ACT English Study Guide 2.0

ACT English Study Guide
reasonprep.com – rob@reasonprep.com -- 1
ACT English Study Guide 2.0

This study guide is for use with the ACT English Bootcamp video series. You can
find these videos in the ACT English section of reasonprep.com. Use this page to
keep track of which videos you’ve viewed. Take notes in the rest of the guide as you
watch the videos.
____ #1 - Introduction ____ #24 – Case
____ #2 – Section Analysis ____ #25 – Comparative & Superlative
____ #3 – Pacing & Time ____ #26 – Diction (Word Choice)
____ #4 – Core Strategies ____ #27 – Wordiness & Redundancy
____ #5 – Basic Sentence Structure ____ #28 – Rhetorical Skills Questions
____ #6 – Fragments ____ #29 – Passage I, 2005-2006 ACT
____ #7 – Run-Ons, Comma Splices, ____ #30 – Passage II, 2005-2006 ACT
Proper Coordination ____ #31 – Passage III, 2005-2006 ACT
____ #8 – Subordinate or Dependent ____ #32 – Passage IV, 2005-2006 ACT
Clauses ____ #33 – Passage V, 2005-2006 ACT
____ #9 – Relative Clauses ____ #34 – Passage I, 2008-2009 ACT
____ #10 – Restrictive & Non-restrictive ____ #35 – Passage II, 2008-2009 ACT
Clauses ____ #36 – Passage III, 2008-2009 ACT
____ #11 – Appositives ____ #37 – Passage IV, 2008-2009 ACT
____ #12 – Misplaced & Dangling ____ #38 – Passage V, 2008-2009 ACT
Modifiers ____ #39 – Passage I, 2009-2010 ACT
____ #13 – Comma Usage ____ #40 – Passage II, 2009-2010 ACT
____ #14 – Dashes ____ #41 – Passage III, 2009-2010 ACT
____ #15 – Semicolons ____ #42 – Passage IV, 2009-2010 ACT
____ #16 – Colons ____ #43 – Passage V, 2009-2010 ACT
____ #17 – Apostrophes ____ #44 – Passage I, 2012-2013 ACT
____ #18 – Periods, Question Marks, ____ #45 – Passage II, 2012-2013 ACT
Exclamation Points ____ #46 – Passage III, 2012-2013 ACT
____ #19 – Subject-Verb Agreement ____ #47 – Passage IV, 2012-2013 ACT
____ #20 – Pronoun Agreement & ____ #48 – Passage V, 2012-2013 ACT
Consistency ____ #49 – Passage I, 2015-2016 ACT
____ #21 – Adjectives & Adverbs ____ #50 – Passage II, 2015-2016 ACT
____ #22 – Verb Form ____ #51 – Passage III, 2015-2016 ACT
____ #23 – Tense ____ #52 – Passage IV, 2015-2016 ACT
____ #53 – Passage V, 2015-2016 ACT
#1 – Introduction
Part I Part II Part III

Introduction Grammar Review Practice ACT Questions
Section Analysis
Pacing & Time
Core Strategy
HOW TO USE THE VIDEOS:

1) Watch videos #1-28 and take notes (using this guide).
2) Before viewing the first ACT Practice Section video (#29), make sure you’ve
completed the 2005-2006 ACT
3) Watch the ACT Practice section videos (#29-48) and compare your answers and
approach to mine. Always try the problems yourself before watching my solutions!
HOW TO PRACTICE:
1) Always complete full practice tests timed, but you can do the 2005-2006 ACT
untimed so you can get used to the question types, strategies, etc.
2) After completing a full section, make sure to review EVERY question – right and
wrong – to find areas for improvement.
3) You can find more tests in the “Red Book” (The Real ACT Prep Guide)
Purchase here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0768934400/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&cre
ative=390957&creativeASIN=0768934400&linkCode=as2&tag=concpavegui02-
20&linkId=LD4JBIFFOWYJ5PHM
#2 – Section Analysis
_____ passages – _____ questions – _____ minutes

(36 seconds per question)
Content/Skills Percent of Test Number of Questions

Usage/Mechanics 53% 40
Punctuation 13% 10
Grammar and Suage 16% 12
Sentence Structure 24% 18
Rhetorical Skills 47% 35
Strategy 16% 12
Organization 15% 11
Style 16% 12
Total 100% 75
NO ______________________________!
Always ________________________!
Approximately ______ NO CHANGE answers per test.

#3 – Pacing & Time
1) Circle & Return
a)
b)
2) Focus on questions with short choices (grammar & usage) and leave all
general & longer questions until the end.
#4 – Core Strategy
1. Start at the ____________________________ and read until your first
underlined portion. You may want to read a bit beyond it for context.
2. Read the question, reread the sentence/passage when necessary, and
answer the question. (Make sure to ______________________________.)
3. Pay attention to what’s outside the underline: other punctuation,
structure of sentence, even single key words (like “even”) can shift the
structure and direction of the sentence.
4. Always ____________________________________________!
Note: shorter often = better.
5. If the question seems general, read more and then answer?
6. Any doubt? _________________________________________

#5 – Basic Sentence Structure
Sentence = ____________________________ + ____________________________
The man walks.
The man with the blue hat walks down the street.
The man with the blue hat and the red jacket has walked down the street every day for
the past ten years.
The man with the blue hat he stole from Walmart and the red jacket he found in a
parking lot has walked down the winding, crumbling street every day for the past ten
years in a vain search for the white shirt he lost there during a Christmas party at his
brother’s house.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE: A simple sentence that can stand by itself. No further

words are necessary to make an independent clause structurally sound.
#6 – Fragments
FRAGMENT: A group of words that seems like a sentence but lacks certain words
necessary to make it stand on its own (i.e. be an independent clause).
I walking.
In France, after the French Revolution but before Napoleon.
Working for 70 hours per week on a project due in ninety days.
John and Mary spending their weekends singing in a church choir.
Although Buffy tried to slay the vampire.
John played many sports in high school. For example, baseball, football, soccer.
Strong students have two good habits. Studying a little bit each day and asking
questions regularly.
Bobbison is deathly afraid of spiders. Which is why he doesn’t want to live in the attic
anymore.
This is a story about ostriches. A story that will make you laugh.
Hercule Poirot being the most qualified for the job. Because he has many years of
experience solving murders.
The hockey player who scored the game winning goal.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, born in a log cabin in
Kentucky, eventually assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in Ford’s Theater near the end
of a Civil War that had killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.
#7 – Run-Ons and Comma Splices
Simple sentence = ___________________________________________
Compound sentence = ________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
I walk I run.
I walk then I run.
He visited the aquarium stole a seal.
Knowing that millions of people around the world would be watching in person and on
television and expecting great things from him — at least one more gold medal for
America, if not another world record — during this, his fourth and surely his last
appearance in the World Olympics, and realizing that his legs could no longer carry
him down the runway with the same blazing speed and confidence in making a huge,
eye-popping leap that they were capable of a few years ago when he set world records
in the 100-meter dash and in the 400-meter relay and won a silver medal in the long
jump, the renowned sprinter and track-and-field personality Carl Lewis, who had
known pressure from fans and media before but never, even as a professional runner,
this kind of pressure, made only a few appearances in races during the few months
before the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, partly because he was afraid of
raising expectations even higher and he did not want to be distracted by interviews and
adoring fans who would follow him into stores and restaurants demanding autographs
and photo-opportunities, but mostly because he wanted to conserve his energies and
concentrate, like a martial arts expert, on the job at hand: winning his favorite
competition, the long jump, and bringing home another Gold Medal for the United
States, the most fitting conclusion to his brilliant career in track and field.
Thanks to http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/run-on.htm
RUN ON: Two+ independent clauses smashed together without even an attempt at
coordination.
COMMA SPLICE: A run-on sentence whose clauses are separated by only a comma.
I walk, I run.
I walk, then, I run.
The Yankees played my high school baseball team, we won!
Yogi Berra is nothing like Yogi Bear, he doesn’t like “picinic” baskets.
First I will buy a Lamborghini, second I will buy a bucket of white paint, finally I will
splash the leather interior of the Lambo with white paint.
PROPER COORDINATION
1) ________________________ conjunction + _______________________
I shook his hand, for he was a jolly good fellow.
I walk, and I run.
Don Draper doesn’t treat women well, nor does he treat himself well.
I wanted to go to the Moon, but I failed my rocket driving test.
I will go to France, or I will go to Delaware.
Maria expected to enjoy the moving, yet she found it dull and uninspiring.
John forgot which wire to cut, so he cut all of them.
2) SEMICOLON “splice”
I walk; I run.
The shareholders were getting impatient; the CEO knew he needed to improve the
company’s quarterly numbers.
3) ______________________________ a clause.
I walk after I run.
The New York Knicks have had little success recently because they are too focused on
stars and not enough on building a team.
4) Just keep them separate – use a ______________________________.
I walk. I run.
#8 – Subordinate & Dependent Clauses
I looked for my wallet.
While I looked for my wallet
While I looked for my wallet, Jane waited in the car.
Subordinating Conjunctions
after once until

although provided that when
as rather than whenever
because since where
before so that whereas
even if than wherever
even though that whether
if though while
in order that unless why
Unless Elizabeth joins the club.
Whenever I visit my grandparents’ house.
After the concert ended.

Because the dog ate my homework.
I eat cookies whenever I visit my grandparents’ house.
We went to the diner after the concert ended.
I don’t have my assignment because the dog ate my homework.
#9 – Relative Clause
A type of dependent clause that modifies a noun (an adjective clause).
My brother, who is in the Army, won the lottery.
My brother who is in the Army won the lottery.
I sold the book that has the yellow cover.
The treats, which I bought for my beagle, are pretty tasty.
The stranger, whom I saw yesterday, left behind a bag of gold.
My father, whose favorite sport is golf, hit a hole in one today.

The Great Depression was a time when many people suffered.
I traveled to France to see the château where my father grew up.
I don’t know the reason why she left.
Which was why she bought the umbrella.
Who was the winner of the Ig Nobel Prize.
Who was the winner of the Ig Nobel Prize?
In which he visits Daenerys Stormborn.

#10 – Restrictive & Non-restrictive Clauses
My brother who is in the Army won the lottery.
My brother, who is in the Army, won the lottery.
John, who is in the Army, won the lottery.
John who is in the Army won the lottery.
The man, who is in the army, won the lottery.
You can use the car, which is parked in the front garage.
You can use the car that is parked in the front garage.
#11 – Appositives
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that _________________ the noun it follows or

precedes.
You must set it off from the rest of the sentence with ___________________________.
This soldier, James Francis Ryan, was the last of five brothers to survive World War II.
My favorite team, the New York Rangers, did not win the Stanley Cup this year. 
A hunting dog bred to track rabbits, the beagle can be a stubborn hound.
You’re watching this video thanks to Camtasia, a screen recording program.
Many scientists now believe that fructose, a sweet molecule found in fruit, has been
largely responsible for the epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Will Ferrell, a comedian who has starred in movies such as Anchorman and Elf, is a
pretty funny dude.
#12 – Misplaced & Dangling Modifiers
Modifiers generally must be near the noun they modify to prevent ambiguity.
I found my keys walking down the street.
Trainers should use clickers to work with their dogs, a device that signals correct
behavior when the clicker is pressed.
While watching a baseball game, a ball or bat could fly at you at any time, so keep your
head up!
Born in 1906 on Long Island, many people would come to love the beautiful music of
Billy Bob.
Finally understanding what he meant by his cryptic warning, lightning flashed, and the
skies rumbled.
Looking out the window, a car that Jake didn’t recognize pulled into his driveway.
The activist was informed that her bill was signed into law by the President.
Pollution is a problem that’s difficult to quantify economically, which is why it is called

an “externality.”
The scientist defended his theory from his colleagues, which tries to explain the
movement of the planets in Galaxy XYZ.
#13 – Comma Usage
DO NOT USE COMMAS WHERE “A READER PAUSES OR TAKES A BREATH.”
Comma usage is not arbitrary; there are clear rules to follow.
A long sentence doesn’t necessarily need a comma! This is not to say however, that such
a sentence is a “good” sentence.
The woman who bought a car dealership next to the house where I grew up has
decided after much thought to convert the business that had previously sold brand new
BMWs into one that specializes primarily in selling used cars in order to appeal to a
market that no longer has the disposable income or the desire to own a luxury vehicle.
ACT RULES FOR COMMAS
1) Coordinate two independent clauses
The book was very long, so it took me three years to finish.
2) Separate subordinate & independent clause (in that order).
Even though Randy offered me $2 million, I declined to sell him my favorite paperclip.
3) Set off non-restrictive clauses & phrases (relative, appositive)
The ACT, a test that previously placed second to the SAT, finally surpassed its
competitor last year.
The document, which has not yet been released to the public, clearly shows that Steve
Jobs stole the idea for the iPod from Martians.
4) Set off participial phrases from the main sentence (beginning or end)
Waiting for the signal, Anton readied his water balloon.
Bradley ran away from the velociraptor, praying that it had not seen him.
5) Set off small introductory words and phrases like “however” and “in fact”
In conclusion, I see no flaw with your plan.
Finally, put your computer in the microwave.
6) Separating members of a list.
I enjoy swimming, dancing, and watching movies.
The robber smashed the window, entered the house, and saw the Rottweiler.
7) Separate coordinate adjectives.
The little old lady
The tall, menacing figure
8) Introduce quotes.
I said, “What do you mean you’re out of chicken nuggets?”
9) Write dates & places
On July 6, 1986, I opened my ice cream shop.
Julia was born in Albany, NY, and moved to New York City in 1970.
COMMA ERRORS
The most popular dog in the United States, is the Labrador Retriever.
I ate Thanksgiving dinner, and fell asleep.
The team that won the game, and the one that lost should receive equal praise.
I’m not sure why the law, that punishes jaywalking, is enforced.
Mario move on to World 2-1, because the Princess was in another castle.
Ice hockey, a sport that is very popular in Canada is not as popular in the United States.
#14 – Dashes
Dashes function like ___________________ and ____________________ while also

adding extra emphasis. They are generally more informal than the other punctuation
marks.
Everyone I know – even Bob, Mary, and John – attended my party.
The apartment’s inhabitants – three dogs, a cat, and a squirrel – had made a mess of the
place.
There are only two guarantees in life – death and taxes.
His continued quests – I would say failures – to win the lottery drained his bank
account.
“Why did you buy that – oh, nevermind.”

#15 – Semicolons
Use semicolons to coordinate two independent clauses. (A “semicolon splice” is legal!)

Generally we prefer to use this if the two clauses express some related idea.
Link sighed as he drew his sword; he had already completed two dungeons today and
was tired.
The rocket jettisoned its first stage; there was no need for the ship to carry that dead
weight into orbit.
He thought he sent the memo before he left for the day; however, the boss never
received it.
I’ve lived in Tallahassee, Florida; Sacramento, California; Austin, Texas; and New York,
New York.
ERRORS:
I’ve never been to China; and I hope to travel there soon.
My favorite color is blue; not green.
The mayor ordered the removal of the parking meters; because the town residents
argued that they hurt the downtown economy.
#16 – Colons
Colons have multiple uses:
1) Introduce a list (must be used after an independent clause)
I like to: eat fancy food, drive expensive cards, and buy mansions.
I have three hobbies: eating fancy food, driving fancy cards, and buying mansions.
2) Connect two independent clauses providing that the second sentence explains or
expands on the first.
I never thought I’d see the day: My cat graduated from college!
3) Introduce a short logical or explanatory statement.
That day I saw the most amazing thing in the world: a skateboarding penguin.
4) Introduce a quote.
My dad always said: “Never get involved in a land war in Asia.”

#17 – Apostrophes
Use ‘s with singular nouns to show possession:
The boy’s car
The company’s produce
The dog’s bone
Use s’ with plural nouns:
The boys’ club
The players’ coach
The wolves’ pack
DO NOT use apostrophes to pluralize nouns:
I like eating apple’s and orange’s.
Apostrophes also mark contractions:
Do not = don’t
Are not = aren’t
Its vs. it’s

it’s = it is
its = possessive form of it (That is its control panel.)
#18 – Periods, Question Marks, Exclamation Marks
Period: Use to finish a sentence. Can correct comma splices & run-on sentences!
Question Mark: Use to denote a question.
Exclamation Mark: Use to denote an exclamatory statement.
I can’t believe he ate the entire turkey!
(Use sparingly.)
#19 – Subject-Verb Agreement
“to walk” “to be”
I we I we
you you you you
he/she/it they he/she/it they
The book on birds _________ interesting.
The synthesis of multiple theories of evolution _________ going to revolutionize

biology.
Each team _________ its own uniform and logo.
He wrote sixteen compositions that _________ played on the piano.

#20 – Pronoun Agreement & Consistency
I me my
you you your
he/she/it him/her/it his/her/its
we us our
you you your
they them their
The group of workers fought hard for their raise.
The rhinoceros is an endangered species because poachers hunt them for their horns.
If a student wants to get into medical school, you need to take organic chemistry.
#21 – Adjectives & Adverbs
Adjectives: modify nouns
tall man
blue house
enormous whale
Adverbs: modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs (usually end in –ly)
The tall man ran quickly.

The really tall man ran quickly.
The tall man ran really quickly.
We almost overlooked the deceptive hidden treasure.
It is hard to predict the weather because the constant changing weather system is too
complex for simple mathematical models.
#22 – Verb Form
The general has a tendency of overextending his supply lines.
The Federal government plans collecting more revenue to fund its programs.
Benjamin would have swam the race if he hadn’t eaten six hot dogs that day.
On April 1, 2014, the first prank was sprung, and the Prank Wars begun soon after.
#23 – Tense
The fine distinctions in tense aren’t as important as maintaining the consistency of

past/present in a sentence and paragraph.
If you want details about different forms, go to:
http://reasonprep.com/sat-grammar-bootcamp/ - Video #6 “Tense”
Bob tried to hold in laughter as Grandpa Roland says grace with mashed potatoes on
his nose.
Ten years ago, the traveling circus came to town and is displaying its assortment of acts
and wonders.
#24 – Case
I me
you you
he/she/it him/her/it
we us
you you
they them
Rocky Balboa, Apollo Creed, and me have all held the Heavyweight Championship
Belt.
The knight gave my brother and I tops on one-on-one combat.
Deliver the memorandum directly into the hands of either Mr. Rosencrantz or myself.
The wasp landed between you and I.
#25 – Comparative & Superlative
Comparative: compare two things; use –er
The population of the United States is bigger than the population of Denmark.
Watching these videos makes me more and more smarter every day.
Superlative: compare three+ things; use –est
When I compared the systems of Nintendo, Sony, and Sega, I found Sony’s system to be
the strongest.
Of all the animals in the world, the shark is the most frightening.
#26 – Diction (Word Choice)
it’s/its
It’s imperative that you arrive to the meeting on time.
You are its owner, so you need to pick up the car.
than/then
Marius is more brave than I thought.
Make a right at the corner of Boardwalk and Park Place; then make your first left.
they're/their/there
They’re going to leave their dog there when they travel to Hawaii.
who/whom
Who is responsible for this mess?
Whom do I have to ask about the position?
to/too
I want Maximilian to go to the party too.
Etc.
He must of heard the news when he was on the subway.
The stockholders panicked when they learned of the firm’s eminent demise.
#27 – Wordiness & Redundancy
Recall: Shorter phrases are often better than longer ones.
Why? Style, ease of reading, and to avoid redundancy.
The meal tasted amazing, and it was tasty too.
At first, my initial thought was that there was some kind of mistake.
Each year my farm produces two hundred tons of cabbage annually.
#28 – Rhetorical Skills Questions
 Adding and deleting sentences/phrases

 Revising sentences
 Acceptable alternatives
 Passage summary
 Transitions
 Logical arrangement
 Did passage accomplish its goal?
1) Make sure you read the context for the sentence.
2) Look for evidence of contrast & transition (even single worlds like even, but,
however)
3) Topic consistency – each paragraph should stay on topic.
4) Pay attention to the author’s style & tone: informal or formal?
5) Pick the economical, clear, concise choice.

#29-53 ACT Practice Passages Videos
You can download the five practice ACTs I work through in these videos here:
http://reasonprep.com/practice-act/
Or in the Members Area:
http://reasonprep.com/arbtest/
Remember: Always complete the practice passages/tests under timed conditions (with the
possible exception of the first one, 2005-2006 ACT), and NEVER watch the solution to a
problem without trying it yourself first!
Let me know if there are any errors in this guide and if you have any questions!

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ACT English Study Guide

ACT English Study Guide 2.0

Part I Part II Part III

HOW TO USE THE VIDEOS:

_____ passages – _____ questions – _____ minutes

Content/Skills Percent of Test Number of Questions

Approximately ______ NO CHANGE answers per test.

#3 – Pacing & Time

1) Circle & Return

1. Start at the ____________________________ and read until your first

2. Read the question, reread the sentence/passage when necessary, and

answer the question. (Make sure to ______________________________.)

3. Pay attention to what’s outside the underline: other punctuation,

structure and direction of the sentence.

Note: shorter often = better.

5. If the question seems general, read more and then answer?

6. Any doubt? _________________________________________

#5 – Basic Sentence Structure

Sentence = ____________________________ + ____________________________

The man walks.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE: A simple sentence that can stand by itself. No further

In France, after the French Revolution but before Napoleon.

Working for 70 hours per week on a project due in ninety days.

John and Mary spending their weekends singing in a church choir.

Although Buffy tried to slay the vampire.

The hockey player who scored the game winning goal.

#7 – Run-Ons and Comma Splices

Simple sentence = ___________________________________________

Compound sentence = ________________________________________________________

I walk then I run.

He visited the aquarium stole a seal.

I walk, then, I run.

The Yankees played my high school baseball team, we won!

1) ________________________ conjunction + _______________________

I shook his hand, for he was a jolly good fellow.

I walk, and I run.

I wanted to go to the Moon, but I failed my rocket driving test.

I will go to France, or I will go to Delaware.

John forgot which wire to cut, so he cut all of them.

I walk after I run.

4) Just keep them separate – use a ______________________________.

#8 – Subordinate & Dependent Clauses

I looked for my wallet.

While I looked for my wallet

While I looked for my wallet, Jane waited in the car.

after once until

Unless Elizabeth joins the club.

Whenever I visit my grandparents’ house.

After the concert ended.

Because the dog ate my homework.

I eat cookies whenever I visit my grandparents’ house.

We went to the diner after the concert ended.

I don’t have my assignment because the dog ate my homework.

A type of dependent clause that modifies a noun (an adjective clause).

My brother, who is in the Army, won the lottery.

My brother who is in the Army won the lottery.

I sold the book that has the yellow cover.

The treats, which I bought for my beagle, are pretty tasty.

The stranger, whom I saw yesterday, left behind a bag of gold.

My father, whose favorite sport is golf, hit a hole in one today.

The Great Depression was a time when many people suffered.

I traveled to France to see the château where my father grew up.

I don’t know the reason why she left.

Which was why she bought the umbrella.

___ passages – _ questions – ___ minutes

Sentence = +

1) __ conjunction + _

Dashes function like _ and __ while also