Vocabulary Advice and Other Pointers for the New SAT (2016)—Reading, Writing and Language, and Essay
- Words-in-Context questions often test your ability to know second meanings of words, not the most obvious definition.
- Know the definitions of these words for reading passages that pertain to Natural and Social Science: hypothesis, empirical, central claim, counterclaim, hypothetical, irreconcilable, context, consensus, fundamental, yield, emphasize, elaborate, underscore, undermine, detrimental, optimistic, incongruous, enumerate, tentative, analogy, analogous, approximation, innate, underlying assumption, haphazard, adept.
- Know the definitions of these words for reading passages that pertain to Historical Documents: subordinate, station, peculiar, sarcastic, degrade, entrenched, tenacious, dominion, revere, disparity, antagonism, repudiate, advocate, discredited, populist.
- Know the definitions of these words for passages from American and World Literature: earnest, indifferent, diligent, dismissive, arrant, flush, vitality, despondent, mar, solemn.
- Know frequently confused words: A part/apart, access/excess, adhere/cohere, adverse/averse, persecute/prosecute, undertake/overtake, than/then, afflict/inflict, allude/elude, ambivalent/ambiguous, anecdote/antidote, appraise/apprise, censor/censure, cite/site, collaborate/corroborate, concede/confess, descent/dissent, disinterested/uninterested, dramatic/expressive, elicit/illicit, eminent/imminent, enrage/exacerbate, exhaust/fatigue, exhaustive/exhausting, formally/formerly, hole/whole, implicit/complicit, ingenious/ingenuous, interdependent/interpersonal, lay/lie, precede/proceed, use to/used to (always choose "used to")
- Know relational meanings of common Transitions: Continue—and, also, furthermore, in addition, moreover, for example, for instance, that is, in fact, indeed, likewise, similarly, next, then, subsequently, finally, ultimately. Cause-and-Effect—accordingly, as a result, as, as such, because, consequently, since, so, thereby, thus, therefore, to this end. Reverse—alternately, alternatively, although, though, but, conversely, despite, even so, even though, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, meanwhile, nevertheless, otherwise, on the contrary, on the other hand, rather, still, whereas, while, yet.
The essay requires you to analyze an argumentative text in which the author uses a variety of persuasive devices, such as:
- Providing facts and statistics
- Addressing a counterargument
- Recalling a Personal Anecdote
- Citing Respected Authorities
- Appealing to the Reader's Emotions (pathos)
- Appealing to the Reader's Logic (logos)
- Appealing to the Reader's Ability to Recognize Credibility of Writer (ethos)
- Crafting a Logical Argument
- Descriptive Language/Imagery
- Tone/Mood
- Connotation of Words
- Specific Diction
- Rhetorical Questions
- Allusions
- Empirical Evidence
How to Write an Excellent Essay
- An overall sense of cohesiveness
- A precise central claim
- A skillful introduction and conclusion
- A highly efficient progression of ideas
- A wide variety of sentence structures
- A consistent use of precise word choices
- Pointing out very specifically the effectiveness of a persuasive device (quote or paraphrase—words and phrases; at most, a sentence).
- Providing specific evidence (quotes or paraphrase) of writer's effective argument and elaborating why the text you refer to skillfully adds to the author's argument
What to Avoid
On the SAT Essay, the author will express a strong central claim. Your job is to analyze how the author builds his/her argument. Your job is NOT to inject your personal opinions into your essay. Avoid using the word "I." Assume the argument is a well-written persuasive text and prove this in your essay.
Good Essay Words: alleviate, assert(ion), audacious, buttress, bolster, cogent, convey, credibility, discerning, eminent, empathy, enumerate, evenhanded, evoke, elicit, idealistic, imperative, pertinent, pivotal, poignant, pragmatic, prudent, ramifications, reaffirm, recount, skeptical, substantiate, vicarious
(Information in this post was excerpted and adapted from SAT Vocabulary: A New Approach by Krieger and Meltzer.)