Word Choice on the SAT

Word Choice on the SAT

Stay away from picking informal or casual language.

• Make sure your choice fits the TONE of the passage. (The tone is usually FORMAL)

• Informal language is regular, everyday communication often used among friends or family.

• If an answer choice sounds like something you might say among your friends but not in a more formal or academic setting, it’s probably NOT a safe bet to choose as the right answer.

Multiple Choice

A recent study comparing projected results of fare-free policies in different cities found this outlook to be way too sunny.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) looking too much on the bright side.

• C) pretty upbeat.

• D) overly optimistic

Multiple Choice

Forward-thinking employers recognize the importance of investing in the employees they have rather than hiring new staff when the skills of current workers get old and worn out.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) are no good anymore.

• C) become obsolete.

• D) have lost their charm.

Multiple Choice

Tired from the 20 mile hike, Yasmine retired to her tent and snoozed.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) hit the sack.

• C) slept.

• D) dozed off.

Multiple Choice

A recently passed law requires that public transportation meet new safety standards, forcing state governments to foot the bill for the construction of new railroads.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. pick up the tab

• C. pay

• D.shell out

Multiple Choice

After hammering away through great suffering and adversity, he hero returns as a new person with greater power and self-understanding.

• A. NO CHANGE

• B. hanging tough

• C. persevering

• D. sticking it out

Avoid extreme or exaggerated language.

• Do not pick answer choices with strong language or “fancy” words.

• These choices may sound attractive, but they are usually misleading and trying to lure you into picking the wrong answer. .

• You will almost always find an answer choice with the same meaning stated more plainly, or simply.

Multiple Choice

The employees put forth a plan to cut spending by fifty percent but their boss rejected their audacious scheme.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) brash industrial action.

• C) bold proposal.

• D) spirited counsel.

Multiple Choice

Over time, what began as an idealization of knightly conduct during the crusades of the 11th and 12th centuries developed into a complex system of ethics governing a knight's behavior.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) persisted

• C) transmogrified

• D) substituted

Multiple Choice

In general, chivalry refers to any man who could spare enough change to arm himself and ride his own horse into battle

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) afford

• accumulate the assets

• bear the expenses

Multiple Choice

The knight was supposed to be loyal to his lord, courageous in his defense, and a wise advisor.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) savvy person

• C) perspicacious sage

• D) clever master mind

Avoid ambiguous or vague language

• avoid using words like

• stuff, things, matters

• people, it, s/he they

• this, these, those, that

Multiple Choice

A 2014 study by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden found that car traffic in Tallinn was down less than 3 percent since it was enacted.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) that

• C) one

• D) the policy

Multiple Choice

Despite the growing technical expertise among younger generations, trivial computer issues still need to be addresses; for example, leaving them on for too long can cause battery drainage.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) computers

• C) it

• D) this

Wordiness is usually not your best option.

• Look out for repetitive or redundant answer choices.

• The SAT prefers conciseness (KEEP it SHORT) when it comes to grammar, so the correct answers tend to get the point across in the fewest words possible.

Multiple Choice

In anticipation of Black Friday, store owners are making sure they have a wide variety of products in stock.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) items for customers

• C) stuff to sell

• D) things that can be purchased

Multiple Choice

The security company's services are being exited in the short term so that its password algorithms can be reset or strengthened.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) winding down in the interim

• C) ceasing operations non-permanently

• D) shutting down temporarily

Multiple Choice

At that depth, water pressure suppresses the explosive force of the volcano’s eruptions, allowing scientists to watch and observe them up close via

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) watch

• C) observe to see

• D) visually watch

Multiple Choice

This means that the water near NW Rota-1 is more acidic than that of stomach acid, presenting yet another challenge to life-forms living nearby.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) those of stomach

• C) the acid from stomach

• D) stomach

Watch out for commonly confused words

• The English language is filled with words that sound exactly alike but have different meanings. Some of these words are homophones, but others are simply words that are easily mixed up.

• If your vocabulary isn’t particularly strong, you may experience difficulties with questions on commonly confused words.

• Practice these words on QUIZLET

• Top 5 are affect/effect; adverse/ averse/accept/ except; conscious/ conscience; eminent/imminent

Eminent vs. Imminent

• Eminent: distinguished; important

  - Many people stood in line, seeking to meet the eminent author.

• Imminent: about to happen

  - We could tell that the storm was imminent because we could see that there were storm clouds in the sky.

• 
  

• 
  

Affect vs. Effect

• Affect: (v) to influence

  - Her decision was affected by her parents' opinion.

• Effect: (n) a result or consequence

  - Littering has a negative effect on the cleanliness of our environment.

Conscious vs. Conscience

• Conscious: aware, aware

  - When people are in a coma, they are not conscious.

• Conscience: ethics; principles; morals

  - His conscience told him to do the right thing.

Multiple Choice

Some studies have also found that students who do community service are more likely to volunteer as adults, and thus effect society positively over the course of many years.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) affect

• C) effecting

• D) affects

Multiple Choice

Ketchup is a better compliment to french fries then mustard.

• A) NO CHANGE

• B) compliment to french fries than

• C) complement to french fries then

• D) complement to french fries than