Chapter 6: Diction, Idioms, and Register

Diction and Idioms

• The term diction simply refers to an author's choice of words.

• Diction errors involve words that are incorrect in a particular context, either because they have the wrong meaning or because they do not follow the conventions of standard written English.

• English contained many fixed phrases known as idioms. Idioms are not correct or incorrect for any logical reason.

• They simply reflect the fact that certain phrases have evolved to become standard usage. As a result, there is essentially no way to study for these types of questions other than to read.

• English contains far too many idioms to memorize, and there's no way to predict which ones will appear on any given test.

Although memorizing idioms should not be a priority. Some common ones are below.

1. Be curious about - to be interested in or want to know more about something

Example: She is always curious about other cultures and customs.

2. Be particular about - to have high standards or be very careful about something

Example: He is very particular about the quality of his work.

3. Across from - on the opposite side from something

Example: The library is across from the park.

4. Based on - to have something as a foundation or starting point

Example: The movie was based on a true story.

5. Confer on - to give someone an honor or title

Example: The university conferred an honorary degree on the visiting professor.

6. Depend on - to rely on something or someone

Example: Our plans depend on the weather.

7. Apparent from - to be clear or obvious from something

Example: It was apparent from her expression that she was upset.

8. Accompanied by - to be together with something or someone

Example: The dish was accompanied by a side salad.

9. Celebrated for - to be famous or recognized for something positive

Example: The city is celebrated for its beautiful architecture.

10. Consist of - to be made up of something

Example: The team consists of players from all over the country.

Commonly Confused Words

The SAT also tests your ability to distinguish between homophones.Words that are spelled differently and have the same different meanings, but are pronounced so similarly in everyday speech that they are frequently confused in writing.

Questions testing these words may also test other concepts simultaneously, but the correct answer will largely depend on your ability to identify the correct version of the hammer one pair. \n

1. Affect vs. Effect: Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence or produce a change in something, while effect is usually a noun meaning a result or outcome of something.
2. Than vs. Then: Than is used for comparison, while then usually indicates time or order.
3. Their vs. There vs. They're: Their is a possessive pronoun, there refers to a place or location, and they're is a contraction for "they are."
4. Your vs. You're: Your is a possessive pronoun, while you're is a contraction for "you are."
5. Its vs. It's: Its is a possessive pronoun, while it's is a contraction for "it is" or "it has."
6. Who vs. Whom: Who is used as the subject of a sentence or clause, while whom is used as the object.
7. Lie vs. Lay: Lie means to recline or rest, while lay means to put or place something down.
8. Loose vs. Lose: Loose means not tight, while lose means to fail to keep or find something.
9. Complement vs. Compliment: Complement means to complete or enhance something, while compliment means to praise or express admiration.
   10. Accept vs. Except: Accept means to receive or agree to something, while except means to exclude or leave out.

Register

Register refers to how formal or informal our writer’s language is. Most asset passages are written in a straightforward, moderately serious tone and are unlikely to contain extremely formal or casual language.

The type of language you use when talking to your friends is most likely very different from the language tested on the SAT. With your friends, you were most likely to speak casually using slang phrases.But if you were writing on a paper, you'd much likely to use more formal language.

The point of the SAT is trying to make sure that you shouldn't go around using big words simply for the sake of doing so. The goal of writing is to communicate your ideas to your readers, and you should therefore aim to be as clear and direct as possible.

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