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Lesson 145 min read

English Proficiency

Vocabulary, Grammar, Analogies & Reading Comprehension

In This Lesson

1. Vocabulary Building2. Grammar Rules3. Analogies4. Sentence Completion5. Reading Comprehension6. Test-Taking Tips

Vocabulary Building

A strong vocabulary is essential for ACET success. Understanding word roots, prefixes, and suffixes helps you decode unfamiliar words.

Common Prefixes

  • un- = not (unhappy, uncertain)
  • re- = again (rebuild, review)
  • pre- = before (preview, predict)
  • mis- = wrong (mistake, misunderstand)
  • anti- = against (antiwar, antibody)
  • dis- = opposite (disagree, disappear)
  • sub- = under (submarine, subtract)
  • inter- = between (international, interact)

Common Suffixes

  • -tion/-sion = act of (education, decision)
  • -able/-ible = capable of (readable, visible)
  • -ment = state of (excitement, movement)
  • -ness = quality of (happiness, darkness)
  • -ful = full of (beautiful, hopeful)
  • -less = without (hopeless, careless)

Latin & Greek Roots

  • aud = hear (audio, audience)
  • bene = good (benefit, benevolent)
  • chron = time (chronic, chronology)
  • dict = say (dictionary, predict)
  • graph = write (autograph, biography)
  • port = carry (transport, import)
  • scrib/script = write (describe, manuscript)
  • vid/vis = see (video, vision)

Grammar Rules

Subject-Verb Agreement

  • • Singular subjects take singular verbs: "The dog runs fast."
  • • Plural subjects take plural verbs: "The dogs run fast."
  • • Compound subjects with "and" take plural verbs: "Tom and Jerry are friends."
  • • With "or/nor," verb agrees with nearest subject: "Neither he nor they are coming."

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

  • • Pronouns must agree in number and gender with their antecedents
  • • Correct: "Each student must bring his or her book."
  • • Correct: "All students must bring their books."

Common Errors to Avoid

  • • Its vs. It's: "Its" = possessive; "It's" = it is
  • • Their vs. There vs. They're: Possession vs. Place vs. Contraction
  • • Affect vs. Effect: Verb (usually) vs. Noun (usually)
  • • Who vs. Whom: Subject vs. Object

Analogies

Analogies test your ability to recognize relationships between words. The key is identifying the relationship type first, then finding a matching pair.

Common Relationship Types

Synonym: happy : joyful

Antonym: hot : cold

Part to Whole: page : book

Cause to Effect: rain : flood

Tool to User: stethoscope : doctor

Object to Function: pen : write

Degree/Intensity: warm : hot

Category: rose : flower

Strategy for Solving Analogies

  1. Identify the relationship between the first pair of words
  2. Create a sentence that expresses this relationship
  3. Test each answer choice using the same sentence structure
  4. Eliminate choices that don't fit the relationship
  5. Choose the answer with the closest relationship

Sentence Completion

Key Strategies

  1. Read the entire sentence before looking at choices
  2. Look for context clues and signal words
  3. Identify if the blank needs a positive or negative word
  4. Predict what word should fill the blank
  5. Eliminate obviously wrong answers

Signal Words to Watch

Continuation (same direction):

and, also, furthermore, moreover, similarly, likewise

Contrast (opposite direction):

but, however, although, yet, despite, nevertheless

Reading Comprehension

Active Reading Strategies

  • • Preview: Skim headings, first sentences, and conclusion
  • • Annotate: Mark main ideas and key details mentally
  • • Question: Ask what the author is trying to convey
  • • Summarize: Paraphrase each paragraph's main point

Question Types

  • Main Idea: What is the passage primarily about?
  • Detail: According to the passage, what/when/where...?
  • Inference: What can be inferred from the passage?
  • Vocabulary: In context, what does "_____" mean?
  • Author's Purpose: Why did the author write this?
  • Tone: What is the author's attitude?

Test-Taking Tips

Do's

  • ✓ Read all answer choices before selecting
  • ✓ Answer easier questions first
  • ✓ Use process of elimination
  • ✓ Look for absolute words (always, never)
  • ✓ Trust your first instinct

Don'ts

  • ✗ Don't spend too long on one question
  • ✗ Don't leave answers blank
  • ✗ Don't change answers without good reason
  • ✗ Don't overthink simple questions
  • ✗ Don't panic if you don't know a word
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