A Complete Guide to Improving Your Vocabulary For the Upcoming SAT Examination

The SAT verbal section puts a strong emphasis on the candidate’s vocabulary. Unless you are an avid reader and keep a dictionary with you at all possible times, there are high chances that your stock of words may not be enough for this exam. 

So, how can you turn this problem into a part of your solution? The below mentioned tips can help.

1. Make flashcards

Flashcards will not only help you learn words quickly through the use of your written memory, but they’ll also give you a way to rapidly review, reorganize, and sort out hundreds and thousands of words at a stretch.

2. Contrary to the popular belief, focus on quantity rather than quality 

Knowing fifty to hundred words is not nearly as powerful as a basic understanding of a few thousands. 
Focus solely on learning the basic meaning of words if time is a factor and don’t worry about secondary meanings (if any).

3. Keep your dictionary close

You must stop letting words slip by.

The part of building up a strong vocabulary comes from the feeling of being accountable to the words encountered in your real life. Whether you find a word you don’t know on television, or in a novel, make it a habit of looking it up as soon as possible. 

4. Keep your flash cards in easy to find places

If you want to successfully learn more than five hundred words a month, you would have to take advantage of all the tiny breaks you get in your day.
Keeping your flash cards close by can help a lot.

5. Start with suffixes and prefixes

Learning thousands of SAT words can be a daunting task, on the whole. 

It’s, therefore, recommended to start with the very basics, the prefixes and the suffixes to ease things up. Barron’s SAT book may come in exceptionally handy for this purpose of yours. 

A Compilation of 40 SAT Words To Remember

1. Adversary

someone who offers opposition

2. Aplomb

great coolness and composure under strain

3. Apprehensive

in fear or dread of possible evil or harm

4. Aptitude

inherent ability

5. Attentive

taking heed

6. Banish

send away from a place of residence, as for punishment

7. Barricade

block off with barriers

8. Bluff

frighten someone by pretending to be stronger than one is

9. Brackish

slightly salty

10. Brandish

move or swing back and forth

11. Circumference

the size of something as given by the distance around it

12. Commotion

confused movement

13. Concoction

any foodstuff made by combining different ingredients

14. Conspicuous

obvious to the eye or mind

15. Contortion

a tortuous and twisted shape or position

16. Counter

speak in response

17. Cunning

shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception

18. Debris

the remains of something that has been destroyed

19. Defiance

a hostile challenge

20. Deft

skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands

21. Destination

the place designated as the end, as of a race or journey

22. Diminish

decrease in size, extent, or range

23. Disdain

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

24. Dismal

causing dejection

25. Dispel

force to go away

26. Eavesdrop

listen without the speaker's knowledge

27. Egregious

conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

28. Ember

a hot, smoldering fragment of wood left from a fire

29. Emerge

come out into view, as from concealment

30. Engross

consume all of one's attention or time

31. Exasperation

a strong feeling of irritation

32. Exhilarate

the feeling of sublime emotion

33. Falter

move hesitatingly, as if about to give way

34. Foresight

Foreseeing; knowing in advance

35. Fragrance

a distinctive odor that is pleasant

36. Furtive

secret and sly or sordid

37. Grueling

characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion

38. Gusto

vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment

39. Habitation

the act of dwelling in or living permanently in a place

40. Hasten

speed up the progress of; facilitate

All the best for SAT 2020!