ACT English : Punctuation Errors
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT English
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Example Questions
Example Question #433 : Comma Errors
“The Common Good: The United Aim of Many” [20]
Among the many topics that are misunderstood [16] in political science, and political philosophy, the notion of the “common good” ranks foremost. Often, we think of the common good as being nothing more than getting “the most things for the most people.” For example, when a person makes multiple millions of dollars, people will often say, [17] “He should give back some of that money, for the sake of the common good.” Whether or not such people [18] should do this with his money, this is really an improper use of the expression the common good.
A better way to understand the common good is to think about common ends or common goals. An example will help to explain this. Think of a group of musicians on a stage. If all of these people came together to practice in the same room, we wouldn’t call them a symphony. [19] A mass of people just playing any music whatsoever are not a symphony. A symphony is an organized group; a mass of people is just a mass of people. Nothing physically differs regarding the mass of people and the symphony. [20] They are both made up of the same “stuff,” namely a group of musicians.
However, a common good changes [21] this mass into something that they never could be without that common good. [22] When these musicians come together to play the Dies Irae of Mozart, they become something that they never were as individuals. Each member of the group uses his or her personal skill for the sake of a new, common performance. Perhaps the tuba player loves to play loudly. Perhaps the lead violinist loves playing quickly. These preferences must be channeled and limited for the sake of the common enterprise of playing Mozart’s stirring piece of music. [23] The desires of the individual instrumentalists, whom play the music, no longer reigns supreme.
The common good unites this group. If you were to ask the tuba player, what are you doing, he would answer, “Taking part in the symphonic playing of the Dies Irae.” [24] Then, if you were to ask any other musician the same question, he or she would answer in the same way. The answer would not be, “playing the Dies Irae my way.” If that were the answer, the musician would not be part of the symphony. He or she would be doing something private, not something that is truly common.
How should underlined selection [20] be changed?
They are both made up of the same “stuff” namely a group of musicians.
NO CHANGE
They are both made up, of the same “stuff,” namely a group of musicians.
They are both made up of the same “stuff,” namely, a group of musicians.
NO CHANGE
There are actually no errors in this sentence. You can leave it as it is. The comma before "namely" separates that dependent clause off nicely. Otherwise, everything is quite fine!
Example Question #573 : Correcting Grammatical Errors
“John Adams—A Forgotten American Founder”
Sadly, the great exploits of important [46] men and women is often forgotten in the mists of history. The myths and historical tales of a nation can lead the people to forget [47] some of their most important founders and national heroes. In the United States of America, this kind of forgetfulness has occurred in the case of the Founding Father, John Adams. For a number of reasons, President Adams [48] had been forgotten. Recounting the [49] tales of the nations’ founding, many remember figures like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. [50] However, during those early years of the republic, Adams was a pivotal figure in assuring independence to the burgeoning nation.
[51] During the debates concerning the Declaration of Independence, Adams was something of a “chief orator,” tirelessly attempting to convince the gathered parties of the importance of declaring independence from England. [52] Adams a temperamental and passionate man, was the perfect person to fill such a role. In contrast to the judicious Franklin and the controlled and quiet Jefferson, he was fit for performing such oratorical shows and bombasts. [53] Although he joined Jefferson and Franklin on the drafting committee for the declaration, his most important work during this time was arguably this long project of oratory.
[54] In addition, many forget the lonely years Adams spent as a minister to France and as the first minister to England. What a difficult affair such posts would have been at the time. [55] As the minister to France, what weight could he have had with the court of such an old European nation? Furthermore, Adams [56] was not temperamentally [57] suited for French courtly customs being a stern and somewhat moralistic man. [58] Then, to be sent to England—how difficult that must have been. As the minister on behalf of a once-rebel nation, how could he stand before the Court of King James? Nevertheless, Adams served his [59] post nobly and deserves great recognition for this devoted service to his young nation.
Choose the answer that best corrects the section [59].
post nobly, and deserving great recognition for
NO CHANGE
post nobly, and deserves great recognition, for
post nobly, and deserves great recognition for
NO CHANGE
Since there is no shift in subjects, there is no need for there to be a comma after the "and" in this selection. The subject is the same, namely Adams. He served nobly and deserves praise. A comma would be needed only if the subject were to have changed for the second verb. The "for" is a preposition, not a conjunction. Hence, no comma is necessary at all!
Example Question #1 : Apostrophe Errors
Humanities: This passage is adapted from chapter three of Sir John Lubbock’s The Pleasures of Life. The chapter is entitled “A Song of Books” and was written in 1887.
Of all the privileges we enjoy in this nineteenth century there is none, perhaps, for which we ought to be more thankful than for the easier access to books.
The debt we owe to books was well expressed and articulated by Richard de Bury, Bishop of Durham, author of Philobiblon, written as long ago as 1344, published in 1473, and the earliest English treatise on the delights of literature: "These,” he says, “are the masters who instruct us without rods and ferules, without hard words and anger, without clothes or money. If you approach them, they are not asleep; if you interrogate them, they conceal nothing; if you mistake them, they never grumble; if you are ignorant, they cannot laugh at you. The library, therefore, of wisdom is more precious than all riches, and nothing that can be wished for is worthy to be compared with it. Whosoever therefore acknowledges himself to be a zealous follower of truth, of happiness, of wisdom, of science, or even of the faith, must of necessity make himself a lover of books.”
This feeling that books are real friends is constantly present to all who love reading. “I have friends,” said Petrarch, “whose society is extremely agreeable to me; they are of all ages, and of every country. They have distinguished themselves both in the cabinet and in the field, and obtained high honors for their knowledge of the sciences. It is easy to gain access to them, for they are always at my service, and I admit them to my company, and dismiss them from it, whenever I please. They are never troublesome, but immediately answer every question I ask them. Some relate to me the events of past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of Nature. Some teach me how to live, and others how to die. Some, by their vivacity, drive away my cares and exhilarate my spirits; while others give fortitude to my mind, and teach me the important lesson how to restrain my desires, and to depend wholly on myself. They open to me, in short, the various avenues of all the arts and sciences, and upon their information I may safely rely in all emergencies. In return for all their services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace; for these friends are more delighted by the tranquillity of retirement than with the tumults of society.”
“He that loveth a book,” says Isaac Barrow, “will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counsellor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, so in all fortunes.”
Some relate to me the events of past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of Nature.
past age's, while
past ages, since
NO CHANGE
past age's; while
NO CHANGE
"Ages" is not used possessively, but as a plural.
Example Question #2 : Apostrophe Errors
I got three Bs on my report card, but I only got one A.
Which of the following is the best correction for this sentence?
I got three Bs' on my report card, but I only got one A.
I got three B's on my report card, but I only got one A.
I got 3 Bs on my report card, but I only got one A.
The sentence contains no errors.
None of the corrections listed here are correct.
I got three B's on my report card, but I only got one A.
Apostrophes are used for plurals only when writing about letters and numbers. The use of the apostrophe in the sentence "He has three car's" is incorrect, but if we say "He has three 7's in his phone number", we're using the apostrophe correctly to make the number 7 into a plural.
Example Question #3 : Apostrophe Errors
There are several ways to use contractions correctly.
Which of the following is the best alternative version of this sentence?
Their are several ways to use contractions correctly.
There're several ways to use contractions correctly.
None of the versions listed here are correct.
There's several ways to use contractions correctly.
They're are several ways to use contractions correctly.
There're several ways to use contractions correctly.
"There're" is the contraction of the phrase "there are." "There's" would not be the correct answer because "there is" does not agree with "several ways," which is plural. The other two answers use incorrect soundalikes of "there": "their" is a plural possessive pronoun, and "they're" is the contraction of "they are."
Example Question #551 : Punctuation Errors
Choose the grammatically correct version of the following sentence:
Lisa and me went to a party and celebrated Staceys birthday.
Yesterday Lisa and I went to a party, and celebrated Stacey's birthday.
Yesterday Lisa and I went to a party, and celebrated Staceys' birthday.
Lisa and I went to a party and celebrated Stacey's birthday.
Yesterday me and Lisa went to a party and celebrated Staceys' birthday.
The sentence is correct as it is.
Lisa and I went to a party and celebrated Stacey's birthday.
There are two errors in the original sentence: (1) "Lisa and me" should be rephrased as "Lisa and I" and (2) "Staceys" should be made possesive by adding an apostrophe, "Stacey's."
Example Question #2 : Apostrophe Errors
One of the most popular programs of all those featured on the Internet (1) is a video clip show. The format of the show is simple, each (2) week the host, a short but attractive New York native named John Jackson introduces (3) a set of three video clips from all over the Internet. These clips shows (4) people hurting themselves in accidents, getting into crazy situations, interacting stupidly with animals, and et cetera. (5) Jackson introduces each clip comically and often comments on the action with animations where (6) he makes fun of the people in the videos. While the videos are often funny, there is definitely an element of schadenfreude involved in watching these clips. Schadenfreude is a German word for "the pleasure one takes at seeing the suffering of others". (7) Jacksons (8) show are (9) not far removed from popular TV programs like (10) The U.S. Laughs at You there is also a version of which (11) on the Internet. It is an open question whether laughing at these videos is a harmless activity or it causes harm to us. (12)
Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."
Jacksons'
NO CHANGE
His
Jackson's
Jackson's
"Jackson" does not end in an -s, so the apostrophe to show possession would come before the -s. "His" would not be appropriate because it is too far removed from the noun it replaces.
Example Question #5 : Apostrophe Errors
It was about halfway through his last set of conferences that Mr. Man realizes (1) he did not (2) much like his current set of students. Unlike his students in the past, none of them seemed to care about their (3) grades, (4) none of them was able to tell a dangling modifier from a participle, (4) and, apart from a few, (4) they didn't know (5) how to start a paper. He would never tell any of them this, of course, (6) they might get offended, and if there was one thing that Mr. Man learned (7) about teaching, its (8) that in order to keep one's job, you couldn't offend your students (9). As yet another student whined about not understanding Mr. Mans (10) perfectly clearly written assignments, he sighed inwardly (and possibly outwardly as well), (11) and waited for the last (12) one to finish so that he could get to the next one, finish his conferences, and get back to daydreaming about being anything but a teacher.
Choose from the following four options the answer that best contracts the underlined words preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."
didn't
didnt
NO CHANGE
did'nt
didn't
The apostrophe in a contraction stands in for the missing letter, and in this case, the "o" in "did not" is missing, so "didn't" is the correct answer.
Example Question #6 : Apostrophe Errors
It was about halfway through his last set of conferences that Mr. Man realizes (1) he did not (2) much like his current set of students. Unlike his students in the past, none of them seemed to care about their (3) grades, (4) none of them was able to tell a dangling modifier from a participle, (4) and, apart from a few, (4) they didn't know (5) how to start a paper. He would never tell any of them this, of course, (6) they might get offended, and if there was one thing that Mr. Man learned (7) about teaching, its (8) that in order to keep one's job, you couldn't offend your students (9). As yet another student whined about not understanding Mr. Mans (10) perfectly clearly written assignments, he sighed inwardly (and possibly outwardly as well), (11) and waited for the last (12) one to finish so that he could get to the next one, finish his conferences, and get back to daydreaming about being anything but a teacher.
Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."
Man's
Mans'
Men's
NO CHANGE
Man's
Mr. Man's name does not end in an -s, and since this phrase requires a possessive, the apostrophe should come before the -s.
Example Question #7 : Apostrophe Errors
In the last day of classes (1), everyone was distracted and unable to do their (2) work. Even the teacher, which normally (3) was attentive and cheery, seems (4) unable to focus. The final test took (5) way too long for everyone to complete, and many of students (6) had put down his head (7) on the desk. The sound of the heat blowing through the room was enough to put everyone (8) to sleep, and the teachers' (9) eyes began drooping despite hisself (10). After what seemed an eternity; (11) the bell had rung (12) and everyone, including the teacher, ran out of the room.
Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."
teacher
teacher's
teachers
NO CHANGE
teacher's
The possessive requires an apostrophe, and since "teacher" is singular and does not end in an -s, the apostrophe should be added to the end along with -s.
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