One aspect of the SAT that many students struggle with is the heavy importance placed on knowledge of vocabulary by the makers of the test. A large part of the critical reading section is sentence completion, which is entirely dependent on one’s ability to recognize the words listed, and determine whether they fit in the given context. This is a difficult enough task when one understands the words listed, and it becomes near impossible when one of the words is very obscure or unusual. In order to make this section much easier, there are a number of strategies that can be employed to improve one’s knowledge of vocabulary. I will focus on two strategies in particular, reading books and using vocabulary lists.
Reading Books
The first strategy that can be used to improve one’s knowledge of vocabulary is reading books that employ complex sentence structure and varied language. This is an excellent way to learn the meanings of words through context, and will build a strong foundation for the critical reading and the writing sections, as regularly reading excellent writing is an effective way to find methods to improve one’s own writing. This is a particularly strong method because it is much easier to absorb vocabulary and writing knowledge in an organic way like this than through attempting to memorize large lists of vocabulary and grammar rules. By internalizing the essential aspects of strong writing, it will become unnecessary to learn the rules of language by rote.
Look for lists of books, as recommended by the College Board. Reading excellent books will help to improve one’s reading comprehension and writing abilities, which will be essential in college. However, the disadvantage of this method is that it takes a long time. Many people begin studying for the SAT a month or two before the test, which is not enough time to improve using this method.
Flash Cards and Vocabulary Lists
Another strategy that is employed by many students is memorizing large batches of vocabulary words specifically for the SAT. This method has a couple of advantages, but in my opinion is inferior to simply developing a lasting knowledge of vocabulary and writing. By using flash cards or vocabulary lists, it is possible to memorize a large number of words that frequently appear on the SAT. This has the advantage of being more focused learning, as it is specifically geared for the SAT, and it is possible to memorize a large number of words quite quickly in order to give one’s reading comprehension score a boost. It also requires much less time, as a couple months of work can often result in significant score improvements. However, this method does not provide as strong lasting benefits, as most students will not retain this knowledge after they have completed the SAT. It is also horrendously boring, as it requires hours of repetition in order to be successful.
In conclusion, the method one chooses to learn SAT vocabulary words depends a great deal on the time frame involved, and the personal preference of the student. However, developing the knowledge through steady development of reading comprehension skills by reading difficult material will provide lasting benefits in college and the workplace.
This article was written for you by Tobias, one of the tutors with Test Prep Academy.
