Vocab in Context: The Basics

Some SAT questions pull a word out of a short paragraph and leave a blank. Here is the good news: you do not have to already know the word. The paragraph tells you what belongs there.

Every one of these paragraphs contains a clue — the part that explains or describes the blank. It usually sits right after a colon or semicolon, or in the sentence next door. Read the clue, then say the answer in your own everyday words. Then find the choice that means about the same thing.

One shortcut helps a lot: before you look at the choices, decide whether the blank needs a good word or a bad word. Just a plus or a minus in your head. That alone rules out about half the options most of the time.

Also watch the little signal words. But, however, although, and yet mean the next part turns the opposite direction. Because, since, and for example mean the next part goes the same direction and usually explains.