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SAT Reading and writing

SAT Evidence & Rhetoric

Words for analyzing arguments, citing evidence, and naming rhetorical moves.

Independent SAT study resource — not official exam material.

  • Teens and up
  • Academic English
  • Confident · B2
  • 30 words

The words

Every word in this set, with what it means. Tap a word to hear it.

allege
to claim that something is true without proving it
“Critics allege that the study ignored key data.”
ambiguity
uncertainty caused by more than one possible meaning
“The ambiguity in the sentence invites two readings.”
assert
to state a claim firmly
“The author asserts that the policy failed its goals.”
cite
to mention a source as evidence
“Cite the passage that supports your claim.”
concede
to admit that part of an opposing point is true
“She concedes that costs rose, but not that the plan failed.”
contradict
to say the opposite of something already claimed
“The second paragraph seems to contradict the first.”
convey
to communicate a meaning or feeling
“The tone conveys skepticism about the proposal.”
credible
able to be believed or trusted
“A credible source strengthens the argument.”
critique
a careful judgment of the strengths and weaknesses of something
“Write a critique of the author's main claim.”
emphasize
to give special importance to something
“The writer emphasizes the cost to families.”
imply
to suggest something without stating it directly
“The data imply that the trend is slowing.”
inference
a conclusion reached from evidence and reasoning
“Your inference must be backed by the text.”
nuance
a small difference in meaning or tone
“Notice the nuance between "suggest" and "prove."”
persuade
to convince someone to believe or do something
“The essay aims to persuade readers to act.”
refute
to prove a claim is wrong
“The experiment helps refute the earlier theory.”
rhetoric
language used to influence an audience
“Study how rhetoric shapes the reader's response.”
skeptical
not easily convinced; doubtful
“A skeptical reader asks for stronger evidence.”
stance
a clear position on an issue
“State your stance in the opening paragraph.”
substantiate
to provide evidence that supports a claim
“Can you substantiate that claim with a quotation?”
undermine
to weaken someone's argument or confidence
“The counterexample undermines the main thesis.”
acknowledge
to accept or admit that something is true
“Acknowledge the opposing view before answering it.”
analyze
to examine something carefully in order to understand it
“Analyze how the author builds the argument.”
claim
a statement that something is true
“Every claim needs support from the text.”
counterargument
an argument that challenges another argument
“Address the strongest counterargument directly.”
evaluate
to judge the quality or value of something
“Evaluate whether the evidence is sufficient.”
illustrate
to explain an idea with an example
“Illustrate the point with one concrete detail.”
interpret
to explain the meaning of something
“Interpret the figure before drawing a conclusion.”
objective
not influenced by personal feelings; based on facts
“Keep the summary objective and complete.”
perspective
a particular way of viewing something
“Consider the issue from more than one perspective.”
synthesize
to combine information from different sources into a whole
“Synthesize the two passages into one clear claim.”