Question

Dear Mitch,

A while ago you posted some stuff for ESL (English as Second Language) students for the SAT exam, but it was plenty good for other tests like the FCATS my daughter had to take. What you said was there were plenty of words that were considered too simple for the review books to bother including, so they came "below the radar" for review words, but they show up more than the hard words that are on the vocabulary lists. They're in all the reading sections and the children who are new to the language get mixed up very easy.

Can you give some more words you suggest these children look over that the books could overlook?

With Much Thanks,

Maria Gonz_ _ _ _

Answer

Dear Ms. G.,

Sure!

There are so many little words that cause confusion to those still mastering English that one hardly knows where to begin, but here's enough to get a student going, yet not so many to overwhelm. (Oh, and if I repeat a few in different categories, it probably won't hurt the review process.) Here goes:

dash

dish

dice

dies

dyes

does

dues

dust

daze

days

dose

Dutch

ditch

batch

botch

bitch (female dog)

 

braise

bruise

browse

bays

buys

base

bash

bush

brush

brash

brass

brisk

brusque

 

bunt

blunt

brunt

bent dent

dash

 

bask

bathe

bath

blithe

bunt

blunt

bland

blend

blunder

band

banter

binder

bender

 

dander

banter

bender

tinder

tandem

tan

tin

thin

than

then

thunder

thinner

tanner

tuner

tanner

tamer

tinker

thinker

thank

 

den

din

done

dune

dine

dim

dime

time

tame

diner

dinner

dimmer

drum

drummer

 

dint

dent

deft

dross

dress

 

Hope this helps,

Mitch