ACT English: Mastering Conventions of Standard English – Sentence Structure and Formation

👋 Overview: Sentence Structure and Formation

Welcome aboard! Today, we’re diving deep into one of the most crucial aspects of the ACT English exam: Sentence Structure and Formation. Just like the backbone of a building 🏛️, sentence structure forms the foundation of clear, effective communication. On the ACT English test, your ability to arrange words and phrases correctly to convey clear, complete ideas will be put to the test. Ready to master this essential skill? Let’s dive in! ⬇️

🤔 Understanding Sentence Structure and Formation

Sentence Structure and Formation questions on the ACT English test challenge your understanding of how sentences are constructed. They require you to identify and correct errors in sentence structure, ensuring that each sentence is grammatically correct, clear, and logically organized. This category covers a range of common grammatical issues, including run-on sentences, misplaced modifiers, comma splices, and parallelism.

Types of Questions

Let’s break down each concept tested in this category:

🏃 Run-On Sentences

Run-on sentences are like a non-stop express train without any stations in between. They occur when two or more independent clauses (complete thoughts) are squeezed together without proper punctuation or connectors, making the sentence confusing and hard to follow.

Example 1:

• Run-on Sentence: “My cat loves chasing lasers she can do it all day.”
• Correct Sentence: “My cat loves chasing lasers; she can do it all day.”

Example 2:

• Run-on Sentence: “After finishing his homework he played video games his friends joined him later.”
• Correct Sentence: “After finishing his homework, he played video games. His friends joined him later.”

How to Fix Run-On Sentences:

To tackle run-on sentences, think of yourself as a train conductor who needs to identify where the train (i.e., the sentence) needs to stop or slow down. Look for spots in the sentence where separate ideas collide, causing confusion. You can correct these errors by:

• Using a period: This separates the clauses into two distinct sentences.
• Using a semicolon: This links closely related independent clauses.
• Adding a conjunction: Words like “and,” “but,” or “so” can connect clauses while keeping the sentence flowing logically.

By applying these techniques, you break the sentence down into bite-sized, easily digestible pieces, making it more understandable for the reader.

🔄 Misplaced Modifiers

Misplaced modifiers are like mischievous gremlins that slip into the wrong place in a sentence, causing ambiguity and confusion. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that provides additional information about another element in the sentence. When misplaced, modifiers can make the sentence unclear or misleading.

Example 1:

• Misplaced Modifier: “Running fast, the wind couldn’t catch up with me.”
• Correct Sentence: “Running fast, I couldn’t be caught by the wind.”

Example 2:

• Misplaced Modifier: “Having finished the race, the medal was awarded to John.”
• Correct Sentence: “Having finished the race, John was awarded the medal.”

Image Courtesy of englishwithashish 

How to Fix Misplaced Modifiers:

To deal with misplaced modifiers, channel your inner detective and scan the sentence for words or phrases that seem out of place or unclear. Ask yourself, “What is this word/phrase modifying?” Once you’ve identified the misplaced modifier, relocate it so that it sits close to the word or phrase it’s meant to modify. This eliminates any potential misunderstanding and makes the sentence clear and concise.

🔗 Comma Splices

Comma splices are like trying to merge two busy highways with just a flimsy traffic cone. They occur when two independent clauses are inappropriately connected by just a comma, leaving the sentence feeling unsettled and disjointed.

Example 1:

• Comma Splice: “We drove to the beach, we enjoyed the sunny weather.”
• Correct Sentence: “We drove to the beach and enjoyed the sunny weather.”

Example 2:

• Comma Splice: “She loves ice cream, she eats it every day.”
• Correct Sentence: “She loves ice cream, and she eats it every day.”

How to Fix Comma Splices:

To fix comma splices, imagine yourself as a skilled road engineer tasked with designing a smooth interchange. Look for the spot in the sentence where the two independent clauses try to meet without a proper connection. You can correct these errors by:

• Replacing the comma with a semicolon: This creates a solid bridge between the two thoughts.
• Adding a coordinating conjunction: Words like “and,” “but,” or “so” can link the two clauses logically.
• Splitting the sentence into two: Sometimes, the best solution is to separate the clauses into distinct sentences.

By making these adjustments, you ensure that your sentence flows harmoniously, avoiding any “traffic jams” of ideas.

📏 Parallelism

Parallelism is all about maintaining symmetry and balance in your sentence. When you’re listing items or linking similar ideas, all the elements should follow the same grammatical form. This consistency makes your writing more organized and easier to read.

Example 1:

• Faulty Parallelism: “He loves running, to swim, and reads a lot.”
• Correct Sentence: “He loves running, swimming, and reading.”

Example 2:

• Faulty Parallelism: “She enjoys dancing, painting, and to sing.”
• Correct Sentence: “She enjoys dancing, painting, and singing.”

How to Fix Faulty Parallelism:

When handling parallelism errors, visualize yourself as an artist trying to maintain symmetry in their artwork. Spot the series or list in the sentence, and then check if all the items follow the same grammatical pattern. If they don’t, adjust them so they do. This might mean changing a verb form, rearranging the sentence, or adding/removing words. Remember, balance is key here! Consistent grammatical structure not only enhances clarity but also makes your writing more persuasive and engaging.

Tips for Success in Sentence Structure and Formation

✏️ Know Your Grammar

Picture grammar as your palette. 🎨 Understanding and familiarizing yourself with the rules of grammar will form the backbone of your success in the ACT English section. This mastery will help you spot errors in a flash! Make sure you’re comfortable with basics such as parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation rules. Some foundational concepts to review include:

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensure that subjects and verbs match in number.
• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Pronouns should agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
• Verb Tenses: Maintain consistent tense throughout your sentences.
• Punctuation: Master the use of commas, semicolons, colons, and other punctuation marks.

A solid understanding of these rules will give you the confidence to tackle even the trickiest sentence structure questions.

⚒️ Practice Makes Perfect

Never underestimate the power of practicing! The more you immerse yourself in correcting sentence structures, the more natural it becomes to spot and correct errors. Consider it as a brain workout. 💪 Start with simple sentences and gradually challenge yourself with more complex ones. Utilize online resources, grammar workbooks, and practice tests to reinforce your skills. As you practice, pay close attention to:

• Identifying Sentence Boundaries: Practice distinguishing between independent and dependent clauses.
• Correcting Run-Ons and Fragments: Get comfortable with fixing run-on sentences and sentence fragments.
• Improving Sentence Clarity: Work on making sentences more concise and clear by eliminating unnecessary words.

The more you practice, the quicker you’ll become at identifying and correcting errors during the actual test.

🐢 Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Though the ACT is a timed test⏱️, rushing through the questions can cause you to miss out on tiny, yet significant errors. It’s crucial to give each question the attention it deserves, treating each one as your only task 📝. Before you jump to an answer, make sure you fully understand the sentence and what the question is asking. Remember, it’s not about being the quickest; it’s about being the most accurate. 🎯 Here are some strategies to help you pace yourself:

• Read the Sentence Carefully: Don’t rush. Take the time to understand the sentence before looking at the answer choices.
• Evaluate All Options: Consider each answer choice carefully before making a selection. Even if one option seems correct, another might be better.
• Double-Check Your Work: If time permits, review your answers to ensure you didn’t miss any subtle errors.

By pacing yourself and focusing on accuracy, you can improve your performance and increase your chances of selecting the correct answer.

📝 Practice Questions

Ready to test your skills? Let’s jump into some ACT-style practice questions! 💪 Remember, it’s not just about picking the right answer but understanding why it’s correct. So, take a deep breath, and let’s dive in! 🚀

Practice Question 1

Walking quickly, the distance seemed shorter.

A. Walking quickly, I found the distance seemed shorter.
B. I found the distance seemed shorter, walking quickly.
C. Walking quickly was the distance seemed shorter.
D. The distance seemed shorter, walking quickly.

Correct Answer: A.

Explanation: In the original sentence, there’s a misplaced modifier, “Walking quickly,” that makes it unclear who is doing the action. Modifiers should be placed next to the word they’re describing. The corrected sentence resolves this by moving the modifier next to “I,” clearly indicating that “I” am the one walking quickly. This adjustment clarifies the sentence and eliminates any confusion.

Practice Question 2

He enjoys reading, to write, and playing soccer.

A. He enjoys reading, writing, and playing soccer.
B. He enjoys to read, to write, and playing soccer.
C. He enjoys read, write, and play soccer.
D. No change.

Correct Answer: A.

Explanation: The sentence “He enjoys reading, to write, and playing soccer” is an example of faulty parallelism because it mixes different forms of verbs (gerunds and infinitives). The correct sentence should maintain consistent verb forms throughout the list. The best revision is “He enjoys reading, writing, and playing soccer,” which keeps all the activities in the gerund form, ensuring parallelism.

Practice Question 3

My brother loves playing football he’s on the field every day.

A. My brother, who loves playing football, he’s on the field every day.
B. My brother loves playing football. He’s on the field every day.
C. Football, my brother loves playing, he’s on the field every day.
D. No change.

Correct Answer: B.

Explanation: This sentence is an example of a run-on sentence, where two independent clauses are incorrectly joined without proper punctuation or a conjunction. The correct solution is to separate these two thoughts into distinct sentences using a period, resulting in “My brother loves playing football. He’s on the field every day.”

Practice Question 4

“We drove to the beach, we enjoyed the sunny weather.”

A. We drove to the beach we enjoyed the sunny weather.
B. We drove to the beach and enjoyed the sunny weather.
C. Since we enjoyed the sunny weather, so we drove to the beach.
D. No change.

Correct Answer: B.

Explanation: This sentence contains a comma splice, where two independent clauses are joined incorrectly by a comma. The correct solution is to use a coordinating conjunction, “and,” to link the related thoughts, forming a grammatically correct sentence: “We drove to the beach and enjoyed the sunny weather.”

🎯 Conclusion

Kudos to you for making it through the Sentence Structure and Formation study guide for the ACT English section! 🎉 You’re now equipped with the knowledge and strategies needed to tackle run-on sentences, misplaced modifiers, comma splices, and parallelism. In short: dissect run-ons with the scalpel of punctuation, reposition those stray modifiers, and ensure all elements in a series mirror each other grammatically.

Remember, consistent practice and a deep understanding of grammar rules are the keys to mastering this section. With these tools in hand, you’re ready to go forth, practice, and ace that ACT English test! Good luck, future ACT conqueror! 🍀🎓