1. ACT Tips and Tricks
The English Test

2. A Few Quick Facts 45 Minutes, 5 passages, 75 Questions
You should be averaging about 9 minutes PER PASSAGE….which averages out to less than a minute PER QUESTION
The questions will fall into one of the following categories:
Punctuation
Grammar
Style
Sentence Structure
Organization/Clarity

3. Good Strategies Overall
Read the entire sentence, NOT just the underlined portion.
Don’t be afraid of NO CHANGE….it is the answer about 25% of the time.
Triage your questions – answer the easy questions first and save the hardest for last.
Look at the answer choice to see what skill is being tested….will be one of the following: Punctuation, Grammar, Style, Sentence Structure, and Organization/Clarity.
DO NOT USE THE “SOUNDS GOOD” METHOD!!!!

4. Strategies when you have ONE MINUTE OR LESS
Choose OMIT the underlined portion….this answer is right about half of the time.
Choose a letter and go with it for any questions that you haven’t answered. Again, only do this if you are down to your last minute and wouldn’t be able to read those questions anyway.

5. Mini – Lesson #1 – Sentence Structure
Fragments
Run – ons
Comma Splices
Dependent Clause or Phrase that cannot be a sentence by itself
Ex. As the guests ran behind it, screaming and laughing. WRONG!
Independent clauses joined together with no punctuation
Easy to pick out as the sentence will look and sound long-winded and confusing
Ex. Time wanted to go to the mall he wanted to see a movie. WRONG!
Comma used to join to Independent Clauses
Join two independent clauses using a SEMICOLON (;) or COMMA WITH FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Ex. Tim wanted to go to the mall, he wanted to see a movie. WRONG!

6. Identify and Correct The Errors In The Following
Pollack’s most intriguing impressionist works have been produced at his garden in Madrid, he moved there from his native France in the 1890s.
There is not much difference between the decision to enter a presidential race and the decision to walk into a lion’s den, in reality, the lion’s den seems more fun.
The YMCA’s expansion plans include a new gym and a new lunch room if the fundraising drive is successful there will be enough funds for both.
Although it will be forever associated with Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The castle at Elsinore was never actually Hamlet’s home.