SAT VERBAL
SAT Reading section
SAT Vocab Words
SAT Reading Tips
SAT Reading Strategies
SAT Reading Passages
Strategies for SAT Reading
What is SAT Verbal? Raise Your Reading Score
SAT Reading
Adjectives vs Adverbs
Author Technique Questions
Inference Questions
Pronoun Agreement
Pronoun Case
Sentence Fragments and Run-ons
Subject-Verb Agreement
SAT WRITING
SAT Writing – word choice and diction
Relative Pronouns on SAT Writing
SAT Writing section
SAT Essay with Examples
Sentence Fragments and Run-ons
Wordiness and Redundancy
Guide for SAT Writing
Improving Paragraphs
Relative Pronouns on SAT Writing
SAT Writing Strategies
Verb Tenses and Forms on SAT Writing
ACT ENGLISH
Author Main Points
ACT English Prep
Faulty Modifiers on ACT English
ACT English
ACT Reading
Parallel Structure
Punctuation
Relative Pronouns on ACT English
ACT Grammar Rules
ACT Reading Strategies
ACT Reading
Study Guide for ACT English
ACT Reading Tips
ACT English Strategies
Transition Questions on ACT English
Verb Tenses and Forms on ACT English
Strategies for ACT Reading
ACT English section
ACT Reading section
PHONICS
Phonics
the Alphabet, pictures
Silent letters
A & An
There, Their, & They’re Usage help Sheet
Capital letters
GRAMMAR
parts of speech, examples
Parts of speech
Prepositions, pictures
Prepositions of place
Prepositions
abbreviations
VERBS
Learning verbs, pictures
verbs, pictures
verbs – to be
Helping verbs – should
verbs – to have
present tense
have – past participle
WRITING
Email writing
Improve your writing
Improve your writing 2
Letter writing
opening & closing phrases
Writing Skills, Composition
In the pursuit of clear, concise writing, you might think about watching, or listening to, the following free lectures online.
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Make the paragraph your basis of writing a larger work, and limit each paragraph to a specific topic. In fact, begin each paragraph with your topic sentence, thereby avoiding a succession of loose sentences. Choose a method of organizing your thoughts in advance, which will allow you to complete an essay or writing assignment with flair and a readable style.
Narration is normally presented in chronological order (through time). However, a good narrative contains more than just listing events in the order that they happened. Narration develops characters, describes a setting, entertains via a conflict, and ultimately a resolution. You don’t just throw your story onto the page, you must have a point to the story.
Exposition is explanatory writing, presented with clarity, and credibility, often relying on a source for factual information, citing authorities who have good credentials or are experts in the subject. Meaning is found in the world, not in the dictionary. Bring the world into your story and use it to define your terms.
Descriptive paragraphs must avoid flat-out telling something. Adopt a strategy that makes your description into a story: move from far to near, left to right, old to new, or along any other natural flow. Try dropping in a dramatic revelation along the way, like you were watching a movie unfold. The main difficulty in description is that people can take in a scene almost instantly, but they read sequentially, in a series of small pieces.
Comparisons can be made easier by drawing out a ‘t-chart’ on a blank piece of paper, to make certain you have enough elements to compare and contrast. List the two items being compared at the top, and all the differences and similarities you can think of that will be compared, on the left and right sides of your page. Finally, choose among your options to put together a decent comparison.
Process Analysis explains how to perform a series of actions, breaking the process down into a series of steps. Then, you arrange the steps into some sort of meaningful sequence. Perhaps ask a friend to read your analysis out loud to see if they can follow your directions easily.
Persuasion is the art of letting people make up their minds. More is required than just your opinion or personal sense of conviction. You need to equip the reader with information, analysis, and context, so they can form their own opinions, make judgments, and perhaps take action. Readers are primarily interested in their own opinions, so if you can help them formulate and deepen their understanding, they’ll likely enjoy reading your article.
Word Roots
Learning the following word roots and prefixes are a fast way to strengthen your vocabulary. Given that a fluent English speaker must learn over 5,000 words, combining word-parts is a smart approach. Even if you don’t know the meaning of a new word straight off, you can make an ‘educated guess’ if you only had a clue to the word root or prefix within the word.
Prefix or Word Root | Meaning | Example |
a, ab/s | from, away, off | abstract |
aer/o | air | aeroplane |
agr/i/o | farming | agriculture |
ambi, amphi | both, on both sides, around | amphibian |
ambul | walk, move | ambulance |
ami/o | love | amiable |
anim | life, spirit | animal |
anthrop/o | human | anthropology |
anti | against, opposite of | antibody |
aqu/a | water | aquarium |
arch/a/i | primitive, ancient | archaeology |
arthr/o | joint | arthritis |
astro, aster | star, stars, outer space | astronaut |
aud/i/io | hear | audible |
auto | self, same, one | automatic |
avi/a | bird | aviation |
bene | good, well | benefactor |
bi/n | two, twice, once in every two | biweekly |
bibli/o | book | bibliography |
bio | life, living matter | biology |
calc | stone | calcium |
capt, cept, ceive | take, hold | intercept, perceive |
cardi/o | heart | cardiology |
carn/i | flesh, meat | carnivorous |
cede, ceed, cess | go, yield | exceed |
cent/i | hundred, hundredth | centennial |
centr/o/i | center | egocentric |
cerebr/o | brain | cerebral |
cert | sure | certain |
chrom/o chromat/o, chros | color, pigment | chromatic |
chron/o | time | chronic |
circum | around, about | circumnavigate |
claim, clam | shout, speak out | clamor |
co | with, together, joint | coauthor |
cogn/i | know | cognition |
con | with, jointly | concur |
contra/o | against, opposite | contradict |
corp/o | body | corporation |
counter | opposite, contrary, opposing | counteract |
cranio | skull | craniology |
cred | believe | incredible |
crypto | hidden, secret | encryption |
cycl | circle, ring | bicycle |
dec/a, deka | ten | decade, decathalon |
dem/o | people | democracy |
dent, dont | tooth | dentist |
derm/a | skin | dermatology |
dia | through, between, apart, across | diagonal |
dict | speak | contradict |
domin | master | dominate |
don/at | give | donation |
duc/t | lead | conduct |
dyn/a/am | power, energy, strength | dynamic |
dys | abnormal, bad | dyslexia |
e- | out, away | evaporate |
ego | self | egotistic |
em, en | into, cover with, cause | empathy |
endo | within, inside | endotherm |
ethno | race, people | ethnic |
ex | from, out, | excavate |
extra, extro | outside, beyond | extraordinary |
fac/t | make, do | manufacture |
flor/a, fleur | flower | florist |
fore | in front of, previous, earlier | forefront |
form | shape | formation |
fract, frag | break | fracture |
funct | perform, work | function |
gastr/o | stomach | gastric |
gen/o/e/ | birth, production, | genealogy |
geo | earth, soil, global | geography |
giga | a billion | gigabyte |
gram | letter, written | diagram |
graph/y | writing, recording, written | graphics |
hect/o, hecat | hundred | hectare |
helic/o | spiral, circular | helicopter |
hemi | half, partial | hemicycle |
hem/o/a | blood | hemorrhage |
herbi | grass, plant | herbs |
hetero | different, other | heterogeneous |
homo, homeo | like, alike, same | homogeneous |
hydr/o | liquid, water | hydroelectric |
hyper | too much, over, beyond | hyperactive |
hyp/o | under | hypoglycemia |
il, in | in, into | illuminate |
ig, il, im, in, ir | not, without | illegal, irrespective |
infra | beneath, below | infrastructure |
inter | between, among, jointly | international |
intra, intro | within, inside | intrastate |
juven | young | juvenile |
kilo | thousand | kilobyte |
lact/o | milk | lactate |
liber | free | liberate |
lingu | language, tongue | linguistics |
luc | light | elucidate |
lumin | light | illuminate |
lun/a/i | moon | lunar |
macro | large, great | macroeconomics |
magn/a/i | great, large | magnify |
mal/e | bad, ill, wrong | malcontent |
mania | madness, excessive desire | maniac |
mater, matr/i | mother | maternal |
mega | great, large, million | megastore |
meta | change, after, beyond, between | metaphysics |
meter, metr | measure | audiometer |
micro | very small, short, minute | micrometer |
mid | middle | midsection |
milli | onethousandth | millimeter |
min/i | small, less | miniskirt |
mis/o | bad, badly, wrong, wrongly, | misbehave |
morph/o | form | metamorphosis |
multi | many, more than one or two | multicolored |
nav | ship | navigate |
neo | new, recent | neolithic |
nom/in | name | nomenclature |
omni | all | omniverous |
para | beside, beyond | paranormal |
per | through, throughout | permit |
peri | around, enclosing | periscope |
phon/o | sound | phonograph |
phot/o | light | photogenic |
pod/e | foot | podiatrist |
poly | many, more than one | polygraph |
post | after, behind | postdated |
pre | earlier, before, in front of | prevention |
pro | before, in front of, fore | proactive |
psych/o | mind, mental | psychology |
quad/r/ri | four | quadrant |
re | again, back, backward | rebound |
retro | backward, back | retroactive |
rupt | break, burst | bankrupt |
scop/e/y | see, examine, observe | microscope |
scrib, script | write, written | scribble, inscription |
self | of, for, or by itself | self-respect |
semi | half, partial | semiannual |
sol | sun | solar |
son | sound | sonic |
sphere | ball | spherical, biosphere |
spir | breathe | inspire, spirit |
struct | build | construction, structure |
sub | under, lower than, inferior to | submarine |
super, supra | higher in quality or quantity | superimposed |
techno | technique, skill | technology |
tel/e/o | far, distant, complete | telephone |
temp/or | time | temporary |
term/ina | end, limit | terminus |
therm/o | heat | thermal |
trans | across,beyond, through | transfer |
tri | three, once in every three, | triangle |
ultra | beyond, extreme, more than | ultralight |
un | not,opposite of, lacking | unavailable |
uni | one, single | unicycle |
urb | city | urban |
vac | empty | evacuate |
vid | see | video |
vis, vid | see | vision |
viv/I, vit | live, life | revival |
voc/i | voice, call | advocate |
Suffix | Meaning | Example |
– able | capable of, worthy of | noticeable |
– ade | action or process, persons acting | renegade |
– age | state of being, or quality, pertaining to | marriage |
– al | state of being, or quality, state of | marital, causal |
– ancy | state, quality, act or condition | agency |
– ant | one who acts | registrant |
– archy | rule, government | monarchy |
– ard | one who acts | steward |
– ary | pertaining to, connected with | elementary |
– ced | move, yield | recede, secede |
– cide | killing, act of | homoicide |
– cious | capable of | capacious |
– cit | having the quality, or call | incite |
– clam | call, cry out | exclamation |
– clino | lean | decline, incline |
– clud | shut | seclude, preclude |
– cracy | rule | democracy |
– crat | ruler, member of ruling body | autocrat |
– ennial | yearly | centennial, perennial |
– ent, er | one who acts | student, teacher |
– ery | occupation, business, or condition | archery grocery |
– ette | small or diminutive | dinette, statuette |
– fic | of, bringing, yielding | pacific, soporific |
– gon | angled, angular | polygon, pentagon |
– grade | step | retrograde |
– hood | full of abounding in, to make, belong to | childhood |
– ible | capable of, worth of, tending to, or having the quality of | credible |
– ic, ical | of, pertaining to, similar or like | historical |
– ier | possessing or being, one who acts | carrier |
– ify | full of, abounding in, to make state of, move, do | testify |
– il, ile | act, quality or state, like one who acts | civil, servile |
– ine | act, quality or state, pertaining to, like one who acts | heroine |
– ing | expressing action | running, growing |
– ion | state, condition or act of | volition |
– ish | acting like, in the nature of, or similar to | impish, mannish |
– ism | art of, philosophy of, practice of | liberalism, Buddhism |
– ist | one who acts | philanthropist, artist |
– ite | possessing or being, one who acts | favorite |
– ive | having the nature of, tending toward | imaginative, collective |
– ize | to make into, to practice | mesmerize, familiarize |
– ject | hurl or throw | projectile |
– lateral | side | unilateral, multilateral |
– lent | full of, abounding in | succulent |
– less | without, beyond the | fearless, useless |
– like | resembling | childlike |
– lith | stone | monolith |
– logy | knowledge, termination in writing | psychology |
– ly | similar in manner | fully, carefully |
– ment | state, quality, or act of | entanglement |
– metry | measure | geometry |
– ness | condition, or state | consciousness |
– ology | science or branch of knowledge | technology |
– or | a person or thing that acts | actor, elevator |
– ory | of, pertaining to, place of | auditory |
– ous | state or quality | furious |
– par | make ready | prepare |
– pathy | suffering, feeling | sympathy, telepathy |
– philia | abnormal liking or tending toward | hemophilia |
– phobia | fear, dread | acrophobia, hydrophobia |
– phone | sound | telephone |
– pon, pos | place, put | postpone, position |
– pter | wing, feather | helicopter |
– scope | see | microscope |
– sect | cut | intersect, section |
– ship | state or quality, art of skill | partnership |
– sis | action, process, state | thesis |
– some | like or same | bothersome |
– sophy | science of | philosophy |
– sphere | layer | hemisphere |
– stat | standing, stationary, set | thermostat |
– ster | one who acts | teamster |
– tomy | a cutting | appendectomy |
– tort | to twist | distort |
– tract | draw, draw from, pull | extract, tractor |
– tron | an instrument | cyclotron |
– try | art or profession of, state or quality | forestry, ministry |
– tude | art or profession of, state or quality | aptitude |
– ule | diminutive force | miniscule |
– ulent | abounding in | fraudulent |
– ure | act or process, result of | adventure, tenure |
– urgy | work | dramaturgy, metallurgy |
– ven, vent | come | convention |
– vore, vorous | eating | carnivore |