The Ivy League Mentors Guide to Words & Phrases in Context
Unlike traditional vocabulary questions, Words & Phrases in Context (WAPIC) questions ask you to consider the ways words are used within the context of a passage. There are 18 of these questions on the SAT, 10 on the Reading Test and 8 on the Writing Test. Therefore, they represent a significant part of your score, and it is important for you to develop strategies to be able to answer them effectively. The format for these questions is similar on the Reading and Writing sections, although there are subtle differences.
WAPIC Questions on the Reading Test
WAPIC questions on the Reading Test will ask you for a synonym of a particular underlined word. The correct answer must be BOTH a valid synonym of the original word AND make sense in context, without significantly altering the meaning of the original sentence.
Here’s an example from Official College Board Practice Test 1:
Akira came directly, breaking all tradition. Was
that it? Had he followed form—had he asked his
mother to speak to his father to approach a
go-between—would Chie have been more receptive?
As used in line 1, “directly” most nearly means
A) frankly.
B) confidently.
C) without mediation.
D) with precision.
You’ll notice that the word “directly” is not a particularly difficult or obscure word. However, it is a word with many possible meanings, and several of the answer choices could, in certain situations, be valid synonyms. Therefore, it is essential to consider the specific context. Luckily, there is a clue in the following sentence. In this passage, the narrator seems to be regretting that he did not use a “go-between” to speak to Chie. Therefore, “directly” must mean without a go-between. From this, we can deduce that the correct answer is (C) because mediation is similar to a go-between.
Let’s take a look at another example:
This frequent experience of gift-giving can
engender ambivalent feelings in gift-givers. Many
relish the opportunity to buy presents because
gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger
bonds with one’s closest peers. At the same time,
many dread the thought of buying gifts; they worry
that their purchases will disappoint rather than
delight the intended recipients.
In line 10, the word “ambivalent” most nearly means
A) unrealistic.
B) conflicted.
C) apprehensive.
D) supportive.
In this case, the original word is not one with many definitions. Knowing the definition of ambivalent (having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone) would probably be enough for you to guess the correct answer. However, even if you don’t know the meaning, you might be able to infer it from context clues. The following sentences tell us that some people have positive views about gift giving, while others have negative views. Therefore, answer (B) makes sense both in definition and context.
When you have a WAPIC question on the Reading Test, your first step should be to reread the relevant section in context and to predict what you think the word means in that situation. Alternatively, some students prefer to underline these words before reading the passage and to make predictions in the margins while they read the first time. Regardless, it is essential to make a good prediction based on context before you look at the answer choices.
After you have made your prediction, the next step is to skim the answer choices for a word that is most similar to your prediction. If you see a word that matches your prediction, pick it. If you have made a good prediction, there will be a similar word among the answer choices. If nothing is close, then your prediction was probably wrong. Maybe there is another way of interpreting the sentence. Try plugging in words and see what makes sense. Remember that the correct answer must not only make sense in context but also be a valid synonym for the original word. However, be aware that the original word may have other usages of which you are unaware.
If you do not know the original word, don’t panic. It will usually be possible to guess the meaning from context clues alone. Even if context clues are not enough to fully guess the meaning, they should allow you to eliminate some answer choices. If you do not know all of the words in the answer choices, focus on the words that you do know. A lot of students gravitate toward unknown words that sound fancy or impressive, but often the simplest word is correct. If none of the words that you know make sense in context, then you will have to choose among the unknown words. This is where you can use your knowledge of word roots to guess their meanings, but ultimately, there is isn’t much else you can do. Guess quickly and move on to save your valuable time for other questions.
To help you practice, we’ve created over 150 Reading Section style WAPIC questions. You can access the first 31 of them here for free. The rest are available exclusively to our students.
WAPIC Questions on the Writing Test
WAPIC questions on the Writing Test will ask you to select the best word to use in a specific situation. The correct answer must make sense in context and should be the most appropriate and conventional word choice for that particular situation.
When solving a WAPIC question on the Writing Test, it is best to ignore the original and replace it in your mind with a blank space. This is because the original word is likely to be wrong, and reading it will confuse you. Your next step should be to read the sentence without the original word and make a prediction about what word would fit the situation. After you have made a prediction, skim the answer choices for a word that is most similar to your prediction. If you see a word that matches your prediction, pick it. If you have made a good prediction, there will be a similar word among the answer choices. If nothing is close, then your prediction was probably wrong. Maybe there is another way of interpreting the sentence. Try plugging in words and see what makes sense. It is quite likely that several of the words will have similar meanings, so you must be able to detect nuances in usage.
Here’s an example from Official College Board Practice Test 1:
Given these solutions as well as the many health benefits
of the food, the advantages of Greek yogurt outdo the
potential drawbacks of its production.
A) NO CHANGE
B) defeat
C) outperform
D) outweigh
When we ignore the original word, the sentence implies that the advantages BLANK the drawbacks. Probably the writer means to say that the advantages of Greek yogurt are more important than the drawbacks. Outperform and outdo might be tempting choices, but they don’t exactly fit. After all, the advantages of Greek yogurt cannot be doing or performing better than the drawbacks. Thus, the best answer choice is (D).
Let’s take a look at another example:
Greek yogurt contains slightly more protein per serving,
thereby helping people stay satiated for long periods of time.
A) NO CHANGE
B) fulfilled
C) complacent
D) sufficient
When we ignore the original word, the sentence implies that because Greek yogurt has more protein, it helps people stay BLANK for longer. Probably the writer means to say that the Greek yogurt helps people stay full for longer. If you don’t know the answer choices well, you might be tempted to pick (B). However, a wise student will know that fulfilled means “satisfied or happy because of fully developing one’s abilities or character.” It cannot be used interchangeably with full. The most similar match is (A). Satiated means satisfied, and when you are full, your hunger is satisfied.
A final point to keep in mind about WAPIC questions on the Writing Test is that grammar does matter. When you plug the word into the sentence, it should always be grammatically flawless. This includes correct use of prepositions and idioms involving gerunds and infinitives. After making your guess, plug the word in and read the sentence to double check that there is no error.
To help you practice, we’ve created over 150 Writing Section style WAPIC questions. You can access the first 34 of them here for free. The rest are available exclusively to our students.
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