Easy ACT Grammar Practice Questions

Seventy-five questions must be answered in just 45 minutes on the ACT English section, making speed and accuracy essential for success. To excel on this portion of the ACT Prep journey, students must first master the fundamental rules of punctuation, usage, and sentence structure. These easy ACT grammar practice questions focus on the high-frequency errors that appear on every test, such as comma placement, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun clarity. By focusing on these core concepts, you can build a solid foundation that allows you to breeze through the simpler questions and save time for more complex rhetorical analysis tasks.

Concept Explanation

ACT Grammar refers to the set of standard English conventions tested on the English section of the ACT, primarily focusing on punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure. The test evaluates your ability to identify and correct errors in written passages. Key areas include punctuation (commas, semicolons, and apostrophes), verb tenses, and pronoun agreement. For instance, the ACT heavily tests comma usage, requiring you to know when to separate items in a list or set off introductory phrases. Additionally, the test looks for conciseness; if four options mean the same thing, the shortest one is usually correct. Understanding these basics is the most efficient way to raise your score quickly.

Solved Examples

Below are three solved examples that demonstrate how to approach common grammar issues on the ACT.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: The group of talented musicians (is/are) performing tonight.
   1. Identify the subject. The subject is "group," which is a singular collective noun.
   2. Ignore the prepositional phrase "of talented musicians."
   3. Select the singular verb "is."
   4. Correct Sentence: The group of talented musicians is performing tonight.
2. Apostrophe Usage: The (students/student's/students') books were left in the classroom.
   1. Determine if the word is plural or possessive. Since the books belong to the students, it must be possessive.
   2. If there are multiple students, the apostrophe goes after the "s."
   3. If there is one student, the apostrophe goes before the "s." Given the context of "books" (plural), we assume multiple students.
   4. Correct Sentence: The students' books were left in the classroom.
3. Semicolon vs. Comma: I wanted to go for a run; however, it started to rain.
   1. Check if the two clauses are independent. "I wanted to go for a run" and "it started to rain" both have subjects and verbs and can stand alone.
   2. Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses, especially when followed by a transition word like "however."
   3. Ensure a comma follows the transition word.
   4. Correct Sentence: I wanted to go for a run; however, it started to rain.

Practice Questions

Test your skills with these easy ACT grammar practice questions. Remember to look for the most concise and grammatically correct option.

1. Sarah went to the store, she bought apples, oranges, and milk.

2. Each of the participants in the study (was/were) given a survey to complete.

3. The dog wagged (its/it's) tail when the owner returned home.

4. Neither the teacher nor the students (knows/know) the answer to the difficult question.

5. After finishing the marathon, the athletes (drank/drunk) plenty of water.

6. The recipe calls for flour, sugar, and butter; but I forgot to buy sugar.

7. To (who/whom) should I address the cover letter for the internship?

8. My brothers car is parked in the driveway because the garage is full.

9. The heavy rain caused the river to overflow, consequently, the road was closed.

10. She is the person (which/who) organized the charity event last year.

Answers & Explanations

1. Answer: Sarah went to the store; she bought apples, oranges, and milk. (Or: store. She bought...) This is a comma splice error. You cannot join two independent clauses with only a comma. A semicolon or a period is required.
2. Answer: was. In subject-verb agreement, the subject is "Each," which is always singular. The phrase "of the participants" is a distractor.
3. Answer: its. "Its" is the possessive form, while "it's" is a contraction for "it is." Since the tail belongs to the dog, use the possessive form.
4. Answer: know. When using "neither/nor," the verb must agree with the subject closest to it. "Students" is plural, so the verb must be "know."
5. Answer: drank. This tests simple past tense. "Drank" is the past tense, while "drunk" is the past participle used with helping verbs (e.g., "had drunk").
6. Answer: butter, but I... You do not need a semicolon before the coordinating conjunction "but" when joining two independent clauses; a comma is the standard choice.
7. Answer: whom. Use "whom" when the pronoun is the object of a preposition (in this case, "To"). A quick tip: if you can answer with "him," use "whom."
8. Answer: brother's. The car belongs to the brother, so you need an apostrophe to show possession.
9. Answer: overflow; consequently, This is a run-on sentence. "Consequently" is a conjunctive adverb. When joining two independent clauses with it, use a semicolon before and a comma after.
10. Answer: who. Use "who" to refer to people and "which" to refer to things or animals.

1. Which of the following correctly uses a semicolon?

• AI like cake; and I like ice cream.
• BThe weather was beautiful; however, we stayed inside.
• CBecause it was raining; we cancelled the picnic.
• DPlease bring: snacks; drinks; and napkins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a comma splice?

A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined together by only a comma without a coordinating conjunction. You can fix this by using a period, a semicolon, or adding a conjunction like "and" or "but."

When should I use "whom" instead of "who"?

Use "who" when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence (the one doing the action). Use "whom" when the pronoun is the object of a verb or a preposition (the one receiving the action).

How does the ACT test conciseness?

The ACT often provides multiple grammatically correct options that vary in length. In these cases, the shortest answer that conveys the full meaning of the sentence without being redundant is almost always the correct choice.

What is the difference between "its" and "it's"?

"Its" is a possessive pronoun meaning "belonging to it," similar to "his" or "hers." "It's" is a contraction that stands for "it is" or "it has."

Does the ACT test Oxford commas?

While the ACT generally follows the rule of using the Oxford comma (the comma before "and" in a list), it rarely forces you to choose between having one and not having one. Usually, the error in the other options will be more obvious.