• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Multiple-meaning words: 'most nearly means' in context; Academic vocabulary in context (SAT/ACT)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Is the proposed answer correct? The report gave a SOBER assessment of the risks, avoiding both panic and false hope. → not drunk (yes, it is correct / no, it is not correct) → no, it is not correctPrompt: The most common meaning of the word is often a trap. Read the whole sentence.
2. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? The new evidence did not ___ the theory; instead, it raised fresh doubts. (the evidence failed to support it) (undermine / describe / substantiate / inspire) → substantiatePrompt: Read the whole sentence. What does the gap need to mean? (A clue is given in brackets.)
3. As used in the sentence, the word in capitals most nearly means: The report gave a SOBER assessment of the risks, avoiding both panic and false hope. (dull and boring / gloomy / not drunk / serious and realistic) → serious and realisticPrompt: The most common meaning of the word is often a trap. Read the whole sentence.

• Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
• Share the objective: High-utility SAT words (set A): corroborate, mitigate, pragmatic…. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Which word matches this description? having mixed or contradictory feelings about something
• Step 1: High-utility academic words appear across SAT texts in science, history and literature.
• Step 2: ambivalent: having mixed or contradictory feelings about something
• Step 3: So the answer is: ambivalent
• Answer: ambivalent
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Which word matches this description? to make a problem worse (exacerbate / ubiquitous / mitigate / disparate) → exacerbatePrompt: Do you know a related word or root? (corroborate ~ robust; mitigate ~ make milder)
2. Type the word (in English) that matches this description. to notice or recognise something that is not obvious → discernPrompt: Do you know a related word or root? (corroborate ~ robust; mitigate ~ make milder)

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? The committee took a ___ approach, choosing the plan that could realistically be funded rather than the most ambitious one. (candid / tentative / superfluous / pragmatic) → pragmaticPrompt: Find the clue in the sentence: a colon, a contrast word (although, while), or a cause.
2. Which word matches this description? dealing with things sensibly and realistically (alleviate / mitigate / viable / pragmatic) → pragmaticPrompt: Do you know a related word or root? (corroborate ~ robust; mitigate ~ make milder)

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-11.