English — Grammar & Usage
The ACT English section rewards clean, standard written English. This chapter covers the grammar and usage rules most often tested: subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, verb tense and form, and modifier placement. These are self-contained skills you can practice one sentence at a time.
Subject-Verb Agreement
A verb must agree in number with its true subject, not with a noun in a prepositional phrase that comes between them. In 'The box of photographs is heavy', the subject is 'box' (singular). Collective and quantity subjects like 'the number of' also take singular verbs.
Pronoun Case and Agreement
Use subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) for subjects and object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) for objects. In a compound like 'my brother and I', test the pronoun by removing the other part. Reflexive pronouns like 'myself' are never correct as a plain subject.
Verb Tense, Form, and Modifiers
Keep verb tenses consistent and use the past perfect ('had studied') for actions completed before another past action. A modifying phrase at the start of a sentence must attach to the noun it logically describes, or it dangles.