SAT Reading & Writing: Distinguish between words with similar denotations but different connotations
29+ practice questions in Praczo
The concept, explained
- 1
Two words can share a definition but carry different emotional weight. "Frugal" and "stingy" both describe someone careful with money, but only one is positive.
- 2
First, decide whether the passage treats the subject positively, negatively, or neutrally. Then match the connotation of the answer.
- 3
Watch the surrounding adjectives and verbs for tone clues. If the passage praises the subject, the target word must also be complimentary.
- 4
Eliminate choices whose connotation clashes with the passage's stance, even if the denotation fits.
- ✗ Choosing a word whose dictionary meaning fits but whose tone is wrong for the passage.
- ✗ Treating all synonyms as interchangeable — the SAT almost always distinguishes them by connotation.
SAT-style practice
A profile of an architect praises her willingness to consider every detail of a building's use before drafting plans. Which word best completes the following sentence? "Her approach is famously _____."
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