Ace the ACT English test

Looking at 'Subject, Verb, Complete Thought' is a way to have an Intellectual Self Defense against some of the tricky patterns you'll see on the ACT. The 3 questions we look at here show you the patterns and methods that the exam writers use to keep you from "hearing" the right answer.  We analyze the topic with real world examples.

The second essay in this English section has 3 totally different types of questions right away. That isn't a mistake.  The shock value goes to zero after we get through with them - analyzing them carefully and looking at what they're testing.  You are gaining, with each lesson, your intellectual Self Defense.

Question #28 on this exam is from the ACT central casting department.  If you can study this question format you'll be able to navigate the MANY other types of question just like this one.  In order to recognize the patterns on the exam and see what they repeatedly do, it pays to look closely at this question.

The five questions on the page are just that, a 'typical test mix'.  Four of them are Grammar and Mechanics, and in the middle is one Rhetorical Skills question.  Going through them in real time allows us to see what the test creators are doing, how they frame questions, and how we can approach them and have success.

This section deals with the last questions of an essay.  They are ALL Rhetorical Skills.  This means they are vague, and somewhat subjective.  You need to use your tools as an editor to narrow down the task, use the clues in both the questions and answers to get to the right answer.  The 'help' is right in front of you, on the page.  You just need to know where and how to look.

This page, with 6 questions, is a dense example of what the ACT will serve you (get it?) with regularity.  5 of these questions are Rhetorical Skills questions.  There is pretty much the full complement of questions you'll see and the ways in which to sidestep the traps and answer them ALL correctly.

I found a section of an ACT where there are 5 Grammar and Mechanics questions in a row.  Finding not only the style and subject of the question, but also the methods to figure it out will become your main focus on a thread like this one.  Here we tackle all 5 questions and walk and talk through the whole process together.

Phrases are spread throughout the English section of the exam.  They're used as a way to test both your understanding of sentence structure and your punctuation knowledge.  What is a phrase? How do they look?  What types are there and how are they used?  We cover them from both the Grammar Book and the exam itself.

Clauses are spread throughout the English section of the exam.  They're used as a way to test both your understanding of sentence structure and your punctuation knowledge.  What is a Clause? What is the difference between Independent and Dependent clauses?  How do they look?  What types are there and how are they used?  We cover them from both the Grammar Book and the exam itself.

Commas are everywhere.  Not only in your reading and writing, but also on the ACT.  How are they used?  What are the official rules?  How can you parlay the rules into ACT success?  The Grammar rules are here, and the connection to the exam is explained as well.

Pronouns are everywhere.  Not only in your reading and writing, but also on the ACT.  How are they used?  What are the official rules?  How can you parlay the rules into ACT success?  The Grammar rules are here, and the connection to the exam is explained as well.

A common ACT question will play games with modifiers.  The exam writers will move phrases around, getting you mixed up as to what phrase is modifying which word... getting you confused if you're not aware of what's going on or how sentences are structured.  As this is a large part (the largest % in fact) of the English Section, we cover the rules and the ways they're handled on the exam.

Here is a final bit of advice, an overview of what we've done, and a last message to you guys - thank you for sticking it out and choosing this preparation course!