Style Questions, continued
Using Appropriate Language
The final Style issue tested on the ACT English Test tends to be the hardest for many testtakers, although the questions themselves are not very time-consuming. These final Style
questions are all about word choice, otherwise known as diction. Much like the questions
involving idiom use that we reviewed in the previous chapter, these questions will often require
you to trust your ear.
Wrong answers to “word choice” questions tend to be wrong for one of the following reasons:
•
•
•
•
They
They
They
They
use slang or overly informal language.
use pompous or inflated language.
involve the misuse of commonly confused words.
are otherwise awkward, wordy, or ambiguous.
We sometimes refer to commonly confused words as “tricky twins.” Here’s our top-ten list of
these troublemakers.
Tricky Twins
Correct usage explained
than/then
than—used to compare or contrast things, as in “holier than thou”
then—used when one thing follows another, as in “if this, then that”
affect/effect
affect—verb meaning “to influence”
effect—noun meaning “result” (also a verb meaning “to bring about”)
principle/principal
principle—rule, law, or scruple, as in “that man has no principles”
principal—every other meaning you can think of
lead/led
lead—verb meaning “to direct”, or the heavy metal, as in a lead pipe
led—the past tense of “to lead”
lose/loose
lose—the verb, meaning “to misplace”—pronounced looz
loose—the adjective, meaning “unfastened”—pronounced looss
accept/except
accept—to agree, to receive, or to take on
except—excluding, as in, “I bought every dress except the red one”
eminent/imminent
eminent—distinguished or renowned
imminent—about to happen
compliment/complement compliment—praise or flattery
complement—a completing part or a full quantity
.
discreet/discrete
discreet—tactful or diplomatic
discrete—separate, distinct, or disconnected
elicit/illicit
elicit—to provoke, draw out, or extract
illicit—illegal, forbidden, or socially unacceptable