The pursuit of perfection, or near perfection, on the English Test requires banking every point you can on questions on which you can identify the topic and apply a basic approach to fix, just as we’ve shown in the last two chapters. But it also includes answering correctly the idiosyncratic English questions. In this chapter, we’ll show you how to spot and crack the most challenging questions on the English Test.
Vocabulary isn’t heavily tested on the ACT, but questions do appear on the English Test that require you to choose the best word for the context of a sentence. In some examples the words offered are close enough in meaning that in some contexts, they could be synonyms. In other examples, the words sound alike but have different meanings.
Homophones are words that sound similar but have different meanings and/or spelling.
The vocabulary that appears on the ACT rarely repeats, but below is a list of some common homophones that could appear on the test.
Accept: (verb) to take, receive, or agree to
Please accept this gift.
Except: (preposition) excluding
I like all types of fruit except for pears.
Access: (noun) a way or means of approach; (verb) the ability to
approach
Lobbyists have access to politicians. Please access the building
through the back door.
Excess: (noun) the amount or degree of one thing over another or over what is necessary.
I have an excess of Sharpie pens in case you want one.
Aisle: (noun) a walkway between or along sections of seats
The usher walked down the aisle of the theater.
Isle: (noun) a small island
“So join us here each week my friends, you’re sure to get a smile, from seven stranded castaways, here on ‘Gilligan’s Isle.’ ”
Affect: (verb) to act on or have an impact on, to produce an effect,
change, or consequence; (noun) an expressed or observed emotional response
The closing of the assembly plant affected the whole town.
When Lindsay displayed a troubling affect, friends thought this
odd response was a sign of mental illness.
Effect: (noun) a result or consequence produced by an agency or
cause; (verb) to bring about or accomplish
The closing of the assembly plant had a negative effect on the
whole town.
The prisoners effected a dazzling escape when they rappelled down a 20-story building.
Allusion: (noun) a reference to something
Classic literature makes many allusions to Greek and Roman mythology.
Illusion: (noun) a false or misleading image of reality
My hope that I could raise my D to an A was just an illusion.
Bare: (adjective) without covering, unconcealed, or plain; (verb) to
reveal or divulge
The bare facts of the case prove her guilt.
I don’t like to bare my legs in the middle of winter.
Bear: (verb) to hold up or support, to remain firm, or to produce;
(noun) big, furry animal
The table can bear three hundred pounds of books.
Smokey the Bear warns us against forest fires.
Brake: (noun) a device for slowing; (verb) to slow or stop by means
of a brake
Hit the brakes before we crash!
Brake the car before we crash!
Break: (verb) to smash, to split, to dissolve, or to divide into parts
Break the candy bar in half so we can each have some.
Cereal: (noun) edible grains
My favorite cereal is Froot Loops.
Serial: (noun) a program that is published in installments; (adjective) arranged in a series
I read every book in the “Tales of the City” serial.
The newspaper wrote several articles about political corruption and later won an award for this serial story.
Cite: (verb) to quote; to mention in support, proof, or confirmation
Always cite your sources when you use a direct quotation.
Sight: (noun) the ability to see
I never let my dog out of my sight at the dog park.
Site: (noun) the position or location of something
This park is a great site for a picnic.
Complement: (verb) to complete; (noun) something that is used to complete or make perfect (noun)
The blue scarf complements the green sweater.
Coffee is a complement to dessert.
Compliment: (noun) an expression of praise or admiration; (verb) to praise, to express admiration
We gave the chef many compliments after enjoying her delicious meal.
Friends complimented me on my chic outfit.
Die: (verb) to cease living, to lose force or energy; (noun) a piece of machinery or single game cube
My call ended when the battery died on my cell phone.
Some board games use a pair of dice, and others use a single die.
Dye: (verb) to change color; (noun) a coloring material
I dye my hair different colors to suit my mood.
I use red dye to make Easter eggs.
Flour: (noun) finely ground grain
I’d love to make cookies, but I don’t have any flour, butter, or sugar.
Flower: (noun) the blossom of a plant
Roses, tulips, and daisies are all beautiful flowers.
For: (preposition) expressing purpose or use; (coordinate conjunction) expressing a reason or cause
I shop at Mega Lo Mart for all my groceries and clothes.
I shop at Mega Lo Mart, for it has the best prices for groceries and clothes.
Four: (noun) the number in between three and five
There are four quarters in a dollar.
Hole: (noun) an opening or gap through something
Dig a hole in the ground and bury your valuables in it.
Whole: (noun) an unbroken or undivided amount; (adjective) comprising the full quantity or amount
Two parts make a whole.
I ate the whole pizza.
Lead: (noun) a heavy metal
Some pipes are made of lead, while others are made of copper.
Led: (verb/participle) the simple past and past participle of the verb to lead, which means to guide or show the way
I led the nature group on a walk through the forest.
Morning: (noun) the part of the day between midnight and noon
Call me in the morning when you wake up.
Mourning: (noun) an act or expression of sorrow
Traditionally, black clothing indicated a person was in
mourning after the death of a loved one.
Plain: (adjective) lacking ornamentation, or clear
Plain bagels lack the salt, garlic, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds
of the flavored varieties.
Plane: (noun) a flat or level surface, or an airplane
I watched the plane take off from the airport.
Pray: (verb) to offer praise or petition to a religious figure
Students pray to the ACT gods for a good score.
Prey: (noun) an animal hunted for food
The hungry lion chased its prey through the jungle.
Principal: (noun) a chief or head; (adjective) first or highest in rank
The principal of the school likes to meet every student.
The principal violinist is considered the leader of the string section.
Principle: (noun) a fundamental law of truth, doctrine, or belief.
It would violate my principles to cheat on a test.
Root: (noun) the underground part of a plant; (verb) to implant, or to cheer for.
The root of an aspen tree can be thousands of years old.
“Root, root, root for the home team … ”
Route: (noun) a course, way, or road for travel
If you want to avoid traffic, choose a route that avoids the expressway.
Stationary: (adjective) standing still, unmoving
Some people prefer riding a stationary bike at a gym instead of riding a bike on city streets.
Stationery: (noun) writing paper
Write your thank-you notes on your personalized stationery.
Than: (conjunction) used for comparisons
She is taller than I am.
Then: (adverb) next, subsequently
I made breakfast and then washed the dishes.
To: (preposition) expressing direction, movement, or intention
Walk to the store to buy groceries.
Too: (adverb) in excess, in addition, very
I have too much work to finish in too little time.
Two: (noun) the number in between one and three
Take two hours for lunch today.
Waist: (noun) the part of the body in between ribs and hips
Some pants sit below the waist, almost on the hips.
Waste: (verb) to consume, use, or spend recklessly
I wasted my lottery winnings at the slot machines.
The strategy for homophones depends on your familiarity with the pair or trio of words that is featured in the question. If you know both/all words well, you may be able to identify which is needed based on the meaning or the function.
• Use the context to identify the meaning of the word in the sentence. If the words are all the same parts of speech, substitute your own word and eliminate choices that don’t match the meaning of your word.
• Use the context to identify the function of the word in the sentence. Eliminate choices that are the wrong part of speech. Eliminate
choices that are verbs but that do not match the subject. Eliminate choices that are nouns but that are the wrong number (singular v. plural).
• Use POE aggressively, guess, and move on. You may not be certain which word means what or what word is which part of speech.
Eliminate what you are confident is wrong, guess from what’s left, and move on.
Try an example.
1. A. NO CHANGE
B. effect
C. affect
D. affects
Here’s How to Crack It
Affect and effect can be very confusing because they sound alike and have related definitions. Both words can be verbs or nouns, but the more common verb is affect (to act on or have an impact on, to produce an effect, change, or consequence) and the more common noun is effect (a result or consequence produced by an agency or cause). Even if you have trouble remembering which word is the verb, start by identifying the underlined word as the verb in the sentence, then identify the subject to check subject-verb agreement. The singular subject increase needs a singular verb, so eliminate choices (B) and (C). At this point you have a 50-50 chance of guessing the right answer if you don’t know which one is correct. Affect is the verb that means have an impact on, so choice (D) is the correct answer.
Synonyms are words that are close enough in meaning that they can be substituted for each other in a sentence without changing the meaning. That makes vocabulary a great subject for EXCEPT/LEAST/NOT questions, which require you to identify the one word that does not work for the context.
The strategy for synonyms depends on your familiarity with the words. However, most words that appear are fairly common words.
• If the question uses the E/L/N format, apply the strategy you learned in Chapter 6. The sentence is correct as written, so you can use the original word as the point of comparison for the words in the answer choices. Write a “Y” next to each choice that could replace the original word and work with the context. Write a “N” next to the one choice that can’t replace the original word. The “N” is the correct answer.
• If the question is in the regular format, use the context to identify the meaning of the word in the sentence. Substitute your own word and eliminate choices that don’t match the meaning of your word.
• Use POE aggressively, guess, and move on. You may not be certain of some words. Eliminate what you are confident is wrong, guess from what’s left, and move on.
Try an example.
2. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable?
F. sparkled
G. shimmered
H. glittered
J. glared
Cross out NOT. Use twinkled as the point of comparison for the words in the answers. Write a “Y” next to the choices that could replace twinkled and work in the context of the sentence. Twinkled, sparkled, shimmered, glittered, and glared all mean to give off light. Choices (F), (G), and (H) could all replace twinkled because each provides the same meaning of giving off a pleasant, intermittent light that twinkled does. Write “Y” next to each choice. Choice (J) is the correct answer because glared can’t replace twinkled. Glare is used to describe a light is strong, harsh, and constant in quality.
Idiomatic phrases are expressions whose form and meaning can be determined by neither grammatical rules nor the usual definitions of their elements. Therefore, you either know these phrases or you don’t: they don’t follow any rules.
While the idioms that appear on the ACT rarely repeat, below is a list of some of the more common idioms. Even if you memorize every one of these, you may encounter a question on the ACT that tests an idiom not on the list.
Allow to: I cannot allow you to leave the house without a jacket on.
Assert over: The oldest sister asserted her power over her siblings.
Associate with: No one wants to be associated with cheats and frauds.
Benefit from: Everyone can benefit from rest and relaxation.
Bring about: A bi-partisan effort can bring about real reform in the legislature.
Capable of: You had no idea that I was capable of such an act.
Choose to: I choose to ignore that criticism.
Complain about: Don’t complain about the food in front of the chef.
Create from: The sculpture was created from discarded metal and
rubber.
Decide to: The guests decided to leave when the food ran out.
Demonstrated by: The doctor demonstrated her concern by staying with the patient overnight.
Determined by: The winner is determined by a simple majority.
Different from: Apples are different from oranges.
Emerge from: Diplomats emerged from the peace discussions feeling hopeful.
Exposure to: Exposure to ultraviolet rays can be dangerous to your health.
Focus on: Conservation efforts have focused on restoring the beach-front to its former glory.
Forbid to: Invited guests were forbidden to reveal the location of the party.
Modeled on: The new headquarters were modeled on the Parthenon.
Persuade to: Nobody could persuade her to give up the search.
Problem with: Many experts had problems with the theory.
Prohibit from: Students are prohibited from wearing midriff-baring tops.
Refreshed in: I left the spa refreshed in body and mind.
Regard as: The members of the society are regarded as heroes in preservation circles.
Responsible for: You are responsible for the outcome.
Responsibility to: I have a responsibility to my fans.
Sit across from: I sat across from a crying baby on the long bus ride.
Try to: She tries to make everyone happy.
Typical of: He is typical of most athletes.
Worry about: I will never stop worrying about my grades.
Your ear is your best tool for idioms. Many idioms use a preposition, and your ear can identify the wrong prepositions, if not the right one.
• Focus on the preposition, evaluating its use with the word in the idiom as well as the context of the sentence.
• Shut your eyes or look away from the example as you repeat each idiom in your head. Your eyes and brain will get in the way of your ear.
• Your ear may not identify the correct idiom, but it may identify the wrong ones.
• If the question uses the E/L/N format, cross off the NOT and use the sentence as written to compare the idioms in the answer choices. Write a “Y” next to each choice that could replace the original idiom and work with the context. Write a “N” next to the one choice that can’t replace the original idiom. The “N” is the correct answer.
• Use POE aggressively, guess, and move on. You may not be familiar with the idiom. Eliminate what you are confident is wrong, guess from what’s left, and move on.
Try an example.
3. A. NO CHANGE
B. benefitted from
C. benefitted in
D. benefitted on
Here’s How to Crack It
Use your ear as you work through the different choices, focusing on the prepositions. Your ear may more easily identify the wrong prepositions than the right one. Benefited in in choice (C) and benefitted on in choice (D) may sound more wrong than either benefitted by or benefitted from, allowing you to eliminate choices (C) and (D). You have a 50-50 chance of picking the right answer, so guess and move on. Choice (B) is correct because the idiom is benefitted from.
Certain words can describe items that can be counted in individual units, and other words are used to describe items that can’t be counted. Some examples of countable nouns are dog, child, problem, idea. Some examples of uncountable nouns are integrity, nutrition, wisdom.
If a noun has both a singular and plural form, it’s countable. You can also tell a noun is countable if it is preceded by the indefinite articles a or an. A singular countable noun can’t stand alone and needs an article in front of it.
A child gave me an idea. A dog was a problem. A problem gave me a headache.
You can also tell a noun is countable if you can make it plural by adding an s or using the unique plural. Plural countable nouns can stand alone.
Children played with dogs. Ideas can cause problems.
Use the following adjectives with countable nouns.
Few: She had few complaints after the great lesson.
Fewer: He made fewer careless errors on the last practice test.
Many: Many children shouted out the answer.
Number: A number of students complained about the curve.
Some nouns are uncountable. You can tell that a noun is uncountable when there is no plural form of the word. You can also tell that nouns are uncountable when you can’t use the indefinite articles a and an in front of them.
I have integrity. He showed wisdom. Good nutrition is important.
Use the following adjectives with uncountable nouns.
Amount: A record-breaking amount of snow fell this winter.
Less: I have less patience for such pranks than you do.
Little: We have little time to waste.
Much: You spent too much money on me.
• Look at the word that the adjective describes.
• Eliminate choices that use the wrong adjective.
• Do not depend on your ear.
Try a few examples.
4. F. NO CHANGE
G. the least
H. fewer
J. lesser
Here’s How to Crack It
If a noun is in plural form, it’s countable. The only countable adjective is fewer in choice (H). Choices (F), (G), and (J) all use a form of less, which is an adjective used for uncountable nouns.
5. A. NO CHANGE
B. least creativity and more fidelity
C. lesser creativity and much fidelity
D. less creativity and more fidelity
Here’s How to Crack It
Try a creativity or creativities. Neither works, which confirms that creativity is uncountable. Eliminate choice (F) because few is a countable adjective. Compare the remaining choices. Creativity should be consistent with fidelity. Choice (B) is incorrect because least is a superlative, but more is a comparative word. Choice (C) is incorrect because lesser is a comparative word, but much is not a comparative word. Read more on superlatives and comparatives in the next section. Choice (D) is correct because less is used for uncountable nouns and it is consistent with more.
Certain situations make the difference between countable and uncountable nouns more difficult.
Some adjectives/adjectival phrases can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns.
Any: Are there any men in the book club? Do you have any milk?
Enough: I’ve read enough articles. I have enough time to go shopping.
More: I want more cookies. I need more air.
Plenty of: He had plenty of excuses. He has plenty of money.
Some: We have some questions for you. You need some water.
Consider the following example.
I’ll be there in 20 minutes or less.
Minutes can be counted, but the meaning of the sentence is more about the amount of time rather than the number of minutes.
On the ACT, the correct answer uses less than for constructions about time or rate, regardless of whether the noun is countable.
On questions that involves rate or time, use less than.
6. F. NO CHANGE
G. less than
H. fewer then
J. fewer than
A decade indicates time, so the correct construction is less than (choice (G)). If you struggle to remember this rule, you can also apply the homophone strategy to than v. then and eliminate two wrong answers at least. Than is a preposition used with comparisons. Then is an adverb that means next. A good mnemonic (memory device) is to relate then with next, two words with an e. Relate as with than, two words with an a and both used for comparisons. Eliminate choices (F) and (H), and you have a 50-50 shot of guessing the correct answer before you move on. To repeat, the correct answer is choice (G) because less than should be used with time or rate.
Some of the most challenging questions on the English Test underline most, if not all, of the sentence. It can be difficult to spot what the question is testing when so much is underlined, is changing, and sounds awful. Here’s an example to clarify what Hot Mess questions look like.
These questions usually involve picking the correct form of the modifiers and placing them in the correct location. Review the rules of modifiers and apply a strategy for tackling these, and Hot Mess questions aren’t so bad.
First up, more information on modifiers.
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes something.
Adjectives modify nouns.
I gave a meticulous response.
Adverbs modify verbs and adjectives, and some adverbs can modify other adverbs.
I responded thoroughly. The teacher appreciated my thoroughly meticulous response. She almost always likes meticulous responses.
Adjectives should immediately precede the noun they describe. When two adjectives modify a noun, use and or a comma in between them.
I gave a meticulous and thorough response. I gave a meticulous, thorough response.
When an adjective modifies a compound noun, do not use either and or a comma in between the adjective and the compound noun.
The teacher gave a difficult final exam.
When adverbs modify verbs, they can be placed before or after the verb, and can even be separated from the verb by other elements of the sentence.
The teacher quickly graded the exams. The teacher graded the exams quickly.
A modifier in the wrong place describes the wrong item and creates ambiguity and confusion.
Staring in panic at the final exam, my knees started to shake.
Knees can’t panic, stare, or take a final. A modifying phrase set off by a comma at the beginning or end of a sentence should be consistent with the subject of the sentence.
Staring in panic at the final exam, I felt my knees start to shake. That makes a lot more sense.
When adjectives are misplaced, they create a situation that is either wrong or makes no sense.
The unfinished student’s exam earned an F. Huh?
The student’s unfinished exam earned an F. That makes a lot more sense.
Adverbs have more flexibility in where they can be placed, but changing their placement can affect the meaning of a sentence.
She almost failed all of her exams.
In other words, she got a D– on every exam.
She failed almost all of her exams.
In other words, she got an F on most of her exams but earned a higher grade on at least one of them. Both sentences make sense, but the meaning changes depending on the placement of the adverb.
1. Use the answer choices to compare the changes in the form and placement of modifiers.
2. Place modifiers as close as possible to the items they describe and
apply comma rules correctly.
3. When a modifying phrase is offset by a comma at the beginning or end of a sentence, identify the subject and confirm the modifying phrase is consistent with the subject.
4. Use the 4 C’s: Look for a concise choice that makes a complete
sentence, is consistent with the rest of the passage, and makes the meaning most clear.
Use the strategy on an example.
F. NO CHANGE.
G. deep global philanthropist committed and vocal,
H. committed global vocal deep philanthropist,
J. vocal, deeply committed global philanthropist,
Here’s How to Crack It
Consider each choice in comparison to the others, noting the form and placement of the modifiers. The adverb deeply in choices (F) and (J) changes to the adjective deep in choices (G) and (H), and the adjectives committed, vocal, and global move all around. The modifiers in choices (G) and (H) are all adjectives, but there are no commas separating them and only one and in choice (G). Eliminate choices (G) and (H) because they do not follow comma rules. Compare choices (F) and (J). Choice (F) has no commas, but choice (J) uses a comma to separate vocal from deeply committed (adverb modifying an adjective), both of which describe global philanthropist (which is a compound noun) and is the correct answer.
9. A. NO CHANGE
B. Bringing Beatrice to my favorite restaurants, all in Greektown, she started teaching me how to cook the most popular Greek dishes.
C. Teaching me how to cook the most popular Greek dishes, Beatrice was brought by me to my favorite restaurants, all in Greektown.
D. I brought Beatrice to my favorite restaurants, all in Greektown, and she taught me how to cook the most popular Greek dishes.
Here’s How to Crack It
The sentence begins with an introductory modifying phrase in choices (A), (B), and (C). Choice (A) and choice (B) both use a modifying phrase that is not consistent with the subjects of their sentences, so eliminate both (A) and (B). The modifying phrase in choice (C) is consistent with the subject of the sentence. Compare choices (C) and (D). Choice (C) uses the passive voice (Beatrice was brought by me); choice (D) uses the active voice (I brought Beatrice). Choice (D) is correct because it is more concise.