Don’t Fear NO CHANGE You have heard it said that people fear change. On the ACT, it’s the opposite. Students fear NO CHANGE. They feel like it’s a trick answer. Reassure students that NO CHANGE is a perfectly legitimate choice. It is just as likely that NO CHANGE will be the correct answer as any other. Refer to English question #21 on page 15 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In question #21, students will do best to leave the sentence as it is. Choices B, C, and D are all awkward, and most students can hear that choice A is best. Despite this, they might hesitate to go with choice A even if the answer is obvious because they fear NO CHANGE. Just because a sentence has an underlined portion doesn’t mean the sentence is incorrect and needs to be changed. Refer to English question #38 on page 17 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #38 is another classic example of how students fearing NO CHANGE can trip themselves up. Only choice F has a meaning that satisfies the question asked, making this one of the simplest questions in this passage. Yet some students will resist choosing F simply because they feel that they are being tricked. This problem is compounded by the fact that the correct answer to question #37 is also NO CHANGE. Not to mention question #36 is correctly answered by choice F (although it does not have a NO CHANGE option), which creates three identical answers in a row on the test sheet! This kind of pattern can also make students paranoid that they have missed a crucial error somewhere. In the English test included in Preparing for the ACT 2015-16, there are 56 questions that include NO CHANGE as an answer choice. 23.2% of these questions are answered correctly with NO CHANGE, which means that, statistically speaking, this ACT test does not have a preference for or against NO CHANGE as a choice. Don’t fear NO CHANGE.
1
DECODING THE ACT
Tune Out Tune out nonrestrictive phrases that aren’t underlined. A nonrestrictive phrase is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. The trick to decide whether or not a phrase is essential is to check whether the sentence makes sense without it. If the sentence makes logical sense without the phrase, then it should be surrounded with commas or em dashes. In terms of the ACT, this fact is important for two reasons. One, the English test will directly assess this. Questions will ask students to punctuate (or un-punctuate) a certain phrase based on whether or not the phrase is nonrestrictive. Secondly, this concept can simplify English questions with complex sentence structures. Since a nonrestrictive phrase is surrounded by punctuation and is unnecessary, students can tune it out when it’s not underlined for the question being considered. Refer to English question #22 on page 15 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In question #22, we are dealing with a complicated sentence: “As we neared the summit, the whole group of hikers—thinly spread across the mountain for most of the route—condensed, forming an illuminated line along the trail.” This question is difficult to grasp because the phrase thinly spread across the mountain for most of the route interrupts the sentence. Since the phrase in question is surrounded by dashes, however, students can tune it out. Now the sentence becomes more manageable: As we neared the summit, the whole group of hikers condensed, forming an illuminated line along the trail. Considering the alternatives without this phrase, some of the problems created by the incorrect answer choices are much more obvious. Students might find it easier to tune out a phrase by covering it with their fingers or lightly scratching through it with their pencils. Students should be warned not to scratch heavily through anything because they still might need to read it to answer another question! Refer to English question #33 on page 17 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #33 is made unnecessarily complicated by a nonrestrictive phrase set off with a comma. Check Your Understanding: Circle the part of this sentence that students can tune out. Fascinated by the geometric designs, Quezada wondered, if he could make pots like these?
2
Sounds Wrong If it sounds wrong, it probably is wrong. The reverse isn’t necessarily true. Refer to English question #37 on page 17 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In question #37, how the answer sounds won’t get students to the correct answer. What sounds right to them often isn’t right. Choices B and C may sound right because the student might pronounce lead as the noun for the metal rather than as the present-tense verb. For this reason, instead of trying to get students to find what sounds right, emphasize that they should trust themselves on what sounds wrong or awkward. This strategy results in some quick eliminations on otherwise difficult questions. The student doesn’t need to know why it’s wrong. It sounding wrong is enough. This technique combines well with the secret service move detailed on page 88. For example, in question #37, the use of the reflexive pronoun himself in choices B and C just sounds wrong. It’s awkward, and students can eliminate this usage even if they aren’t sure of the rule that governs it. Sound won’t get students all the way to the answer, but it will narrow down the available choices. In question #37, this strategy gives them a 50-50 chance at the correct answer. Refer to English question #54 on page 20 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #54 is another case where the sound of the choices might not reveal the correct answer, but it can certainly help make a couple eliminations. Choices G and H stick out like sore thumbs and can easily be eliminated based on how awkward elegantly chandeliers sounds. However, students should avoid using sound to get themselves all the way to the correct answer. Because the singular noun theater appears earlier in the sentence, some students won’t have any objection to the singular verb illuminates and will choose J. It’s important to slow down and find the actual subject of the sentence, which is chandeliers. If students have trouble finding the subject, remind them that they can tune out the prepositional phrase inside the theater itself since it is set off by a comma and not part of the underlined portion. Once they have identified the plural subject, they can choose F with its plural verb, illuminate.
3
DECODING THE ACT
The Grammar Book You Can Bring to the Test Use the passages for grammar examples. Except for the underlined portions, ACT English passages are grammatically correct, so they are great models to use to verify that you are thinking correctly about grammar rules. Students who are good at this technique basically treat the ACT English test like a grammar book! This is an advanced technique. For those students who have a good grasp of grammar but struggle with being certain about a particular rule or construction, this technique can make a difference. Refer to English question #16 on page 14 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In question #16, the sentence starts with the participial phrase bundled up in wool sweaters and thick coats. Imagine that at this moment, in the rush of getting through the test in 45 minutes, a student blanks out on how to punctuate this phrase. Questions flurry in his or her mind: Is there supposed to be a comma there? How does this work? Am I even allowed to have this construction? What’s that rule about introductory phrases? To gain clarity, students can scan the passages they have read thus far for similar constructs. It turns out that this construction appears in the sentence associated with question #7 on page 13: Bypassing the liquid water phase, those molecules condense directly onto the established hexagonal pattern. Now students have a model of how a participial phrase should be punctuated. Students can then select choice H for question #16 with more confidence. If a student has no idea what the correct choice is, he or she should mark and move but remain on the lookout for an exemplar in a later passage that can demonstrate the right answer. Refer to English question #48 on page 19 and question #67 on page 22 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #67 tests student knowledge of an arcane punctuation rule involving reflexive pronouns. Many students will feel they are on shaky ground answering this question, but not the students who use the English test as a grammar book. It turns out that a reflexive pronoun has appeared in an earlier passage, and they can use this as a guide. Consider the sentence that is referred to by questions #48 and #49: Most are there to attend a performance; a few, however, are likely to be architecture buffs there to admire the stunning building itself. This sentence ends with the reflexive pronoun itself. It isn’t set off by any punctuation, which can be used as evidence to surmise that the best choice in question #67 also has no commas. In this case, students would be surmising correctly. Use the English test like a grammar book.
4
Replace Semicolons With Periods To test whether a semicolon is being used correctly, replace it with a period. On the ACT, if a semicolon can’t be replaced with a period, it’s likely incorrect. This rule works because the most common use of semicolons on the ACT is to join independent clauses. Refer to English question #50 on page 19 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. In question #50, this rule would eliminate choice G. If the semicolon is replaced with a period, it becomes clear that into which are carved… cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence. It is not an independent clause. This rule also interacts well with the two rights make a wrong technique on page 42. If two choices are identical except that one uses a semicolon and the other a period, they are both wrong. In question #50, this means that choices G and H are both incorrect and can be knocked out. Refer to English question #64 on page 21 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #64 follows a similar pattern as question #50. When the semicolon in choice H is replaced with a period, the result is an incomplete sentence: for the autobiography isn’t about the life of Mary Harris Jones. What’s more, since choices G and H are the same, except one has a period in place of a semicolon, the two rights make a wrong technique eliminates both choices. Refer to English question #69 on page 22 of Preparing for the ACT 2015-16. Question #69 again presents an alternative that includes a semicolon. Check Your Understanding: What questions would you ask your students to coach them toward applying the replace semicolons with periods strategy to question #69?
5
DECODING THE ACT
DECODING ENGLISH TEST 72-C Answer Explanations and Standard Families 1.
Punctuation >> Unnecessary Commas Choice B is incorrect because from tiny water droplets is a prepositional phrase modifying the verb form, and so it should not be separated from the verb by a comma. Choice C is incorrect because water droplets is a single concept that should not be interrupted by a comma. Choice D is incorrect because from tiny water droplets is a prepositional phrase modifying the verb form and should not be separated from the verb with a comma. Furthermore, without a comma after droplets, the meaning of the sentence is confused—it seems that the droplets are following a process, not the snowflake formation. The correct answer is A. The comma correctly separates the prepositional phrase from tiny water droplets from the participial phrase following a specific process, indicating that this process modifies snowflake formation and not the water droplets.
2.
Organization >> Transitions Choice F is incorrect because snowflakes form from tiny water droplets is not similar to snowflakes confounded scientists, so similarly is a poor word choice. Choice G is incorrect because the rare “triangular� snowflake is not an example of what is discussed in the previous sentence. Choice H is incorrect because additionally infers that information is being added to the point made in the previous sentence, but a triangular snowflake is different from a six-sided snowflake. The correct answer is J. However is used to introduce information that is in contrast with a previous statement. In this case, the previous sentence talks about six-sided snowflakes, while this sentence talks about triangular (three-sided) snowflakes.
3.
Sentence Structure & Formation >> Relative Pronouns Choice A is incorrect because the clause following that is incomplete, lacking a subject. Choice B is incorrect because it creates an incomplete thought: the manner in which formation through a different process of chemical bonding. The sentence ends abruptly. This choice also makes the sentence wordy. Choice C is incorrect because which had formed through a different process of chemical bonding does not explain what the shape of these snowflakes suggests. The correct answer is D. That they form creates a complete dependent clause with a subject and verb; it also tells us what the triangular shape suggests.
6
DECODING ENGLISH TEST 72-C
4.
Sentence Structure & Formation >> Misplaced Modifiers & Phrases Choices F and G are incorrect because the phrase by re-creating snowflake formation modifies discovery, rather than the scientists. Choice J is incorrect because the phrase by re-creating snowflake formation modifies cause instead of scientists. The correct answer is H. It places scientists close to the phrase that modifies it, by re-creating snowflake formation. For that reason, it is the clearest alternative.
5.
Sentence Structure & Formation >> Fragments & Fused Sentences Choice A is incorrect because the intended meaning of this sentence is that the water is being frozen, not that the water is freezing the snowflake, as this choice suggests. Choices C and D are incorrect because they form comma splices. The correct answer is B. The comma correctly separates freezes from the participial phrase causing the water molecules to bond.
6.
Usage >> Subject-Verb Agreement Choices F and G are incorrect because the subject molecules is plural, but bumps and has bumped are singular verbs. Choice H is incorrect because bumped is a past tense verb, which is inconsistent with the present tense verbs in the rest of the passage. The correct choice is J. Bump is a plural verb, which agrees with the plural subject molecules. Bump is also in the present tense, which is consistent with the tense of the passage.
7.
Topic Development >> Identify Purpose Choice A is incorrect because this sentence describes bypassing the liquid water phase, but it does not talk about going from liquid to vapor to solid. Choice C is incorrect because the underlined portion does not provide a visual description. Choice D is incorrect because the underlined portion does not mention or refer to various air temperatures. The correct choice is B. Bypassing the liquid water phase has a similar meaning to mentions a step some water molecules skip. Skip and bypass are synonyms.
8.
Usage >> Subject-Verb Agreement Choice F is incorrect because forms is a singular verb, which does not agree with the plural subject snowflakes. Even though the singular nouns process and bonding are close to the verb, neither are the subject. Choices G and H are incorrect because they create incomplete conditional statements and are not consistent with the compound predicate, begin with the same process of chemical bonding. The correct answer is J. The plural verb form is consistent with the construction of the compound predicate started earlier in the sentence and agrees with the plural subject snowflakes.
7
DECODING THE ACT
9.
Punctuation >> Colons & Semicolons Choices A and B are incorrect because they create a run-on sentence. Choice D is incorrect because the semicolon is used in this context to join two independent clauses. Dust is not an independent clause, so a semicolon cannot be used here. The correct answer is C. The colon lets the reader know that additional information follows. The information before the colon is an independent clause, which means that a colon can properly be used here.
10. Sentence Structure & Formation >> Fragments & Fused Sentences Choice F is incorrect because the comma after wind unnecessarily separates the subject from the verb. A single comma can never come between the subject and the verb. This choice also starts the construction of an introductory phrase, the greater the pressure, but the sentence does not complete the idea. Choices G and H are incorrect because they form incomplete sentences. Choice G creates the fragment which causes bonds to form, while Choice H creates the dependent clause as the wind causes bonds to form, neither of which can stand alone. The correct answer is J. This choice creates a complete sentence without any unnecessary punctuation.
11. Usage >> Comparatives & Superlatives Choice A is incorrect because quick modifies the verb form and so should be in the form of an adverb, not an adjective. Choice C in incorrect because the superlative most quickly is inappropriately used to compare two things. Choice D is incorrect because quickest modifies the verb form and so needs to be in the form of an adverb, not a superlative adjective. The correct answer is B. This choice uses the comparative adverb phrase more quickly, which is the best fit for the sentence since only two speeds are being compared.
12. Punctuation >> Colons & Semicolons Choice F is incorrect because an em dash is used for parenthetical information, not punctuating an introductory dependent clause. Choice H is incorrect because the semicolon joins two independent clauses, but although these snowflakes appear to have a triangular shape is a dependent clause. Choice J is incorrect because the colon must come after an independent clause, but although these snowflakes appear to have a triangular shape is a dependent clause. The correct answer is G. It correctly uses a comma to separate the dependent clause in the beginning of the sentence from the independent clause that follows.
13. Organization >> Introductions & Conclusions Choice B is incorrect because it contains an extreme statement that is not fully supported by the essay.
8