Lesson 11: Diction Errors
552 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
elicit/illicit:Toelicitmeans to bring out or to call
forth.<The jokeelicitedlaughter.>Illicitmeans
unlawful.
eminent/imminent:Someoneeminentisprominently
distinguished.<aneminenthistorian> Some-
thingimminentisabout to occur.<imminent
doom>
flaunt/flout:Toflauntsomething means to show it off.
<flaunt your talents> To flout something
means to show contempt for it.<floutthe rules>
gambit/gamut:Agambitis a careful strategyor an
opening move.Thegamutis the complete range.
<run thegamut>
imply/infer:Toimplymeans to suggestorhint at,but to
infermeans to draw a conclusion from evidence.
its/it’s, their/they’re, whose/who’s, your/you’re:
Apostrophes can show possession (as in David’s
bike) or indicate missing letters in a contraction
(as in can’tas a contraction of cannot). In each
of the confusing word pairs above, apostrophes
indicatecontraction,not possession: it’s=it is
orit has, they’re =they are, you’re =you are,and
who’s=who isorwho has.The possessives are
the ones without apostrophes.
morale/moral:Morale(n: mor-AL) is shared enthusi-
asm for and dedication to a goal.<The team’s
moralewas very high after the win.> A moral
(n: MOR-al) is a lessonorprinciple about good
behavior.<The story had a nicemoral.>
phase/faze:Aphaseis a stage in a process.<thirdphase
of the project> The idiom to phase outmeans to
eliminate in stages.Tofazesomeone means to
disturb his or her composure.<I was a bitfazed
by the interruption.>
precede/proceed/proceeds:Toprecedesomething
means to come before it(pre-before). To pro-
ceedmeans to go on, usually after a pause(pro-
forward).Proceedsarefunds received from a
venture.<proceedsfrom the raffle>
principal/principle:Aprincipalis your pal—thehead
of a school.It’s also the initial investment in an
interest-bearing account.(Money in the bank
can be a pretty good pal,too, eh?) A principleis
aguiding rule.
reticent/reluctant:Someonereticentisreservedor
reluctant to talk freely.Don’t use it to mean
reluctant.What Are Diction Errors?
Diction errors are “wrong word” errors. If an
SAT sentence contains a word that sounds al-
mostright but not quite, it may well be a dic-
tion error. Study this list of words so that you
can spot common diction errors.Commonly Confused Words
accept/except:Toacceptsomething means to agree to
take it.
is to excludeit.
adapt/adopt/adept:Toadaptsomething means to
make it suitable for a particular purpose(from
apt,which means appropriateorsuitable). To
adoptmeans to choose as one’s own.Someone
adeptishighly skilled.
affect/effect:Toaffectmeans to influence.<Itaf-
fectedme deeply.> An effectis a result or conse-
quence.
confused because to affectmeans to have an ef-
fecton something.
allude/elude/allusion/illusion:Toallude tosome-
thing means to make a subtle or indirect refer-
enceto it. To eludesomething means to escape
from it.Anallusionis a subtle reference,but an
illusionis a deceptionormisconception.
ambivalent/ambiguous: When you’re ambivalent
youhave conflicting feelingsabout something.
Something
ambiguousisunclearorhaving more than one
interpretation.
cite/site/sight:Tocitemeans to mention as a source
of informationor to commend for meritorious
action.
place where a planned activity occurs.Tosight
means to see at a specific location.
compliment/complement:Acomplimentis a praising
personal comment.Acomplementis something
that completes or makes a whole. (Notice the
plein complement and complete.)
council/counsel:Acouncilis a committee.<the exec-
utivecouncil> To counselis to give advice.<He
counseledme.>
discrete/discreet:Discretemeansdistinct.<A watch
contains dozens ofdiscreteparts.> Someone
discreetisprudently modest.<Actdiscreetly.>