Overview
This lecture covers all essential grammar rules needed for the ACT English section, focusing on punctuation, word choice, sentence structure, agreement, and style.
Punctuation Rules
- Periods separate two complete, standalone sentences.
- Commas indicate a brief pause but cannot connect two complete sentences (avoiding a comma splice).
- Semicolons connect two related, complete sentences; a period can often be substituted.
- Colons introduce lists, explanations, or descriptions, even for a single item, but not after "such as."
- Single em dashes (—) work like colons; double em dashes set off info in the middle of a sentence, like parentheses.
Possessives & Commonly Confused Forms
- Apostrophe before "s" shows singular possession (the girl’s sweater); after "s" shows plural possession (the boys’ game).
- Its (no apostrophe) means possession; it's (with apostrophe) means "it is."
- Test contractions by replacing them with their expanded forms.
Word Choice & Common Confusions
- Accept (verb, to receive) vs. except (to exclude); effect (noun, result) vs. affect (verb, to influence); access (verb, to enter) vs. excess (noun, extra).
- Proceed (to go forward) vs. precede (to come before); then (sequence) vs. than (comparison).
- Use "whom" after a preposition; "who" as a subject.
- Build academic vocabulary by looking up unfamiliar words during study.
Sentence Structure & Style
- Prefer concise, simple sentences; remove redundancy and avoid passive voice.
- When combining sentences, avoid multiple subjects for clarity.
Introductions, Transitions, Conclusions
- Good introductions prepare the reader and require reading ahead.
- Effective transitions reference the previous idea and connect to the next.
- Conclusions summarize the main idea, often found in the first paragraph.
Evidence and Clarity
- Support claims with relevant, specific evidence or data.
- Define or give examples for technical terms if the reader may not know them.
Modifiers & Logical Order
- Modifying/descriptive phrases must be next to the word they describe to avoid misplaced modifiers.
- Ensure the logical flow of ideas by keeping related thoughts together (sentence sandwich method).
Agreement & Consistency
- Match subject and verb in number (singular/plural).
- Keep verb tense consistent unless context dictates otherwise.
- Maintain formal, academic tone throughout; avoid conversational language.
- Use parallel structure (keep lists and patterns consistent).
- Compare only similar items (people to people, activities to activities).
- Use matching pairs: not only/but also, either/or, neither/nor.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Comma splice — error when two complete sentences are joined only by a comma.
- Possessive — shows ownership (apostrophe placement is key).
- Redundant — unnecessarily repetitive.
- Modifier — a descriptive word or phrase.
- Parallel structure — using the same grammatical format in a list or pattern.
- Preposition — a word showing relationship between nouns (e.g., in, on, by).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice applying these rules to ACT English practice questions.
- Look up unknown words during daily reading to build vocabulary.
- Refer to this cheat sheet when reviewing or doing ACT prep.