Are you nervous about the vocab sections of the SAT and ACT? You’re not alone!
It's important to first understand that these questions are generally not asking you to independently define obscure or archaic words. The key is that these questions are given with context!
An example of an ACT or SAT prompt would be: “As used in the text, what does the word ‘contracted’ most nearly mean?”
Then you will have a text from which to pull context and meaning. This means that it is not necessary and sometimes not even useful to memorize long, archaic lists of difficult vocabulary words. Especially because knowing the strict definition of the word may also cause you to miss that the context shifts the connotation (and possibly meaning) of the word, causing you to answer incorrectly.
Nonetheless, memorizing vocabulary from lists still has its time and place and can be useful. There are many lists on the internet. Sparknotes has a list of 1000 SAT words. Yocket has a list of 150 difficult ACT words. These lists, which you can find by searching up “2024 SAT words,” are a helpful starting point and can show you some of your problem areas. There are also various Quizlet vocab sets. We can recommend the following: assorted words and transitional words. Write these words down in either a document or on flashcards and color code or organize the cards into words you definitely know, kind of know, and do not know. Then you can focus on the decks/color coded words that you struggle with, thereby optimizing your learning!
However, the NUMBER ONE way to get better at answering these vocab in context questions is READING! Reading is not only going to expose you to new vocabulary, but it will strengthen your ability to determine the definition of a word with context, which is exactly what the SAT and ACT assess.
How do I read in order to improve my vocabulary and SAT/ACT skills? Pick out difficult texts where you are unsure of the definition of a word at least every few sentences! Also vary the style of your readings. Read articles, short stories, poems, science fiction, and non-fiction. A good place to find these texts is by looking at the AP English Language, AP English Literature, and AP Spanish Literature (translated to English) practice tests and reading lists.
Find a book you are interested in reading like “Frankenstein” or “The Scarlet Letter”. Or pick out short stories from authors like Ted Chiang, Carlos Fuentes, or Unamuno. Or read a poem like “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” I recommend trying to guess the definition of the words you don’t know using the context of the text. Then look up the definition. As you practice this skill, you WILL become better!
Another VERY important tip is that vocabulary knowledge, and the ability to understand words in context, is a skill that is not limited to vocab in context questions! Many students miss other problems because they misunderstand a specific word and utilize the wrong definition.
A reading analysis question may ask, “What would feasibly explain this point of view.” If you don't figure out that “feasibly” in this context means “plausibly,” then your chances of answering the question correctly decrease substantially - even though the question is not a vocabulary question.
This makes being able to decipher vocab in context EVEN MORE IMPORTANT!
Do you have any lingering questions? What about 1-1 tutoring with a professional? Book a session with one of our academic consultants!
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