Hey there, I've been prepping for the ACT and was wondering what grammar rules are the most essential to know? I'm really focusing on the English section to boost my scores. Thanks in advance!
Certainly, mastering several key grammar rules can significantly boost your ACT English section. Here are some necessary ones to familiarize yourself with:
Punctuation: Have a good understanding of how and when to use commas, semicolons, colons, and dashes. Remember that semicolons and periods are used to separate complete thoughts, while commas and dashes can separate clauses and parenthetical elements within sentences.
Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb should always align with the subject in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb, whereas a plural subject needs a plural verb. This is quite straightforward in simple sentences, but keep an eye out for when subjects and verbs are widely separated.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Make sure that the pronouns you're using agree in number with their antecedents.
Pronoun Clarity: If an antecedent of a pronoun can be multiple things, it's considered unclear and incorrect on the ACT.
Verb Tenses: ACT English will often test your understanding of maintaining verb tense consistency throughout a paragraph or passage.
Comparatives and Superlatives: Familiarize yourself with comparative words (like "better" or "more") and superlative words (like "best" or "most"). For example, use a comparative when comparing two things and a superlative when comparing three or more things.
Parallelism: When constructing a list or making several points, preserve similar grammatical form. If you start a list with verbs, for example, all entities in your list should be verbs.
Do note that knowing these grammar rules alone won't be enough. Practice interpreting these rules in the types of sentences and passages you'll encounter on ACT English for maximum fruition.
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