{"id":119,"date":"2014-02-05t09:00:16","date_gmt":"2014-02-05t09:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/act\/?p=119"},"modified":"2020-03-06t14:02:48","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06t22:02:48","slug":"idioms-on-the-act-english-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/hs\/act\/idioms-on-the-act-english-test\/","title":{"rendered":"idioms on the act english test"},"content":{"rendered":"

the word \u201cidiom\u201d tends to make many act students uncomfortable. what does the word refer to, and how can it help you get more act english<\/a> questions correct? <\/p>\n

simply put, an \u201cidiom\u201d is an expression, which consists of at least two words that naturally seem to \u201cgo\u201d together. it is something that native speakers of a language can usually quickly recognize, but is often challenging for those learning english as a secondary language, or for those who grew up speaking an english dialect that frequently breaks conventional idiom rules.<\/p>\n

some common idioms are fun metaphorical expressions like \u201chitting the hay\u201d or having \u201ca chip on your shoulder.\u201d a non-native speaker might be wondering why anyone would literally beat up a pile of straw or have a potato chip sitting on his\/her shoulder, but we know that they are groups of unrelated words that take on new meanings when grouped together.<\/p>\n

while the act will not be testing idiomatic expressions like those i just mentioned, there are two main types of idioms you might see.
\n <\/p>\n

common two-part idioms on the act<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

not only … but also<\/h4>\n

incorrect:<\/b> not only<\/em> did we see the eiffel tower, but<\/em> we saw the louvre.<\/p>\n

correct:<\/b> not only<\/em> did we see the eiffel tower, but also<\/em> we saw the louvre.
\n <\/p>\n

between … and<\/h4>\n

incorrect:<\/b> between<\/em> cookies or<\/em> crackers, i like cookies best.<\/p>\n

correct:<\/b> between<\/em> cookies and<\/em> crackers, i like cookies best.
\n <\/p>\n

as … as<\/h4>\n

incorrect:<\/b> her hair was as<\/em> pretty than<\/em> my sister\u2019s.<\/p>\n

correct:<\/b> her hair was as<\/em> pretty as<\/em> my sister\u2019s.
\n <\/p>\n

either … or\/neither … nor<\/h4>\n

incorrect:<\/b> neither<\/em> my best friend or<\/em> i wanted to go shopping.<\/p>\n

correct:<\/b> neither<\/em> my best friend nor<\/em> i wanted to go shopping.<\/p>\n

if you see one of these in a sentence, check to make sure the other half is present, as well! keep a list of two-part idioms you encounter in your studies and review them whenever practice!
\n <\/p>\n

idioms with prepositions<\/h2>\n

the second way that the act will test idioms is when they involve prepositions. a preposition is a word that typically describes location. many phrases in english are only constructed correctly when used with certain prepositions. these idioms also take recognition and practice to master! here is a list of some of the most common:<\/p>\n