« Considering an Artificial Turf Lawn | Home | Hot Track of the Day: “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz »

Building your vocabulary for the SAT

As an SAT instructor, I am asked by many students, “how can I build my vocabulary?”. Well, there’s no simple answer for that one other than hard work.

One thing I suggest is to write down challenging words when students come across them, such as during practicing SAT questions or in their own reading. Students should then look up these words, and commit them to memory.

This underscores the need to read more sources and to read more challenging writing. Students should always look for opportunities to read the “classics” as well as some contemporary writing. I typically suggest publications like the New Yorker and the Atlantic Monthly.  Hey, and if you don’t get through an entire book or need a refresher, there’s always Sparknotes.

One final way to build vocabulary (short of just popping open a dictionary - boring!) is to get one or several of the commercial vocab lists available on the market. Here are some links to books that seem pretty good:

Vocabulary Cartoons: SAT Word Power by Burchers

Vocabulary Cartoons II: SAT Word Power by Burchers

500 Key Words for the SAT, and How to Remember Them Forever! by Gulotta

Have fun studying and I hope these tips will help you build a larger, more robust vocabulary for the SAT.