Answers and Explanations

Practice Set

1. It’s the Little Things That Matter

2. D
   The issue is punctuation. Choice (A) uses a comma after lived that incorrectly breaks up the flow of the sentence. In fact, the sentence functions well without any commas at all, which means you can also eliminate choices (B) and (C). Choice (D) is the best answer.
3. F
   The issue is word choice. The words even though used in choice (F) are appropriate because what follows describes a condition. In addition, choices (G) and (H) incorrectly use the verb form being. Choice (J) is redundant: There is no need to say the reason with because. Choice (F) is the best answer.
4. C
   The issue is word choice. Whenever you see theirs underlined, check that it’s used correctly. The word theirs is a possessive pronoun, which is incorrect in this sentence. The word needed here is there’s because its meaning is there is. Recognizing this, you should eliminate all choices except choice (C), which is the correct answer.
5. H
   The issue is writing strategy. The key words to focus on in the question stem are the writer’s concerns about a new school. Choices (F), (G), and (J) all include phrasing that expresses the writer’s nervousness about going to school with a different group of students. Choice (H) does not, and because this question asks for the one choice that does not express the writer’s concerns, choice (H) is the best answer.
6. D
   The issue is word choice. Beware whenever you see the phrase being that on the ACT. Being that is not an acceptable way to say because. You can eliminate choice (A) and plug in the other choices to look for something better. Eliminate choice (B) because it uses the -ing verb being without a helping verb as the main verb in a clause. Eliminate choice (C) because it incorrectly uses among when only two things are being discussed. Choice (D), which correctly uses the word between when two things are discussed, is the best answer.
7. H
   The issue is wordiness. Eliminate choice (F) because leaving and abandoning mean the same thing, so the phrase is redundant. Eliminate choice (J) for the same reason. Plug in the remaining choices. Choice (G) probably sounds okay to your ear, but choice (H) is the better choice because it’s more concise.
8. A
   The issues are pronouns and verb tense. Address the pronoun issue first: whenever you see who’s underlined, make sure that it’s in a context in which either who is or who has makes sense. In this sentence, who’s correctly stands for who has. Now look at verb tense. In this sentence, the past tense verb has…lived is correct. Check the other choices just in case. Eliminate choice (B) because it uses the -ing verb having without a helping verb as the main verb in the clause. Eliminate choice (C) because the past tense verb had…lived is not the appropriate one here. Eliminate choice (D) because it incorrectly uses the pronoun which to refer to a person. The best answer is indeed choice (A).
9. G
   The issue is punctuation. Think about how the sentence is structured and where the commas are needed. The main part of the sentence is there are lots of people…who are a regular part of my life. The phrase though they are not exactly friends is nonessential information and should be set off with commas. Eliminate choice (F) because it doesn’t place a comma after friends. Eliminate choice (H) because, though it correctly sets off the nonessential phrase, it unnecessarily inserts a comma after exactly, which breaks up the flow of the sentence. Eliminate choice (J) because it doesn’t use a comma after who. The best answer is choice (G).
10. B
    The issue is idioms. There is an error in choice (A) because the correct idiomatic usage here is enough to stay in contact. Eliminate choice (A). If you identified the idiom issue, choice (B) should stand out as the best choice. If not, plug in the remaining choices. Choice (C) introduces a sentence structure problem with so that, which doesn’t lead to a complete thought. Choice (D) uses the awkward phrasing for the keeping. Choice (B) is the best answer.
11. H
    The issues are sentence structure and punctuation. Choice (F) correctly uses a comma and the FANBOYS word and to join two independent clauses, but the additional modifier creates a run-on sentence. Choice (G) incorrectly begins a sentence with and. Choice (H) correctly uses a semicolon to join two independent clauses. Choice (J) creates a run-on sentence by using only a comma, without a FANBOYS word, to join two independent clauses. The best answer is choice (H).
12. B
    The issue is pronouns. Whenever you spot an underlined pronoun, check to make sure it’s used correctly. In most answer choices, the pronoun I is used incorrectly as the object of the preposition with. Recognizing this, you should eliminate choices (A), (C), and (D). Choice (B) correctly uses the object pronoun me and so is the best answer.
13. H
    The issue is connections. Choice (F) uses and, which is a generic connections word that doesn’t express any particular logical relationship. Read the sentence carefully to see if a more specific connections word would be appropriate. There are two ideas in this sentence. First is that the writer can come back to visit, and second is that it won’t be the same. The second idea expresses some disappointment, so a contrast connections word is appropriate. Eliminate choice (G) because so expresses cause and effect. Choices (H) and (J) both convey contrast. Read each in the sentence. Choice (H) works best here.
14. B
    The issues are pronouns and verb tenses. When you notice the word which underlined, remember that it should refer only to things, never to people. Here, which is used incorrectly to refer to Gen. Recognizing this, you can eliminate choices (A) and (D). Notice that choices (C) and (B) use different verb tenses, so plug these choices into the sentence. Pay attention to the broader context of the passage. The predominant tense is the present, so eliminate choice (C), which uses a past tense. Choice (B) is the best choice.
15. J
    The issue is wordiness, specifically relevance. Whenever you notice that an entire sentence is underlined, check to see if OMIT is offered as an answer choice. If it is, that’s a clue that you should ask yourself whether the sentence is relevant to the topic of the paragraph. The focus of this paragraph is how much the writer will miss the family at the green grocer. Therefore, a sentence about how most New Yorkers find the green grocer indispensable is not relevant. Choice (J) is the best answer choice. Having determined this, you don’t even need to worry about choices (G) and (H). If a sentence is irrelevant, don’t consider the best way to word it; simply take it out.
16. B
    The issue is sentence sense. If an entire sentence is underlined and OMIT is not offered as an answer choice, that’s a clue that you need to find the choice that is most logical and easy to understand. Pay attention to the order of the words and phrases. Choice (A) probably sounds confusing when you read it, another good clue that sentence sense is the issue. Choice (B) is clear and makes sense, but you should consider the other choices just in case. Choices (C) and (D) are both misleading because it is the writer, not the baby sister, who will come back to visit. Choice (B) is the best choice.
17. H
    The issue is sentence sense. Choice (F) is probably not going to be the best choice because it uses the passive voice. Read through the answer choices looking for the active voice. Choice (H) is written in the active voice. Choice (G) is wrong because it inappropriately uses a past tense that isn’t consistent with the context. Choice (J) is wrong because it uses a present tense (am seeing) that isn’t consistent with the simple present and future tenses that are used in the context. Choice (H) is the best answer.
18. A
    The issue is organization. To answer a question that asks you to determine the best ordering of paragraphs, think about which would make the best introduction and which would make the best conclusion. Here, paragraph 1 introduces the topic and serves as the best introduction. Paragraph 4—especially the last two sentences—make it the best conclusion for the essay. Recognizing this lets you eliminate choices (B) and (D). To decide between choices (A) and (C), consider the relationship between paragraphs 2 and 3. Paragraph 2 discusses in general the people the writer will miss. Paragraph 3 discusses Joe, a specific example of one of those people. Therefore, it makes sense to keep paragraph 3 after paragraph 2, making choice (A) the best answer.