ACT Preparation / Unit 23 ACT 2211 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
An English Question From Start to Finish
The idea
An English question is worked in four steps, following the ACT guide's own approach. First, read the whole sentence and its neighbors, not only the underline. Second, decide how the underlined part should read, in standard written English or for the question's stated goal. Third, find your version among the choices, or choose No Change if the original already is it. Fourth, reread the sentence with your choice in place.
In practice
Worked example: "The volunteers, who arrived early, was given the best spots," with "was given" underlined. The subject is volunteers, plural, and the clause between the commas does not change it, so the verb should be "were given." Find "were given" among the choices, reject No Change, and reread: "The volunteers, who arrived early, were given the best spots."
Where people slip
Rereading catches a choice that fixes one error and makes another, the danger unit one named.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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