Glossary
Analyze Sentences
A strategy for determining word meaning by carefully examining the words and phrases surrounding the unfamiliar term.
Example:
To understand 'ephemeral,' you might analyze sentences like 'The beauty of the cherry blossoms is ephemeral, lasting only a few days,' to grasp its fleeting nature.
Antonyms (Context Clue)
A type of context clue where the text uses a word or phrase with an opposite meaning to the unfamiliar word, showing what it is not.
Example:
Unlike his gregarious brother, who loved parties, John was quite solitary, using an antonym to highlight the meaning of 'gregarious'.
Author's Purpose (Question Type)
A common SAT question type that asks why an author chose specific words, phrases, or structured a passage in a particular way.
Example:
An author's purpose question might ask, 'Why does the author use such vivid imagery in describing the storm?'
Cause-Effect (Context Clue)
A type of context clue where the text shows a relationship between an action or event and its result, helping to infer a word's meaning.
Example:
Because of the torrential rain, the streets quickly flooded, indicating that 'torrential' describes a heavy downpour through a cause-effect relationship.
Connotation
The emotional, cultural, or associative meanings attached to a word, which can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Example:
While 'home' denotes a dwelling, its connotation often includes feelings of warmth, comfort, and belonging.
Connotations Can Be (Positive, Negative, Neutral)
The understanding that the emotional associations of words can fall into categories of favorable, unfavorable, or unbiased feelings.
Example:
The word 'childish' often has a negative connotation, while 'childlike' can have a positive or neutral one, showing how connotations can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Context Clues
Hints within a text that help a reader determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word or phrase.
Example:
When you encounter a new word, look for surrounding words or phrases that act as context clues to reveal its meaning.
Definitions (Context Clue)
A type of context clue where the text directly states or explains the meaning of a word.
Example:
The passage stated, 'The ubiquitous smartphone, meaning it is found everywhere, has transformed communication,' providing a direct definition clue.
Denotation
The literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotional or cultural associations.
Example:
The denotation of 'home' is simply a place where one lives.
Diction
A writer's intentional choice of words, which significantly influences the tone, style, and meaning of a text.
Example:
The author's formal diction, using words like 'commence' instead of 'start,' created a serious and academic tone.
Evaluate Overall Context
A strategy that involves considering the meaning of the entire passage or paragraph to choose the most appropriate definition for a word.
Example:
After reading a paragraph about a character's sadness, you would evaluate the overall context to confirm that 'somber' means gloomy, not just dark in color.
Examine Sentence Role
A strategy that involves identifying how a word functions within a sentence (e.g., as a subject, object, or modifier) to better understand its meaning.
Example:
When encountering 'flourish,' you might examine its sentence role to see if it's a verb (to grow well) or a noun (a dramatic gesture).
Examples (Context Clue)
A type of context clue where the text provides illustrations or instances that clarify the meaning of a word.
Example:
The text mentioned, 'The arboreal creatures, such as monkeys and sloths, spend their lives in trees,' using examples to define the term.
Figurative Language
Language that uses figures of speech, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, to create imagery and deeper meaning beyond the literal.
Example:
The phrase 'her smile was a ray of sunshine' is an example of figurative language, specifically a metaphor, to convey warmth and brightness.
Inference (Question Type)
A common SAT question type that requires test-takers to draw a conclusion or make an educated guess based on evidence and reasoning from the text, often involving connotations.
Example:
An inference question might ask, 'Based on the author's word choice, what can be inferred about their attitude towards the subject?'
Language Style
The distinctive way a writer uses language, which can be formal, informal, technical, or colloquial, shaping the overall feel of the text.
Example:
The academic paper used a formal language style, while the blog post adopted a more informal and conversational approach.
Part of Speech
The grammatical category of a word (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb), which can help narrow down its meaning in context.
Example:
Knowing that 'run' can be a verb (to move quickly) or a noun (a score in baseball) based on its part of speech is crucial for understanding its use.
Punctuation (Context Clue)
Marks like commas, dashes, or parentheses that can set off definitions, explanations, or examples of an unfamiliar word.
Example:
The scientist studied bioluminescence—the emission of light by living organisms—where the dashes serve as a punctuation clue.
Repetition
The intentional recurrence of words, phrases, or ideas for emphasis, rhythm, or to create a particular effect.
Example:
The speaker's repetition of 'We must act now!' underscored the urgency of their message.
Sentence Variety
The practice of using different sentence structures (simple, compound, complex) and lengths to maintain reader engagement and improve flow.
Example:
A paragraph with strong sentence variety might include a short, impactful statement followed by a longer, more descriptive sentence.
Similar Denotations, Different Connotations
Words that share the same literal meaning but evoke distinct emotional or cultural associations.
Example:
'Thin,' 'slim,' and 'scrawny' have similar denotations related to low body fat, but 'slim' has a positive connotation, while 'scrawny' is negative.
Synonyms (Context Clue)
A type of context clue where the text uses a word or phrase with a similar meaning to the unfamiliar word.
Example:
The author wrote, 'Her garrulous, or talkative, nature often led to long conversations,' employing a synonym to explain 'garrulous'.
Tone
The writer's attitude toward the subject matter or audience, conveyed through word choice, sentence structure, and other literary elements.
Example:
The sarcastic tone of the article was evident in its exaggerated praise for the flawed policy.
Transitions
Words or phrases (e.g., 'however,' 'moreover,' 'in contrast') that connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, clarifying relationships between them.
Example:
Using the transition 'consequently' helped the reader understand the cause-and-effect relationship between the two sentences.
Vivid Language
The use of strong verbs, precise nouns, and descriptive adjectives to create clear, engaging, and sensory images for the reader.
Example:
Instead of 'he walked,' the writer used vivid language like 'he trudged through the knee-deep snow,' painting a clearer picture.
Vocabulary in Context (Question Type)
A common SAT question type that asks test-takers to determine the meaning of a specific word as it is used within a given passage.
Example:
A vocabulary in context question might ask, 'What does 'luminous' most nearly mean in line 15?' requiring you to use surrounding clues.
Word Choice for Impact
The deliberate selection of specific words to evoke emotions, create imagery, convey complex ideas, or achieve a particular effect on the reader.
Example:
The author's word choice for impact, using 'shattered' instead of 'broken,' emphasized the severity of the damage.
Word Parts
Components of words, such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots, that can provide clues to a word's overall meaning.
Example:
Understanding that 'un-' means 'not' and 'aud-' relates to 'hear' helps deduce that 'inaudible' means 'not able to be heard' by analyzing its word parts.