ACT Preparation / Unit 2 ACT 0128 review, 2 to 3 minutes
Five Decisions in One Paragraph
The idea
Every mark in this unit does a job, and every error is a mark doing the wrong job or none. Commas join independent clauses before a coordinating conjunction, end an introductory element, separate items in a series, and enclose nonessential information, the information a reader could remove without losing which thing is meant. Essential information takes no commas, and a clause of that kind opens with that. Commas never separate a subject from its verb, never split a two-part compound, never follow the last item of a series, and never come before a that-clause reporting speech. Apostrophes show possession or stand for missing letters; they never form plurals and never go on possessive pronouns. Semicolons join closely related clauses or separate crowded series items. A colon follows a complete clause. Dashes and parentheses set off asides, and every pair matches.
In practice
Worked example: one paragraph, five decisions. "When the library reopened the staff who had worked from home for a year returned. The building had one new feature a reading room. The room's shelves were finally full." First decision: an introductory clause ends after reopened, so a comma goes there. Second and third: the staff is already identified, so "who had worked from home for a year" is nonessential and takes a comma on each side. Fourth: "The building had one new feature" is a complete clause, and a reading room explains it, so a colon. Fifth: the shelves belong to one room, so room's, with apostrophe s. Corrected: "When the library reopened, the staff, who had worked from home for a year, returned. The building had one new feature: a reading room."
Where people slip
Two habits carry forward. Before placing any mark, find the independent clauses, because most decisions in this unit depend on where they begin and end. And give each mark a reason; a mark that cannot name its job is the one to delete. The next unit turns from marks to words: verbs and pronouns that must agree with what they refer to.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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