ACT English › Errors Involving Hyphens, Dashes, and Parentheses
Adapted from The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (ed. 1896)
Look at a plant in the midst of it’s range. Why does it not double or quadruple its numbers? We know that it can perfectly well withstand a little more heat or cold, dampness or dryness, for elsewhere it ranges into slightly hotter or colder, damper or drier districts. In this case, we can clearly see that if we wish in imagination to give the plant the power of increasing in number, we should have to give it some advantage over its competitors, or over the animals of the wild that prey on it. On the confines of its geographical range, a change of constitution with respect to climate would clearly be an advantage to our plant; but we have reason to believe that only a few plants or animals range so far, that they are destroyed exclusively by the rigor of the climate. Not until we reach the extreme confines of life, in the Arctic regions or on the borders of an utter desert, will competition cease. The land may be extremely cold or dry, yet their will be competition between some few species, or between the individuals of the same species, for the warmest or dampest spots.
Hence we can see that when a plant or animal is placed in a new country amongst new competitors, the conditions of its life will generally be changed in an essential manner, although the climate may be exactly the same as in its former home. If it’s average numbers are to increase in its new home, we should have to modify it in a different way to what we should have had to do in its native country; for we should have to give it some advantage over a different set of competitors or enemies.
It is good thus to try in imagination to give to any one species an advantage over another. Probably in no single instance should we know what to do. This ought to convince us of our ignorance on the mutual relations of all organic beings; a conviction as necessary, as it is difficult to acquire. All that we can do is to keep steadily in mind that each organic being is striving to increase in a geometrical ratio; that each at some period of its life, during some season of the year, during each generation or at intervals, has to struggle for life and to suffer great destruction. When we reflect on this struggle, we may console ourselves with the full belief that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply.
Consider the boldfaced and underlined selection in the first paragraph. Given that the commas are correctly placed, which of the following would be most closely equivalent?
species—or between the individuals of the same species—for
species; or between the individuals of the same species; for
species; or between the individuals of the same species, for
species, or between the individuals of the same species; for
Although the original use of commas is a bit awkward for contemporary English grammar, if we take them as being correctly placed, we can see that the author is trying to signal an "aside." That is, he is making an additional concession to his reader, as though saying, "between a few species—okay, or even between individuals—for." If we wish to retain the sense of this being an "aside" or extra concession, the best option among those provided is the one that uses dashes.
One summer when I was little, my uncle took me to an ice cream shop. There were so many flavors of ice cream on the menu. Flavors that I had never even imagined, and it took me almost twenty minutes to decide what to get.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
flavors of ice cream on the menu—flavors that I had never imagined—and it took me
NO CHANGE
flavors of ice cream on the menu: flavors that I had never imagined. And it took me
flavors of ice cream on the menu, flavors that I had never imagined: and it took me
flavors of ice cream on the menu—flavors that I had never imagined, and it took me
As it is written, the last sentence here is a fragment, so it needs to be corrected. We should connect the second and third sentences together. But how?
The phrase “Flavors that I had never imagined” continues the idea from the second sentence about how the shop had so many flavors of ice cream; however, “Flavors I had never imagined” provides extra information that isn't really necessary to understanding the sentence. We could cut that phrase out, and write, “There were so many flavors of ice cream on the menu, and it took me.” The best way to understand “Flavors I had never imagined” is to think of it as an aside, which should be enclosed in either parentheses or dashes.
The word lithophyte refers to a plant that can grow on bare rock. It comes from the Greek words lithos: meaning “stone” and phyte: meaning “plant”.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”
lithos (meaning “stone”) and phyte (meaning “plant”).
NO CHANGE
lithos meaning “stone” and phyte meaning “plant.”
lithos – meaning “stone” and phyte – meaning “plant.”
lithos, meaning “stone” and phyte, meaning “plant.”
Here, we have to distinguish between the most important parts of the second sentence and the less important parts. The most important part of the sentence states that the word lithophyte comes from lithos and phyte. The definitions of those Greek words are less important. The definitions can be thought of as asides, so they should be enclosed in parentheses. Though separating out the definitions using commas or dashes might work, a pause is needed between the part of the sentence about lithos and the part about phyte, which is why the other answers do not work.
“What is Leisure?”
It would likely surprise \[1\] modern readers if he or she were told that the meaning of life is leisure. This seems to be the same thing as saying that the meaning of life is nothing more than relaxing by the side of the pool. \[2\] One can imagine almost anyone thinking to himself, “What a preposterous idea.” This idea is not as foreign as it might appear at first glance. Indeed, \[3\] it could be considered the classic Western position about the very meaning of life. \[4\] This, of course, lies in contrast to all other global positions, but that’s a topic for another day.
\[5\] Of course, we need to understand what is meant by the word leisure if we are going to understand this assertion. The best way to understand this is to consider a contrast between two different kinds of activity. \[6\] On the one hand, there are many activities that are for the sake of something else. \[7\] On the other hand. There are those activities that are done for their own sake. These latter kinds of activities are those that are properly understood as being leisurely. \[8\] For example, when someone cuts onions for a meal, the cutting of the onions is not done for their own sake. The easiest way to figure out if something is being done for the sake of another end is to ask, “Why are you doing that.” \[9\] The onion cutter will answer, “I am doing it so that I can make dinner.” This helps us to see that the cutting of the onions is for the sake of something else. \[10\] Indeed, even the eating of dinner is for the sake of something else, namely attaining adequate nutrition.
\[11\] In contrast to these examples, leisurely activities are those that are done for they’re own sake. \[12\] For example, ask someone who enjoys organ music why he is listening to an organ concert. The answer will almost certainly be, “For the sake of listening to organ music. It is that important and beautiful!” Many things can be considered leisurely, including forms of games that are played merely for their own enjoyment; however, it is important to bear in mind that there is a hierarchy of goods. \[13\] Some types of leisure are better than others and likely are more preferable.
Choose the answer that best corrects section \[9\].
The onion-cutter will answer, “I am doing it so that I can make dinner.”
The onion cutter will answer, “I am doing it so that I can make dinner!”
NO CHANGE
The onion-cutter will answer, “I am doing it so that I can make dinner!”
The expression "onion cutter" is really a kind of compound word, composed of two nouns. You should indicate this compounding by using a hyphen between the words. This helps to make them into a single subject for the sentence. Note, however, that it is not necessary to use an exclamation point for the quotation. We really don't know if the onion-cutter is that emphatic about the nature of his action!
What would make the underlined portion grammatically correct?
To begin I should explain how it is that I am a sports-lover but lazy. I have tried as many sports as have been possible in my life and I have enjoyed all of them. I had competed in national gymnastics which is probably the most holistically challenging for ten years. This sport took precedence in all of middle and high school for me.
competed in national gymnastics—which is probably the most holistically challenging of all the sports I did—for ten
NO CHANGE
competed in national gymnastics, which is probably the most holistically challenging of all the sports I did—for ten
competed in national gymnastics; which is probably the most holistically challenging of all the sports I did for ten
competed in national gymnastics. Which is probably the most holistically challenging of all the sports I did—for ten
Extra information must be separated from the sentence by commas, dashes, or parenthesis. The same punctuation must be used to open the extra information as is used to close it.
Because it was raining—the elementary school students had recess inside the classroom. Instead of playing ball or swinging, they colored, played games of pretend, and drew on the whiteboard.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”
Because it was raining,
NO CHANGE
Because it was raining:
Because it was raining;
Here, the first part of the sentence, “Because it was raining,” is a dependent clause; it cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence. The second part of the sentence, “The elementary school students had recess inside the classroom” is an independent clause; it can stand by itself as a sentence. Connecting these two types of clauses just requires a comma, not any type of fancier punctuation like a dash or a colon.
I wanted to bake an apple pie, but I didn't have some of the ingredients cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter, so I first had to make a trip to the nearby grocery store.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose “NO CHANGE.”
ingredients—cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter—so I
NO CHANGE
ingredients—cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter, so I
ingredients. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter; so I
ingredients, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter, so I
In this sentence, “cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter” gives extra information about which ingredients were missing; however, this information isn't necessary for understanding the overall meaning of the sentence, so it can be thought of as an aside and enclosed in dashes. Asides have to begin and end with the same type of punctuation, which is why some of the other answers are not right.
“Democracy—Always a Good Thing?”
In the contemporary world, we tend to think that democracy is always the best form of government. We are enchanted by the idea of self-governance for it seems to affirm the maturity of the citizens of a nation. Instead of being ruled by benign-monarchs or the landed-aristocracy, the citizens of a democracy are people who exercise self-mastery in a fully human manner. Well, at least this is what we tend to think of the matter.
Really, however, democracy is an ambiguous affair. Often, we use such single terms to name two different types of social arrangements. Such an equivocation is understandable. Whenever all (or at least most) of the people take part in political life, it seems like we have a kind of democracy. However, it is important to make a clearer distinction.
On the one hand, there can be a community that aims at the common good. In such a group, the people come together to have a political community that aims to fulfill human goals that could not be done by isolated individuals. Such a group will come together to establish educational institutions to preserve culture, regulate commerce in order to help normalize economic interactions, pass many laws that regulate our social interactions, and undertake many other affairs. Although all of these things benefit the individuals in the given society, such a group of self-governing people do not aim merely at the private satisfaction of the people. This kind of “democracy” works together, for common political goals.
On the other hand, there can be a community that merely aims at the private goods of the citizens. The Greek philosopher Aristotle remarked in his text, the Politics, that democracy was a government by the numerous poor people for the sake of those same people’s private goods. Clearly, he was using “democracy” in this sense. If the people of a nation only come together in order to assure their own private freedom and to receive benefits for themselves, a given society is this kind of so-called democracy.
Of course, it is difficult to say what is the state of any particular nation today. Often, elements of each of these kinds of governance is found in a given country at a particular time. Still, it is important to be aware that such an “equivocation” is possible. Otherwise, we will end up saying rather foolish things like, “Democracy is always a good form of government,” or, “democracy is a horrible form of government.”
Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded and underlined portion of the passage. If the bolded and underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
ruled by benign monarchs or the landed aristocracy
ruled by benign-monarchs, or the landed-aristocracy
ruled by benign-monarchs, or the landed-aristocracy,
NO CHANGE
As written, the sentence misuses hyphens. You should use hyphens to unite descriptors of a noun. There is, however, only one adjective in each case, namely "benign" and "landed." Therefore, no hyphens are necessary.
“Mathematics and Learning”
What subject should be learned first? The question rightly troubles anyone who’s interest is in education. Of course, young children often must learn in a very basic and rote fashion, applying their apt memorization skills to simple tasks that will serve them very well in later years when they go one to apply such knowledge to more complex topics. However, when the time comes to designing curricula, an important question must be answered for older students, namely “What is most important first topic in these students’s education?”
An argument can be made for the use of mathematics as a tool for teaching students how to reason more clearly. This is not because mathematics is the basis of all knowledge. Indeed not. There are many important subjects including not only the humanities like poetry and history but sciences like biology and physiology too. These topics are not strictly speaking mathematical in nature, even though mathematics can be used in it in many ways.
Our minds are best geared for learning things that we can sense, things that are visible and tangible. Although mathematics is abstract, it can begin with this kind of sense derived experience. Beginning with simple everyday examples, children can be taught the more abstract and difficult skills that must be learned for the sake of the development of mathematical skills. In the process of learning these topics, the children will begin to learn important rules about reasoning. He or she will learn how several propositions can serve as the basis for conclusions. They will learn how certain properties are related to various geometric figures and arithmetical rules. Although much of this will be memorized at first, with time, they will have the opportunity to see that human reasoning in mathematical subjects is orderly and logical. On the basis of such “logical experience,” young learners can then begin to be taught the rules of logic that they have been using all along. As the medievals used to say, they could go from logica utens, logic used in other subjects, to logica docens logic taught, as a unique, and separate subject.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Although mathematics is abstract, it can begin with this kind of sense-derived experience.
Although, mathematics is abstract, it can begin with this kind of sense derived experience.
Although mathematics is abstract, it can begin with this kind of sense, derived experience.
NO CHANGE
Although mathematics is abstract, it can begin with this kind of sense-derived-experience.
The expression "sense-derived" is a single adjective modifying "experience." The phrase "sense derived experience" is a bit confusing without a clarifying hyphen to explain exactly what kind of experience you are talking about. Being "sense-derived" is the single adjectival description of the experience in question.
In the afternoon, I went to the park to watch the pigeons there for a while. I sat on a bench for the better part of an hour. When I finally got up to head home, by then, it was already getting dark, I saw all of the pigeons take to the air in a great commotion.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
head home—by then, it was already getting dark—
NO CHANGE
head home: by then, it was already getting dark
head home—by then, it was already getting dark,
head home; by then, it was already getting dark:
In the underlined part of the sentence, the phrase “by then, it was already getting dark” gives extra descriptive information; however, we don't really need this extra information to understand the sentence as a whole. So, we can punctuate it as an aside, by enclosing it within dashes or parentheses. Asides have to begin and end with the same type of punctuation, so the only right answer is the one that surrounds “by then, it was already getting dark” with two dashes.