Semicolon Errors

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ACT English › Semicolon Errors

Questions 1 - 10
1

It was about halfway through his last set of conferences that Mr. Man realizes (1) he did not (2) much like his current set of students. Unlike his students in the past, none of them seemed to care about their (3) grades, (4) none of them was able to tell a dangling modifier from a participle, (4) and, apart from a few, (4) they didn't know (5) how to start a paper. He would never tell any of them this, of course, (6) they might get offended, and if there was one thing that Mr. Man learned (7) about teaching, its (8) that in order to keep one's job, you couldn't offend your students (9). As yet another student whined about not understanding Mr. Mans (10) perfectly clearly written assignments, he sighed inwardly (and possibly outwardly as well), (11) and waited for the last (12) one to finish so that he could get to the next one, finish his conferences, and get back to daydreaming about being anything but a teacher.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

course;

NO CHANGE

course:

course

Explanation

Since the two sentences are so closely related to each other in theme, the semicolon is most appropriate here.

2

In today's society, (1) they have a popular TV series that (2) follows the life of 4-5 (3) young teenage girls who are trying to raise their child while being a teenager at the same time (4). The television series shows hardships, but they (5) focus more on the relationships of these girls rather than how much their baby’s diaper is changed or how often the baby spits up all over them. They always have a happy ending, giving teen girls these days hope that it (6) will do the same for them. The show focuses of (7) a different group of teen moms each season, but all being held back by having a child at a young age. Some are alone, some have significant others, and some even decided to give (8) their baby up for adoption, but not one of their lives are perfect nor easy (9). Some teenagers enjoy watching the show just to watch the babies grow, but others watch it because they think it’s popular, they think it will make them popular as well (10). The show is based upon these girl’s (11) lives and it doesn’t always seem to have to do with their children it has to do with them being teenagers (12).

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

their children; it has to do with them being teenagers

NO CHANGE

their children, it has to do with them being teenagers

their children it has to do with them, being teenagers

Explanation

To avoid a comma splice or run-on sentence, the only option here for separating the two sentences is to join them with a semicolon since they are directly related to each other.

3

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.

Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism; and spoke against slavery.

Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism and spoke against slavery.

Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism, and spoke against slavery.

Leading the Transcendentalist movement; Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism and spoke against slavery.

Leading the Transcendentalist movement; Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism, and spoke against slavery.

Leading the Transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson championed individualism; and spoke against slavery.

Explanation

A semi-colon separates two independent clauses. No punctuation between "individualism" and "and" is necessary.

4

As the class entered the museum, Ms. Johnson noticed that two of her students had fallen behind the group. After all of the tickets had been secured, she approached the two girls, saying: “what on Earth is causing you to go so slow?” The taller girl, whose name was Ashley, was the first to respond:

“Veronica and I were just discussing something very private. Nobody can hear what her and I are discussing.”

“Well, Ashley, I think that our tour guide, Dr. Mitchell, will be offended by your behavior. You and Veronica should find separate places in the group and you should pay attention to him and me.”

The two girls reluctantly joined the rest of the class. Ms. Johnson looked to see if another student was out of their place, but everything seemed to be in order. The tour guide, Dr. Mitchell, introduced himself to the class:

“Hello everyone! My name is Dr. Mitchell. I’m so glad that you have all come to the Museum of Natural History today; I think you’ll really enjoy our exhibits, which have been curated with the utmost care. The museum has three distinct types of exhibitions. Permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, and space shows. The permanent exhibition and the space show is always available for viewing, but the temporary exhibition changes seasonally.“

Having finished his introduction, the permanent exhibition was the first thing that Dr. Mitchell showed to the class.

Choose the answer that best corrects the bolded portion of the passage. If the bolded portion is correct as written, choose "NO CHANGE."

NO CHANGE

today, I think you'll really enjoy

today I think you'll really enjoy

today: I think you'll really enjoy

Explanation

Because these two clauses ("I’m so glad that you have all come to the Museum of Natural History today" and "I think you’ll really enjoy our exhibits") are independent and could function separately, they must either be joined by a comma and a conjunction OR by a punctuation mark that joins independent clauses with no conjunction. These punctuation marks include periods, semicolons, and dashes. In this case, the only answer that included a proper joining of two independent clauses was the original text, therefore no change was necessary.

5

Humanities: This passage is adapted from chapter three of Sir John Lubbock’s The Pleasures of Life. The chapter is entitled “A Song of Books” and was written in 1887.

Of all the privileges we enjoy in this nineteenth century there is none, perhaps, for which we ought to be more thankful than for the easier access to books.

The debt we owe to books was well expressed and articulated by Richard de Bury, Bishop of Durham, author of Philobiblon, written as long ago as 1344, published in 1473, and the earliest English treatise on the delights of literature: "These,” he says, “are the masters who instruct us without rods and ferules, without hard words and anger, without clothes or money. If you approach them, they are not asleep; if you interrogate them, they conceal nothing; if you mistake them, they never grumble; if you are ignorant, they cannot laugh at you. The library, therefore, of wisdom is more precious than all riches, and nothing that can be wished for is worthy to be compared with it. Whosoever therefore acknowledges himself to be a zealous follower of truth, of happiness, of wisdom, of science, or even of the faith, must of necessity make himself a lover of books.”

This feeling that books are real friends is constantly present to all who love reading. “I have friends,” said Petrarch, “whose society is extremely agreeable to me; they are of all ages, and of every country. They have distinguished themselves both in the cabinet and in the field, and obtained high honors for their knowledge of the sciences. It is easy to gain access to them, for they are always at my service, and I admit them to my company, and dismiss them from it, whenever I please. They are never troublesome, but immediately answer every question I ask them. Some relate to me the events of past ages, while others reveal to me the secrets of Nature. Some teach me how to live, and others how to die. Some, by their vivacity, drive away my cares and exhilarate my spirits; while others give fortitude to my mind, and teach me the important lesson how to restrain my desires, and to depend wholly on myself. They open to me, in short, the various avenues of all the arts and sciences, and upon their information I may safely rely in all emergencies. In return for all their services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace; for these friends are more delighted by the tranquillity of retirement than with the tumults of society.”

“He that loveth a book,” says Isaac Barrow, “will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counsellor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading, by thinking, one may innocently divert and pleasantly entertain himself, as in all weathers, so in all fortunes.”

"In return for all their services, they only ask me to accommodate them with a convenient chamber in some corner of my humble habitation, where they may repose in peace, these friends are more delighted by the tranquillity of retirement than with the tumults of society."

peace;

NO CHANGE

peace because we must consider that for

peace for

Explanation

While "peace because we must consider that for" is redundant, "peace, for" commits the error of placing a comma between two independent clauses (or complete sentences).

6

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.

Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities; but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.

Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities, but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.

Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities; but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.

Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.

Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities; and many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.

Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities so many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years.

Explanation

The sentence as written as a complex sentence, and it joins its two parts with a semicolon and the conjunction "but;" however, a compound sentence needs to be joined either by just a semicolon or a conjunction and comma, but not a semicolon and a conjunctionl; therefore the correct answer choice is "Pensions are a complicated financial problem for many municipalities, but many cities have made changes to their pension programs in recent years."

7

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.

Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation, the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Drawn the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach feels he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation; the coach felt he knew exactly what he wants to do.

Explanation

Although the sentence is written as compound sentence joined by a semicolon, the first portion, "Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation," is actually an introductory clause. As such, the clause should be set apart from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Therefore, the correct answer choice is "Drawing the opposing team into an attacking formation, the coach felt he knew exactly what he wanted to do."

8

Select the correct form of the underlined portion of the sentence. If it is correct as it is, select "NO CHANGE."

Last year I visited Barcelona, Spain; Istanbul, Turkey; Oaxaca, Mexico; Xela, Guatemala; Salvador, Brazil; and Dangriga, Belize.

NO CHANGE

Barcelona Spain; Istanbul Turkey; Oaxaca Mexico; Xela Guatemala; Salvador Brazil; and Dangriga Belize.

Barcelona, Spain, Istanbul, Turkey, Oaxaca, Mexico, Xela, Guatemala, Salvador, Brazil, and Dangriga, Belize.

Barcelona, Spain: Istanbul, Turkey: Oaxaca, Mexico: Xela, Guatemala: Salvador, Brazil: and Dangriga: Belize.

Barcelona Spain Istanbul Turkey Oaxaca Mexico Xela Guatemala Salvador Brazil and Dangriga Belize.

Explanation

Since each of the items in this list is a phrase that includes a comma, the items in the list should themselves be separated by semicolons to avoid confusion. That means that this sentence is correct as written.

9

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 new plan had made a small difference; reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.

The new plan had made a small difference, reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.

The new plan had made a small difference; reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.

The new plan had made a small difference reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.

The new plan made a small difference; for reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.

The new plan had made a small difference; reduce costs and expenditures somehat over the last year.

Explanation

The use of the semicolon in the sentence is incorrect, as a semicolon needs to separate two independent clauses in a compound sentences, instead of separating a dependent clause from the main part of the sentence it is reliant on. The sentence needs to feature a comma separating the two parts, making the correct answer "The new plan had made a small difference, reducing costs and expenditures somehat over the last year."

10

The student the hand of whom was up (1) gave the wrong answer. She was asked what was a substantive adjective (2), and she answered that a substantive adjective is one that describe (3) a substance. "No!" (4) the teacher barked. "A substantive adjective takes the place of a noun in a sentence, as when someone talks about the rich and the poor (5). Did you learn nothing in this class?" He then asked what a superlative adjective was, to which she replied (6) that a superlative adjective was one that took the place of a noun in a sentence. "But thats (7) what I just said," the teacher screamed! (8) The student had said (9) that she had heard him, therefore (10) she answered his question. "You answered my question previously, (11)" he bellowed, "not the last one!" "Ah, you mean the latest one," the student replied, the moment at which (12) the teacher turned to the wall and started beating his head against it.

Choose from the following four options the answer that best corrects the underlined mistake preceding the question number. If there is no mistake or the original text is the best option, choose "NO CHANGE."

him; therefore

NO CHANGE

him therefore

him: therefore

Explanation

"Therefore" is working here as a conjunctive adverb and not a conjunction, so the use of a comma is not appropriate. The semicolon should be used instead since this is actually two sentences, not one.

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