ACT Grammar Handout

ACT Grammar Handout

I. Commas

1. Use a comma with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or FANBOYS to separate two complete ideas.

INCORRECT: The cat wanted to play with the bird,he knocked the cage over.

CORRECT: The cat wanted to play with the bird, so he knocked the cage over.

2. Use a comma to connect an incomplete idea or a subordinate clause to a complete idea.

INCORRECT: After his owner left the house. The cat knocked the birdcage over.

CORRECT: After his owner left the house, the cat knocked the birdcage over.

• Subordinating conjunctions: ______

3. Use a comma to separate items in a list.

CORRECT: The cat wanted to play with the loud, colorful bird.

CORRECT: The previous day the cat had ripped a chair, knocked a glass over, and jumped across the dining room table.

4. Use a pair of commas around unnecessary info.

INCORRECT: Dexter the cat a tabby mix is usually well behaved.

CORRECT: Dexterthe cat, a tabby mix, is usually well behaved.

II. Subject-Verb Agreement

1. A verb agrees in number with its subject. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb.

SINGULAR: The cathas brown and black stripes.

PLURAL: Many catshave brown and black stripes.

SINGULAR: There is a cat in my lap.

PLURAL: There are two cats in my lap.

• If you have singular subjects joined by “or” or “nor”, the sentence always takes a singular verb.

Example: ______

2. Indefinite pronouns such as anybody, each, either, everyone, neither, and one are always singular.

CORRECT: Neither of my cats has a fondness for milk.

3. “Collective noun” is another term for designating a noun that is singular in form but which denotes a collection of individuals. It is treated as singular when the collection is thought of as a whole, but as plural when the individual members are thought of as acting separately.

CORRECT: The number of stray cats increases every year. (Singular)

CORRECT: A number of stray cats are adopted every year. (Plural)

III. Pronouns

1. A pronoun must agree in gender and number with its antecedent.

INCORRECT: Someone lost their orange cat. (someone=singular) (their= plural)

• CORRECT:______

2. A pronoun must agree in case with the noun it is replacing.

Subjective Case Pronouns / Objective Case Pronouns
I / me
you / you
he, she, it / him, her, it
we / us
they / them
who / whom

INCORRECT: Sarah took Melissa and I to the animal shelter.

• CORRECT: ______

IV. Semicolons

Most often the semicolon is used between related ideas that require punctuation weaker than a period, but stronger than a comma. Additionally, the semicolon divides three or more items in a series when the items themselves contain commas.

1. Use a semicolon between related independent clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

CORRECT: I own three cats; my sister owns four.

2. Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a transitional word (e.g. accordingly, also, consequently, finally, furthermore, however, indeed, meanwhile, nevertheless, similarly, still, therefore, thus).

INCORRECT: My former apartment complex did not allow pets therefore I did not own any cats for three years.

CORRECT: My former apartment complex did not allow pets; therefore, I did not own any cats for three years.

3. Use a semicolon to separate items in a series when the items themselves contain internal punctuation.

CORRECT: I adopted one cat from Columbus, Ohio; a second cat from Miami, Florida; and a third cat from Sacramento, California.

V. Modifiers

1. Modifiers (words, clauses, or phrases) must always be placed directly next to what they modify.

INCORRECT: He packed all of his extra pet toys and pet food into his van, which he was donating to the local shelter. [“which he was donating to the local shelter” is a misplaced modifying clause. This sentence says he is donating his van to the shelter.]

CORRECT: He packed all of his extra pet toys and pet food, which he was donating to the local shelter, into his van.

INCORRECT: Driving down the abandoned street, eight stray cats were spotted. [“Driving down the abandoned street” is a dangling modifier. This sentence says the cats were driving along the street.]

• CORRECT: ______

VI. Parallelism

1. Parallel ideas in a sentence should be expressed in the same grammatical form.

INCORRECT: The old cat enjoys sleeping, to sit, and grooming.

CORRECT: The old cat enjoys sleeping, sitting, and grooming.