Vocabulary!

Let's learn twelve new words a week!  That's just two new words each day!  The following words are from McGraw Hill's "400 Essential SAT Words", which means that these are vocabulary words that typical American high school students are expected to know.  See if you already know them; if you don't, try to learn each one.  Try using it in a sentence, in conversation with your friends or with your English teachers.

actuality (N.  Adj--> actual)  The state of being actual or real; truly existing.
On Halloween, the children were so taken by the costumes that they had a difficult time distinguishing between actuality and pretend.

applicable (Adj.  N--> applicability)  Readily usable; practical.
Lorena was not sure that her ideas were applicable to the problem, but she offered them, nevertheless.

authenticity (N.  Adj-->authentic  Adv--> authentically)  The quality or condition of being authentic, trustworthy, or genuine.
Before paying the high price for the Picasso painting, the art dealer had to check the authenticity of the work.

bona fide (Adj)  (1) Authentic and genuine; (2) made and carried out in good faith
(1)  Among the knockoffs in the shoe store, I found an inexpensive pair of bona fide Dr. Martens.
(2) The offer on the farmhouse was a bona fide agreement; the seller and buyer shook hands to secure the deal.

categorical (Adj)  (1) Without exception; absolute and explicit;  (2) of or relating to categories or arrangement or order
(1) Nobody in the room doubted that Samuel was the categorical winner of the Lincoln-Douglas debate.
(2) Sammy was so left-brained, logical, and sequential that no one was surprised when she put all her information in precise, categorical order.

defensible (Adj.  N--> defensibility, defensibleness  Adv--> defensibly)  Justifiable for accuracy
Maria had a defensible position: There was no doubt that she would win the debate.

factual (Adj  N--> factuality  Adv--> factually)  Of the nature of fact; real
Even though the book was a work of fiction, it was full of factual information about that historical era.

genuine (Adj.  N--> genuineness  Adv--> genuinely)  Not counterfeit, but authentic; honest and real; free from hypocrisy or dishonesty; sincere.
My uncle gave me a genuine two-dollar bill for my birthday.

invulnerable (adj.  Adv--> invulnerably  N--> invulnerability)  Impossible to damage or enter; not able to alter the reality
The front door seemed invulnerable; it was made of steel, and it sported seven strong locks as well.

legitimacy (N.  Adv--> legitimately  Adj--> legitimate)  The quality of being legitimate-- authentic, genuine, and according to the law
The painting was suspect, so  the legitimacy of its authenticity was questionable.

materiality (N.  Adj--> material  Adv--> materially)  (1) The state of being material;  (2) Being of real or substantive quality
(1) Esther was so intent on possessing thigns that her friends started questioning her focus on materiality.
(2) In Macbeth, Banquo's ghost appears to Macbeth with such materiality that he is overwhelmed by guil over Banquo's murder.

pragmatic (Adj.  Adv--> pragmatically  N--> pragmatism)  Dealing with facts, reality, and actual occurrences

Aarons insubstantial reasons were not pragmatic, so consequently no one believed him.