01 SAT Prep Class Vocab Writing Grammar

8/11/2019 01 SAT Prep Class Vocab Writing Grammar

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Ms. B’s SAT Prep for Critical Reading/Writing 2

ordeal

orthodox

outstrip

overture

pact

pall

pamper

paradox

parasite parch

partial

patronize

pedestrian

peevish

pelt

pending

pension

perjury

perpendicular

persist

piecemeal

plague

poised postscript

potential

prefix

prescribe

presume

preview

prior

procure

proficient

prominent

prudent

puny

quaintquench

quest

quibble

radiant

random

rant

ratify

recompense

regal regime

reinforce

reluctant

remnant

renovatereputable

resist

résumé

retard

revere

rite

rupture

rural

saga

sagacious

salvo

scrimp

scurry

seclusion

seethe

shirk

simultaneoussinge

snare

sodden

spirited

stalemate

status

stifle

stodgy

subscribe

subsistence

substantial

sullen

surplus

suspenseswerve

synonym

tactful

tamper

timidity

transcribe

transmit

transparent

trickle

trivial

truce

turmoil

ultimateuncertainty

unique

unscathed

upright

utmost

vanquish

vengeance

verify

veto

vicious

vigilant

vindictive

virtualvital

void

wan

wayward

wilt

wince

wrath

yearn

8th

Grade abashed

abdicate

abut

abyss

accord

acme

adages

adaptaghast

allot

aloof

amass

ample

amplify

anguish

annul

antics

apparition

appease

apt

armistice

arrogantarticulate

assert

attest

attire

attribute

audacious

avail

avowed

awry

banter

barter

bask

befall belated

belittled

bestow

bland

blasé

bludgeon

bolster

bonanza

bountiful

calamitous

capacious

capitulate

causticchafe

churlish

citadel

cite

collaborate

comply

congested

conventional

convey

cower

crony

crucial

crusade

cryptic

curt

decoy

decreedeface

defect

defile

delve

deplore

detriment

devised

devoid

dexterous

dire

disarming

disclaim

discordant

disdaindisgruntled

divergent

doctrine

dovetail

dregs

durable

elite

embargo

embody

encroached

endow

engross

enmityenormity

ensue

entail

enterprising

epitaph

epoch

estranged

ethical

evolve

exasperate

excerpt

excise

exoticfacetious

fallacy

falter

fend

ferret

fervent

fiasco

finesse




flaunt

foreboding

forlorn

forthright

frivolous

frugal

gallantry

garnish

gauntgenial

gingerly

glut

grapple

gratify

grope

habituate

haggard

haughty

heritage

hover

impart

impediment

impendingimperative

impunity

inaudible

incapacitate

incognito

indiscriminate

inert

infiltrate

infinite

instigate

instill

intrigue

invalidateirascible

jaunty

jostle

judicious

juncture

jurisdiction

kindred

laggard

legendary

levity

loiter

longevity

maimmalinger

mediate

mendicant

menial

mercenary

mien

milieu

minimize

muster

myriad

naïve

nauseate

negate

negligent

niche

nonentity

nullifyoblique

obliterate

oblivion

obsess

opus

ornate

ostracize

oust

outlandish

overbearing

pallid

parable

parry

penal perceptible

personable

perspective

pert

pertinent

perturb

peruse

pithy

pivotal

plaudits

plausible

plebian

plummet plunder

porous

preclude

predatory

predominant

premonition

proclaim

prodigal

prodigious

prodigy

promontory

prone

proximity proxy

pseudonym

pulverized

purge

qualm

quirk

ramshackle

rankle

ransack

rational

ravage

recipient

reciprocal

recluse

recourse

regale

rehabilitatedrelevant

renown

repercussion

residue

resolute

retentive

revert

rote

rubble

rue

ruse

scapegoat

scavenger

scoffsequel

servile

shiftless

simper

skittish

solicitous

solvent

staid

stance

steadfast

stint

stoical

stricturesustain

taint

tawdry

tedious

teem

tenet

tether

tractable

transition

trepidation

turncoat

unassuming

unflaggingungainly

unison

upbraid

vaunted

veer

vendor

veneer

venerate

veritable

vexes

vie

vigil

vilify

vitality

volatile

voracious

waifwallow

wanton

waver

whimsical

willful

wrangle

wry




9th

grade

abase

abridge

abscond

abstention

access

accomplice

actuateadept

adherent

adieu

ad infinitum

adjourn

admonish

advent

adversity

alien

altercation

analogy

anarchy

annex

annihilateapex

apportion

appreciable

arbitrary

arduous

aspect

aspire

assimilate

assurance

asylum

atone

auspicious

autocraticauxiliary

aversion

avert

biased

blanch

blasphemy

bleak

bogus

bona fide

bondage

boorish

brawny

brazen breach

brevity

brigand

brunt

buoyant

candid

catalyst

cherubic

chide

circumspect

cleave

clique

combatant

comely

commandeer

compensate

componentcomport

composite

compulsion

concede

concerted

concise

condone

congenial

connotation

conspicuous

console

containerize

contend

converselyconversion

cordial

cornerstone

credible

cubicle

cumbersome

daunt

deadlock

debacle

debris

defray

demure

deposedepreciation

despicable

detainee

detention

deteriorate

devitalize

diffuse

dilate

dilemma

diligent

diminutive

disentangle

dispeldisposition

dissent

dissolute

diverse

divert

divulge

doleful

dormant

dross

drudgery

dubious

dwindle

efface

emancipate

embroil

eminent

enlightenedenvoy

erratic

erroneous

escalate

exodus

exonerate

exorbitant

exorcise

expedient

expel

exploit

expulsion

extemporaneous

fabricatefacilitate

fated

feign

feint

flair

flippant

fodder

forestall

fortify

garble

ghastly

glib

grievoushamper

haphazard

harangue

harry

heterogeneous

hew

hoodwink

horde

humane

illegible

illustrious

immunity

impairimpel

impenitent

impose

impoverished

improvise

impulsive

inanimate

incessant

incinerate

incite

incorrigible

incredulous

influx

inscribe

institute

interim

interposeintolerable

intrepid

intricate

introspection

inundate

invert

invincible

irate

irreverent

jeer

juxtapose

knave

laborious

languidlarceny

latent

legion

liability

liberality

lithe

lofty

lucid

lucrative

malign

maltreat

marauder

meandermediocre

metropolis

migration

militant

mire

momentous

monologue

morose

muddle

obesity

obstreperous

obtrusive

opaqueopinionated

pallor

paramount

pauper

pedigree

pensive

perceive

perennial




perilous

perspicacious

pertain

pertinacity

perverse

pilfer

plaintiff

pliant

pompous ponder

posthumous

prattle

preamble

precipice

precipitous

predispose

prelude

preposterous

prim

probe

profuse

prognosis

proliferate proponent

propulsion

prospective

prospectus

protract

pugnacious

pulsate

quarry

quaver

rabid

rancid

rasping

realmrebut

recoil

reconcile

recoup

rectify

reek

rejuvenate

relentless

relinquish

remunerate

render

repellent

repositoryreprieve

reprimand

repugnant

repulse

respective

retinue

retrospect

reversion

revile

rift

rivulet

rugged

rustic

salvage

sardonic

scuttle

semblanceservitude

sever

shackle

shoddy

skeptical

slapdash

slipshod

sordid

sparse

spasmodic

specter

speculate

sprightly

spurious spurnsquander

staccato

stagnant

statute

sterling

subjugate

subterfuge

subversive

succumb

sully

superfluous

superimpose

supplantsurly

surmount

sustenance

synthetic

tantalize

taunt

temperate

tenacious

tenor

tenure

terminate

terse

threadbaretirade

transpose

trite

unbridled

unflinching

untenable

usurp

vagrant

venomous

venture

versatile

version

vertigo

vindicate

wane

warp

wily

10th

Grade

adulterate

abhor

abjure

abrasive

accede

acclimate

acquiesceacrid

adroit

adversary

affiliated

alacrity

alienate

alleviate

allocate

allude

allure

altruistic

ambidextrous

amend

amicableanimosity

antipathy

antithesis

apathy

appall

applicable

apprehensive

ardent

artifice

ascertain

askew

assent

assetassiduous

attainment

augment

august

averse

bellicose

belligerent

benefactor

benevolent

bequeath

bereft

beset

blithe brandish

brash

buffet

callous

capricious

chagrin

chaos

chastise




chivalrous

clairvoyant

clandestine

clemency

coerce

cogent

commend

commodious

compassioncompatible

complacent

comprise

compunction

conclusive

concur

condolence

conflagration

consecrate

contentious

converge

copious

corrosive

covetcraven

crestfallen

culinary

cursory

dearth

decorum

decrepit

defamation

deft

delete

demise

deploy

deridedestitute

deviate

diffident

discern

discrepancy

disheveled

disparage

disperse

disreputable

dissonant

dour

droll

duplicityduress

edict

elated

elucidate

emaciated

embark

endemic

esteem

exemplary

exhilarate

explicate

explicit

exponent

expunge

extant

extirpate

extolexuberant

exult

facile

facsimile

fallow

fathom

feasible

finite

fortitude

fracas

gape

garrulous

gibe

gnarledgrimace

grotesque

guile

guise

harass

holocaust

imbibe

impervious

impetus

implacable

implicate

inclement

indelibleindemnity

indomitable

indulgent

infallible

infinitesimal

ingenuous

inkling

innocuous

inopportune

insidious

insuperable

integrity

interintimation

inveterate

invulnerable

ironic

irrelevant

itinerary

jeopardy

lamentable

laud

limpid

loll

loquacious

magnanimous

malevolent

mandatory

martinet

meticulousmilitate

misconstrue

misnomer

multifarious

muse

musty

negligible

nocturnal

nonchalant

nondescript

nostalgia

obnoxious

obsolete

obviateofficious

ominous

omnipotent

omniscient

omnivorous

opulent

palatable

panacea

pandemonium

parsimonious

patent

perpetuate

phlegmatic pinnacle

placate

placid

plagiarism

platitude

pliable

plod

poignant

potent

precedence

premeditated

pretext

profess protrude

prowess

pungent

punitive

quandary

quell

quiescent

quintessence

rampant

rancor

raucous

recalcitrant

receptive

redress

reiterate

remiss

renegaderenounce

repose

reprehensible

repress

reprisal

rescind

respite

reticent

retribution

retrogress

revel

ruminate

savory

scrupulousscrutinize

sedate

sinuous

skulk

sojourn

solace

somber

somnolent

sonorous

sophomoric

spontaneous

squalid

starkstately

stentorian

stipulate

stolid

stultify

suave

supercilious

superficial

supple

suppress

tacit

tangible

temeritytentative

tepid

trenchant

truculent

turbulent

ultimatum

uncanny

unfeigned




unkempt

urbane

vanguard

vehement

venal

venial

verbatim

virulent

vivaciousvociferous

voluble

voluminous

waive

warily

wastrel

whet

zealous

11th

Grade

abate

abduction

abet

abominateabsolve

abstemious

academy

accede

accentuate

accessory

accrue

acculturation

Achilles’ heel

acrimonious

adamant

addendum

adulationadventitious

affable

aggrandize

aggressive

akimbo

alma mater

alter ego

ameliorate

amenable

amnesty

amorphous

analogy

anathemaannotation

anomalous

antediluvian

aplomb

approbation

aqueduct

arbiter

archetype

as rich as croesus

ascribe

aspersion

assay

assuage

astute

atlas

aura

austereautonomy

avarice

avatar

aver

axiomatic

bedlam

belie

beneficent

berate

bizarre

blatant

blazon

bombastic

bookworm bovine

brickbat

broach

brouhaha

brusque

bulwark

bumptious

bunkum

buttress

cachet

cadaverous

cadge

cajolecallow

caricature

carnage

carousal

castigate

casus belli

cavalier

caveat

censurable

cessation

checkmate

choleric

circuitousclangor

cloys

coalition

collate

colloquial

cologne

commiserate

concession

concoct

conducive

conduit

congress

connoisseur

consternation

contiguous

continent

contrabandcontrive

corpulent

corroborate

covert

crass

credulous

criterion

culpable

cupidity

curtail

debase

debonair

decadence

deceasededuce

deferential

definitive

deleterious

demagogue

demeanor

denizen

deplete

desecrate

desist

digress

dilatory

disabusedisavow

disconcert

disconsolate

discursive

dismal

dispassionate

disquisition

disseminate

dissention

dissipate

dither

donnybrook

dowdydrivel

ductile

dun

efficacious

egalitarian

egregious

egress

élan

elicit

elliptical

encumber

enhance

enigmatic

enjoin

ennui

enthrall

epitomeequable

equanimity

equate

equidistant

equilibrium

equipoise

equitable

equivocate

evanescent

exhort

ex officio

expatiate

expedite

expiateexpostulate

expurgate

extenuate

extraneous

extrapolate

extricate

extrude

exude

ferment

fetter

figurative

figurehead

filchflorid

flout

foist

foment

forbearance

fortuitous

fractious

frog in one’s throat

gallivant

galvanize

gauche

gauntlet

get one’s goat gist

go to the dogs

gossamer

gradient

gradualism

grandiose

gratuitous

grisly




hackneyed

hector

heinous

herculean

heresy

heuristic

hiatus

homograph

hortatoryhumbug

hyperbole

hypothetical

ignoble

immemorial

immutable

impassive

imperious

implicit

impound

impromptu

impugn

inadvertent

inauspiciousinception

incisive

inconsequential

incontrovertible

inculcate

induction

inequality

infer

infirmity

infraction

infringe

ingratitude

inimicaliniquitous

innuendo

inquest

inquisitive

inquisition

inquisitive

inroad

inscrutable

insular

insurgent

intemperate

intercede

interloperintrinsic

invective

inveigh

irresolute

irrevocable

jaded

jejune

lassitude

leave no stone unturned

legerdemain

limerick

literal

lurid

magniloquent

marathon

mausoleum

mawkishmecca

megalomania

mentor

meritorious

metaphor

metaphysics

millennium

mitigate

modicum

modus operandi

mogul

mollify

motley

munificentnebulous

nomenclature

nominal

noncommittal

nonplussed

novice

obdurate

occult

odium

odyssey

oligarchy

onus

opportuneorotund

osprey

ossify

ostensible

ostentatious

palpable

paragon

paraphrase

parlay

peculate

pedestal

penury

perceptive perfidy

permeate

pernicious

persona non grata

personification

petulant

pillage

politic

potpourri

prate

precedence

precept

precipitate

precocious

predecessor

predilection

preeminent preen

prerequisite

prerogative

presentiment

pretentious

prima facie

pro tempore

proclivity

procrastinate

profligate

prognosticate

prolific

propagate

propensity proprietary

prosaic

protagonist

providential

provincial

provocative

pun

punctilious

quail

querulous

query

raffish

recapitulaterecession

recondite

red herring

redoubtable

redundant

regress

reinstate

rejoinder

relegate

remit

remonstrate

reprobate

reproverepudiate

requisite

requisition

resilient

restitution

resurgence

resuscitate

retrench

retrograde

reverberate

rhetoric

sacred cow

sadistic

salient

salutary

sanctimonious

sangfroidsartorial

satiate

scathing

scintillating

scourge

scurrilous

sear

sedentary

seditious

sedulous

sententious

sepulchral

shanks’ mare

similesimulate

sinecure

skew

skullduggery

slang

sleazy

slovenly

soporific

Spartan

specious

spate

spawn

squeamishstalwart

stanch

status quo

stipend

straitlaced

stringent

subservient

succinct

supplicate

supposition

surfeit

surmise

surreptitioussusceptible

sybaritic

symbiotic

tenuous

thwart

torpid

tortuous

traduce




transcend

transgress

transient

transpire

turgid

ulterior

umbrage

unctuous

untoward

unwieldy

upshot

vantage

vapid

varnish

verbose

viaduct

vicarious

vitriolic

vouchsafe

vulnerable

wheedle

white elephant

winsome




A

WORD L IST

aberration (noun) Deviation from what is correct or right.

abeyance (noun) Suspension of an activity; postponement.

abstemious (adjective) Sparing in use of food or drink; moderate.

abstruse (adjective) Concealed; difficult to comprehend; obscure

accolade (noun) Embrace; award; commendation.

acerbic (adjective) Bitter; harsh; caustic.

acrimonious (adjective) Sarcastic; caustic; angry; mordant. Noun: acrimony

acuity (noun) Sharpness; acuteness; keenness

acute (adjective) 1. Perceptive 2. Excruciating.

adept (adjective) Proficient; masterful; expert.

adherent (noun) Believer; supporter; devotee.

adjunct (noun) 1. Attachment; appendage 2. Subordinate or auxiliary capacity.

admonish (verb) Caution; reprove mildly; reprimand

adroit (adjective) Dexterous; proficient; skillful

adulation (noun) Excessive flattery; adoration; idolization.

adulterate (verb) Make impure or inferior by adding improper ingredients; contaminate; pollute.

advocate (verb) 1. Argue for a cause; defend 2. Support; uphold.

aesthete (noun) Person who cultivates beauty or art; connoisseur.

aggrandize (verb) Make more powerful; amplify; increase.

alacrity (noun) Eagerness; zeal; speed

altruistic (adjective) Concerned about the general welfare of others; charitable; generous

ambivalence (noun) Uncertainty; doubt; indecisiveness.

ambulatory (adjective) Able to walk; not stationary.

ameliorate (verb) Make better; improve

amiable (adjective) Cordial; of pleasant disposition; friendly.

amorphous (adjective) Without structure; shapeless; nebulous.

animate (verb) Energize; enliven.

anomaly (noun) Abnormality; deviation from the general rule; irregularity.

antediluvian (adjective) Ancient; antiquated; obsolete.

antipathy (noun) Feeling of opposition or repugnance; a version; dislike.

apathy (noun) Lack of concern, emotion or interest; indifference.

aperture (noun) Gap; opening; orifice.

apocryphal (adjective) False; unauthenticated; disputed.




apotheosis (noun) 1. Essence; epitome. 2. Canonization.

appease (verb) Satisfy; make peace; placate.

approbatory (adjective) Expressing approval.

arable (adjective) Suitable for cultivation or plowing.

arrogant (adjective) Feeling superior to other people; egotistical.

ascetic (adjective) Strict; austere.

assuage (verb) Ease; make less burdensome; mitigate.

atrophy (verb) Waste away from lack of use; degenerate.

audacity (noun) Boldness or adventurousness; gall.

authoritarian (noun) 1. Person who acts like a dictator; tyrant. 2. Disciplinarian.

avarice (noun) Extreme desire for wealth; greed; acquisitiveness.

aviary (noun) Large enclosure confining birds.

avouch (verb) Guarantee; take responsibility for; affirm.

avow (verb) Affirm; assert; declare; acknowledge.

baleful (adjective) Sorrowful; sinister; evil.

balm (noun) Soothing ointment for pain or healing; salve.

banal (adjective) Trite; insipid; ordinary.

bane (noun) Deadly affliction; curse; plague.

barbarity (noun) Cruel action; inhuman act; harsh conduct.

barren (adjective) 1. Infertile; impotent. 2. Arid; unproductive.

befuddle (verb) Stupefy or confuse; misconstrue.belated (adjective) Tardy; overdue.

beleaguer (verb) Besiege; surround.

belittle (verb) Humiliate; tease; diminish in importance.

bemoan (verb) 1. Experience pain or distress. 2. Express pity for; mourn.

bemused (adjective) Preoccupied by thought; bewilder; perplexed.

bilk (verb) Defraud; deceive; hoodwink.

blandishment (noun) Cajolery; enticement.

bliss (noun) Gaiety; happiness; enjoyment.blithe (adjective) Happy; pleased; delightful.

boisterous (adjective) Noisy; loud; violent; rowdy.

boorish (adjective) Ill-mannered; rude; gauche.

brevity (noun) Briefness; succinctness; terseness.

broach (verb) Introduce; bring up; mention.

B




browbeat (verb) Intimidate; harass; dominate.

bungle (verb) Botch; mismanage; spoil.

buttress (noun) Truss; foundation; support.

cacophonous (adjective) Discordant; dissident; harsh.

callow (adjective) Inexperienced; immature; naïve.

candid (adjective) Frank; blunt; open.

carouse (verb) Drink to excess; live it up.

cease (verb) Stop; end; halt.

celerity (noun) Swift motion; speed; alacrity.

censorious (adjective) Critical; attacking; denouncing.

charlatan (noun) Fraud; person claiming knowledge he/she does not have; humbug; fake; hustler.

chary (adjective) Careful; cautious.chasten (verb) Castigate; punish; reprove.

cherubic (adjective) Sweet; kind; innocent.

chimerical (adjective) Fanciful; whimsical; playful. Noun: chimera

chronic (adjective) Compulsive; typical; habitual; inveterate.

churlish (adjective) Selfish; rancorous; surly.

circuitous (adjective) Indirect; roundabout; rambling.

clamor (noun) Loud noise or complaint; commotion; din.

clandestine (adjective) Furtive; surreptitious, secret.clemency (noun) Lenience; mercy compassion.

cloister (noun) Convent; monastery; religious place.

coagulate (verb) Congeal; curdle; clot.

coalesce (verb) Combine; incorporate; merge.

coddle (verb) Pamper; overindulge; baby; spoil.

coercion (noun) Intimidation; duress; force; compulsion.

cognate (adjective) Related by blood; having the same origin.

commensurate (adjective) Equal in measure; of the same duration or size.compile (verb) Collect data; accumulate; amass.

concomitant (adjective) Concurrent; attendant; occurring with something else.

concordance (noun) Agreement; treaty; accord.

confluence (noun) Nexus; union; meeting; conflux.

confound (verb) Perplex; baffle; confuse.

C




conglomerate (noun) Corporation; partnership; firm.

conjugal (adjective) Matrimonial; nuptial; marital.

constrict (verb) Squeeze; pinch; obstruct; block.

contentious (adjective) Argumentative; pugnacious; quarrelsome.

contrite (adjective) Penitent; apologetic; remorseful. Adj: contrite

conundrum (noun) Mystery; puzzle.

convoke (verb) Convene; assemble. Noun: convocation

copious (adjective) Plentiful; ample; profuse.

corpulence (noun) Stoutness; obesity.

coterie (noun) Small group of people who share interests and meet frequently.

crass (adjective) Vulgar, grossly ignorant; indelicate.

credulous (adjective) Gullible; unsuspecting; naïve.

cryptic (adjective) Enigmatic; obscure; secret; puzzling.

ctenoid (adjective) Comb-like; having narrow segments.cuboid (adjective) Having the shape of a cube.

cucullate (adjective) Hood-shaped.

curmudgeon (noun) Cantankerous person.

daub (verb) Blur; smear; spread.

dawdle (verb) Procrastinate; loiter; idle; dally.

dearth (noun) Paucity; shortage; deficiency.

debased (adjective) Lowered in status or character; degenerate.decipher (verb) Solve or figure out a puzzle; translate; untangle.

declivity (noun) Downward slope.

decorum (noun) Appropriate conduct; polite or proper behavior, protocol.

delectable (adjective) Delicious; delightful; savory.

deleterious (adjective) Destructive; poisonous; unhealthy.

delineate (verb) Describe; outline; depict.

delusion (noun) Untrue belief; hallucination; fallacy; misconception.

demagogue (noun) Incendiary; agitator; opportunist.denounce (verb) Reprove; accuse; condemn.

depravity (noun) Perverted disposition; wickedness; vileness; corruption.

deprecatory (adjective) Disapproving; belittling.

desecrate (verb) Contaminate; profane, defile.

desist (verb) Discontinue or stop; cease; renounce.

D




desolate (adjective) Alone; without hope or comfort; forsaken.

despoil (verb) Ravage; rob; loot.

despot (noun) Dictator; tyrant; totalitarian.

diatribe (noun) Extreme; bitter; and abusive speech; vituperation; tirade.

didactic (adjective) Pedantic; academic; for teaching.

diffidence (noun) Self-doubt; timidity; shyness.

dilatory (adjective) Lackadaisical; lazy; remiss.

diligent (adjective) Assiduous; studious; hard-working.

diminution (noun) Decrease; reduction.

disaffected (adjective) Disillusioned; dissatisfied; discontented.

disapprobation (noun) Dislike; reservation; denunciation.

disband (verb) Disperse; dissipate; scatter; dispel.

discontent (adjective) Unhappy; displeased; miserable.

discursive (adjective) Circuitous; digressive, rambling.dissemble (verb) Disguise; conceal; mask; camouflage.

dishearten (verb) Dismay; daunt; depress.

disinterment (noun) Exhumation; removal of a body from a grave.

disoblige (verb) Slight or offend.

disparage (verb) Deprecate; belittle or abuse.

dispassionate (adjective) Imperturbable; unemotional; calm; composed.

disputatious (adjective) Quarrelsome; contentious, argumentative.

dissension (noun) Conflict; disagreement; strife.dissonant (adjective) Cacophonous; inharmonious, discordant; strident.

dissuade (verb) Obstruct; hinder; deter.

distend (verb) Bloat; bulge; swell; stretch.

dither (noun) Commotion; turmoil.

divination (noun) Prediction; prophecy; forecast.

dolt (noun) Cretin; fool; dimwit; idiot.

dotard (noun) Senile person.

dubious (adjective) Irresolute; uncertain; moot.duplicity (noun) Cunning; fraud; trickery; deception.

edify (verb) Instruct; enlighten; educate.

efface (verb) Cancel; delete; obliterate.

effervescent (adjective) Lively; volatile.

E




effigy (noun) Mannequin; likeness; image.

effrontery (noun) Impudence; nerve; gall.

egregious (adjective) Flagrant; glaring; outrageous.

elegiac (adjective) Mournful; sorrowful; sad.

elucidate (verb) Interpret; define; clarify; explain.

emanate (verb) Radiate; flow from; emit.

emasculate (verb) Deprive of strength.

embroil (verb) Implicate; enmesh; involve.

emcee (noun) Master of ceremonies.

empathize (verb) Identify with; understand.

emulate (verb) Model; pattern.

enervate (verb) Exhaust or weaken; debilitate.

engender (verb) Generate; produce; cause.

enigmatic (adjective) Cryptic; baffling; mysterious. Noun: enigma

enmesh (verb) Tangle or involve.

ennui (noun) Dullness; boredom; monotony.

enthrall (verb) Mesmerize; captivate; thrill.

entrench (verb) Fortify; reinforce; secure.

ephemeral (adjective) Transitory; fleeting; passing; temporary.

epicure (noun) Person devoted to luxurious living; person with refined tastes.

epithet (noun) Word used to describe or characterize a person or thing.

equilibrium (noun) Balance; stability; poise.equivocate (verb) Prevaricate; dodge; evade; hedge.

erudition (noun) Learning; knowledge; enlightenment. Adj: erudite

escapade (noun) Adventurous conduct; unusual behavior.

esoteric (adjective) Confidential; personal; private; privileged.

espouse (verb) Embrace; defend; support.

ethereal (adjective) Incorporeal; intangible; airy.

eulogy (noun) Commendation; speech giving great tribute.

euphonic (adjective) Pertaining or agreeable to the ear.evanescent (adjective) Ephemeral; fading; brief.

exigent (adjective) Pressing; insistent; urgent.

exonerate (verb) Acquit; vindicate; free from responsibility.

exorcise (verb) Cast out evil spirits; expel demons.

expatriate (verb) Send into exile; renounce one’s own country.




expedite (verb) Speed up matters; accelerate; quicken.

expunge (verb) Obliterate; remove; erase; exterminate.

expurgate (verb) Remove erroneous or objectionable material; delete; edit.

extemporaneous (adjective) Spontaneous; impromptu.

extol (verb) Praise; laud; hail; glorify.

extradite (verb) Transfer a person to another jurisdiction for possible prosecution for an alleged offense.

extricate (verb) Remove; loosen; untie.

fallible (adjective) Faulty; imperfect.

fallow (adjective) Idle; dormant.

fastidious (adjective) Meticulous; exacting.

fathom (verb) Measure; discover; perceive.

fatuous (adjective) Ludicrous; inane; idiotic; silly.

fecund (adjective) Prolific; productive; fruitful.felicity (noun) Great happiness; bliss.

fetter (verb) Restrain; restrict; curb.

fetid (adjective) Possessing an offensive smell; malodorous; foul; gamey.

fickle (adjective) Capricious; erratic; spasmodic.

fledgling (noun) Young or inexperienced person; young bird.

flippant (adjective) Nonchalant; frivolous, superficial; light.

florid (adjective) Ornate, flushed with rosy color; ruddy.

flout (verb) Ridicule; scoff; mock; scorn.foible (noun) Frailty; imperfection; weakness.

forswear (verb) Repudiate; forsake; eschew.

fulsome (adjective) Loathsome; excessive.

fume (noun) Gas; vapor; harmful or irritating smoke.

furtive (adjective) Clandestine; secretive; surreptitious; covert.

gambol (verb) Play; frolic; romp.

garble (verb) Confuse; scramble; distort.garish (adjective) Gaudy; ostentatious; excessive.

garner (verb) Collect; receive; attain; acquire.

giddy (adjective) Scatterbrained; silly; frivolous.

goad (verb) Incite; pressure; irk; arouse; awaken.

grandiloquence (noun) Pompous or bombastic speech; lofty, swelling language.

F

G




grisly (adjective) Frightening; ghastly; gory; hideous.

grovel (verb) Act in a servile way; cringe; kneel.

guile (noun) Wiliness; deceit; cunning.

guzzle (verb) Gulp; swill; consume to excess.

hackneyed (adjective) Trite; common; overdone; banal.

haggle (verb) Dicker; barter; make a deal.

hallow (verb) Make holy; consecrate; sanctify.

hamper (verb) Hinder; frustrate; impede.

harbor (verb) Preserve; conceal; secure; shelter.

hardy (adjective) Stalwart; robust; sturdy.

haughty (adjective) Arrogant; disdainful; blatantly proud; contemptuous.

hearten (verb) Encourage; give strength.

hedge (verb) Enclose; surround; fence.hedonism (noun) Intemperance; self-indulgence; excess.

herald (verb) Announce; broadcast; report.

heretic (noun) Nihilist; infidel; radical; dissenter.

hiatus (noun) Interruption; pause; gap

hilarity (noun) Boisterous merriment; enjoyment.

histrionic (adjective) Pertaining to actors; melodramatic.

hoary (adjective) Frosted; grey; grizzled.

hyperbole (noun) Exaggeration; fanciful statement; enhancement.

iconoclasm (noun) Attack on religious values or symbols. Adj: iconoclastic

ignoramus (noun) Moron; fool; dimwit.

immutable (adjective) Incorruptible; enduring; unchanging.

impecunious (adjective) Poor; destitute; penniless.

imperturbable (adjective) Even-tempered; level-headed; calm.

impervious (adjective) Airtight; sealed; impenetrable.

impetuous (adjective) Hasty; rash; impulsive.impregnable (adjective) Invincible; invulnerable; unable to capture or enter.

impromptu (adjective) Makeshift; spontaneous.

improvident (adjective) Reckless; rash.

impugn (verb) Denounce; censor; attack.

inauspicious (adjective) Unfavorable.

H

I




inaudible (adjective) Faint; soft; hard to hear.

incipient (adjective) Embryonic; developing; in the beginning stages.

incisive (adjective) Perceptive: astute.

inclusive (adjective) All-encompassing; broad in scope; comprehensive.

incoherent (adjective) Illogical; inconsistent.

incongruous (adjective) Inconsistent; unsuitable; contradictory.

incorrigible (adjective) Unruly; delinquent; incapable of reform.

indecorous (adjective) Inappropriate; indelicate; unseemly.

indefatigable (adjective) Diligent; persistent; inexhaustible.

indenture (noun) Contract binding a person to work for another.

indolence (noun) Lethargy; idleness; sloth.

inebriation (noun) Drunkenness; intoxication.

ingenuous (adjective) Genuine; open; candid; frank.

inimical (adjective) Antagonistic; hurtful; harmful; adverse.innocuous (adjective) Dull; harmless; innocent.

inscrutable (adjective) Mysterious; perplexing.

insipid (adjective) Dull; banal; tasteless.

insolvent (adjective) Bankrupt; unable to pay debts.

intercede (adjective) Intervene; negotiate.

intonate (verb) Speak or utter with a particular tone.

intractable (adjective) Unruly; disobedient.

intrinsic (adjective) Inherent; natural; innate.inveigh (verb) Abuse; criticize; rebuke.

inveterate (adjective) Habitual; chronic.

irascible (adjective) Testy; touchy; irritable.

issue (verb) Discharge; emerge; emanate.

jettison (verb) Eliminate; discharge.

jollity (noun) Gaiety; merriment.

judicious (adjective) Logical; reasonable; clever. juncture (noun) Joint; seam; intersection; joining.

juxtapose (verb) Place side by side.

knotty (adjective) Snarled; tangled.

J

K

L




labyrinth (noun) Maze; network; puzzle.

lachrymose (adjective) Weepy; tearful.

laconic (adjective) Concise; terse; curt.

lamentation (noun) Complaint; moan.

lampoon (verb) Mock; ridicule.

languish (verb) Decline; diminish; weaken.

largess (noun) Charity; philanthropy; gift.

lassitude (noun) Fatigue; weariness; debility.

laudable (adjective) Commendable; admirable; exemplary.

laxity (noun) Carelessness; indifference. Adj: lax

lethargy (noun) Idleness; listlessness; passivity.

levity (noun) Lightness; frivolity.

linger (verb) Loiter; remain; hesitate.

lithe (adjective) Flexible; agile; mobile; bendable.loutish (adjective) Clumsy; idiotic; buffoon like.

ludicrous (adjective) Outlandish; silly; ridiculous.

lurid (adjective) Shockingly vivid; horrifying; sensational.

maladroit (adjective) Clumsy; unskilled.

malapropism (noun) Inappropriate or ludicrous use of a word.

malevolent (adjective) Venomous; spiteful; malignant.malinger (verb) Feign illness to escape work; shirk.

marred (adjective) Having blemishes; damaged; defaced.

maudlin (adjective) Overemotional; mushy.

meander (verb) Twist; bend; zigzag.

mendicant (noun) Almsman; beggar; leech; parasite.

meticulous (adjective) Precise; scrupulous; particular.

mettle (noun) Stamina; bravery; courage.

mince (verb) Chop; mitigate.mire (noun) Mud; slime; muck.

moribund (adjective) Failing; waning; ailing.

motley (adjective) Multicolored; spotted; mixed.

multifarious (adjective) Diverse; many-sided; multiple.

mundane (adjective) Boring; ordinary; typical; tedious.

M




pulchritude (noun) Beauty; physical appeal.

pulverize (verb) Grind; crush; smash.

quagmire (noun) Marsh; quicksand; swamp.

quandary (noun) Dilemma; fire; entanglement.

querulous (adjective) Difficult; testy; disagreeable.

quibble (verb) Argue or bicker.

quixotic (adjective) Romantic; whimsical; unrealistic.

rabid (adjective) Berserk; diseased; sick.

ramble (verb) Meander; roam

rancorous (adjective) Antagonistic; hostile; spiteful.

rarefy (verb) Make thin; purify; make less dense.

raucous (adjective) Harsh; annoying; piercing; shrill.raze (verb) Demolish; level; topple.

reactionary (adjective) Opposing progress; characterized by reaction.

recalcitrant (adjective) Headstrong; disobedient; stubborn.

recant (verb) Rescind; retract; take back.

reconciliation (noun) Settlement or resolution.

redundant (adjective) Excessive; repetitious; unnecessary.

refractory (adjective) Unmanageable; obstinate; not responsive to treatment.

refurbish (verb) Overhaul; remodel.regimen (noun) Administration; government; system.

remedial (adjective) Restorative; corrective; healing.

remuneration (noun) Compensation; wages.

rend (verb) Rip; tear; splinter.

reprobate (noun) Degenerate; person without morals.

repudiate (verb) Recant; disclaim; reject; disavow.

rescind (verb) Cancel; repeal; veto.

resilient (adjective) Elastic; stretchy; rebounding. resonant (adjective) Reverberant; ringing.

resplendent (adjective) Dazzling; glorious; intense.

restive (adjective) Nervous; restless; uneasy.

retrospection (noun) Contemplation of past things.

reverent (adjective) Devout; solemn; worshipful.

Q

R




ribald (adjective) Lewd; obscene; irreverent.

rudiment (noun) Beginning; foundation or source.

ruffian (noun) Brutal person; cruel and sadistic person.

ruminate (verb) Contemplate; think about.

saccharine (adjective) sugary; syrupy.

savant (noun) Intellectual; scholar; philosopher.

scanty (adjective) Meager; scarce.

scoff (verb) Mock; ridicule.

sequester (verb) Separate; isolate; segregate.

soporific (adjective) Hypnotic; lethargic; causing sleep.

spurious (adjective) Bogus; false.

spurn (verb) Defy; reject.

squalor (noun) 1. Severe poverty. 2. Filthiness.stratagem (noun) Plot; tactic; deception.

strident (adjective) Discordant; harsh; piercing.

strife (noun) Conflict; turmoil; struggle.

stultify (verb) Inhibit; make ineffective; cripple.

supercilious (adjective) Egotistic; proud; arrogant.

surfeit (noun) Overabundance; excess; surplus.

surly (adjective) Choleric; rude; sullen.

surreptitious (adjective) Covert; furtive; acquired by stealthy means.svelte (adjective) Graceful; slim.

sybarite (noun) Someone devoted to luxury; pleasure-seeker.

sycophant (noun) Flatterer.

taciturn (adjective) Reserved; shy; uncommunicative.

tantamount (adjective) Indistinguishable; equivalent.

taper (verb) Diminish; tin; narrow.tawdry (adjective) Gaudy; showy; loud.

temerity (noun) Rashness; audacity; recklessness.

tensile (adjective) Pertaining to tension; stretchable; ductile.

tenuous (adjective) Attenuated; flimsy; thin.

tirade (noun) Diatribe; angry speech.

S

T




torpor (noun) Lethargy; apathy; dormancy.

trepidation (noun) Anxiety; alarm; apprehension.

truant (adjective) Indolent; absent; idle.

turgid (adjective) Swollen; bombastic; distended.

turpitude (noun) Depravity; baseness; shamefulness.

undulate (verb) Move in a wavy manner.

unfathomable (adjective) Baffling; puzzling; incomprehensible.

unkempt (adjective) Uncombed; messy; untidy.

unscathed (adjective) Unhurt; uninjured.

unwieldy (adjective) Clumsy; awkward; unmanageable.

upbraid (verb) Rebuke; scold; criticize.

upshot (noun) Final result; conclusion; end.

vacillate (verb) Hedge; waver; fluctuate.

variegated (adjective) Multicolored; polychromatic; varied.

vehement (adjective) Fierce; emphatic; intense.

venerate (verb) Admire; show respect.

veracity (noun) Truth; sincerity; honesty; candor.

verbose (adjective) Wordy; talkative; profuse.

verdant (adjective) Lush; thick with vegetation; leafy.viable (adjective) Living; alive; feasible.

vigilance (noun) Attentiveness; prudence; care.

vilify (verb) Defame; denigrate.

virulent (adjective) Fatal; lethal; toxic.

vitriolic (adjective) Scathing; caustic.

vociferous (adjective) Clamorous; outspoken; noisy; vocal.

voluble (adjective) Verbose; wordy; garrulous.

voluminous (adjective) Huge; immense; bulky.voracious (adjective) 1. Enthusiastic; overly eager. 2. Starving.

vouchsafe (verb) Confer; grant; permit.

wan (adjective) Anemic; colorless; pale.

U

V

W




waver (verb) Totter; fluctuate.

whet (verb) Stimulate; sharpen; intensify.

wistful (adjective) Yearning; pensive; sad.

woe (noun) Anguish; grief; affliction.

writhe (verb) Squirm; twist.

zealot (noun) Fanatic; radical; enthusiast.

zenith (noun) Apex; summit; peak.

Z




Classic Reading List

Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women (1300); Little Men (1260); Jo’s Boys (1210)Austen, Jane. Emma (1080); Northanger Abbey ; Mansfield Park (1180); Persuasion (1120); Pride and Prejudice; Sense

and Sensibility (1180)Bagnold, Enid. National VelvetThe Bible

Blackmore, Richard D. Lorna Doone Boulle, Pierre. The Bridge on the River Kwai Bradbury, Ray. Dandelion Wine; The Illustrated Man; The Martian Chronicles; Fahrenheit 451 Buchan, John. The Thirty-Nine Steps Buck, Peal. The Good Earth

Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; Through the Looking Glass Cather, Willa. My Antonia; O Pioneers!Christie, Agatha. Mysteries

Clark, Walter. The Ox-Bow Incident Cooper, James Fenimore. The Deerslayer; The Last of the Mohicans Curie, Eve. Marie Curie: A Biography

Dana, Richard Henry. Two Years Before the Mast Day, Clarence. Life With Father Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe (1220); Moll Flanders (1390); Journal of the Plague Year (1420)Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol; A Tale of Two Cities; David Copperfield; Oliver Twist Douglas, Lloyd C. The Robe Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Dumas, Alexander. The Count of Monte Cristo; The Man in the Iron Mask; The Three Musketeers Du Maurier, Daphne. Rebecca; My Cousin Rachel Edmunds, Walter D. Drums Along the MohawkEliot, George. Silas Marner

Ferber, Edna. CimarronFitzgerald, F. Scott. This Side of Paradise; short stories

Forbes, Esther. Johnny TremainForester, C.S. The African Queen; The Horatio Hornblower seriesFrank, Anne. Diary of a Young Girl

Gallico, Paul. The Snow Goose Gunther, John. Death Be Not Proud Gutherie, A.B. The Big Sky

Haggard, H. Rider. King Solomon’s Mines Hamilton, Edith. Mythology

Hammet, Dashiell. The Maltese FalconHansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea; A Farewell to Arms; For Whom the Bell Tolls

Herriot, James. All Creatures Great and Small; All Things Bright and Beautiful; All Things Wise and Wonderful; The

Lord God Made Them All; Every Living ThingHersey, John. A Bell for Adano; Hiroshima; The Wall Heyerdahl, Thor. Kon-Tiki Hilton, James. Goodbye, Mr. Chips; Lost Horizon

Homer. The Iliad; The OdysseyHudson, W.H. Green MansionsHughes, Richard. A High Wind in Jamaica Hugo, Victor. The Hunchback of Notre Dam; Les Miserables Keller, Helen. The Story of My Life




Kennedy, John F. Profiles in CourageKipling, Rudyard. Kim

Knowles, John. A Separate PeaceLe Guin, Ursula K. Very Far Away from Anywhere Else

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird London, Jack. The Sea-Wolf; Call of the Wild Lord, Walter. A Night to Remember

Malory, Sir Thomas. Le Morte d’Art hurMaxwell, Gavin. Ring of Bright Water

McCullers, Carson. Member of the WeddingMichener, James. The Bridges at Toko-Ri Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With the Wind

Montgomery, L.M. The Anne of Green Gables series Nordhoff Charles and J.N. Hall. Mutiny on the Bounty

O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphin Orczy, Baroness Emma. The Scarlet Pimpernel

Paton, Alan. Cry, The Beloved County Pyle, Howard. Men of IronRand, Ayn. The Fountainhead; We the Living; Anthem; Atlas Shrugged

Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan. The Yearling

Rowling, J.K. the Harry Potter seriesRenault, Mary. The King Must Die Roberts, Kenneth. Northwest Passage Schafer, Jack. Shane

Scott, Sir Walter. Ivanhoe Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein

Smith, Mary. A Tree Grows in BrooklynSpeare, Elizabeth. The Witch of Blackbird Pond Spyri, Johanna. Heidi

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath, The Pearl; East of Eden Stevenson, Robert Lewis. The Black Arrow; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Kidnapped; Treasure Island

Stoker, Bran. Dracula

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit; The Lord of the RingsTwain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; The Adventure of Tom Sawyer; A Connecticut Yankee in King

Arthur’s Court; Innocents Abroad; Life on the Mississippi Verne, Jules. Around the World in Eighty Days; Journey to the Center of the Earth; Mysterious Island; 20,000 Leagues

Under the SeaWallace, Lewis. Ben-HurWashington, Booker T. Up from Slavery Wells, H.G. The Time Machine; War of the WorldsWharton, Edith. Ethan Frome; The House of Mirth

White, T. H. The Once and Future King; The Sword in the StoneWilder, Thornton. The Bridge of San Luis ReyWister, Owen. The Virginian

Wyss, Johann. The Swiss Family RobinsonYates, Elizabeth. Amos Fortune, Free Man

See also:http://www.petersons.com/education_planner/preparing_article.asp?sponsor=2859&articleName=College_Bound_Readin

g_List http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/23628.html

http://www.sms.org/books_co.htm

http://www.petersons.com/education_planner/preparing_article.asp?sponsor=2859&articleName=College_Bound_Reading_List



http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/23628.html











Spelling Challenges

acceptable

accidentally

accommodateacquire

acquit

a lotamateurapparent

argument

atheist believe

bellwether

calendar

categorycemetery

changeable

collectiblecolumn

committed

conscience

conscientiousconscious

consensus

daiquiridefinite(ly)

discipline

drunkenness

dumbbellembarrass(ment)

equipment

exhilarateexceedexistence

experience

fiery

foreign

gaugegrateful

guarantee

harassheighthierarchy

humorous

ignoranceimmediate

independent

indispensable

inoculateintelligence

its/it's

jewelry judgement

kernel (colonel)

leisure

liaisonlibrary

license

lightningmaintenance

maneuver

medieval

mementomillennium

miniature

minusculemischievousmisspell

neighbor

noticeable

occasionally

occurrence pastime

perseverance

personnel playwright possession

precede

principal/principle privilege

pronunciation

publicly

questionnairereceive/receipt

recommend

referredreference

relevant

restaurant

rhymerhythm

schedule

separatesergeant

supersede

their/they're/there

thresholdtwelfth

tyranny

untilvacuumweather

weird



30

Don’t state the obvious:

As I stated before, my grandfather has led a very interesting life and I intend to prove it to you

Should be:

My grandfather has led a very interesting life. (You can’t use “you,” remember?)

Don’t be wimpy or vague. Avoid “would be,” “might be,” etc. and use “is” or “are.”

Don’t begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOY). Be careful if you begin with a

subordinating conjunction that it is part of a complex sentence, not just a fragment.

Only use a semicolon/comma with an adverbial conjunctive IF you’re joining two clauses.

I want I better SAT score; therefore, I’m taking the prep class (compound sentence)

The solution, therefore, is to sacrifice nine mornings of summer. (simple transition)

Don’t EVER say, “The reason is because…” Use, “The reason is that…”

Don’t begin a sentence with, “There are…” It isn’t wrong; it’s just poor style.

Check your punctuation carefully:

1. Use apostrophes ONLY to show possession or contraction, NEVER PLURALS!

Bobby’s pen We’re going (= we are going) NEVER 3 pencil’s

2. In quotations, end punctuation (commas, periods, question marks, exclamation points) goes INSIDE the

end quotes:

“I know,” I said. I said, “Please come here.”

Nominative or Objective Case Pronouns, or what’s the difference between “I” and “me”?

1. Use “I” when it is the subject (doing the action) or predicate nominative (after linking verbs)

My friends and I went to the movies NOT My friends and I went to the movies

It was I who called (“was” is a liking verb) NOT It was me who called.

2. Use “me” when it is the direct and indirect object (after action verbs and prepositions).

She would exclude my friends and me NOT …exclude my friends and I.

A girl like me… NOT A girl like I…

3. Also, “I” and “me” ALWAYS come last in the series:



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Ms. B ’s Basic Grammar

(Or Things That Her Voice in Your Head Will Haunt You About For the Rest of Your Life)

The English language depends on words’ syntax, or order, for meaning. Everyone understands:

The quick fox jumped over the lazy dog

but the same words in a different order:

Dog the over fox jumped quick lazy the

make no sense.

The job a word does in a sentence is called its part of speech. One word can be several different parts of

speech depending on its position in a sentence and what it is doing.

The rose bloomed yesterday. Part of speech:___________________

The rose curtains look nice in the room. Part of speech:___________________

The cat rose and stretched. Part of speech:___________________

The four kinds of sentences are declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.

A. Declarative sentences make a statement.

B. Imperative sentences give a command. Remember that the understood subject is you.

C. Interrogative sentences ask questions. The usual word order may be inverted.

D.

Exclamatory sentences (guess what?) exclaim. Do NOT overuse these in your writing.

Every sentence in English MUST have a subject and a verb. The four sentence patterns you’ve studied are:

S-V S-V-O S-V-IO-O S-LV-C

Remember, subjects and objects are ALWAYS nouns or pronouns.

A phrase is a group of words working together, such as the verb and its auxiliaries, and prepositions,

infinitives, and gerunds and their objects

A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It can be independent or dependent. An independent

clause makes sense by itself; a dependent clause MUST be connected to an independent clause to make sense.

Dependent clauses can function as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

The eight parts of speech are interjections, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and

conjunctions.



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1. Interjections are just expressions of exclamation or feeling. They are not connected grammatically to the

rest of the sentence. They are followed by a comma or an exclamation point. Examples: Oh, rats! Sugar!

2. Nouns are people, places, things, or ideas. They are often preceded by the word the, a, or an, which are

called articles (a special kind of adjective; see below). Nouns can be concrete (something observable with

the senses) or abstract (something only thought of, such as an emotion or quality). Names of specific

people, places, and things are called proper nouns and are always capitalized.

Examples: teachers, school, desk, learning, Ms. Bailey-Orchard, Indiana Junior High, English

Nouns can function in the sentence as the subject (the thing DOING the action) or an object (something being

acted on). They are called predicate nominatives when they follow a linking verb because they are in the

predicate. Ask yourself, “What is the action? Who or what is doing this action?”

Example:

The dogs ran madly around the block. verb_____________ subject__________

My mother is planting new flowers. verb_____________ subject__________

Note: possessive nouns function as adjectives.

NEVER USE AN APOSTROPHE TO MAKE A NOUN PLURAL!!!

If you are referring to a letter, then AND ONLY THEN can you use an apostrophe in order to avoid confusion

with a word:

He had five A’s on his report card.

Note, though, you can simply add the “s” to a digit:

That phone number has four 5s in it.



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Pronouns substitute for nouns in a sentence. They are either singular or plural, and the verb has to agree with

it. Pronouns refer to a noun (called the antecedent), and the pronoun has to agree with it, too. There are several

different kinds. The most common are the personal pronouns. There are three basic cases, or types, of persona

pronouns.

a.

Nominative case (these are the forms when they are the subject of the sentence or when they follow

a linking verb)

Singular Plural

1 st

person I we

2n

person you you

3r

person he, she, it they

b. Objective case (these are the forms when they are an object in the sentence, clause, or phrase, such

as the object of a preposition).

Singular Plural

1 st

person me us

2n

person you you

3

r

person him, her, it them

c. Possessive case (these are the forms when they show ownership).

Singular Plural

1 st

person my, mine our, ours

2n

person your, yours your, yours

3r

person his, his, her, hers, its*, its* their*, theirs

*be careful about the spelling of these! NEVER use an apostrophe!



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d. Reflexive and intensive pronouns ATTACH – self or – selves. DO NOT use these in place of the

objective case.

Singular Plural

1 st

person myself ourselves

2n

person yourself yourselves

3r

person himself

herself

itself

themselves

Reflexive: I did the project myself.

Intensive: I myself did the project.

e.

There are four demonstrative pronouns/adjectives: this, that, these, those.

f. There are five interrogative pronouns used to ask questions:

what which who (nominative) whom (objective) whose (possessive)

g. There are six relative pronouns whose job is to introduce dependent clauses (noun or adjective):

that which what who whom whose

NOTE: NEVER say, “The reason is because…”; it should be, “The reason is that…”

The verb that follows these pronouns agrees with the pronoun’s antecedent:

The book [that is on the table] will be for sale. “Book,” the antecedent of “that,” is singular.

The books [that are on the table] will be for sale. “Books” is plural.

It is I [who am responsible for the mistake].

NOTE: remember, if these words are modifying a noun, they are functioning as adjectives. They are only

pronouns if they are fulfilling the function of a noun, such as a subject or a kind of object.



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h. There is a group of pronouns called indefinite pronouns.

The following are singular; they ALWAYS take the singular form of a verb or pronouns:

another

anybody

anyone

each

either

everybody

everyone

one

neither

nobody

no one

none*

nothing

somebody

someone

something

NOTE! DO NOT USE “THEY” AFTER THESE!!!!

WRONG: Everyone (singular) should study their (plural) notes.

CORRECT: Everyone (singular) should study his (singular) notes.

*some feel that “his” excludes females and that a person should use “his or her.”

ALSO CORRECT: All students (plural) should study their (plural) notes.

These are the plural indefinite pronouns:

both few many others several

Some are ”weird”: sometimes singular, sometimes plural, depending on the noun to which they refer:

all more most some

All of the papers are waiting to be graded.

All of the test is graded.

VERY weird: whether they are singular or plural depends on the word to which they refer

any none

i. Reciprocal pronouns: each other (two) one another (more than two)



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3. Verbs

The principle parts of a verb are its present tense, past tense, and past participle. Regular verbs follow this

pattern:

Ex: walk walked (have) walked

However, there are dozens of irregular verbs whose forms change.

Ex: go went (have) gone

Be sure to review any that are difficult for you.

Verbs are one of two kinds. The first kind is action (showing something that can be done). If it can be done,

it’s an action verb.

Example: walk, study, throw, sing, smile

The second kind of verb is linking (attaching description to the subject).

The most familiar linking verbs are forms of the verb “to be ”: am, i s, are, was, were, be, being, been

The verbs become and seem are “existence” verbs, and they are also ALWAYS linking verbs.

A tricky group of verbs is called the sense verbs. They can be EITHER action OR linking depending on what

they’re doing: appear , feel , grow , look , prove , remain , smell , sound , taste , and turn .

They are action verbs when someone or something is doing them.

Examples:

That rash appears when I eat strawberries.

She felt the rough sandpaper.I want to be a movie star when I grow up.

The teacher looked at me.

Mr. McCue proved his theory.

I will remain here in case he comes back.

He smelled the flower.The officer sounded the alarm.

I tasted the frosting.

The dancer turned and leaped across the floor.



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They are linking verbs when they connect a description to the subject (the noun being described).

Examples:

She appears ill

[this describes how she looks; she is not materializing out of thin air.]

The sandpaper felt rough.

[this describes what kind of texture it has; it does not have tiny hands]

The hour grew late, and we had to leave

[this describes how much it was late; it didn’t sprout leave.]

The teacher looked pleased.

[this describes what kind of expression she had; she’s not peering at something.]

The directions proved difficult to understand.

[this describes what kind they are; they’re not wearing lab coats.]

Those spots remained dark even after the bleach.

[this described what kind they were; they weren’t hanging out at the corner.]

The roses smelled gorgeous.

[this describes what kind of smell they have; they do not have tiny noses.]

The alarm sounded shrill.

[this describes what kind of sound it made; it does not have tiny ears.]

The frosting tasted too sweet.

[this describes what kind of flavor it has; it does not have a tongue.]

The milk turned sour after a week.

[this described what kind of flavor it milk had; it wasn’t wearing a tutu and pointe shoes.]



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A verb can tell when the action takes place. This is called the verb’s tense. The main verb is preceded by

auxiliary, or helping, verbs. When you identify the verb of the sentence, be sure to include ALL the auxiliary

verbs. The auxiliary and main verbs create the total verb phrase.

Examples:

I have taught here 13 years.

Main verb:____________ aux:___________

I am teaching 8th

grade now.

Main verb:____________ aux:___________

I will be teaching for the next 30 years.

Main verb:____________ aux:___________

I might retire when I win the lottery.

Main verb:____________ aux:___________

Common auxiliary verbs (you may have memorized them in a song in 7th

grade): am, i s, are, was, were, be,

being, been, do, does, did , have, has, had, may, might, must, wil l,, can, could, shal l, shoul d, will , would

CAREFUL!! Forms of the “to be” are auxiliary or “helping” verbs when they are followed by a main verb.

Example:

I am being careful to explain the rules.

I was walking to school this morning.

BUT they are linking verbs when they are connecting descriptive words to the subject, even if they have

auxiliary verbs in front of them.

Example:

I am a teacher Subject:______________ description:________________

He will be happy you called. Subject:______________ description:________________

Tenses: the purpose of auxiliary verbs is to create tense. The main tenses are:

PRESENT (no aux): I walk PAST (no aux): I walked FUTURE (aux: will): I will walk



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PROGRESSIVE (aux: “to be”; main verb: present participle, ALWAYS ends in -ing):

I am walking (present progressive), I was walking (past progressive)

PERFECT (aux: “to have”; main verb past participle, may end in -ed, -en, -t, or be irregular.):

I have walked (present perfect); I had walked (past perfect)

These auxiliaries can even be combined: For example:

At noon, I will have been walking for three hours. (future perfect progressive)

The other auxiliaries create the conditional and emphatic tenses.

VOICE: Verbs also have voice: active or passive

Verbs in the active voice have a subject performing the action:

I fed the dog.

Verbs in the passive voice have something being done to the subject by someone or something else:

The dog was fed by me.

The passive voice is formed with a form of the auxiliary verb “to be” plus the past participle of the main

verb. It is often (but not always) followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with “by.” Sometimes that

phrase is simply implied; it can be a way for the speaker to avoid responsibility! In writing, the active voice is

strongly preferred.

The hardest verbs in the English language to keep straight : l ie and lay

Lie means to recline; lay, on the other hand, means to put or place something. Lay is a transitive verb, meaningthat there is always an object after it. (Lay the book on the shelf. Book is the object.) The principal parts of lie

and lay are listed below.

lie: lie, lying, lay, (have) lain [hint: lie, long “i” sound, means “to recline”]

lay: lay, laying, laid, (have) laid [hint: lay, long “a” sound, means “to place”]

The confusion generally seems to occur with the forms of lie. The following sentences illustrate the correct and

incorrect uses of lay and lie.

lie/lay I lie [not lay] on the floor when I watch television. [hint: you don’t lay eggs!]

I lay my keys on the table when I arrive home from work.

lying/laying I am lying [not laying ] on the floor watching television.

I am laying my briefcase on my desk to remind me that I have work to finish.

http://www.grammarerrors.com/glossary/transitive.html






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lay/laid Yesterday I lay [not laid ] in bed all day with a fever.

Yesterday I laid my briefcase on my desk and forgot about it when I left for work.

(have) lain/(have) laid I have lain [not have laid ] in bed all day with a fever. [hint: lain = in bed]

I have laid my briefcase on my desk to remind me that I have work to finish. [hint: laidrhymes with egg, which a chicken has laid]

Although these are two extremely confusing verbs, with a little practice, you should have them down pat.

4. Adjectives modify or describe nouns or pronouns ONLY. They tell what kind, which one, and how many.

The way to remember the function of adjectives is to imagine that you have a rich Uncle Fester. When you

turn 16, he offers to buy you a car, and you want him to ask those questions.

What kind of car? Which one? How many cars?

The words the, a, and an are adjectives called articles. “The” is the definite article; “a” and “an” are

indefinite articles. This is one of the very few examples where the word used is based on euphony, or how it

sounds. Use “a” in front of a consonant SOUND and “an” in front of a vowel SOUND; the word “the” is often

pronounced “thee” in front of vowel sounds, too,

an unidentified flying object a UFO the cat the (“thee”) earth

Some things to keep in mind:

Use “fewer” for things that can be counted, “less” for things that can be measured:

We had fewer inches of rain last month. (you can count inches)

We had less rainfall than we did last year. (you can measure rainfall)

Use the comparative (adj + -er or “more”/ “less” + adj) for two things, the superlative (adj + -est or

“most” / “least”) for three or more things

She is smarter than her sister. She is the smartest one in her family.

He is less attractive than a warthog. He is the least attractive wildebeest I’ve seen.

Special note: use from when using the adjective different in comparing two persons or things:

My book is different from (not than) yours.



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5. Adverbs modify or describe verbs, adjectives , and other adverbs . They often end in – ly (but not always;

“lovely” is one exception). They tell where, when, how, to what extent, under what condition, and why.

The way to remember the function of adverbs is to imagine you’ve had a minor accident in the car Uncle

Fester gave you. He’s going to ask you

Where did it happen?

When did it happen?

How did it happen?

To what extent did it happen?

Under what condition did it happen?

Why did it happen?

When adverbs tell to what extent, they are called intensifiers. They act like a volume control on a stereo to turn

up or down the intensity of the word they are modifying. Intensifiers modify adjectives and adverbs.

Hint: the words “here” and “there” are often adverbs. So are “never” and “not” (when it modifies an verb,

adverb, or adjective).

Adverbial conjunctives (BOTH IN Indiana County): adverbs or adverb phrases that form compound

sentences by joining two independent clauses. ALWAYS put a semicolon in front and a comma after it.

Besides

Otherwise

Therefore

However

In fact

Nevertheless

In addition

Consequently

Prepositional phrases are made up of a preposition and a noun (or pronoun) that is called the object of the

preposition. The prepositional phrase ALSO contains all the modifiers of the object of the preposition .

This object answers the question “whom” or “what.” They function as adjectives or adverbs, and they can come

anywhere in the sentence. They do NOT contain the subject, verb, direct object or indirect object of the

sentence.

BEWARE: “to” + noun = preposition; “to” + verb = infi nitive; “for” is a conjunction when it joins two sentences; it is

a preposition when it answers, “how.”

In imperative and declarative sentences, objects follow the preposition. The object answers the question, “what?” as in

The mouse ran down the clock Down what? Down the clock .



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In interrogative and some exclamatory sentences, the object may come before the preposition:

What are you looking at?

Prepositional phrases show direction or relationship, and they function as adjectives (when they tell which one, whatkind, how many, or how much about a noun) or as adverbs (when they tell where, when, how, or to what extent about averb, adjective, or adverb). The nine most commonly used (92% of the time!) prepositions are

at, by, for , from, in, of, on, to , and with .

This list MUST be memorized. You can do this easily by singing it to the tune “Yankee Doodle.”

AboardAbout

AboveAcross

AfterAgainstAlong

Amid

AmongAroundAsideAt

Atop

Before

BehindBelow

BeneathBeside/besides

BetweenBeyondBut (except)

By

Concerning

Down

During

Except

For

From

InInsideInto

Like

Near

OfOff

On

OntoOut

Over

Past [not passed ]

Since

ThroughThroughoutToToward

Under

Underneath

UntilUp

Upon

WithWithinWithout

According toBecause ofIn spite ofInstead of

On account ofOut of

NOTE: Some of these words may be used by themselves. If they are, they are NOT prepositions; they are adverbs.

NEVER SAY, “WHERE IS IT AT?” The word “at” is a dangling preposition; it has no object. Just say, “Where is it?”

Grammar Underground: Verbals (AKA “PIGs”)

Verbals are formed from (guess what?) verbs, but THEY NEVER FUNCTION AS THE VERB OF THE

SENTENCE. There are three kinds:

A. Gerunds: end in – ing and ALWAYS function as a noun in the sentence. The six possible functions of

the noun are: subject, a ppositive, complement, direct object, indirect objective, or object of the

preposition. A hint to remember these is SACDIP.

S: Walking is important exercise D: Don’t delay walking to the store.

A: My favorite exercise, walking, is easy to do. I: You should give walking a try.

C: My favorite exercise is walking P: You can get there quicker by walking



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NOTE: avoid splitting infinitives. Try not to put a modifier between the “to” and the verb

AVOID: To boldly go where no man has gone before

SHOULD BE: To go boldly where no man has gone before

Dependent Clauses

Adverb clauses: begin with an SC and modify verbs, adjective, and adverbs

Adjective clauses: begin with an RP and modify nouns or pronouns

Noun clauses: begin with 1) an RP;

2) the adverbs how, when, where, whether, why; and

3) words ending in – ever

and function as the Subject, A ppositive, Complement, Direct Object, Indirect Object, or Preposition (object of)

Remember when a clause is necessary to the meaning of the sentence, it is RESTRICTED. Do NOT put

commas around it. When the clause is adding additional information, it is UNRESTRICTED and set off with

commas.

The teacher whom I will always remember is Ms. B [RESTRICTED clause; no commas]

Ms. B, who is a fanatic grammarian, will haunt me forever. [UNRESTRICTED; put commas around it]

Conjunctions:

Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS): use to form compound sentences by joining two independent

clauses. ALWAYS put a comma in front of the conjunction

For And Nor But Or Yet So

Subordinating conjunctions: use to form complex sentences by beginning an adverb clause. When a sentence

begins with an SC, you MUST put a comma at the end of the clause.

after

althoughas

as if

as long as

as soon as

as thoughbecause

before

if

since

so thatthan*

though

unless

until

whenwhenever

where

wherever

whether

whilewhy

in order that

*when using than, remember that the verb is sometimes implied:

She is a better writer than I (am) NOT She is a better writer than me.



Correlative conjunctions:

These four ALWAYS work in pairs and must join words that are the SAME parts of speech

Both…and either…or neither…nor not only…but also

If one of the words joined is singular and the other plural, the verb agrees with the word nearest it:

Either the president or the officers are officiating at the ceremony.

Either the officers or the president is officiating at the ceremony.

PS. “Y’all” is NOT incorrect, ungrammatical, or nonstandard. It is a contraction of “you all,” which

emphasizes the plural.

01 SAT Prep Class Vocab Writing Grammar

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