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ACT English: when two choices are correct, pick the shorter one

ACTEnglish

The tip

On ACT English, if two answers are both grammatically correct and say the same thing, the shorter one is almost always right. Watch for words that repeat an idea, like 'each and every' or 'return back.'

Try it

Our robotics team met every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 PM in the afternoon to test the new arm design. Which choice is best for the underlined portion 'at 3:30 PM in the afternoon'?

  • ANO CHANGE
  • Bat 3:30 PM in the afternoon time
  • Cat 3:30 PM
  • Dat the time of 3:30 PM in the afternoon
Reveal answer

Answer: C. at 3:30 PM

'Afternoon' already appears earlier in the sentence and 'PM' already means afternoon, so 'in the afternoon' is redundant. 'At 3:30 PM' is concise and complete.

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