Effective Language Use
Choose the most effective words and phrases to improve clarity, style, tone, and syntax in SAT Writing passages.
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Effective Language Use on the SAT
What the SAT Tests
The SAT Writing section tests your ability to choose words and phrases that:
- Are precise — say exactly what is meant
- Are concise — avoid unnecessary words
- Are appropriate in style and tone
- Are effective in achieving the author's purpose
Precision: Choosing the Right Word
The right word expresses the exact intended meaning with no ambiguity.
Example:
- Weak: "The scientist got good results."
- Better: "The scientist obtained promising results."
- Best: "The scientist achieved statistically significant results."
Strategy
Ask: Does this word convey EXACTLY what the author means? Is there a more specific word?
Conciseness: Eliminating Wordiness
The SAT strongly prefers the shortest answer that preserves the full meaning.
Common Wordy Phrases → Concise Alternatives
| Wordy | Concise | |---|---| | in order to | to | | due to the fact that | because | | at this point in time | now / currently | | in the event that | if | | for the purpose of | to / for | | has the ability to | can | | it is important to note that | (just state the fact) | | the reason is because | because | | in spite of the fact that | although / despite | | a large number of | many | | in close proximity to | near | | on a daily basis | daily | | in the near future | soon |
Red Flags for Wordiness
If an answer choice is significantly longer than the others, it's probably wrong (unless the others have grammatical errors).
Style and Tone
The answer must match the passage's overall style and tone.
- Formal passage → Use formal language (not slang)
- Scientific passage → Use precise, technical terms
- Narrative passage → Use vivid, descriptive language
- Argumentative passage → Use convincing, measured language
Examples
- Too informal for an academic passage: "The results were really awesome."
- Appropriate: "The results were remarkably significant."
Syntax: Sentence Variety
Good writing uses a MIX of sentence types:
- Simple sentences for emphasis
- Complex sentences for nuance
- Short sentences after long ones for impact
The SAT may test whether a revision improves sentence variety and flow.
Rhetorical Effectiveness
Some questions ask which revision best accomplishes a specific purpose:
- "Which choice most effectively sets up the information that follows?"
- "Which choice best maintains the tone of the passage?"
Strategy
- Read the question's purpose CAREFULLY
- Evaluate each choice against that specific purpose
- Choose the one that best serves the stated goal
Common SAT Mistakes
- Choosing the "fanciest" word — precision beats complexity
- Adding unnecessary detail — more words ≠ better writing
- Mismatching tone — casual words in formal passages
- Ignoring redundancy — "free gift" (gifts are already free)
- Overlooking the shorter answer — conciseness is key
📚 Practice Problems
1Problem 1easy
❓ Question:
Which is most concise? (A) "She has the ability to speak three languages." (B) "She is able to speak three languages." (C) "She can speak three languages." (D) "She possesses the ability to speak three languages."
💡 Show Solution
Evaluate each option for conciseness:
(A) "has the ability to" — 6 words for what can be said in 1 ❌ (B) "is able to" — 3 words, still wordy ❌ (C) "can" — 1 word, clear, complete meaning ✅ BEST (D) "possesses the ability to" — 5 words, most verbose ❌
All four convey THE SAME meaning. The shortest one that preserves meaning wins.
Answer: (C) "She can speak three languages."
SAT Rule: When all choices have the same meaning, choose the shortest.
2Problem 2medium
❓ Question:
In a formal scientific passage, which word best replaces "got"? "The researchers got data from 500 participants." (A) got (B) obtained (C) grabbed (D) scored
💡 Show Solution
Evaluate tone and precision:
(A) "got" — too informal for a scientific passage ❌ (B) "obtained" — formal, precise, appropriate for scientific writing ✅ (C) "grabbed" — too casual/physical, implies snatching ❌ (D) "scored" — informal, more appropriate for sports or games ❌
Answer: (B) "obtained"
"Got" is almost always replaced on the SAT because it's vague and informal. Better alternatives:
- got (received) → obtained, acquired
- got (understood) → comprehended, grasped
- got (became) → became, grew
- got (arrived) → arrived, reached
3Problem 3medium
❓ Question:
Identify the redundancy and fix it: "The biography tells the story of her past life history."
💡 Show Solution
Redundancies found:
- "biography" already means "the story of a life" → "tells the story" is redundant
- "past" and "history" are redundant (history is inherently about the past)
- "life history" is redundant with "biography"
The sentence essentially says: "The story-of-a-life tells the story of her past-events-of-the-past."
Fix: "The biography chronicles her life." ✅ Or: "The biography details her life." ✅
Answer: Remove "past" and restructure to eliminate the triple redundancy.
Common SAT redundancies to watch for:
- "past history" (history IS the past)
- "free gift" (gifts ARE free)
- "completely finished" (finished IS complete)
- "advance planning" (planning IS in advance)
- "end result" (a result IS the end)
- "repeat again" (repeat means to do again)
- "true facts" (facts ARE true)
4Problem 4hard
❓ Question:
A passage about a community garden project ends: "The garden has become a place where neighbors meet." Which revision most effectively concludes the passage by emphasizing the garden's impact? (A) NO CHANGE (B) "The garden has transformed empty lots into productive spaces." (C) "The garden has become a vibrant community hub, fostering connections that extend far beyond its borders." (D) "The garden is nice."
💡 Show Solution
The question asks which "most effectively concludes by emphasizing impact":
(A) "a place where neighbors meet" — Fine but generic, doesn't emphasize broader impact ❌
(B) "transformed empty lots into productive spaces" — Describes physical change, not community impact ❌
(C) "a vibrant community hub, fostering connections that extend far beyond its borders" — ✅
- "Vibrant community hub" = emphasizes community impact
- "Fostering connections" = shows the garden creates relationships
- "Extend far beyond its borders" = emphasizes wider, lasting impact
- This best accomplishes the question's goal
(D) "The garden is nice" — Too vague, too simple, no detail about impact ❌
Answer: (C) — it most strongly emphasizes the garden's impact on the community.
Strategy for "most effectively" questions:
- Identify what the question asks you to accomplish
- Evaluate each choice ONLY against that criterion
- The answer with the strongest connection to the stated purpose wins
5Problem 5expert
❓ Question:
A passage argues that standardized testing should be reformed. The underlined sentence reads: "Tests should be changed in some ways." Which revision most effectively supports the author's argument? (A) NO CHANGE (B) "The current testing system has problems that need to be fixed." (C) "Standardized assessments should incorporate performance-based tasks and portfolio reviews to measure a broader range of student competencies." (D) "Something should definitely be done about testing soon."
💡 Show Solution
Evaluate each against "most effectively supports the argument":
(A) "Tests should be changed in some ways" — Extremely vague. What tests? What ways? Provides no substance. ❌
(B) "The current testing system has problems that need to be fixed" — Better than (A) but still vague. What problems? What fixes? ❌
(C) "Standardized assessments should incorporate performance-based tasks and portfolio reviews to measure a broader range of student competencies" — ✅
- Specific proposals (performance-based tasks, portfolio reviews)
- Clear purpose (measure broader competencies)
- Precise language matching the passage's formal tone
- Actually advances the argument with concrete ideas
(D) "Something should definitely be done about testing soon" — Even vaguer than (A). "Something" and "definitely" add no meaning. ❌
Answer: (C) — it provides specific, concrete support for the reform argument.
SAT Principle: Effective writing is SPECIFIC. Vague language like "some ways," "things," "stuff," or "something" weakens an argument. Choose the answer with concrete details.