Yesterday we talked about the first three steps to success:
1. Read, read, read!
2. Write down your target words.
3. Practice the tests you’re studying for.

It’s easy to give these directions, but sometimes harder to find the best way to accomplish the goals. Reading and writing can be done any time you have a book and a pencil and paper handy, but how can you get the most out of your practice tests? Here’s how:

4. Integrate all of the components of your study.

You might think that the best way to learn words is to just memorize them one at a time, learning a definition, and moving on. However, words don’t exist by themselves, and you won’t be asked just to define words on the standard SAT, GRE, and TOEFL examinations. When you’re learning a new word, of course you need to learn its definition, but while you’re focused on the word, use that opportunity to also learn two or three synonyms and antonyms for the word, practice saying it out loud and writing it down (remember, the more ways you study a word, the easier it is to remember), and think of at least one way you can use the word in a sentence. By incorporating all of these aspects of vocabulary study at once, you’ll be prepared for anything you might be asked on the test.

5. Isolate the component that gives you the most trouble.

Some people have no problem spelling a word, but find it hard to remember the word’s definition. Others can use any number of descriptive and extraordinary vocabulary words in their daily conversations, but misspell the words when they’re trying to write them down. What part of vocabulary study causes the most problems for you? That’s where you’ll need to focus, especially as the date of the test comes closer.

6. Make time for a “dress rehearsal” of any test you’re studying for.

Are you the sort of person who thrives on pressure? If so, you’re probably eager to head for the testing centre, and not at all bothered by the ticking of the clock, inexorably counting down the minutes until you have to stop, no matter how many questions you haven’t completed yet … admit it. You’re probably a little nervous. But you can reduce some of this pressure by setting up a testing “rehearsal” with a sample test that you haven’t been using for practice, and a friend (or an alarm clock) who can help you keep track of the exact time you have for each section of the test. If you know how it feels to work under the given time constraints, you’ll be prepared for the feeling on the day of the test.

Complete these six steps, and you’re sure to succeed!

1. Read everything you can find to read.

Newspapers. Magazines. On-line articles. Novels, short stories, plays, poems – if the title to something catches your eye, pick it up and give it a try. Select non-fiction works in fields that interest you, or explore with a random choice from the library stacks and discover new topics you didn’t know you were interested in before. The more you read, the more new words you’ll come across, and you’ll have more of a chance to find the vocabulary words you’re studying used in context. Repetition leads to retention, whether you’re reading words that someone else has written, or writing them down yourself. Which leads us to step 2 …

2. Write down words you’re trying to learn.

By engaging the muscles of your hands and eyes while writing down a vocabulary word, you’re also engaging the synapses of your brain which control the nerves and muscles required to do the writing. This “kinetic learning” works by involving more of your brain in the process of vocabulary study, and the “muscle memory” will help you remember how a word is spelled. If you write down a word several times, using the correct spelling, it will be easier to remember how to spell it in the future. It will also help you recognize when a word is spelled incorrectly, which is an important skill for you to have if you’re preparing for a test such as the SAT or GRE, which often has sections in which you are asked to make corrections to a sentence or paragraph. And that brings up step 3 …

3. Practice for the test.

While the questions on each test are different, all of the standard examinations have the same general structure each year, using any or all of these topics:

• reading comprehension
• analogies
• synonyms and antonyms
• using words in context
• word definitions
• identifying and correcting spelling/grammatical errors
• essay questions

You can find sample tests on line or in one of the many books available for SAT or GRE study. If you practice these specific areas, using the format that you’ll be given on the test, you’ll be prepared to complete the test correctly, and being familiar with the format of a section will give you more confidence. More importantly, being able to immediately identify the purpose of a section will give you more time to concentrate on the answers.

Check back tomorrow for three more steps to success!

After all of the hard work you’re putting in on your daily vocabulary study and review, it’s time to get some popcorn and a soda and relax by watching a good movie. Here are two movies we like, about people who are even more obsessed with words than we are!

Word Wars

This 2004 movie (based on the book Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis) gives you a look at the world of competitive Scrabble players and tournaments. You’ll learn about how much work can go into preparing for what you play as a fun game, and you’ll even get some tips on how to memorize words, something that occupies a large percentage of the tournament players’ time. The weird and wonderful words that are “normal” for the official internationally-judged Scrabble games might not be ones that are particularly useful for daily conversation, but we’re sure you’ll find one or two that catch your eye. Since Scrabble players don’t necessarily have to know the definitions of the words they use, you’ll probably have to make a note of the words and look them up later.

Wordplay

Crossword puzzles have been a popular form of wordplay for over a century – and if you aren’t already doing your daily newspaper crossword puzzle, we recommend you start right away, because it’s a great way to keep your mind nimble and your vocabulary exercised. Then watch the film “Wordplay” and learn about what goes into the making of a crossword puzzle, and meet some of the people who make them and solve them for fun and profit. Will Shortz, the editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle, introduces us to other puzzle creators, and we get a look behind the scenes of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. You’ll have a better appreciation for the art of puzzle-building and solving, and maybe even be inspired to create your own puzzles!

Do you have a vocabulary-themed movie to recommend? Let us know in the comments.

It’s summer – in the northern hemisphere, at least – and for many people classes are over, vacations are planned, and there will be picnics at the beach and in the park. But even if more relaxation is on the agenda than usual, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your vocabulary study time. In fact, the lazy days of summer provide some of the best opportunities you have to work on building your English vocabulary. Here are some of the things to pack along with your bottle of suntan lotion when you’re ready to head out:

• Books. If you have more free time, you can put some of that time to good use by reading more books and magazines. While even the “beach read” titles will give you exposure to some new words, you’ll be able to increase your vocabulary even more by choosing novels by talented writers such as Margaret Atwood, who creates intricate and fascinating worlds that draw a reader in (try “Alias Grace”), or Kazuo Ishiguro (best known for “The Remains of the Day”), whose characters inspire pity, horror, and self-reflection. If you have an interest in learning about a new field, choose a non-fiction book such as Jared Diamond’s “Guns, Germs, and Steel” and be introduced to a new viewpoint of modern civilization, and the vocabulary to describe it. For a crash course in placing modern civilization in perspective, pick up Stephen Hawking’s “The Universe in a Nutshell” and expand your mind beyond our tiny solar system. By reading a variety of novels, short stories, fiction, and non-fiction, you’ll learn the most new words and see how to effectively use them in context. Don’t forget to take a pen and a piece of paper with you to write down words to look up later.
• Games. Get out the travel Scrabble set, bring the box of Boggle, or just take a pad of paper and a pencil and play “Hangman” in the back seat of the car! There are many fun word-related games suitable for children as well as adults that you can use to keep up your vocabulary study. You can add vocabulary review to any word game by adding some new rules: instead of just using a word, a player might have to give the definition of the word, or use it in a sentence, or give three synonyms and one antonym (where possible) before being awarded the points or the score. An easy-to-carry pocket dictionary can start a game of “fictionary” – check this post for the rules.
• Flash Cards. In a previous post, we talked about how flash cards can be an important part of your vocabulary study. Their portability means that you can take them with you on any road trip, and if you make your own from inexpensive card stock, you don’t have to worry about losing them or accidentally dropping them in the pool. Even a fifteen-minute review, if done every day, will give you a significant advantage in your study program.

What suggestions do you have for vacation-friendly word study? Leave your answers in the comments.