ACT English › Preposition Errors
Passage adapted from Stephen Leacock, The Dawn of Canadian History: A Chronicle of Aboriginal Canada (1915)
When the Europeans came to this continent at the end of the fifteenth century they found it already inhabited through races of men very different from themselves. These people, whom they took to calling "Indians," were spread out, though very thinly, from one end of the continent to the other. Who were these nations, and how was their presence to be accounted for?
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."
found it already inhabited by races of men very different from themselves
found it already inhabited through races of men very different than themselves
found it already inhabited through races and men very different from themselves
NO CHANGE
The correct version of the sentence uses the preposition "by" to introduce the agent performing the action of the passive verb phrase. It is clear that "races of men" functions as the agent here, because flipping the sentence around to make it active communicates the same idea: "races of men very different than themselves already inhabited..."
The preposition "through" is not appropriate here, since it doesn't complement the participle "inhabited" but rather the whole clause, "they found it inhabited." This yields the implausible meaning "with help from races of men, they found the land inhabited."
Adapted from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)
At three o’clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the house shortly after eight o’clock in the morning. I sat down beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, however long he might be. I was already deeply interested in his inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were associated with the two crimes which I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. Indeed, apart to the nature of the investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.
Which of the following alternatives would NOT be an appropriate substitution for the bolded and underlined sentence?
So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the possibility of he failing had ceased to enter into my head.
None of the other answers.
So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter my head.
I was so accustomed to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.
I was so accustomed to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter my head.
The grammatical error that cannot be ignored is that of the prepositional phrase, "of his failing" in which the gerund, failing, must follow a possessive pronoun ("his," not "he").
Adapted from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)
At three o’clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the house shortly after eight o’clock in the morning. I sat down beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him, however long he might be. I was already deeply interested in his inquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were associated with the two crimes which I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own. Indeed, apart to the nature of the investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.
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."
apart from
apart of
apart
apart by
NO CHANGE
The preposition "apart" is used here as a multi-word preposition in which it is paired with the word "from." The other answer choices do not fix the prepositional error or are ungrammatical.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
Garrett was extremely frustrated to find that the results of his study were inconsistent to those presented in previous research.
were inconsistent with those
NO CHANGE.
were inconsistent to that
were inconsistent with that
were inconsistent from those
The adjective "inconsistent" should be paired with the preposition "with" as opposed to with "to" or "from." "Inconsistent with" is the appropriate pairing. Because the demonstrative "those" refers to "results," which is plural, "those" is the correct choice over "that."
Claire had to wash her clothes very carefully on a special solution to get all of the stains out.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
with
NO CHANGE
under
through
"With" is the correct preposition to use whenever an instrument with which something is being done is in the sentence. In this case, "special solution" is just such an instrument; therefore, the best answer for this sentence is "with."
After the latest failure, she was sure that she lacked with the tenacity to go on.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
she lacked the tenacity
she lacked in the tenacity
she lacked for the tenacity
NO CHANGE
With a transitive verb like "lacked," you can follow the verb directly with the direct object. A preposition is unnecessary. The best answer is the one which deletes the preposition entirely from the sentence.
He was to be congratulated because all of his myriad achievements.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
He was to be congratulated on all of his myriad achievements.
NO CHANGE
He was to be congratulated in all of his myriad achievements.
He was to be congratulated over all of his myriad achievements.
When "congratulate" is the verb in question, it can be followed by the prepositions "for" and "on," although "on" is more common. As such, of the answers available, "He was to be congratulated on all of his myriad achievements" is the correct choice.
You must travel by boat or by plane to reach the island—the bridge is out.
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence. If the underlined portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."
NO CHANGE
by the
in
on
for
If there is no article, (i.e. "a," "an," or "the"), you may say that you travel "by" a particular mode of transportation. As there is no article preceding the modes of transportation listed in the sentence, the correct preposition here is "by." Therefore, the best answer is "NO CHANGE."
Choose the answer that best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence below:
The weapons of the German soldiers were superior than the weapons of their enemies.
superior to
no change
superior from
inferior than
superior of
For comparative adjectives like superior and inferior, you always need to follow the adjective with the preposition to; therefore, the best answer to this question is "superior to."
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The night grew so cold that all the campers were shivering although a raging fire.
despite a raging fire.
although a raging fire.
from a raging fire.
through a raging fire.
even though a raging fire.
The use of "although" in the last part of the sentence is confusing and awkward. A different preposition can more clearly indicate the fact the campers "were shivering" while a fire was "raging," which should warm them. The best answer choice to do this is "despite a raging fire."