Chapter 7
Consistent, Clear, and Concise
The key to an outstanding ACT English score is to focus on the topics that show up the most often and which are both easy to identify and simple to fix. In this chapter, we’ll teach you how to crack questions on verbs, pronouns, apostrophes, and transitions. For each topic, following the rules makes good writing consistent, clear, and concise.
VERBS
A verb expresses an action, feeling, or state of being. The form of a verb depends on the number of the subject—singular or plural—the time of the event, and the presence of helping verbs. Whenever you spot the verb changing among the answer choices, use these three steps along with your Basic Approach.
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Identify the subject. The verb must be consistent with its subject: Singular subject with a singular verb, and plural subject with a plural verb.
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Check the tense. The tense must be consistent with the setting and the participle. Use the context of the non-underlined portion to determine if the verb should be past, present, or future.
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Be concise. Pick the shortest answer free of any errors.
Here’s an example.
Each of the first three taxis I saw were too far away1 to hail.
1.
A. NO CHANGE
B. are too far away
C. is too far away
D. was too far away
Here’s How to Crack It
Use the changes in the answers to identify verbs as the topic ACT is testing. Both tense and number seem to be changing, so find the subject first. What was too far away? Each of the taxis. Each is singular, so eliminate the plural forms of the verb, (A) and (B). Now check the tense. Saw is past tense, so choose the past tense, (D).
Tricky Pronouns
Question 1 wasn’t testing pronouns directly—the changes among the answer choices were verbs. To answer correctly, however, you had to know that the pronoun each is singular. The following pronouns are all singular.
anybody
anyone
each
either
everybody
everyone
nobody
somebody
someone
Your ear should reliably raise the alarm over a subject-verb agreement error, both for tricky pronouns and regular nouns. Consider the following examples.
Somebody love me.
Everyone like ice cream.
Each are beautiful.
Nobody do it better.
Your ear probably automatically fixed these.
Somebody loves me.
Everyone likes ice cream.
Each is beautiful.
Nobody does it better.
This is why your ear can frequently help you eliminate the wrong answers on verb questions. But remember Step 4 of the Basic Approach: Trust, but verify your ear. Confirm the error by making sure you have correctly identified the subject. Another way ACT can make identifying the subject difficult is with prepositional phrases, another trap in question 1.
Prepositional Phrases
Another way ACT made question 1 confusing was by burying the subject to the left of the prepositional phrase. Each of the first three taxis I saw were too far away to hail. Prepositions are little words that show a relationship between nouns. Some examples are at, between, by, in, of, on, to, and with. A prepositional phrase modifies—that is, describes—a noun. ACT will add prepositional phrases to distract you from the subject, so be on the lookout for them. Always look to the left of the preposition to find your subject. Try the following examples. Does the subject agree with its verb?
Only one of the dresses fit me.
A selection of fruit, cheese, and nuts were served at the party.
The argument between Pat and Ron sadden all of us.
The books on the table is due back to the library.
Cross out the prepositional phrases to find the subject and confirm the verb.
Only one of the dresses fits me.
A selection of fruit, cheese, and nuts was served at the party.
The argument between Pat and Ron saddens all of us.
The books on the table are due back to the library.
Irregular Verb Participles
ACT can make verb tense difficult as well. Most tense questions are straightforward choices of past, present, or future. However, ACT loves to test the correct past participle for irregular verbs.
Let’s try another ACT question.
I woken up2 at 10:30 to find that my alarm clock had failed to go off.
2.
F. NO CHANGE
G. had woke up
H. woke up
J. waked up
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answers identify verbs as the topic. The subject, I, doesn’t change the form, and all of the choices are in past tense. Use POE to get rid of all the wrong answers that do not use the correct form of the irregular verb, to wake. Use woke on its own but woken with had in front. Choice (H) is the only correct form.
Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern.
Present: I study for the ACT every day.
Present perfect: I have studied for months.
Simple past: I studied all day yesterday.
Past perfect: I had studied for the SAT.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
The perfect tenses change the time of an event in subtle ways. You will never need to identify by name a particular tense on the ACT, nor choose between the present and present perfect. Choose the past perfect to establish an order of one event happening in the past before another.
Irregular verbs are the problem. While you can usually use your ear to find the correct participle, you can look over the list on this page for some of the most common irregular verbs. The infinitive is the form of the verb used with to; the simple past works on its own, without a helping verb; and the past participle works with a form of the helping verb to have.
Infinitive: Jacob would like to become a biotech engineer.
Present perfect: Hannah has become a star swimmer.
Simple past: Samara became a voracious reader.
Past perfect: Jonah had become tired of practicing.
Let’s try another ACT question.
My boss was mad that I had forgot to bring the report I had been preparing at home.3
3.
A. NO CHANGE
B. had forgotten to bring the report that I had prepared at home.
C. had forgotten to bring the report that had been prepared at home by me.
D. had forgotten to bring the report I had been preparing at home.
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answer choices identify verbs as the topic, specifically past participles. Choice (A) incorrectly uses the simple past forgot with the helping verb had, so you can eliminate it right away. Choices (B), (C), and (D) all fix that error, so compare the differences among them. Choice (B) is the most concise, and neither (C) nor (D) fixed something (B) missed. Both just made the sentence longer, so the correct answer is (B).
Passive Voice
In question 3, (B) was the most concise in part because it uses the active voice. Choice (C) is passive, which makes the sentence much longer. Both active and passive voice are grammatically correct—they just describe one event in two different ways. Compare the following sentences:
Beatrice prepared the fine meal.
The fine meal was prepared by Beatrice.
Beatrice makes the meal in both sentences. Active voice preserves the performer of the action, Beatrice, as the subject. Passive voice promotes the receiver of the action, in this case the meal, to subject and changes the verb by adding the helping verb was.
How to Spot Passive Voice
Look for forms of the verb to be and the preposition by.
How to Crack It
Choose passive voice only when you’re confident that the other three choices contain a grammatical error.
PRONOUNS
Pronouns take the place of nouns and make your writing more concise. On the ACT, several questions will test the correct usage of pronouns. Whenever you spot pronouns changing among the answers, use these two steps with your Basic Approach.
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Find the original. The pronoun has to be consistent in number and gender with the noun it replaces and other related pronouns.
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Check the case. Choose the correct pronoun based on its specific function in the sentence.
Let’s try a few examples.
Have you ever had a day when you wished you could have4 just stayed in bed?
4.
F. NO CHANGE
G. you could of
H. one could of
J. one could have
Here’s How to Crack It
Nothing seems obviously wrong, so leave (F) and use the answers to see if you missed something. Pronouns and verbs are changing—sort of; of is not a verb, even if it sounds like have. Eliminate (G) and (H). The pronoun should be consistent with the you in the non-underlined portion, so eliminate (J). Choice (F) is correct.
Try another.
The taxi driver who finally picked up my boss and I5 wouldn’t take credit cards.
5.
A. NO CHANGE
B. whom finally picked up my boss and I
C. who finally picked up my boss and me
D. which finally picked up my boss and myself
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answers identify pronouns as the topic of the sentence. There are two pronouns in the underlined portion, so consider both and follow your two steps. Taxi driver is a person, and which is only used for things. Myself is correct only for emphasis (I myself don’t know the answer) or when the subject and object are the same (I corrected myself). Cross off (D). Check the case for who and I, and don’t worry—it’s perfectly okay to check I first since everyone is scared of “who” versus “whom” (see “Who Versus Whom” below). For case, cross off everything except for the pronoun and the verb. Picked up I is incorrect because I is a subject pronoun, so eliminate (A) and (B). The correct choice is (C), and you didn’t even have to worry about “who” and “whom.” Now go learn about them so you don’t have to depend on luck the next time.
Who Versus Whom
Who is the subject pronoun. Whom is the object pronoun. Why do they seem so hard to all of us? Very few movies and television shows use whom when it’s needed, and most of us do the same in our regular conversations.
How to Crack It
Whenever you see who and whom tested on the ACT, try he and him in their place. If you would say he called me, you would say who called me. If you would say I called him, you would say whom I called. Don’t worry about how the words flip: Just match your “m” pronouns and you’ll be fine.
APOSTROPHES
Similar to pronouns, apostrophes make your writing more concise. They have two uses: possession and contraction.
Possession
To show possession with single nouns, add ’s, and with plural nouns, add just the apostrophe. For tricky plurals that do not end in s, add ’s.
Consider the following examples.
The new car of Peter = Peter’s new car
The room of the girls = the girls’ room.
The room of the men = the men’s room.
To show possession with pronouns, never use apostrophes. Use the appropriate possessive pronoun.
His car.
Their room.
Its door.
Contractions
Whenever you see a pronoun with an apostrophe, it’s (it is) a contraction, which means the apostrophe takes the place of at least one letter.
Consider the following examples.
It is important. = It’s important.
They are happy to help. = They’re happy to help.
Who is the leader of the group? = Who’s the leader of the group?
Because these particular contractions sound the same as some possessive pronouns, these questions can be very tricky on the ACT. You can’t use your ear—you have to know the rules above. Let’s look at some sample ACT questions.
I watched in dismay as my laptop was crushed beneath the taxis wheels’.6
6.
F. NO CHANGE
G. taxis’ wheels.
H. taxi’s wheels’.
J. taxi’s wheels.
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answer choices identify apostrophes as the topic. Use POE heavily with apostrophes: Eliminate all the answers that are wrong. If you just try to fix it in your head and find a match, you’ll likely miss something. Wheels don’t “possess” anything, so eliminate (F) and (H). There is only one taxi, so choose the singular, (J).
Its’ screen7 was smashed to pieces.
7.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Their screen
C. It’s screen
D. Its screen
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answer choices identify apostrophes/pronouns as the topic. There is no such word as its’, so eliminate (A). The laptop (context from non-underlined portion in prior question) is singular, so eliminate (B). To determine if you need the possessive or a contraction, expand out to it is. It is screen makes no sense, so choose the possessive pronoun, (D).
TRANSITIONS
In Chapter 6, we used traffic as an analogy to explain punctuation. If good writing is like a pleasant drive, then transitions are road signs, preventing you from getting lost and helping you make important turns. Good transitions are consistent with the flow of ideas.
Many words can act as transitions. Some are specific to the context, where only one word will fit the precise meaning. But others are just slight variations, giving you directions: turn around or keep going. Here’s a partial list.
Turn Around
although, but, despite, even though, however, nonetheless, nevertheless, or, yet
Keep Going
and, because, finally, furthermore, moreover, since, so, thus, therefore
Try an example.
I apologized for not having the report ready, since she8 had told me the report wasn’t due for another week.
8.
F. NO CHANGE
G. even though she
H. because she
J. and she
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answer choices are transition words, but they are also FANBOYS and conjunctions. Before you consider direction, make sure the sentence is complete and that all ideas within the sentence are joined correctly. All are correct and complete, but the sentence doesn’t make sense because the direction is wrong. It is a transitions question. The two ideas on either side of the transition word disagree, so choose a turn around word. Only (G) makes sense.
CONCISION
All the 4 C’s are important on the ACT. They are your framework for understanding the topics that you can identify and your strategy to conquer the questions whose topics you can’t identify. But concise isn’t just a strategy or a tool used to understand certain grammar rules. Sometimes, ACT tests it directly.
Try the following examples.
Next, my boss9 was furious that I was late.
9.
A. NO CHANGE
B. My boss
C. Then, my boss
D. Next my boss
Here’s How to Crack It
The changes in the answer choices identify transitions as the topic, with possibly commas as well. Use POE. The words then and next mean the same thing used in this context. If both could be right, both must be wrong. Eliminate (A) and (C). Next should have a comma after it because it’s an introductory idea, so eliminate (D) also. The correct answer is (B) because you do not need a transition word here.
ACT will frequently test concise in a question concerning transitions. If you don’t need a transition word for your sentence to be either complete or clear, don’t use it. In the answer choices for question 9, note how my boss appeared in each, and one choice featured only my boss (and was correct). That is a reliable sign ACT is testing concise.
Try these additional questions.
I was already an hour and a half late for work and not on time.10
10.
F. NO CHANGE
G. work, and behind schedule.
H. work and delayed in getting the morning started.
J. work.
Here’s How to Crack It
The appearance of work in every choice and by itself in one identifies the topic as concise. Use POE and pay attention to the non-underlined portion of the sentence for context. The narrator has already established she’s late, so all of the other choices are unnecessarily wordy. The correct answer is (J).
I had left the lights on the previous evening, and my car wouldn’t start. Many new cars have separate electrical boards for the lights, so the battery won’t drain.11
11.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Batteries should be replaced every five years.
C. I plan to buy a new car next year.
D. DELETE the underlined portion.
Here’s How to Crack It
The presence of DELETE is a sign the question might be testing concise, but it doesn’t guarantee that (D) is the answer. Read the answer choices through before making a decision. None of the other sentences add any useful info to the first sentence. Cross off the first three choices. In fact, the sentence is irrelevant to the passage, and (D) is the correct answer.
There is no reliable pattern of how many times DELETE will be the correct answer on any given ACT. Always be biased toward DELETE. Unless deleting the underlined portion would create an error or drastically change the meaning, choose it.
English Drill 2
Try another English passage on your own. Answers are in Chapter 25.
A Tunnel to History
After school let out, my best friend and I,1 used to go to one of the oldest parts of the city. From the little trail beside the school, we’d climb down to the old railway tunnel that had
gone dark many years before that2 pitch darkness was terrifying and mysterious. We would go down, staring into that darkened
tunnel, having3 our flashlights. We would leave our backpacks at the edge of the tunnel, knowing that they would be good landmarks when we re-emerged. As the throng of New Jersey
3. Which choice best conveys the idea that the narrator and his friend held their flashlights nervously?
A. NO CHANGE
B. clutching
C. carrying
D. donning
Turnpike traffic roared overhead, we would enter. 4
But we were always looking for the traces of the history of our city.
[1] When we first started going down into the tunnel, we
4. Which of the following true statements, if added here, would most effectively continue the narration of what happened during the summer walks the friends took?
F. We were friends throughout most of middle school and high school.
G. The tunnel was wide enough for two tracks, but it contained only one.
H. Sometimes, we’d cast eerie shadows on the walls or listen to the echo of our voices in the long tunnels.
J. Many rail lines have been shut down since the advent of trucking in the U.S.
didn’t do so with any specific purpose really5 we just liked going to this place that everyone else was too scared to visit. [2] Our history teacher directed us to some books at the public library. [3] We learned that this railroad used to be a very busy one, shipping goods from the western states to New York City. [4] The long highway ramp that passed over the tunnel and the whole area was actually pretty new: As recently as thirty years ago, there6 had been no ramp at all. [5] What was now all abandoned marshland had once been its own neighborhood,
lined with streets and houses. [6] After a few aimless visits, though, we started to look more into the history of the area. 7
7. For the sake of the logic and coherence of the paragraph, Sentence 6 should be placed:
A. where it is now.
B. before Sentence 1.
C. before Sentence 2
D. before Sentence 4.
Being a teenager8 in New Jersey, history is everywhere.
Four centuries earlier9 our history teacher told us that our town had been settled by Dutch traders. But the Lenape tribes had already been living there for many thousands of years. In fact, in the early seventeenth century, when the Dutch arrived, the
9. The writer wants to stress the amount of time that had passed since his city had first been settled by Europeans. Assuming that the capitalization would be adjusted as needed, where should the underlined portion be placed?
A. Where it is now
B. After the word teacher
C. After the word us
D. After the word settled
Lenape were one of the most powerful tribes in the region:10 an area that spread from Delaware to Massachusetts to upstate New York. The tribe’s influence is still with us. The Dutch
settlers were ruthless in the conquest of the region, which11 they held on to many Lenape names, such as Manhattan, Raritan,
and Tappan. Lah-di-dah, the12 area looks so much different now, but the Lenape influence is still undeniably there,
commemorated13 by the names.
This history lesson enriched our trips around the secret14 corridors of the city because we began to feel all of our town’s historical layers at once. We became so enmeshed in the history
14. Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would NOT be acceptable?
F. hidden
G. lesser-known
H. classified
J. secluded
of our city that we were invited to give presentations,15 to our fellow classmates and teachers. A little curiosity goes a long way: You never know what you’ll find in a place that people have ignored for many years.
Summary
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Verbs, pronouns, apostrophes, and transitions are heavily tested on the ACT.
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All four are readily identifiable from changes in the answer choices, and all have relatively few rules to use to evaluate the question.
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The 4 C’s can be applied to evaluate any question whose topic you can’t identify. ACT also tests concise as its own topic.
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When working on a concise problem, be biased toward the answer choice that says DELETE, but do not assume it will be the correct answer all or even half the time.