Medium ACT Mixed English Practice Questions

Concept Explanation

Mixed English practice involves synthesizing grammar rules, punctuation usage, and rhetorical skills to ensure a passage is clear, concise, and grammatically correct. Success on the English section of the ACT Prep exam requires more than just knowing individual rules; it requires the ability to apply them simultaneously within the context of a longer narrative. This includes managing subject-verb agreement, choosing the right transitions, and eliminating redundant language. Approximately 51% of the ACT English section focuses on conventions of standard English, while the remaining 49% tests production of writing and knowledge of language. To improve your efficiency, you should practice identifying multiple error types within a single sentence, such as a misplaced modifier paired with an incorrect pronoun.

Solved Examples

Review these examples to understand how to approach medium-difficulty questions that combine different grammatical concepts.

1. Question: Although the team was tired, but they decided to finish the final lap of the relay race.
   Correction: Although the team was tired, they decided to finish the final lap of the relay race.
   Step-by-Step Solution:
   1. Identify the sentence structure. It begins with a dependent clause starting with the conjunction "Although."
   2. Check for redundancy. The word "but" is a coordinating conjunction that serves the same purpose as "Although" in showing contrast.
   3. Remove the unnecessary conjunction. Using both "Although" and "but" creates a double-conjunction error. The comma alone is sufficient to connect the dependent clause to the independent clause.
2. Question: Each of the students in the biology department are required to submit their lab reports by Friday.
   Correction: Each of the students in the biology department is required to submit his or her lab report by Friday.
   Step-by-Step Solution:
   1. Identify the subject. The subject is "Each," which is a singular indefinite pronoun.
   2. Match the verb. Since "Each" is singular, the plural verb "are" must be changed to the singular "is."
   3. Check pronoun agreement. The plural pronoun "their" must be changed to a singular form like "his or her" to match the singular subject.
3. Question: The chef prepared the meal quickly, however, the guests had already finished their appetizers.
   Correction: The chef prepared the meal quickly; however, the guests had already finished their appetizers.
   Step-by-Step Solution:
   1. Identify the two independent clauses: "The chef prepared the meal quickly" and "the guests had already finished their appetizers."
   2. Evaluate the transition. "However" is a conjunctive adverb.
   3. Apply punctuation rules. When a conjunctive adverb connects two independent clauses, it must be preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma to avoid a comma splice.

Practice Questions

Test your skills with these Medium ACT Mixed English Practice Questions. Ensure you read the full context of each sentence before choosing an answer.

1. The group of researchers, who traveled to the Arctic last summer, was surprised by the rapid pace of glacial melting.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. whom traveled
   • C. which traveled
   • D. that has traveled
2. After hours of searching, the keys were finally found by Sarah under the velvet sofa cushion.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. Sarah finally found the keys
   • C. the keys Sarah finally found
   • D. Sarah's keys were finally found
3. The museum's collection includes: ancient pottery, medieval armor, and Renaissance paintings.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. includes; ancient pottery
   • C. includes ancient pottery
   • D. includes, ancient pottery

4. The violinist played with such passion that the audience was moved to tears, furthermore, the conductor praised her technique after the show.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. tears; furthermore,
   • C. tears furthermore
   • D. tears, furthermore
5. Neither the principal nor the teachers is planning to attend the weekend seminar.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. has been planning
   • C. are planning
   • D. was planning
6. The novel, written in 1924, remains a classic of American literature, it exploring themes of wealth and social status.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. literature; exploring
   • C. literature; it explores
   • D. literature, having explored
7. To finish the marathon, a strict training regimen was followed by the athlete for six months.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. the athlete followed a strict training regimen
   • C. a strict training regimen of the athlete was followed
   • D. following a strict training regimen by the athlete
8. The manager asked my colleague and I to complete the quarterly report by Monday morning.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. my colleague and me
   • C. me and my colleague
   • D. I and my colleague
9. The company's new policy, which was implemented last month, has significantly reduced energy waste.
   • A. NO CHANGE
   • B. companies' new policy
   • C. companies new policy
   • D. companys new policy
10. The weather was quite unpredictable, consequently, the outdoor concert had to be moved to the local gymnasium.
    • A. NO CHANGE
    • B. unpredictable; consequently
    • C. unpredictable; consequently,
    • D. unpredictable, consequently;

Answers & Explanations

1. A. NO CHANGE. The relative pronoun "who" correctly refers to the "researchers" (people) and acts as the subject of the clause. The verb "was" correctly agrees with the singular subject "group."
2. B. Sarah finally found the keys. This choice corrects the passive voice and ensures the sentence is concise. It clearly identifies Sarah as the actor who performed the searching.
3. C. includes ancient pottery. A colon should not be used after a verb like "includes" unless it is followed by a distinct list that is not a direct object. Here, the list is the direct object of the verb, so no punctuation is needed.
4. B. tears; furthermore,. This choice correctly uses a semicolon to separate two independent clauses and a comma after the conjunctive adverb "furthermore."
5. C. are planning. When using "neither/nor," the verb must agree with the subject closest to it. "Teachers" is plural, so the plural verb "are" is required.
6. C. literature; it explores. The original sentence is a comma splice/run-on. Using a semicolon followed by a new independent clause ("it explores...") correctly separates the two complete thoughts.
7. B. the athlete followed a strict training regimen. This corrects a dangling modifier. The phrase "To finish the marathon" describes the athlete, so the athlete must be the subject immediately following the comma.
8. B. my colleague and me. The pronouns are the objects of the verb "asked." If you remove "my colleague and," you would say "The manager asked me," not "The manager asked I."
9. A. NO CHANGE. The singular possessive apostrophe is correctly placed before the "s" to show that the policy belongs to one company.
10. C. unpredictable; consequently,. This follows the standard punctuation rule for conjunctive adverbs (semicolon + adverb + comma) when joining two independent clauses.

1. Which of the following correctly joins two independent clauses using a transition?

• AThe rain stopped, therefore the game resumed.
• BThe rain stopped; therefore, the game resumed.
• CThe rain stopped therefore, the game resumed.
• DThe rain stopped; therefore the game resumed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common grammar error on the ACT English section?

Comma splices and run-on sentences are among the most frequent errors tested. Students often fail to recognize when two independent clauses have been joined incorrectly without proper punctuation or a coordinating conjunction.

How do I know when to use "who" versus "whom"?

Use "who" when the pronoun is the subject performing the action in a clause. Use "whom" when the pronoun is the object receiving the action or follows a preposition like "to" or "for."

Does the ACT prefer the active voice over the passive voice?

Generally, the ACT rewards clarity and conciseness, which often makes the active voice the better choice. If an answer choice is shorter and more direct while maintaining the same meaning, it is frequently the correct one.

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

"Its" is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership, while "it's" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has." You can test which one to use by replacing the word with "it is" to see if the sentence still makes sense.

How should I handle questions about transition words?

Read the sentence before and after the transition to determine the logical relationship. If the second sentence contradicts the first, use a contrast transition like "however"; if it adds information, use "furthermore" or "in addition." You can further refine your skills using a AI Question Generator to create custom drills on these specific logic links.