ACT Prep Most Commonly Misused Words

Adverse

• detrimental

• disinclined

• airplane

• not using a verb or preposition

Averse

• detrimental

• disinclined

• airplane

• not using a verb or preposition

appraise

• ascertain the value of

• to inform

• to tell a person they have done well

• to raise a metal bar to eye level

apprise

• ascertain the value of

• to inform

• to tell a person they have done well

• to raise a metal bar to eye level

credible

• believable

• gullible

• something beyond belief

• something you can eat

credulous

• believable

• gullible

• something beyond belief

• something you can eat

Criteria

• is the plural, not the singular of criterion, such as in: These are important criteria

• is the plural, not the singular of criterion, such as in: This is important criteria

• is the singular, not the plural of criterion, such as in: This are important criteria

• is the singular, not the plural of criterion, such as in: This is important criteria

depreciate

• decrease in value

• to disparage

• remove the top layer

• not appreciate the value of something

deprecate

• decrease in value

• to disparage, regard or represent as being of little worth

• remove the top layer

• not appreciate the value of something

Dichotomy means two mutually exclusive alternatives

• and does not mean difference or discrepancy

• and does mean difference or discrepancy

• and does mean similar views

• and does not mean independent events