ACT English: Mastering Stylistic Strategy and Usage

Diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in writing, especially for conveying meaning precisely.

Denotation

The literal or primary meaning of a word, as opposed to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.

Connotation

An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

Redundancy

The unnecessary repetition of ideas or concepts in writing.

Verbosity

The quality of using more words than necessary; wordiness.

Economy

The principle of using the shortest grammatically correct answer that retains meaning.

Homophones

Words that sound the same but have different meanings and often different spellings.

Idiom

A phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning.

Antecedent

The noun that a pronoun refers back to in a sentence.

Transition

A word or phrase that links different ideas in writing, helping to guide the reader.

Effect vs. Affect

Effect is a noun meaning result; Affect is a verb meaning to influence.

Then vs. Than

Then refers to time; Than is used for comparisons.

Its vs. It's

Its indicates possession; It's is a contraction for "it is."

Lead vs. Led

Lead can be a noun (metal) or a verb (to guide); Led is the past tense of lead.

Allude vs. Elude

Allude means to reference indirectly; Elude means to escape or avoid.

Formal Language

A style of writing or speaking that is structured and uses advanced vocabulary.

Informal Language

A casual style of communication that may include slang and colloquial expressions.

Point of View (POV)

The perspective from which a story or passage is narrated.

Clarification

The act of making something less confusing and more comprehensible.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect.

Continuation/Addition Transition

Words like 'Furthermore' and 'Additionally' to add information.

Contrast Transition

Words like 'However' and 'Although' that indicate a contrast.

Clearness in Writing

The quality that ensures writing is easily understood.

Consistency in Tone

Using a similar style and sentiment throughout a piece of writing.

Memory Reference - 3 C's

Criteria to evaluate answers: Clear, Concise, Consistent.

Adding Information

The act of including details that support the main idea of a paragraph.

Deleting Information

The process of removing redundant or tangential content from writing.