SAT Verbal sections terms & vocabulary
Terms and definitions useful for answer questions on the SAT Reading and Writing sections.
Vocabulary and terms for Reading Questions[edit | edit source]
Effective test-taking requires full comprehension of the questions themselves.
Some terms that will show up in test questions include:
- critical
- important, emergency situation
- analytical, investigated thoughtfully
- hypothetical/ hypothetically
- = 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..."
- merely
- = "only"
- the SAT frequently measures student comprehension of this word
- note that "merely" is different from "a little," "a few" or "few"
- nevertheless
- = "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
- skeptical
- = 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
- ex., if the question asks, "Scholars are skeptical of the idea that people would behave that way"
- tone
- "author's tone" or "passage's tone'" refers to the "feeling" or "atmosphere" of a passage
- different "tones" may include:
- informal, conversational
- detailed, descriptive
- character study, pyschological
- light-hearted, amusing, cheerful
- satirical, comedic
- authoritative, academic, definitive
- journalistic
Historical terms to know[edit | edit source]
Transition word definitions (conjunctive adverbs)
- it is useful to know a "translation" or ready synonym for transition words so that they are clear when assessing possible answers
- see this entry:Transition words translations
Digital SAT Vocabulary from official practice tests (2023)[edit | edit source]
abrupt adhere annotate assume atypical buttress capitalize commercialize/ commercialization conflicted conform/ conformity contrive / contrived deference discern/ discernable disconcerting disengage disparage/ disparagement disparate diverge diverse dynamic eclipse elusive exasperate / exasperated fallible fluctuate / fluctuation forge / forged fragment grapple imminent impartial/ impartiality indecipherable indifference inexplicable infallible innocuous inordinate interject intriguing inventive latent lucrative mandatory mimic momentous nominal novel nuance/ nuanced obscure obstinate obtuse operative ornamental paucity peripheral predatory prescribe presume profuse/ profusion of proponent quarrel quilt (verb) recant reciprocate renounce repudiate resilient speculate substantial substantiate/ substantiated succumb surmise synchronize/ synchronization tedious tenuous underscore unobtrusive unprecedented validate/validated verisimilitude
Homophones & homonyms[edit | edit source]
assure v. ensure
prey v. pray
affect v effect