Build Your Vocabulary.
VOCABULARY STUDY PLAN | WORD ROOTS Ac-Ce | WORD ROOTS: Ci-Du | WORD ROOTS: Fa-Ju | WORD ROOTS: Le-Mo | WORD ROOTS: Mu-Pe | WORD ROOTS: Pe-Qu | WORD ROOTS: Ra-Sc | WORD ROOTS: Se-Tu | WORD ROOTS: Va-Vi





RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WORKING WITH THIS WEBSITE.


1) Start by reviewing the vocabulary study plan.

2) Work first with the WORD ROOTS. Building vocabulary is so important, NOT because you'll then know every word, but because you will know more with which to associate to words you do not know. Word roots will make this much easier, faster and reliable. You will need to look up the definitions of the word and, at first, the roots; as you are doing so, think about how the root influences the meaning.

3) Using the American Heritage Dictionary, available at Bartleby.com, you will learn about roots in the etymology section of a definition. Also linked syllables may be included in the etymology that will take you to the Appendix of Indo-European Roots. EXPLORE.

4) Keep to your daily vocabulary study sessions.

5) Vary your study and test your knowledge with various quizzes or games.

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1) Develop an awareness of how reading is the key to a strong vocabulary. The best readers do, in fact, have the best vocabularies. Check out the reading links listed at the bottom of this page.

2) Assimilating large amounts of vocabulary can be facilitated by acquiring an active understanding of word parts (etymology) and how they are used. The key to retaining vocabulary is to learn via association. Association allows you to learn cumulatively, that is, using old knowledge to retain and make sense out of new knowledge.

The webpages titled "WORD ROOTS" use mnemonics (memory assisting devices) to build knowledge of the roots and prefixes. For our purposes here, a mnemonic is a word which contains the root or prefix you are learning. It is in your everyday vocabulary, and it clearly exemplifies the meaning of that particular root or prefix. In this way, you go "through" the mnemonic (old knowledge) to help understand and retain new knowledge.

EXAMPLE: You can remember the root SPECT means "to see" and that the word INSPECT (the mnemonic) means "to look closely at something". The prefix, CIRCUM, as in our mnemonic CIRCUMFERENCE means "around". Therefore CIRCUMSPECT means "cautious".

If you are not already someone who reads, then start doing so, not just for the SAT but for your academic future. Reading strenghtens writing skills as well as building vocabulary.

Go to the library and find magazines that interest you. Do a search of the internet for them; many magazines offer free online access to at least their cover story and some provide much more at no cost.

Good sources for SAT (college-level) vocabulary are Sports Illustrated, The Atlantic Monthly and The New York Times. Use the links below to these publications; most of their content is on their websites at no charge.

Sports Illustrated

The Atlantic Monthly

The New York Times

NEWSLINK links you to thousands of publications. Click this link to get there.