ACT and NoRedInk Pathways

Grammar & Conventions Pathways

Active and Passive Voice Commas for Clarity
SST 302 PUN 301
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense Delete commas that markedly disturb sentence flow
and voice when the meaning of the entire sentence (e.g., between modifier and modified element)
must be considered
PUN 403
Use commas to avoid obvious ambiguity (e.g., to set off
Adjectives a long introductory element from the rest of the
sentence when a misreading is possible)
USG 202
PUN 404
Form comparative and superlative adjectives
Use commas to set off simple parenthetical elements

PUN 501
Adjectives vs. Adverbs Delete commas in long or involved sentences when an
incorrect understanding of the sentence suggests a
USG 301
pause that should be punctuated (e.g., between the
Determine whether an adjective form or an adverb form
elements of a compound subject or compound verb
is called for in a given situation
joined by and)
USG 401
PUN 601
Use the correct comparative or superlative adjective or
Use commas to avoid ambiguity when the syntax or
adverb form depending on context (e.g., “He is the
language is sophisticated (e.g., to set off a complex
oldest of my three brothers”)
series of items)

Appositive Phrases
Commonly Confused Words
PUN 602
USG 305
Use punctuation to set off a nonessential/ nonrestrictive
Use the appropriate word in frequently confused pairs
appositive or clause
(e.g., there and their, past and passed, led and lead)
PUN 701
USG 501
Delete punctuation around essential/restrictive
Form simple and compound verb tenses, both regular
appositives or clauses
and irregular, including forming verbs by using have
rather than of (e.g., would have gone, not would of
gone)

USG 603
Use the appropriate word in less-common confused
pairs
Comparative vs. Superlative Adjectives Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
and Adverbs
SST 401
USG 202 Recognize and correct marked disturbances in sentence
Form comparative and superlative adjectives structure (e.g., faulty placement of adjectives, participial
phrase fragments, missing or incorrect relative
USG 401 pronouns, dangling or misplaced modifiers, lack of
Use the correct comparative or superlative adjective or parallelism within a simple series of verbs)
adverb form depending on context (e.g., “He is the
oldest of my three brothers”) SST 601
Recognize and correct subtle disturbances in sentence
structure (e.g., danglers where the intended meaning is
Connecting Clauses with Colons and clear but the sentence is ungrammatical, faulty
Semicolons subordination and coordination of clauses in long or
involved sentences)
PUN 502
Recognize and correct inappropriate uses of colons and
semicolons Parallel Structure
PUN 604 SST 701
Use a semicolon to link closely related independent Recognize and correct very subtle disturbances in
clauses sentence structure (e.g., weak conjunctions between
independent clauses, run-ons that would be acceptable
PUN 702
in conversational English, lack of parallelism within a
Use a colon to introduce an example or an elaboration
complex series of phrases or clauses)

Identifying Sentences and Fragments

Phrases and Dependent Clauses
SST 301
KLA 403
Determine the need for punctuation or conjunctions to
Determine the need for conjunctions to create
correct awkward-sounding fragments and fused
straightforward logical links between clauses
sentences as well as obviously faulty subordination and
coordination of clauses KLA 504
Determine the need for conjunctions to create logical
SST 501
links between clauses
Recognize and correct disturbances in sentence
structure (e.g., faulty placement of phrases, faulty KLA 603
coordination and subordination of clauses, lack of Determine the need for conjunctions to create subtle
parallelism within a simple series of phrases) logical links between clauses
SST 601 SST 201
Recognize and correct subtle disturbances in sentence Determine the need for punctuation or conjunctions to
structure (e.g., danglers where the intended meaning is join simple clauses
clear but the sentence is ungrammatical, faulty
subordination and coordination of clauses in long or
involved sentences)
Phrases and Dependent Clauses Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
(continued)
USG 303
SST 301 Ensure straightforward pronoun-antecedent agreement
Determine the need for punctuation or conjunctions to USG 502
correct awkward-sounding fragments and fused Ensure pronoun-antecedent agreement when the
sentences as well as obviously faulty subordination and pronoun and antecedent occur in separate clauses or
coordination of clauses sentences
SST 501 USG 602
Recognize and correct disturbances in sentence Correctly use reflexive pronouns, the possessive
structure (e.g., faulty placement of phrases, faulty pronouns its and your, and the relative pronouns who
coordination and subordination of clauses, lack of and whom
parallelism within a simple series of phrases)

Punctuation with Conjunctions

Plural vs. Possessive Nouns
KLA 603
PUN 402 Determine the need for conjunctions to create subtle
Delete apostrophes used incorrectly to form plural logical links between clauses
nouns
SST 201
PUN 504 Determine the need for punctuation or conjunctions to
Use apostrophes to form simple possessive nouns join simple clauses
PUN 603 SST 301
Use apostrophes to form possessives, including Determine the need for punctuation or conjunctions to
irregular plural nouns correct awkward-sounding fragments and fused
USG 602 sentences as well as obviously faulty subordination and
Correctly use reflexive pronouns, the possessive coordination of clauses
pronouns its and your, and the relative pronouns who SST 701
and whom Recognize and correct very subtle disturbances in
sentence structure (e.g., weak conjunctions between
independent clauses, run-ons that would be acceptable
Pronoun Case
in conversational English, lack of parallelism within a
SST 502 complex series of phrases or clauses)
Maintain consistent and logical verb tense and pronoun
person on the basis of the preceding clause or sentence
Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses
USG 602
Correctly use reflexive pronouns, the possessive PUN 602
pronouns its and your, and the relative pronouns who Use punctuation to set off a nonessential/ nonrestrictive
and whom appositive or clause

PUN 701
Delete punctuation around essential/restrictive
appositives or clauses
Subject-Verb Agreement I Verb Tense
USG 302 SST 302
Ensure straightforward subject-verb agreement Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense
and voice when the meaning of the entire sentence
must be considered
Subject-Verb Agreement II
SST 502
USG 601 Maintain consistent and logical verb tense and pronoun
Ensure subject-verb agreement in some challenging person on the basis of the preceding clause or sentence
situations (e.g., when the subject-verb order is inverted
USG 201
or when the subject is an indefinite pronoun)
Form the past tense and past participle of irregular but
commonly used verbs
Vague Pronouns USG 501
Form simple and compound verb tenses, both regular
USG 503
and irregular, including forming verbs by using have
Recognize and correct vague and ambiguous pronouns
rather than of (e.g., would have gone, not would of
gone)

Verb Tense I and II

USG 201
Form the past tense and past participle of irregular but
commonly used verbs

Writing Pathways
Body Paragraphs: Claims, Evidence, Body Paragraphs: Transition Words
and Reasoning and Phrases
ORG 604 ORG 601
Rearrange the sentences in a fairly complex paragraph Determine the need for transition words or phrases to
for the sake of logic and coherence establish subtle logical relationships within and
between paragraphs
TOD 601
Determine relevance when considering material that is
plausible but potentially irrelevant at a given point in the Conclusion Paragraphs
essay
ORG 603
Provide a subtle introduction or conclusion to or
transition within a paragraph or essay (e.g., echoing an
essay’s theme or restating the main argument)
Introductory Paragraphs
KLA 401
Delete redundant and wordy material when the
problem is contained within a single phrase (e.g.,
“alarmingly startled,” “started by reaching the point of
beginning”)
Topic Sentences
KLA 401
Delete redundant and wordy material when the
problem is contained within a single phrase (e.g.,
“alarmingly startled,” “started by reaching the point of
beginning”)

KLA 501 KLA 501

Revise vague, clumsy, and confusing writing Revise vague, clumsy, and confusing writing

ORG 603 TOD 401

Provide a subtle introduction or conclusion to or Determine relevance of material in terms of the focus of
transition within a paragraph or essay (e.g., echoing an the essay
essay’s theme or restating the main argument)
TOD 501
Determine relevance of material in terms of the focus of
Thesis Statements the paragraph

KLA 401
Delete redundant and wordy material when the
problem is contained within a single phrase (e.g.,
“alarmingly startled,” “started by reaching the point of
beginning”)

KLA 501
Revise vague, clumsy, and confusing writing