AccelePrep for the ACT Test 2nd Edition Student Text

30 • S URGE TO S UCCESS ! E NGLISH T EST P REP

GRAMMAR AND USAGE

One common grammatical error is lack of agreement between subject and verb. The simplest subject-verb disagreements are usually obvious, as in the following example: The books is on the shelf. 8 The books are on the shelf. 9 This example is very simple. The error is easy to spot because the subject and verb are next to each other. Often, however, errors occur when the subject and the verb are separated, when the sentence structure is inverted, or when it is not clear whether the subject is singular or plural. The test-writers insert material between the subject and verb to obscure their connection. If you are not careful, by the time you reach the verb, you will have forgotten the subject, and it will not be easy to determine whether the verb agrees with it. Consider the following examples: Star performers in the movies or on television usually earns substantial income from royalties. 8 ‡ •…Š‘‘Ž ‘ˆ –Š‘—‰Š– ƒ‹–ƒ‹• –Šƒ– –Š‡ ˆ‡†‡”ƒŽ †‡ϐ‹…‹–ǡ ‘– ‡š‘”„‹–ƒ– …‘”’‘”ƒ–‡ ’”‘ϐ‹–• ƒ† ‡š…‡••‹˜‡Ž› Š‹‰Š ™ƒ‰‡•ǡ…ƒ—•‡ ‘•– ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‹ϐŽƒ–‹‘ ™‡ ƒ”‡ ‘™ ‡š’‡”‹‡…‹‰Ǥ 8 A recent survey shows that a household in which both the wife and the husband are pursuing careers stand a better chance of surviving intact than one in which only the husband works. 8 Grammar and Usage problems test your ability to edit texts to conform to –Š‡…‘˜‡–‹‘• ‘ˆ •–ƒ†ƒ”† ™”‹––‡ ‰Ž‹•ŠǤ ‘— ‡‡† –‘ ‘™ ϐ‹˜‡ ‡› Grammar and Usage topics: 1. Subject-Verb Agreement 2. Pronoun Usage 3. Nouns and Noun Clauses 4. Verb Tense 5. Diction

TEST SPECS Of all the Grammar and Usage questions on the test, questions involving pronouns, nouns and noun clauses, verb tense, and diction appear most frequently.

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Example:

MATERIAL INSERTED BETWEEN SUBJECT AND VERB

Examples: