English Support
The English section consists of questions that ask you to select the best word, phrase, or sentence structure to make the text correct and clear.
There are two main topics that are tested on the English:
Production of Writing: Questions focus on topic development, organization, and cohesion. They test your ability to improve the logical flow of an essay and ensure effective transitions.
Knowledge of Language: Focuses on precision, conciseness, and maintaining a consistent style and tone throughout the passage.
Common Question Types Include:
Usage and Mechanics: Tests punctuation, subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, and sentence fragments.
Rhetorical Skills: Tests ability to remove unnecessary word, choose the most specific vocabulary, and arrange paragraphs or sentences in the best order.
Practice Questions (Taken from the PreAct 9 Secure Practice test)
The sky is blue and clear. Sunlight warms the massive sand dunes that slope more than one hundred feet down to Lake Michigan on one side and the smaller Silver Lake on the other. The day is young, so it’s not oppressively hot. And, Best of all, I have the dunes to myself. It’s the perfect time to go sandboarding
Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding but instead of snow, I’m riding sand, which will grip my board and keep me from sliding very far, especially if the sand is wet. Dry, powdery sand is ideal, but (1) even then I have to wax my board between trips if I want to travel very far or very fast. Suddenly (2), there are no chairlifts on the dunes, so I have to climb up on foot— (3)an arduous task even in the best conditions. Between steep slopes, and constantly (4) shifting sand, the climb can take twenty minutes. It’s a lot of work, but the payoff is the adrenaline rush.
1. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
A. No Change
B. However,
Still,
Delete the bolded text
View Answer
A: No Change – The word “but” as used in the paragraph, connects two contrasting ideas together.
2. Which transition word or phrase is most logical in context?
A. No Change
B. For Example,
C. As a result,
D. In addition,
View answer
D. In addition – This is the correct answer because the following statement does not have a cause-and-effect connection to the previous statement, or exemplifies the previous statement. The statement is simply an additional piece of information about the dunes.
3. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
A. No Change
B. foot and though
C. foot;
D. foot
View answer
A: No Change – the em dash is used in this context to signify a statement by the author that is an additional comment to the information being revealed
4. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
A. No Change
B. steep sloped and constantly
C. steep slopes, and constantly,
D. steep, slopes and constantly
View answer
B: steep slopes and constantly – The sentence only lists two reasons that the climb is difficult. The second option ensures a proper parallel structure, since the word between pairs with and.
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