Mastering ACT English: Rhetorical Skills and Conventions

Knowledge of Language

The ability to select the most specific word for context and eliminate unnecessary words.

Redundancy

A stylistic error where words repeat the same meaning.

The Golden Rule

In the ACT, the shortest answer is correct roughly 80-90% of the time unless it creates a grammatical error.

Economy of Language

Expressing ideas in the shortest, most direct way without losing meaning.

Conciseness

The quality of expressing a lot in few words without losing clarity.

Synonyms

Words that have the same or similar meanings.

Affect vs. Effect

Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence; Effect is usually a noun meaning a result.

Than vs. Then

Than is used for comparisons; Then is used for time.

Dangling Modifiers

A descriptive phrase that incorrectly suggests the subject is doing the action.

Misplaced Modifiers

Modifiers that are not placed next to the word they describe.

Parallel Structure

The use of the same grammatical form in lists or comparisons.

Punctuation Traffic Signals

Punctuation marks that indicate how to connect ideas in a sentence.

Comma Splice Error

Using only a comma to join two independent clauses.

Non-Essential Appositives

Phrases that describe a noun and can be removed without changing the core meaning.

The Colonel and Dash

The Colon introduces lists or explanations, while dashes emphasize or interrupt.

Possessive Pronoun

A pronoun that indicates ownership, e.g., 'its'.

Contraction

A combination of two words into one, e.g., 'it's' means 'it is'.

The 'Sounds Good' Trap

Relying on intuition about what sounds correct in spoken English, which may be grammatically incorrect.

No Change Option

Recognizing that roughly 25% of ACT questions are correct as written.

Ambiguous Pronouns

Pronouns that could refer to more than one antecedent, leading to confusion.

Independent Clause (IC)

A complete sentence with a subject and a verb.

Comma + FANBOYS

A way to connect independent clauses using a comma with one of the coordinating conjunctions (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So).

Introductory Phrases

Phrases that start sentences, often followed by a comma.

Frequently Confused Words

Pairs of words that are often misused, such as homophones.

Poor Tone Consistency

The inconsistency in the voice or register of a passage which should be avoided.

Noun Possession Rules

Rules for showing possession with nouns, including adding 's' and using just an apostrophe.

Essential vs. Non-Essential

Essential clauses are necessary for meaning, while non-essential clauses provide extra information.