SAT Verbal sections terms & vocabulary: Difference between revisions
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* note that "merely" is different from "a little," "a few" or "few" | * note that "merely" is different from "a little," "a few" or "few" | ||
''' nevertheless''' (adv.) | '''methodology''' | ||
'''nevertheless''' (adv.) | |||
*= "yes, but..." | *= "yes, but..." | ||
* used to accept a prior argument or statement, then deflect, negate, or contradict it. | * used to accept a prior argument or statement, then deflect, negate, or contradict it. | ||
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* v: to make unclear, to conceal | * v: to make unclear, to conceal | ||
* adj: unclear, uncertain, dark, remote | * adj: unclear, uncertain, dark, remote | ||
'''positing''' | |||
* present participle adjective used in the SAT to create participle a phrase indicating | |||
'''postulate''' (v or n) | '''postulate''' (v or n) | ||
Revision as of 22:54, 29 October 2024
Terms and definitions useful for answer questions on the SAT Reading and Writing sections.
These lists are mostly taken from the College Board Digital SAT practice tests 1-4 (linear versions), but are also informed by prior SAT paper tests.
Key SAT vocabulary and terms to know[edit | edit source]
Effective test-taking requires full comprehension of the questions themselves.
Some key terms that will show up in test questions or passages include:
agency (n)
- a medium, method, or abilty to do something
ambiguous (adj.)
- unclear, no distinction between things, options or alternatives
- from ambi- for "both", "two or more", "wandering"
- "ambiguity" is a state of indecision, lack of clarity
ambivalence (n.)
- unconcern with a situation or choice
- state of not caring between options
ameliorate (v)
- to make better
analysis (n.)
- detailed examination to determine the features or parts of something or some idea
- analysis separates the whole into the components (parts)
- analysis wants to know "how" something works, etc., whereas, "evaluation" seeks its overall worth or value
anomaly (n)
- not normal, a deviation from what is usual or expected
- note, the adverb anomalously (with deviation) is not to be confused with "anonymously" (without being identified)
antecedent
- what comes before, as a prior event or condition (not necessarily a cause)
assert / assertion
- assert (v): to make a claim
- assertion (n): a claim
augment[edit | edit source]
bias (n), biased/ unbiased (adj)
- bias= prejudicial, opiniated, having a prior opinion
- unbaised = not having or not from an opinion
characterize (v.)
- to generalize regarding the distinctive nature or key features of someone/something
- to state in a general sense, categorize according to core features
complementary (adj)
- com- = with + plere "to fill"
- so fulfilling, coming together
- a "complement" goes with the other
- "complementary" agrees, aligns, or goes with
control (n.)
- an element in an experiment that does not change
- as opposed to the "variable," which does change
- note that in the SAT these words will be used to evaluate experiments or studies
some of which have faults because of faulty "controls" or unclear or multiple "variables"
concede (v.)
- to admit, yield, or accept
- used on SAT as in "to accept for the sake of the argument"
context, contextual(n, adj)
- in relation to a situation or place
- literally "with" (con-) "what is woven together" (text)
- "text" comes from the Latin texere for "to weave, what is woven"
- words and situations have "context"
conventional (n)
- that which is common, or expected (from "convene" for together)
- conventional wisdom = what is commonly thought of as true
correlate (v.)
- to connect, to relate
- correlated means "related to but not directly"
- also, corollary" (n.) is a parallel or connected proposition or situation
credulous
- to believe too readily
- as opposed to incredulous
critical (adj.)
- important, of an emergency situation
- analytical, investigated thoughtfully
- also, negative, inclined to judgement
derogatory (adj)
- negative in aspect
- putting down or diminishing of
- syn: disparaging
discount (n or v)
- v: to lessen in worth, value or importance
- n: below or less than normal price;
- n: in finance, a fee taken as interest or other transaction charges
disparate (adj)
- dis- (not) pare (each, other)
- i.e. not the same, distinct
diverge (v)
- to move in a different direction, usually in terms of two or more things separating from one another
- divergent (adj) = going in different directions; away from one another
earnest (adj)
- sincere or serious in intent or belief
- honestly trying hard
evaluate
- to measure, assess, determine value or significance of
- "evaluate" deals with holistic (overall) understanding, whereas "analysis" deals with detailed, dissected understanding
hierarchy, hierarchical (n., adv.)
- an organization or system of ranking
- levels of importance, authority or significance
- classification
hypothetical, hypothetically (n., adv.)
- = an estimate, theory
- or, an idea or situation that is not real but could be
- used to test a "hypothesis" or theoretical prediction or observation that has not been tested in reality
- SAT Reading section uses it frequently for inference questions
- i.e., "Given the hypothetical condition, then..." = "if this were true, then..."
incongruent (adj), incongruence (n), incongruity (n)
- incompatible, not in union, not going together
innocuous (adj)
- not harmful, not injurious (causing harm)
irony (n)
- the opposite of what it seems or means on the surface/literally;
ironic (adj)
- something that is or appears to be the opposite of what would be expected or appears as
mandatory (adj)
- required
merely (adj.)
- = "only"
- the SAT frequently measures student comprehension of this word
- note that "merely" is different from "a little," "a few" or "few"
methodology
nevertheless (adv.)
- = "yes, but..."
- used to accept a prior argument or statement, then deflect, negate, or contradict it.
- for Reading section, transition words mark important statements an author wants to make or emphasize
novel (adj.)
- new, unusual
- different from what is common
- note that as a noun, "a novel" is a popular genre (form) of fiction
- novels are called "novel" because the genre was "novel" (new) when it was introduced in the 19th century)
nuance (n.)
- small or subtle difference(s); fine distinction
- implies careful, close understanding, as opposed to broad generalizations or unspecific distinctions
- "nuanced" (past participle adjective) means a carefully considered, thoughtful distinction
obscure (v, adj)
- v: to make unclear, to conceal
- adj: unclear, uncertain, dark, remote
positing
- present participle adjective used in the SAT to create participle a phrase indicating
postulate (v or n)
- verb: to theorize or hypothesize' to put forth a proposition, usually based on logic
- noun: a hypothesis or proposal, usually based on logic
proponent (n)
- one who supports or favors something; an advocate
relevant (adj)
- related, in context to
- "associated with", "connected to", "important for"
- "matters" (as in, "what matters" = "what is relevant")
- antonym: irrelevant (not related, not in context)
sanction (v or n)
- verb: 1) to require or give approval to; or 2) to impose a penalty upon
- noun: a rule or decree, usually in the form of a penalty
satirical (adj)
- making fun of, ridiculing
skeptical, skeptic (adj., noun)
- = doubtful, uncertain of, seeing as unproven
- a "skeptic" is one who doubts or questions the veracity of something
- on the SAT, the word "skeptical" may be used to indicate a perspective of doubt
- ex., if the question asks, "Scholars are skeptical of the idea that people would behave that way"
- = scholars doubt people would behave that way
- i.e., use "backwards thought" or "inversion" to make sense of the question
standard (n.)
- a baseline measurement
- what is common or commonly accepted
structure (n.)
- the arrangement of an organization or object
- esp. in terms of the inter-relationship of its parts and underlying elements
synopsis (n)
- a brief summary of a written work
tenuous (adj)
- not firm, weak, "drawn out" & thus weakened
tone (n.) as in "author tone"
- "author's tone" or "passage's tone'" refers to the "feeling" or "atmosphere" of a passage
- different "tones" may include:
- academic, authoritative, definitive
- character study, psychological
- detailed, descriptive
- informal, conversational
- journalistic, reporting
- light-hearted, amusing, cheerful
- narrative (story-telling)
- satirical, comedic, ironic
Inversion phrases[edit | edit source]
- it is by no means
- would not agree with
- skeptical about
- have mixed feelings
- inversely correlates with
Other terms to know[edit | edit source]
Historical terms[edit | edit source]
Transition words (conjunctive adverbs)[edit | edit source]
Homophones[edit | edit source]
ad, add
affect v effect
assure v. ensure
bare, bear
cite, site, sight
complement, compliment
ensure, insure
it's, its
past, passed
principal, principle
prey, pray
their, there, they're
to, too, two
waist, waste
weather, whether
whose, who's
your, you're
Digital SAT Vocabulary terms from official practice tests 1-4 (2023)[edit | edit source]
Words taken from Vocabulary questions (selected not inclusive of all):
abrupt
adhere
ambivalence
antagonistic
atypical
biased / unbiased
buttress
catastrophic
characterization
circumvent
collaboration
commercialization
coincidental
concede
conceptualize
conform
contrive
conviction
critical
delegate
discern / discernable
disconcerting
disengage
disorienting
disparate
diverge
diverse
dynamic
eclipse
elusive
evaluate
exemplify
fabricate
foretell
grapple
haphazard
imminent
impartial / impartiality
imperceptible
improvise
inadequate
inconclusive
incongruity
indecipherable
indifference
inexplicable
infallible
innocuous
interjected
intricate
intriguing
invalidate
inventive
irrelevant
latent
localized
lucrative
mandatory
mimic
moderate / moderation
mystifying
neglect
novel
nuanced
obscure
off-hand
operative
ornamental
overshadowed
paucity
peripheral
persistent
predatory
predetermined
prescribed
presume
profusion (of)
proponent
quarrel
recant
reciprocate
refute
renounce
renunciation
replicable
repudiate
repudiate
resilient
restrained
satisfactory
secretive
skeptical
speculate
strenuously
substantial
substantial
succumb
surmise
synchronize
synchronize
tedious
tenuous
underestimate
underscore
unobtrusive
validated
verisimilitude
waive
zealous
Digital SAT Vocabulary terms used in passages (general vocab)[edit | edit source]
ablation (in science)
adaptation
ambient
analysis
annotate
apparatus
artifact
artifact
artificial
assess / assessment
assume
attribute (noun and verb)
bias / biased
capitalize
clinch
collaborate/ collaboration
concede/ concession
conceptual
confer
conflicted
conformed / conforming
conjecture
contaminate
contemporary
contrived
convention/s
conventional
conversely
correlate
corrugation(s)
criteria
cultivate
cultivate / cultivation
curator
deference
depleted
disparage / disparagement
disparate
disparity / disparaties
disperse
disposed/ disposition
diverge / divergence
diverse
diverse
divert
dormant
downplay / downplaying
elaborate
ensured
equivalent
evocative
exasperate / exasperated
factors
fallible
fanciful
fluctuate / fluctuation
foliage
forge / forged
fragile
fragment
genre
germinate / germination
implement (verb)
incorporate
indigenous
inexplicable
infrequent
inordinate
institution
languish
legitimate / legitimacy / legitimately
macro-/ micro-
memoir
memoir(s)
methodology
miniscule
mitigate
momentous
monitor
narrative (usually "historical narrative)
nominal
obstinate
obtuse
orientation (usually, "political orientation")
percolate
precarious
prevalent
profuse
quilt (verb)
reciprocate
relevant
replicable
revelation
revenue
saturated
standard
sturdy/ sturdily
stylistic
substantial
substantially
substantiate / substantiated
subtle
subtle
susceptible
symbolic
synchronized
synthesis / synthesize
tender
unprecedented
unsympathetic
validate / validated
volition