ACT English Test Preparation KEY

ACT English Test Preparation

Nathan the guitarist with the
1
short hair was late for rehearsal.
1

Punctuation Practice
Commas

1.a. NO CHANGE
b. Nathan the guitarist, with the
short hair, was
c. Nathan, the guitarist with the
short hair, was
d. Nathan the guitarist with the
short, hair was

On his way to band practice, he

2
stopped to pick up snacks and
2
then made two wrong turns.

2.f. NO CHANGE
g. On his way to band practice he
stopped
h. On his way, to band practice he
stopped
j. On his way, to band practice, he
stopped

We werent angry, however,

because he brought sodas potato
3
chips and little pizzas with him.
3

3.a. NO CHANGE
b. he brought sodas, potato chips,
and little pizzas with
c. he brought sodas potato chips,
and little pizzas, with
d. he brought, sodas potato chips
and little pizzas, with

After eating, he picked up his

4
steel, blue guitar and we began
4
jamming.

4.f. NO CHANGE
g. picked up, his steel blue guitar,
h. picked up his steel-blue guitar
j. picked up his steel, blue, guitar

1.

The phrase the guitarist with the short hair is a nonessential, parenthetical phrase. The sentence would
make sense without the phrase Nathan was late for
rehearsal. The parenthetical phrase gives the reader
more information about Nathan.
C is the correct choice.

2.

No change is necessary. The phrase On his way to

band practice is an introductory phrase and must be
separated by a comma.
F is the correct choice.

3.

The items in the list must be separated by commas.

B is the correct choice.

4.

The phrase steel-blue is an adjective which modifies

guitar. The word steel describes the shade of blue
rather than the guitar itself.
H is the correct choice.

Look at the item that matches the number of the

underlined part. Pick the best replacement for the
underlined part. If the underlined part is the best,
then select NO CHANGE.
Ed who lives next door was
1
planning a trip. He asked us

to look after his dog his cat

2
and his plants.
2

In addition, we were to water

3
his lawn twice a week.

At daybreak on Saturday he
4
left for Hawaii, but we were
4
out of town for the day. His
5
sixteen-year-old, niece fed
5
the animals that day.

1.a. NO CHANGE
b. Ed, who lives next door, was
c. Ed who lives next door, was
d. Ed who lives, next, door was
2.f. NO CHANGE
g. look after his dog his cat, and his
plants
h. look after, his dog his cat and his
plants
j. look after his dog, his cat, and
his plants
3.a. NO CHANGE
b. In addition we were to water
c. In addition, we were to water.
d. In addition we were to water,
4.f. NO CHANGE
g. At daybreak on Saturday, he left
for Hawaii but
h. At daybreak on Saturday, he left
for Hawaii, but
j. At daybreak on Saturday he left
for Hawaii, but
5.a. NO CHANGE
b. His sixteen-year-old niece fed
c. His sixteen-year-old niece, fed
d. His, sixteen-year-old, niece, fed

ACT English Test Preparation

Today Im going to the beach,
1
school starts again tomorrow.
1
At the beach I can do many
different things: swim, play
2
volleyball, jet-ski, or just relax.
2

1.

Punctuation Practice
Semicolon/Colon

1.a. NO CHANGE
b. the beach school
c. the beach; school
d. the beach: school
2.f. NO CHANGE
g. different things, swim, play
volleyball
h. different things; swim, play
volleyball
j. different things swim, play
volleyball

The two independent clauses need to be separated by either a semicolon or a period.

C is the correct choice.

2.

No change is necessary. The first part is an independent clause, followed by a list.

A semicolon cannot be used because the list cannot stand on its own as a sentence.
F is the correct choice.
Look at the item that matches the number of the
underlined part. Pick the best replacement for the
underlined part. If the underlined part is the best,
then select NO CHANGE.

Winnie-the-Pooh is my favorite
childrens book. I like the
1
personalities of the animals. The
book is full of great characters:
2
Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore.
2
Eeyore is my favorite; hes so
3
gloomy and depressed. However,
3
I also like the philosophy of
4
Pooh; and the energy of Tigger.
4
The best thing about the

book is this: its still great

5
reading when youre an adult.

1.a. NO CHANGE
b. childrens book I like the
c. childrens book; I like the
d. childrens book: I like the
2.f. NO CHANGE
g. great characters, Pooh, Piglet,
Tigger,
h. great characters: Pooh Piglet
Tigger
j. great characters: Pooh, Piglet,
Tigger,
3.a. NO CHANGE
b. my favorite, hes so gloomy
c. my favorite hes so gloomy
d. my favorite: hes so gloomy
4.f. NO CHANGE
g. philosophy of Pooh, and the
energy
h. philosophy of Pooh and the
energy
j. philosophy of Pooh: and the
energy
5.a. NO CHANGE
b. book is this; its still great
c. book is this its still great
d. book is this, its still great

ACT English Test Preparation

Punctuation Practice

In the following paragraph, choose the answer with correct

punctuation for each sentence. Some sentences may be correct.
It was cold dark and rainy as we
1
set off on our journey. Our plan
was to make it to the mountains

1.a. NO CHANGE
b. It was cold, dark, and rainy
c. It was: cold dark and rainy
d. It was: cold, dark, and rainy

by sunrise we would rest there

2
a day before setting out

2.f. NO CHANGE
g. by sunrise, we would rest there
h. by sunrise: we would rest there
j. by sunrise; we would rest there

across the plains. We brought

with us only; a few clothes some
3
money and food for a week. In
3
order to make it to

3.a. NO CHANGE
b. us only: a few clothes, some
money, and food
c. us only a few clothes some
money and food
d. us only a few clothes, some
money, and food

the ship on time; we needed to be

4
at the coast by Saturday.

4.f. NO CHANGE
g. the ship on time: we needed to
h. the ship on time, we needed to
j. the ship on time we needed to

Then as we neared the mountains

5
we heard something.
5

5.a. NO CHANGE
b. Then, as we neared the
mountains, we
c. Then! As we neared the
mountains we
d, Then as we neared the
mountains, we

Boom? A loud echo rolled

6
across the sky.

What is that? we asked

7
each other. We saw

6.f. NO CHANGE
g. Boom. A loud
h. Boom! A loud
j. Boom, a loud
7.a. NO CHANGE
b. What is that we asked
c. What is that! we asked
d. What is that. we asked

a horse (we could see no rider)

8
galloping along the path. The
8

horse slowed its pace as it drew

9
near. Then, we saw
the rider; he was lying low along
10
the horses neck, urging him
10
onward.

8.f. NO CHANGE
g. a horse we could see no rider
galloping
h. a horse we could see no (rider
galloping)
j. a horse, we could see no rider
galloping
9.a. NO CHANGE
b. slowed its pace
c. slowed its pace
d. slowed itss pace
10.f. NO CHANGE
g. the rider he was lying low
along the horses neck
h. the rider, he was lying low
along the horses neck
j. the rider: he was lying low
along the horses neck