ACT grammar rules: verbs, pronouns, agreement and comparisons
Beyond punctuation and sentence structure, ACT English tests usage: subjects and verbs that agree, correct verb forms, pronouns in the right case that point to one clear noun, comparisons (better or best, fewer or less) and standard idioms. ACT lists Usage under Conventions of Standard English, which is 38–43% of the English section. Most of these questions are solved by finding the word the underlined part depends on, the subject for a verb or the noun for a pronoun, and checking that the two match.
Where it shows up on the ACT
| Enhanced ACT | |
|---|---|
| Section | English |
| Length | 50 questions (40 scored) in 35 minutes, about 42 seconds each |
| Reporting category | Conventions of Standard English (Usage is one of its three skill groups) |
| Share of the section | 38–43% of English, about 15–17 of the 40 scored questions |
| In the Composite | Yes. The Composite averages English, Math and Reading. |
ACT publishes the share for the whole category, not for usage alone. In the 40 scored English questions of ACT's 2025–26 practice test, we counted 6 usage questions: 3 on pronouns, 2 on subject-verb agreement and 1 on comparisons and idioms. NO CHANGE was the right answer on 3 of the 6. Source: ACT, Preparing for the ACT 2025–2026, pp. 6–10: what each section covers and its reporting categories.
What the questions ask you to do
- Match a verb to its subject, even when a long phrase sits between them.
- Pick the right verb form: has seen, not has saw; would have, not would of.
- Choose the pronoun case that fits its job: I or me, who or whom.
- Make sure each pronoun points to one clear noun and matches it in number.
- Use the right comparison: -er or more for two things, -est or most for three or more; fewer for things you count, less for amounts.
- Pick the standard idiom, such as "different from" or "capable of."
Grammar rules to know
Short versions of the rules behind most usage questions, each with a correct example.
| Rule | Correct example |
|---|---|
| Skip the phrase between subject and verb | The box of photographs was in the attic. |
| With or / nor, the verb follows the nearer subject | Neither the coach nor the players were ready. |
| Each, every, either and neither are singular | Each of the bikes has a lock. |
| After a preposition, use me, him, her, us, them | The coach thanked Priya and me. |
| Who does the action; whom receives it | The writer whom we met signed the book. |
| A pronoun needs one clear noun | When Ana called Rosa, Rosa was out. |
| Two things: -er or more | Of the two bridges, the newer one is longer. |
| Count it: fewer. Measure it: less | fewer cars, less traffic |
| Past participles after has, have, had | She has written, they had gone |
Common mistakes
Wrong answer choices are often built around these.
- Matching the verb to the nearest noun instead of the subject. In "The box of old photographs were found," the subject is box, so the verb is was.
- Using I after a preposition because it sounds formal. Test it by dropping the other person: "gave the award to I" is clearly wrong.
- Leaving a pronoun with two possible nouns. If it or they could point to either of two things, the answer that names the noun is usually right.
- Using the -est form for two things. Between two options, one is better, not best.
- Writing would of, could of or should of. The correct forms are would have, could have and should have.
- Changing a correct verb tense to match a nearby verb when the timeline in the passage calls for something else.
3 example questions with answers
Written by Ashore in the style of the enhanced ACT. They aren't official ACT questions. Try each one before you open the answer.
Question 1 · Easy
Last spring, while clearing out her grandmother's attic, Lena found a cardboard box. The box of old photographs were sitting under a stack of quilts.
Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
- ANO CHANGE
- Bwas
- Chave been
- Dare
Show the answer
B. The subject is box, not photographs, so the verb has to be singular. The passage is in the past, which rules out are. Were and have been are plural.
Question 2 · Medium
At the end of the season, the coach handed the most-improved awards to Priya and I, then thanked every parent who had driven the team to away games.
Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
- FNO CHANGE
- Gmyself
- Hme
- Jmine
Show the answer
H. The pronoun follows the preposition to, so it takes the object form me. Drop Priya and the sentence reads "handed the awards to me." Myself is only used when the subject is also I, and mine shows ownership.
Question 3 · Hard
Rehearsals were supposed to end in May. Two weeks before opening night, however, neither the director nor the actors has seen the final version of the script.
Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?
- ANO CHANGE
- Bhas saw
- Chaving seen
- Dhad seen
Show the answer
D. With neither…nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject, actors, which is plural, and the passage is told in the past, so had seen fits. Has seen is singular and present perfect, has saw uses the wrong verb form, and having seen leaves the sentence without a main verb.
More ACT English guides
- Punctuation rules
- Sentence structure
- Transitions
- Rhetorical skills
- ACT score calculator: questions right in each section to a 1–36 score and Composite.
- SAT vs ACT: which test fits you better.
- All ACT guides and free tools
Get ready for ACT English
Ashore's ACT course is coming soon: a starting check, a daily plan up to your test date and timed practice. Join the waitlist and we'll email you once when it opens.
When ACT prep opens, it's part of the same plan as SAT and AP, at the same price. The score guarantee covers the SAT only.
Practice test 1
Example
27
Composite
(28 + 26 + 27) ÷ 3
- English28
- Math26
- Reading27
- ScienceOptional, not in the Composite25