Effective Language Use (SAT Writing)

What is Effective Language?

The right word for the context

Consider:

• Precision: Exact, specific meaning
• Clarity: Easy to understand
• Style: Appropriate tone and formality
• Economy: Not wordy or redundant

Precision in Word Choice

Specific vs. Vague

Vague words: General, unclear Specific words: Exact, clear

Examples:

Vague → Specific:

• "good" → "excellent," "beneficial," "skillful"
• "bad" → "harmful," "ineffective," "detrimental"
• "thing" → specific noun
• "very" → often unnecessary or weak

Wrong Word

Similar-sounding words with different meanings

Common confusions:

Accept vs. Except

• Accept = receive/agree to
• Except = excluding

Affect vs. Effect

• Affect = verb (to influence)
• Effect = noun (result)
• (Exception: "effect change" = cause)

Allusion vs. Illusion

• Allusion = reference
• Illusion = false perception

Complement vs. Compliment

• Complement = complete/enhance
• Compliment = praise

Ensure vs. Insure

• Ensure = make certain
• Insure = protect financially

Imply vs. Infer

• Imply = suggest (speaker does)
• Infer = conclude (listener does)

Principal vs. Principle

• Principal = main/head person
• Principle = rule/belief

Than vs. Then

• Than = comparison
• Then = time sequence

Tone and Style

Formal vs. Informal

SAT prefers formal/academic tone

Too informal: ❌ "The scientist was super confused." ✓ "The scientist was perplexed."

❌ "They messed up the experiment." ✓ "They conducted the experiment incorrectly."

Consistency in Style

Match the passage's tone

If passage is formal → choose formal words If passage is technical → choose technical terms

Avoid Slang and Colloquialisms

Don't use:

• "a lot" → "many" or "much"
• "kind of" → "somewhat" or delete
• "sort of" → "somewhat" or delete
• "got" → "obtained," "received," "became"
• "kids" → "children"

Connotation

Positive, Negative, or Neutral?

Same basic meaning, different feelings

Positive → Neutral → Negative:

• Slender → Thin → Skinny
• Confident → Certain → Arrogant
• Persistent → Determined → Stubborn
• Economical → Cheap → Stingy
• Youthful → Young → Immature

Choose word matching passage tone!

Commonly Confused Words

Their / There / They're

Their: Possessive (belonging to them)

• "Their book is blue."

There: Location or placeholder

• "Put it there."
• "There is a problem."

They're: Contraction (they are)

• "They're coming soon."

Your / You're

Your: Possessive (belonging to you)

• "Your car is red."

You're: Contraction (you are)

• "You're welcome."

Its / It's

Its: Possessive (belonging to it)

• "The dog wagged its tail."

It's: Contraction (it is)

• "It's raining."

To / Too / Two

To: Direction or infinitive

• "Go to the store."
• "I want to run."

Too: Also or excessive

• "Me too!"
• "Too hot."

Two: Number 2

• "Two cats."

Lie / Lay

Lie: Recline (no object)

• "I lie down." (present)
• "I lay down." (past)
• "I have lain down." (past participle)

Lay: Put/place (requires object)

• "I lay the book down." (present)
• "I laid the book down." (past)
• "I have laid the book down." (past participle)

Idioms

Correct Preposition Use

Common SAT idioms:

• Ability to (not "of")
• Agree with (person) / on (issue)
• Angry with (person) / about (thing)
• Consistent with
• Different from (not "than")
• Independent of
• Native to
• Potential for
• Prohibit from
• Regard as
• Responsible for
• Similar to
• Superior to

Unnecessary Intensifiers

Weak Words to Avoid

"Very" Often adds nothing → delete or use stronger word

❌ "very big" → ✓ "enormous" ❌ "very small" → ✓ "tiny" ❌ "very good" → ✓ "excellent"

"Really," "Quite," "Extremely" Similar issue - often unnecessary

Context-Appropriate Vocabulary

Match the Field

Scientific passage: Use technical terms accurately Historical passage: Use period-appropriate language Literary passage: May allow more figurative language

Don't Be Too Fancy

SAT doesn't reward obscure vocabulary

Clear and precise > unnecessarily complex

❌ "utilize" → ✓ "use" (usually) ❌ "endeavor" → ✓ "try" (in most contexts)

SAT Question Types

Type 1: Word Choice

"Which choice most effectively establishes...?"

Look for: Word that best fits meaning and tone

Type 2: Wrong Word

Underlined word seems wrong

Check: Is this the right word for context?

Type 3: Style/Tone

"Which maintains the style of the passage?"

Match: Formal/informal, technical/general

SAT Strategies

Read for Context

What is the passage about? What tone?

Check Each Word Carefully

Does this word mean what the sentence needs?

Sound It Out

"Their" vs "They're" - say full words to check

Look for Common Errors

Affect/effect, accept/except, etc.

Match the Tone

Formal passage = formal word choice

Eliminate Clearly Wrong

Obviously too informal or too formal?

SAT Tips

• Precision matters: Choose exact word for meaning
• Watch similar words: affect/effect, accept/except, ensure/insure
• Formal tone on SAT (avoid slang, contractions in formal writing)
• Connotation: positive/negative/neutral must match context
• Their/there/they're: Most common error on SAT!
• Its/it's: Possessive vs contraction
• Your/you're: Possessive vs contraction
• Lie/lay: Lie = recline (no object); Lay = place (needs object)
• Idioms: Check prepositions (different FROM not THAN)
• "Very" is weak: Often unnecessary or use stronger word
• Match passage tone: Formal passage = formal words
• Clear > complex: Don't use fancy words unnecessarily
• Sound it out: "They're" = "they are" - does it work?
• Imply vs infer: Speaker implies, listener infers