3 Simple Tips to Build Your SAT Vocabulary and Confidence

Although it’s no longer as bad as it was before, the SAT vocabulary challenges are still quite fearsome and can cause students to make mistakes and take their valuable time on the test day. Fortunately, you don’t need to undergo the bad experience any longer. Remember these five easy SAT vocabulary tips and you will not only be able to enrich your personal vocabulary, but also get help on your test day.

1. Flashcards

It’s a good idea to use flashcards to improve your vocabulary. Although this is a kindergarten method, you shouldn’t shy away from this because it can be of a great help to build your vocabulary. There are so many SAT vocabulary sample lists available on the internet which you can go through and find words that either you haven’t come across so far or not sure about their meaning. Write down those words and their meanings, and then simply repeat and practice.

A practice of merely 45 minutes per day will build your vocabulary, sharpness and confidence that will help you on the actual test day.

2. Read High Level English Publications Whenever You Find Time

Make it a point to read English publications like The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal etc. whenever you find time as a part of your SAT test prep. This will develop your personal vocabulary index. This will benefit you by:

  • Exposing you to challenging words that you can learn through context
  • Letting you absorb a wide range of subject matter as well as presentation formats

Also, don’t forget to read literary classics, like novels from the 19th century and also works by current respectable authors so that you can learn new words and understand them due to the specific contexts. This will instill the skill in you of deciphering an unknown word from the situation it is presented and this is very helpful for improving your SAT vocabulary.

3. Take SAT Practice Tests

One of the best things you can do to prepare for the SAT vocabulary challenges is to take official SAT practice tests. You can easily obtain previous such tests from the College Board or other online sources. Not only this will be a great final test for you where you can put your vocabulary knowledge into real practice but also you’ll get numerous other benefits, like getting the feel of actual SAT questions, getting the idea of timing, etc. Remember to take them in a quiet place and stay within the time limits.

With consistent efforts and practice, you can build up your vocabulary which in turn will build your confidence and eliminate the possibility of making mistakes on the test day. All the best!