SAT® · Reading and Writing: Craft and Structure
Precision: Choosing Between Two Words That Both Fit
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- How it worksHow do degree, scope and formality separate two near-synonyms once the obvious losers are gone?
- Worked exampleFind the precise verb for a study that only hints at a link: proves, suggests, confirms or establishes.
- Common mistakeWhy isn't the stronger, more dramatic word the safer pick when you cannot decide between two?
- Going furtherWhat happens when a sentence hedges, and the missing word has to hedge by exactly the same amount?
Check yourself
Your turneasy1 of 3
Text: In a sample of 1732 households the researchers found a weak association between commuting time and reported sleep, and it disappeared once shift work was accounted for. The study ______ a link rather than demonstrating one.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word?End of topic.