junior high vw wordsdocshare02.docshare.tips/files/23763/237638479.pdf · 2017. 1. 8. · ms. b...

Ms. B’s SAT Prep for Critical Reading/Writing 1

Junior High VW Words

7th

Grade

abnormal

abound

abrupt

accelerate

adequate

adjacent

affliction

agitation

ajar

akin

alight

alliance

amiss

analogy

anecdote

animated

anonymous

antonym

assistant

authoritative

available

bankrupt

barren

bellow

beneficiary

bewilder

blurt

botch

braggart

brawl

brood

browse

buffoon

bystander

cache

canvass

capsize

casual

catastrophe

cater

chronological

circumscribe

clamor

clarification

clutter

coincide

connotation

connote

consistency

consolidate

controversial

corrupt

cosmopolitan

countenance

counterfeit

culminate

customary

cynical

decrease

denotation

denote

dependent

desist

despondent

despot

detest

dialogue

dilapidated

diminish

dishearten

dismantle dispensary

dispense

disputatious

disrupt

disruptive

dissuade

docile

domestic

dominate

downright

downtrodden

drone

dynamic

dynasty

eject

elongate

embezzle

emblem

enchant

entice

entreat

entrepreneur

eradicate

erode

erupt

exist

expendable

expenditure

fallible

farce

feud

fickle

figurative

firebrand

flagrant

flaw

fledgling

flounder

flourish

fluctuate

fluster

foremost

foretaste

foster

fruitless

frustrate

fugitive

futile

gala

gaudy

germinate

gigantic

goad

graphic

gratitude

grim

grimy

grovel

grueling

gruesome

haggle

handicraft

hardy

harmonious

havoc

hazard

hearth

heartrending

heed

hilarious

hoard

hoax

homicide

homograph

homonym

hospitable

hostile

humdrum

hurtle

ignite

impartial

implore

imposter

incentive

inconsistent

incorruptible

indescribable

indifference

indignant

indispensable

indisposed

indulge

infamous

inflammable

inflate

inflict

ingredient

inimitable

innumerable

inscription

insinuate

insistent

insubordinate

interminable

interrogate

interrupt

iota

irruption

lair

lavish

lax

legacy

legitimate

leisurely

lethargic

literal

literate

loom

lubricate

luster

magnitude

makeshift

malady

malignant

mar

marginal

massive

maternal

maul

meager

meditate

melancholy

mellow

mirth

miscellaneous

misdemeanor

momentum

morbid

mortify

mull

mutual

narrative

nomadic

notable

notary

notation

notation

notoriety

notorious

nub

nurture

nutritious

officiate

onslaught

oppress

oration

ordain


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

quaint

quench

quest

quibble

radiant

random

rant

ratify

recompense

regal regime

reinforce

reluctant

remnant

renovate

reputable

resist

résumé

retard

revere

rite

rupture

rural

saga

sagacious

salvo

scrimp

scurry

seclusion

seethe

shirk

simultaneous

singe

snare

sodden

spirited

stalemate

status

stifle

stodgy

subscribe

subsistence

substantial

sullen

surplus

suspense

swerve

synonym

tactful

tamper

timidity

transcribe

transmit

transparent

trickle

trivial

truce

turmoil

ultimate

uncertainty

unique

unscathed

upright

utmost

vanquish

vengeance

verify

veto

vicious

vigilant

vindictive

virtual

vital

void

wan

wayward

wilt

wince

wrath

yearn

8th

Grade abashed

abdicate

abut

abyss

accord

acme

adages

adapt

aghast

allot

aloof

amass

ample

amplify

anguish

annul

antics

apparition

appease

apt

armistice

arrogant

articulate

assert

attest

attire

attribute

audacious

avail

avowed

awry

banter

barter

bask

befall

belated

belittled

bestow

bland

blasé

bludgeon

bolster

bonanza

bountiful

calamitous

capacious

capitulate

caustic

chafe

churlish

citadel

cite

collaborate

comply

congested

conventional

convey

cower

crony

crucial

crusade

cryptic

curt

decoy

decree

deface

defect

defile

delve

deplore

detriment

devised

devoid

dexterous

dire

disarming

disclaim

discordant

disdain

disgruntled

divergent

doctrine

dovetail

dregs

durable

elite

embargo

embody

encroached

endow

engross

enmity

enormity

ensue

entail

enterprising

epitaph

epoch

estranged

ethical

evolve

exasperate

excerpt

excise

exotic

facetious

fallacy

falter

fend

ferret

fervent

fiasco

finesse


flaunt

foreboding

forlorn

forthright

frivolous

frugal

gallantry

garnish

gaunt

genial

gingerly

glut

grapple

gratify

grope

habituate

haggard

haughty

heritage

hover

impart

impediment

impending

imperative

impunity

inaudible

incapacitate

incognito

indiscriminate

inert

infiltrate

infinite

instigate

instill

intrigue

invalidate

irascible

jaunty

jostle

judicious

juncture

jurisdiction

kindred

laggard

legendary

levity

loiter

longevity

maim

malinger

mediate

mendicant

menial

mercenary

mien

milieu

minimize

muster

myriad

naïve

nauseate

negate

negligent

niche

nonentity

nullify

oblique

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

rehabilitated

relevant

renown

repercussion

residue

resolute

retentive

revert

rote

rubble

rue

ruse

scapegoat

scavenger

scoff

sequel

servile

shiftless

simper

skittish

solicitous

solvent

staid

stance

steadfast

stint

stoical

stricture

sustain

taint

tawdry

tedious

teem

tenet

tether

tractable

transition

trepidation

turncoat

unassuming

unflagging

ungainly

unison

upbraid

vaunted

veer

vendor

veneer

venerate

veritable

vexes

vie

vigil

vilify

vitality

volatile

voracious

waif

wallow

wanton

waver

whimsical

willful

wrangle

wry


9th

grade

abase

abridge

abscond

abstention

access

accomplice

actuate

adept

adherent

adieu

ad infinitum

adjourn

admonish

advent

adversity

alien

altercation

analogy

anarchy

annex

annihilate

apex

apportion

appreciable

arbitrary

arduous

aspect

aspire

assimilate

assurance

asylum

atone

auspicious

autocratic

auxiliary

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

component

comport

composite

compulsion

concede

concerted

concise

condone

congenial

connotation

conspicuous

console

containerize

contend

conversely

conversion

cordial

cornerstone

credible

cubicle

cumbersome

daunt

deadlock

debacle

debris

defray

demure

depose

depreciation

despicable

detainee

detention

deteriorate

devitalize

diffuse

dilate

dilemma

diligent

diminutive

disentangle

dispel

disposition

dissent

dissolute

diverse

divert

divulge

doleful

dormant

dross

drudgery

dubious

dwindle

efface

emancipate

embroil

eminent

enlightened

envoy

erratic

erroneous

escalate

exodus

exonerate

exorbitant

exorcise

expedient

expel

exploit

expulsion

extemporaneous

fabricate

facilitate

fated

feign

feint

flair

flippant

fodder

forestall

fortify

garble

ghastly

glib

grievous

hamper

haphazard

harangue

harry

heterogeneous

hew

hoodwink

horde

humane

illegible

illustrious

immunity

impair

impel

impenitent

impose

impoverished

improvise

impulsive

inanimate

incessant

incinerate

incite

incorrigible

incredulous

influx

inscribe

institute

interim

interpose

intolerable

intrepid

intricate

introspection

inundate

invert

invincible

irate

irreverent

jeer

juxtapose

knave

laborious

languid

larceny

latent

legion

liability

liberality

lithe

lofty

lucid

lucrative

malign

maltreat

marauder

meander

mediocre

metropolis

migration

militant

mire

momentous

monologue

morose

muddle

obesity

obstreperous

obtrusive

opaque

opinionated

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

realm

rebut

recoil

reconcile

recoup

rectify

reek

rejuvenate

relentless

relinquish

remunerate

render

repellent

repository

reprieve

reprimand

repugnant

repulse

respective

retinue

retrospect

reversion

revile

rift

rivulet

rugged

rustic

salvage

sardonic

scuttle

semblance

servitude

sever

shackle

shoddy

skeptical

slapdash

slipshod

sordid

sparse

spasmodic

specter

speculate

sprightly

spurious spurn

squander

staccato

stagnant

statute

sterling

subjugate

subterfuge

subversive

succumb

sully

superfluous

superimpose

supplant

surly

surmount

sustenance

synthetic

tantalize

taunt

temperate

tenacious

tenor

tenure

terminate

terse

threadbare

tirade

transpose

trite

unbridled

unflinching

untenable

usurp

vagrant

venomous

venture

versatile

version

vertigo

vindicate

wane

warp

wily

10th

Grade

adulterate

abhor

abjure

abrasive

accede

acclimate

acquiesce

acrid

adroit

adversary

affiliated

alacrity

alienate

alleviate

allocate

allude

allure

altruistic

ambidextrous

amend

amicable

animosity

antipathy

antithesis

apathy

appall

applicable

apprehensive

ardent

artifice

ascertain

askew

assent

asset

assiduous

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

compassion

compatible

complacent

comprise

compunction

conclusive

concur

condolence

conflagration

consecrate

contentious

converge

copious

corrosive

covet

craven

crestfallen

culinary

cursory

dearth

decorum

decrepit

defamation

deft

delete

demise

deploy

deride

destitute

deviate

diffident

discern

discrepancy

disheveled

disparage

disperse

disreputable

dissonant

dour

droll

duplicity

duress

edict

elated

elucidate

emaciated

embark

endemic

esteem

exemplary

exhilarate

explicate

explicit

exponent

expunge

extant

extirpate

extol

exuberant

exult

facile

facsimile

fallow

fathom

feasible

finite

fortitude

fracas

gape

garrulous

gibe

gnarled

grimace

grotesque

guile

guise

harass

holocaust

imbibe

impervious

impetus

implacable

implicate

inclement

indelible

indemnity

indomitable

indulgent

infallible

infinitesimal

ingenuous

inkling

innocuous

inopportune

insidious

insuperable

integrity

inter

intimation

inveterate

invulnerable

ironic

irrelevant

itinerary

jeopardy

lamentable

laud

limpid

loll

loquacious

magnanimous

malevolent

mandatory

martinet

meticulous

militate

misconstrue

misnomer

multifarious

muse

musty

negligible

nocturnal

nonchalant

nondescript

nostalgia

obnoxious

obsolete

obviate

officious

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

renegade

renounce

repose

reprehensible

repress

reprisal

rescind

respite

reticent

retribution

retrogress

revel

ruminate

savory

scrupulous

scrutinize

sedate

sinuous

skulk

sojourn

solace

somber

somnolent

sonorous

sophomoric

spontaneous

squalid

stark

stately

stentorian

stipulate

stolid

stultify

suave

supercilious

superficial

supple

suppress

tacit

tangible

temerity

tentative

tepid

trenchant

truculent

turbulent

ultimatum

uncanny

unfeigned


unkempt

urbane

vanguard

vehement

venal

venial

verbatim

virulent

vivacious

vociferous

voluble

voluminous

waive

warily

wastrel

whet

zealous

11th

Grade

abate

abduction

abet

abominate

absolve

abstemious

academy

accede

accentuate

accessory

accrue

acculturation

Achilles’ heel

acrimonious

adamant

addendum

adulation

adventitious

affable

aggrandize

aggressive

akimbo

alma mater

alter ego

ameliorate

amenable

amnesty

amorphous

analogy

anathema

annotation

anomalous

antediluvian

aplomb

approbation

aqueduct

arbiter

archetype

as rich as croesus

ascribe

aspersion

assay

assuage

astute

atlas

aura

austere

autonomy

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

cajole

callow

caricature

carnage

carousal

castigate

casus belli

cavalier

caveat

censurable

cessation

checkmate

choleric

circuitous

clangor

cloys

coalition

collate

colloquial

cologne

commiserate

concession

concoct

conducive

conduit

congress

connoisseur

consternation

contiguous

continent

contraband

contrive

corpulent

corroborate

covert

crass

credulous

criterion

culpable

cupidity

curtail

debase

debonair

decadence

decease

deduce

deferential

definitive

deleterious

demagogue

demeanor

denizen

deplete

desecrate

desist

digress

dilatory

disabuse

disavow

disconcert

disconsolate

discursive

dismal

dispassionate

disquisition

disseminate

dissention

dissipate

dither

donnybrook

dowdy

drivel

ductile

dun

efficacious

egalitarian

egregious

egress

élan

elicit

elliptical

encumber

enhance

enigmatic

enjoin

ennui

enthrall

epitome

equable

equanimity

equate

equidistant

equilibrium

equipoise

equitable

equivocate

evanescent

exhort

ex officio

expatiate

expedite

expiate

expostulate

expurgate

extenuate

extraneous

extrapolate

extricate

extrude

exude

ferment

fetter

figurative

figurehead

filch

florid

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

hortatory

humbug

hyperbole

hypothetical

ignoble

immemorial

immutable

impassive

imperious

implicit

impound

impromptu

impugn

inadvertent

inauspicious

inception

incisive

inconsequential

incontrovertible

inculcate

induction

inequality

infer

infirmity

infraction

infringe

ingratitude

inimical

iniquitous

innuendo

inquest

inquisitive

inquisition

inquisitive

inroad

inscrutable

insular

insurgent

intemperate

intercede

interloper

intrinsic

invective

inveigh

irresolute

irrevocable

jaded

jejune

lassitude

leave no stone unturned

legerdemain

limerick

literal

lurid

magniloquent

marathon

mausoleum

mawkish

mecca

megalomania

mentor

meritorious

metaphor

metaphysics

millennium

mitigate

modicum

modus operandi

mogul

mollify

motley

munificent

nebulous

nomenclature

nominal

noncommittal

nonplussed

novice

obdurate

occult

odium

odyssey

oligarchy

onus

opportune

orotund

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

recapitulate

recession

recondite

red herring

redoubtable

redundant

regress

reinstate

rejoinder

relegate

remit

remonstrate

reprobate

reprove

repudiate

requisite

requisition

resilient

restitution

resurgence

resuscitate

retrench

retrograde

reverberate

rhetoric

sacred cow

sadistic

salient

salutary

sanctimonious

sangfroid

sartorial

satiate

scathing

scintillating

scourge

scurrilous

sear

sedentary

seditious

sedulous

sententious

sepulchral

shanks’ mare

simile

simulate

sinecure

skew

skullduggery

slang

sleazy

slovenly

soporific

Spartan

specious

spate

spawn

squeamish

stalwart

stanch

status quo

stipend

straitlaced

stringent

subservient

succinct

supplicate

supposition

surfeit

surmise

surreptitious

susceptible

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 LIST

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


munificent (adjective) Generous; extravagant; philanthropic.

nascent (adjective) Beginning; embryonic; incipient.

nefarious (adjective) Evil; vile; sinister; wicked.

neologism (noun) Newly coined phrase or expression.

noxious (adjective) Nocuous; harmful; malignant.

obdurate (adjective) Stubborn; intractable.

obsequious (adjective) Servile; groveling.

obviate (verb) Make unnecessary.

odious (adjective) Detestable; loathsome; revolting; sickening.

officious (adjective) Meddlesome.

opaque (adjective) Impenetrable by light; dull; dark; obscure.

optimum (noun) Peak or prime; ideal.

opulent (adjective) Affluent; well-to-do; plentiful.

ostentatious (adjective) Conspicuous; showy.

ostracize (verb) Exclude; isolate; bar; shun.

palpable (adjective) Noticeable; obvious; apparent.

paltry (adjective) Minor; petty; insignificant.

panegyric (noun) Elaborate praise, public compliment.

paragon (noun) Model or standard of excellence.

pariah (noun) Outcast; misfit; refugee.

parochial (adjective) Religious; restricted.

parsimony (noun) Miserliness; unusually excessive frugality.

partisan (noun) Fan or supporter; enthusiast supporting a particular cause or issue.

pastiche (noun) Hodgepodge; literary or musical piece imitating other works.

paucity (noun) Scarcity; shortage; dearth.

peccadillo (noun) Small sin or fault.

pedantic (adjective) Stuffy or dogmatic; meticulous; academic.

peevish (adjective) Irritable; grouchy; ill-tempered.

pejorative (adjective) Degrading; derogatory; negative.

percipient (adjective) Able to perceive or see things as they actually are.

perfidy (noun) Deliberate breach of faith or trust; treachery.

peripheral (adjective) Marginal; outer; surrounding.

N

O

P


perspicacious (adjective) Astute; keen; perceptive.

philistine (noun) Barbarian; person lacing artistic judgment.

pique (verb) Irritate; miff; offend.

pithy (adjective) 1. Substantial; profound 2. Brief; concise.

placid (adjective) Sincere; tranquil; composed; sedate.

plaintive (adjective) Sad; mournful; pathetic.

platitude (noun) 1. Triteness 2. Cliché; trivial remark.

plaudit (noun) Enthusiastic expression.

pliable (adjective) Limber; malleable; flexible.

poignant (adjective) Intense; powerful; biting; piercing.

polemical (adjective) Controversial; argumentative; debatable.

polyphony (noun) Music with two or more melodies blended together.

porous (adjective) Permeable; absorbent; having holes.

posthumous (adjective) Arising or continuing after someone’s death.

potable (adjective) Drinkable.

prattle (verb) Gab; babble.

precocious (adjective) Showing premature development.

precursor (noun) Forerunner.

prescient (adjective) Showing foresight; predicting events before they occur.

primeval (adjective) Belonging to a primitive age.

primordial (adjective) Belonging to a primitive age; first in time.

proclivity (noun) Tendency; inclination; propensity.

-11-

procrastinate (verb) Postpone; stall; defer.

prodigious (adjective) Exceptional; impressive; of huge quantity; immense.

proficient (adjective) Skillful; masterful; expert.

progeny (noun) Heir; descendant; offspring.

prolific (adjective) Fruitful; abundant; fertile.

prosaic (adjective) Common; routine; ordinary.

protean (adjective) Taking many forms; changeable; variable.

protract (verb) Elongate; lengthen; prolong.

prudent (adjective) Careful; cautious; judicious.

puerile (adjective) Juvenile; immature; childish.

pugilism (noun) Boxing.

pugnacity (noun) Eagerness to fight; belligerence.


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 Velvet

The 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 Mohawk

Eliot, George. Silas Marner

Ferber, Edna. Cimarron

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. This Side of Paradise; short stories

Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain

Forester, C.S. The African Queen; The Horatio Hornblower series

Frank, 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 Falcon

Hansberry, 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 Thing

Hersey, John. A Bell for Adano; Hiroshima; The Wall

Heyerdahl, Thor. Kon-Tiki

Hilton, James. Goodbye, Mr. Chips; Lost Horizon

Homer. The Iliad; The Odyssey

Hudson, W.H. Green Mansions

Hughes, 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 Courage

Kipling, Rudyard. Kim

Knowles, John. A Separate Peace

Le 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’Arthur

Maxwell, Gavin. Ring of Bright Water

McCullers, Carson. Member of the Wedding

Michener, 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 Iron

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead; We the Living; Anthem; Atlas Shrugged

Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan. The Yearling

Rowling, J.K. the Harry Potter series

Renault, 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 Brooklyn

Speare, 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 Rings

Twain, 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 Sea

Wallace, Lewis. Ben-Hur

Washington, Booker T. Up from Slavery

Wells, H.G. The Time Machine; War of the Worlds

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome; The House of Mirth

White, T. H. The Once and Future King; The Sword in the Stone

Wilder, Thornton. The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Wister, Owen. The Virginian

Wyss, Johann. The Swiss Family Robinson

Yates, 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.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

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


Spelling Challenges

acceptable

accidentally

accommodate

acquire

acquit

a lot

amateur

apparent

argument

atheist

believe

bellwether

calendar

category

cemetery

changeable

collectible

column

committed

conscience

conscientious

conscious

consensus

daiquiri

definite(ly)

discipline

drunkenness

dumbbell

embarrass(ment)

equipment

exhilarate

exceed

existence

experience

fiery

foreign

gauge

grateful

guarantee

harass

height

hierarchy

humorous

ignorance

immediate

independent

indispensable

inoculate

intelligence

its/it's

jewelry

judgement

kernel (colonel)

leisure

liaison

library

license

lightning

maintenance

maneuver

medieval

memento

millennium

miniature

minuscule

mischievous

misspell

neighbor

noticeable

occasionally

occurrence

pastime

perseverance

personnel

playwright

possession

precede

principal/principle

privilege

pronunciation

publicly

questionnaire

receive/receipt

recommend

referred

reference

relevant

restaurant

rhyme

rhythm

schedule

separate

sergeant

supersede

their/they're/there

threshold

twelfth

tyranny

until

vacuum

weather

weird


Notes for Better SAT Essays

Focus

Keep to your topic. Even if a detail is funny or interesting, if it’s off the topic, it’s out of focus! You should

have only ONE topic or main idea in a paragraph.

It’s easier for the reader to see your structure if you have clear paragraphs.

1. Use the question to develop your thesis statement, which is the LAST sentence of your intro.

2. Aim for 2-3 body paragraphs and INDENT. The length isn’t important as long as you’re thorough. Use logical

transitions.

3. DON’T use “In conclusion” to begin your conclusion. Any bonehead can see that it’s your final

paragraph. ONLY use that phrase when you give an oral presentation. Refer to your thesis,

Choose a logical order

1. Chronological

a. Plot summaries

b. Series of events, a process or “how to,” directions

c. History

Transition examples: first, next, last, to start, later, finally, at the beginning, during, at the end.

2. Spatial

a. Use for description

b. Use to guide reader

Transition examples: left, right, top, bottom, north, south, east, west, in the middle, below, above

3. Order of importance (least to most)

a. Use to build an argument

b. Support opinions with examples and reasons

Transition examples: one example, another example, the most important example, a good (or bad)

reason, a better (or worse) reason, the best (or worst) reason

4. Order of importance (most to least)

In journalism: present major facts (who, what, when, where, why, how), followed by other details.

Use SPECIFIC examples to illustrate your points. They may be from your personal experience, literature, history,

the news, sports, or entertainment (movies, TV, songs, etc.)

You cannot use “YOU” except in a quotation. In formal essays you cannot use “I,” either. It’s okay to use “I” in

personal essays, BUT be careful to be consistent.

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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My friends and me OR and I NOT Me OR I and my friends

Pronouns and Antecedents

1. Pronouns are substitutes. ALWAYS use the “real” noun first. This is the antecedent.

Tim is really funny, but he can be serious, too.

2. Pronouns and antecedents both have to be singular OR both plural. This is called agreement.

Everyone had to try his or her best NOT Everyone had to try their best.

3. Be sure that your pronoun has a clear antecedent or else it will be ambiguous:

Sue and Jo called Jo’s mom NOT Sue and Jo called her mom (whose, Sue’s or Jo’s?)

Reflexive Pronouns (the ones that end with –self and –selves)

1. Attach the sending; a reflexive is ALWAYS one word:

myself NOT my self

2. –self is singular; -selves is plural:

myself, yourself, ourselves, yourselves (a group)

itself, himself, herself themselves

3. Don’t use the reflexive as a substitute for the objective:

He gave it to me NOT He gave it to myself

Avoid fragments, comma splices, and run-ons.

Be sure to use the correct word for what you mean:

Accept (taking) Except (excluding)

Than (compAring) Then (nExt)

Loose (what some boys’ britches are) Lose (can’t find something)

Clothes (what you wear) Cloths (what clothes are made of)

Their (pronoun) There (opposite of HERE)

Lie (to recline) Lay (to place)

Work on the words you know you tend to misspell.

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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.

33

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.

34

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 personal

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

1st person I we

2nd

person you you

3rd

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

1st person me us

2nd

person you you

3rd

person him, her, it them

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

Singular Plural

1st person my, mine our, ours

2nd

person your, yours your, yours

3rd

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

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

35

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

objective case.

Singular Plural

1st person myself ourselves

2nd

person yourself yourselves

3rd

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.

36

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)

37

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, is, 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.

38

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.]

39

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, is, are, was, were, be,

being, been, do, does, did, have, has, had, may, might, must, will,, can, could, shall, should, 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

40

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 : lie and lay

Lie means to recline; lay, on the other hand, means to put or place something. Lay is a transitive verb, meaning

that 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

41

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: laid

rhymes 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.

42

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 = infinitive; “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, what

kind, how many, or how much about a noun) or as adverbs (when they tell where, when, how, or to what extent about a

verb, 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.”

Aboard

About

Above

Across

After

Against

Along

Amid

Among

Around

Aside

At

Atop

Before

Behind

Below

Beneath

Beside/besides

Between

Beyond

But (except)

By

Concerning

Down

During

Except

For

From

In

Inside

Into

Like

Near

Of

Off

On

Onto

Out

Over

Past [not passed]

Since

Through

Throughout

To

Toward

Under

Underneath

Until

Up

Upon

With

Within

Without

According to

Because of

In spite of

Instead of

On account of

Out 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, appositive, 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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NOTES:

Gerunds can have objects that answer the question “what?”: use a possessive noun or pronoun when the gerund

is the object of the sentence:

She took a picture of my jumping the fence. [this emphasizes that the jumping is the point]

Think carefully about the difference with this sentence:

She took a picture of me jumping the fence.

In this second example, “me” is the object of the preposition; “jumping the fence” is a participial phrase

describing “me.” The emphasis here is on “me,” not the activity.

Look at this example:

I was annoyed with Sam interrupting my lecture

SHOULD BE

I was annoyed with Sam’s interrupting my lecture.

It wasn’t “Sam” himself that was annoying; it was his “interrupting”. Use the possessive case.

B. Participles: end in –ing (present participles) or –ed, -en, or become an irregular form (passive

participles). They are ALWAYS adjectives.

The falling water made a soothing sound. The fallen tree blocked the road.

They can be an entire phrase. When they are, the next noun MUST be the word they are modifying; otherwise,

you’ll have a dangling participle.

WRONG Turning the corner, the post office was on the right. (post offices can’t move)

RIGHT: Turning the corner, I saw the post office on the right.

C. Infinitive: to + a verb. These are tricky because they can function nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Note: just like prepositions, gerunds and infinitive can have objects: nouns that follow them that answer the

question, “what?”

S: To walk a 1000 miles is a lofty goal. (“miles” is the object of the infinitive, “to walk”)

A: My goal, to walk 1000 miles, is difficult

C: My goal is to walk 1000 miles.

D: I want to walk 1000 miles.

Adjective: The class to take is English 9. (modifies the noun, “class,” telling which one)

Adverb: I went to visit my brother (modifies the verb “went,” telling where; “brother” is the object of the

infinitive)

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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, Appositive, 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

although

as

as if

as long as

as soon as

as though

because

before

if

since

so that

than*

though

unless

until

when

whenever

where

wherever

whether

while

why

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.

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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.

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