates necessary information.

Solution: Choose the most concise answer that still includes all essential information.

The "Sounds Fancy" Trap

Problem: Students often choose wordy, complex-sounding answers thinking they're more "academic."

Solution: Clear, straightforward language is usually preferred over unnecessarily complex wording.

The "Context Blindness" Trap

Problem: Focusing only on the underlined portion without considering the surrounding context.

Solution: Always read a few sentences before and after the underlined portion to understand the context.

The "Ear Test" Trap

Problem: Relying solely on what "sounds right" can lead to errors, especially with commonly misused phrases.

Solution: Apply grammar rules rather than just using your ear, especially for formal writing conventions.

The "Redundancy" Trap

Problem: Not recognizing when information is unnecessarily repeated.

Solution: Look for phrases that repeat the same idea in different words and eliminate them.

Ready to Practice?

Now that you've learned the fundamentals of ACT English, test your skills with practice passages and questions!

Practice Passages

Test your English skills with these practice passages. Select a skill area to focus on.

Select a skill area to load a practice passage.

English Challenges

Put your English skills to the test with these timed challenges. Complete them to earn badges and level up your character!

Punctuation Wizard Challenge

100 XP

Fix punctuation errors in 15 sentences in just 5 minutes.

5 minutes
15 questions

Grammar Gladiator Challenge

150 XP

Defeat 15 challenging grammar questions in 7 minutes.

7 minutes
15 questions

Rhetorical Ranger Challenge

200 XP

Improve organization, style, and clarity in a full passage.

10 minutes
1 passage, 15 questions

English ACT Test Simulation

Take a timed test that simulates the ACT English section. This will help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement.

Test Details

  • Time Limit: 45 minutes
  • Format: 5 passages with 15 questions each (75 total questions)
  • Question Types: Usage/Mechanics (55-60%) and Rhetorical Skills (40-45%)
  • Scoring: Instant results with detailed explanations

Ready to Test Your Skills?

This simulation will help you prepare for the actual ACT English section.