Ultimate Vocabulary – Vocabulary Building Software

Top Ten Words for GRE Vocabulary Review – Part 2

June 3, 2010

Out of all of the words in the English language, which ones should you learn first? Sometimes you have the luxury of studying words as you come across them in books or magazines as you read for pleasure, but other times you’ll have to put in some intense effort to learn vocabulary for a specific purpose, such as taking (and passing!) the GRE or the SAT. In yesterday’s post, we looked at five words that are often found on these examinations; today, we’ve got five more for you to work on. Don’t forget to keep all of your senses engaged in this learning process, to help you retain and remember: read the word, say it out loud (or find an audio link to give you the pronunciation), and write it down several times, preferably in example sentences.

awry (uh-RYE) adjective
Definition: Off course, twisted, leaning to one side, gone wrong.
Synonyms: askew, bent
Antonyms: straight, direct
Example: The thieves’ well-thought-out plan went awry when they discovered that the bank had changed the verification system on the security cameras.

variegated (VAIR-ee-uh-gay-ted) adjective
Definition: Having a variety of colors; often used to describe leaves and flowers.
Synonyms: mottled, multicolored
Antonyms: uniform, monochrome
Example: Gardeners often choose to plant hostas in shady areas, where their variegated leaves bring a bit of interest to an otherwise dull landscape.

moribund (MORE-ih-bund) adjective
Definition: Not growing, moving or changing; also, near death or almost obsolete.
Synonyms: stagnant, dying
Antonyms: lively, active
Example: The increasingly moribund print newspaper industry may never recover unless a younger audience can be convinced to move away from on-line news sources.

inchoate (in-KOH-it) adjective
Definition: Newly-formed and not yet organized or finished.
Synonyms: amorphous, rudimentary
Antonyms: mature, developed
Example: The inchoate efforts of the incoming administration to reverse the damage done over the past decade have so far been less successful than we had hoped.

risible (RIH-zih-buhl) adjective
Definition: Causing laughter.
Synonyms: comical, ludicrous
Antonyms: solemn, tragic
Example: Alan’s attempts to seem sophisticated by trying to speak French to the waiter were risible, and only got us an evening of poor service.

No one will laugh when you successfully and correctly use these powerful and descriptive vocabulary words in your conversations and communication at work and at home. There are many more words that you’ll find extremely useful, especially if you’re studying for the SAT or GRE, and we’ll continue to provide you with definitions and usage examples in future posts.

Are there words that you’re curious about? Leave your questions in the comments.

Top Ten Words for GRE Vocabulary Review

June 2, 2010

On the vocabulary section of the GRE (and the SAT) you’ll be presented with words that you’ve never seen before, ones that you might have seen but don’t know well, and some that you think you know but that are easily confused with others. In order to do well on the exams, you can use some of the study tips we’ve already discussed on this blog – understanding root words, learning to use words in context by writing sample sentences, working with flash cards and other visual aids – but you’ll also need to spend a certain amount of time simply memorizing words that are likely to appear on the examinations. Here are ten words that you’ll find useful on these tests, and which are also excellent additions to your everyday vocabulary.

explicit (ex-PLIH-sit) adjective (adverb explicitly)
Definition: Detailed, precise, and completely understandable.
Synonyms: exact, definitive
Antonyms: ambiguous, vague
Example: The guide spent fifteen minutes giving the hiking group explicit instructions on what to do if they saw a rattlesnake on the trail.

paradigm (PAIR-ah-dime) noun
Definition: An example or a model that other things are patterned on.
Synonyms: prototype, standard
Example: Linking cell phones and internet access has created a new paradigm for global communication systems.

criterion (cry-TEAR-ee-uhn) noun (plural criteria)
Definition: A standard or example that other things are measured by.
Synonyms: gauge, yardstick
Example: A successful applicant will need to match each criterion on the interviewer’s list.

subversive (sub-VER-sihv) adjective, but can be used as a noun
Definition: Working against established authority, in particular to overthrow it; or, a person who is acting in such a manner.
Synonyms: rebellious, seditious
Antonyms: obedient, loyal
Example: Those three men are on the Interpol watch list because they are suspected of engaging in subversive activities in several unstable countries.

fiduciary (fih-DOO-shee-air-ee) adjective, but also commonly used as a noun
Definition: A relationship of trust between two entities, usually involving money; or, a person who has responsibility for that trust or property.
Synonyms: trustworthy, responsible
Antonyms: unreliable, irresponsible
Example: Alice inherited her fortune when she was a child, and her estate was managed by several older relatives in a fiduciary capacity until she turned 21.

You can trust that we’ll be back tomorrow with five more useful, powerful vocabulary words for you to learn.

Word of the Day: Cognizant

June 1, 2010

Were you aware of this useful word? If so, you were cognizant of the word and, we hope, how to use it. Cognizant means aware of something or knowing about something. The word can be traced back to the Latin root gnoscere, meaning “to know.” This root is shared with other words that have similar meanings: notice, recognize, prognosis, incognito.

Example: If you want to go skydiving, you must first sign a waiver stating that you are fully cognizant of the risks involved.

Knowledge of word origins and the basic building blocks of vocabulary – root words, suffixes, and prefixes – will help you quickly identify and define new words. Even if you don’t know the exact meaning of a word, if you can isolate one or more of its components, and know those meanings, you’ll be able to get the sense of the word and how it is used in the context of the sentence. This is particularly useful when you’re faced with a reading comprehension test, like those you’ll find on the GRE and SAT examinations. You’ll be given a paragraph (or two or three) and asked to read the paragraph, then answer a series of questions about the contents and meaning. If you’re unable to define some of the vocabulary words in the paragraph, you might not be able to answer the questions. However, knowing the roots of the words will give you a general idea of their meaning, and it will be easier to grasp the intent of the paragraph as a whole.

To practice this, select a paragraph or two from a text that you’re unfamiliar with – one that you suspect will contain words you don’t know – and read through the text, marking the words you’re unsure of. Before looking up the definitions, see if you can find the word roots, and use those to write in the general meaning of the words. Re-read the paragraph. Do you feel that you understand the paragraph, even without knowing exactly what each word means?

Keep a list of word roots that you encounter, and use them to identify the basic meaning of new words that you come across. It’s a quick and easy way to multiply your word knowledge.

How to Use Flash Cards to Study and Review Vocabulary

May 29, 2010

Once you have a set of vocabulary flash cards, you can use them on your own to review words, or work with one or more friends and quiz each other. If you’re using an on-line flash card application, the format of the cards and the different games and exercises will be there for you, but if you’ve purchased, printed, or penciled in your own set, we’ve provided some suggestions in this post for using your flash cards for fun and effective vocabulary review.

A good vocabulary flash card will have the definition of the word, how to pronounce it, and an example of the word used correctly in a sentence. Other useful additions to a flash card are synonyms and antonyms, related words and concepts, and visual clues (such as color-coding or images) that help you categorize and remember words. Here’s a sample of a typical flash card:

Side A

ubiquitous

you-BICK-wit-us

(adjective)

Side B

DEF: Being (or seeming to be) in all places at all times.

SYN: everywhere, omnipresent, widespread, pervasive, universal

ANT: missing, rare, scarce

EX: A 2009 study discovered that McDonald’s restaurants are ubiquitous throughout the United States, where you are never more than 150 miles from a Big Mac.

Quiz Yourself

The most basic use of flash cards is to look at a word and try to remember the definition you’ve learned for that word (written on the back). After you have studied a list of words, take those cards and shuffle them, then go through them one by one and check to see that you’re correctly remembering the definitions. If you miss one, set it aside for further review.

You can also use the definition side of a card (covering up the sample sentence) to work back to the original vocabulary word by looking the definition, synonyms, and antonyms provided.

Quiz Each Other

Working with other people can be fun and useful, too, as you get practice saying words out loud and understanding them when spoken. Make it a competition by dividing your flash card deck in half and taking turns to quiz the other person. If a word is missed, set that card aside – the person with the least amount of “missed” cards at the end wins.

Use the example sentences for a bigger challenge by having one person read the sentence without the target word, and having the other students fill in the missing word. You can do the same thing by reading out the list of synonyms and asking for the target word; use the antonym list to provide additional clues.

Flash Cards Are Portable

Take a dozen or so cards with you wherever you go, and you’ll be able to tuck in bits of study no matter where you are or how little time you have. If you commute by bus or train, review your flash cards instead of reading the newspaper. Study your cards at lunch, and ask your coworkers to help you by testing your knowledge of the words. Who knows, you might start a vocabulary-improvement movement at your office!

Which flash card system do you use? Leave your recommendations in the comments.

Why Use Vocabulary Flash Cards?

May 28, 2010

You’re committed to learning new vocabulary, you’ve got your study plans all mapped out, and you’re ready to go, but you don’t have a lot of time to devote only to vocabulary study, because you’ve got a job, or family, or a tight school schedule – any or all of the above. While it’s true that an optimal learning plan includes setting times every day for at least fifteen minutes to focus on learning and reviewing words, sometimes that just doesn’t fit into real life. In that case, what you need are easy, portable tools that you can fit in a bag or backpack or corner of your desk drawer and pull out when you have a few minutes to spare throughout the day.

Vocabulary flash cards are the answer to this problem, for many people. Most flash cards are small enough that they can be tucked into a wallet or a lunch bag in the morning, usually ranging in size between that of a standard business card (approximately 3.5” x 2”) and a regular index card (5.5” x 3.5”). You can buy ready-made sets of vocabulary flash cards, use an on-line flash card generating program and print out a set, or create your own by hand.

When you’re shopping for flash cards (or making your own), look for as many of these features as you can find:

definitions
pronunciation guides
sample sentences
synonyms and antonyms
related words and concepts
illustrations and images

Some sets are color-coded to group nouns, verbs, and other parts of speech together. If this is helpful to you, but your set does not have this feature, you can easily add a coded dot with a colored pen to each card. If you are primarily a visual learner, this will add a valuable component to your study.

People who learn best through listening as well as seeing words may do better using an on-line flash card system that includes audio links. You can also add an audio component to your flash card drills by working with other people, but it’s important that they’re able to correctly pronounce the words for you.

To create a basic flash card, take a piece of paper with enough room to write on, front and back. You can find index cards in several colors at any office supply store. On the front of the card, write the word. You can include the pronunciation guide on the front as well, but if so, place the word at the top and the pronunciation at the bottom, so you can cover one or the other up to test yourself in the future.

On the back of the card, write a short definition of the word, a few synonyms and antonyms for the word, and at least one sample sentence using the word correctly in context. If you have an image or other mnemonic device that will help you remember the word, add that if you have room.

In the next post, we’ll discuss some of the ways to use flash cards in your study.

The Best Books for Improving Business Communication

May 27, 2010

Here at Ultimate Vocabulary, we’re naturally interested in books that help students and professionals improve their business vocabulary, whether it’s with industry-specific terms, contemporary jargon, or powerful targeted vocabulary words designed to improve communication and increase the chances for recognition and promotion. Here are several books we’ve found that provide effective tools for learning how to maximize your speaking skills in a business setting:

Business Vocabulary in Use
(Bill Masculi)

The Cambridge University Press has a history of producing well-crafted, useful books for English study, and this book (which includes an audio CD) is packed with exercises, games, and explanations that provide an up-to-date collection of words and phrases commonly – and uncommonly – used in the global marketplace. We recommend either the advanced or the intermediate version of this text.

The Cambridge “In Use” series also includes books that focus on specific business areas, including law, finance, medicine, marketing and engineering. These books will be especially helpful for those of you who are currently employed in one of these fields, but not in an English-speaking country, and who wish to look for work overseas.

Communicating in Business English
(Bob Dignen)

If you’re new to the business world, you’ve probably noticed that as in any field, there are specific terms and phrases that you need to be familiar with just to communicate on a daily basis. This book gives you a good overview of standard business workflow, including tips on writing letters and documentation, ways to best interact with people in meetings and seminars, and things to keep in mind when dealing with international contacts and situations. The vocabulary list is more general, rather than targeted to any specific industry, but the exercises give you good practice in using the words, and the accompanying audio CD will help you learn how to pronounce the words perfectly.

Harvard Business Essentials: Business Communication
(Harvard Business School Press)

The Harvard Business School is recognized world-wide as a top-notch school whose graduates go on to develop and run businesses from internet start-ups to multinational corporations. This practical, concise resource will help you improve your communication skills by teaching you how to organize your thoughts, write them down in various formats, edit your work for clarity, and finally present them to an audience. While this is not a vocabulary book per se, it is a valuable tool that allows you to use the words you’ve learned elsewhere in their most effective way.

The Best Study Guides for the TOEFL

May 26, 2010

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an internationally-recognized examination that certifies you as proficient in English (both reading and writing) at a level that will allow you to succeed in an academic setting. This test is generally required for admission into any English-speaking university, and may also be required before you are able to apply for a job with an international organization. When it was first established as a benchmark for English proficiency in 1964, the TOEFL was completed using pencil and paper. Later, the TOEFL was converted to a computer-based testing system, and today most TOEFL examinations are done on-line. References to TOEFL now generally include the notation “IBT,” or “internet-based test.” Testing centers where students and applicants can take the TOEFL-IBT are located worldwide, and test dates are scheduled year-round.

The TOEFL tests your ability to read and write English, and to listen to and respond in English. You will need to be able to analyze several written passages and answer questions about meaning and content, and write a summary explaining one or more of the passages. You will have to be able to listen to one or several people discussing topics, and then answer questions out loud about what you heard and understood. As you might imagine, not being able to understand one or more vocabulary words will put you at a serious disadvantage! The vocabulary practice you’re doing now will help, but we’d like to point out a few more resources for your study:

The Compass TOEFL IBT Series
(various authors/editors)

This set of books (some with MP3 or audio CDs) covers all aspects of the test, and gives you practice in listening, reading, and writing. While this series does not focus on vocabulary in particular, it gives you a good overview of what you can expect from the test. You can choose the beginning, intermediate, or advanced level, depending on where you are in your current studies.

500 Words, Phrases, Idioms for the TOEFL iBT Plus Typing Strategies
(Bruce Stirling)

This book and audio CD give you practice tests that challenge you to use new words in context as well as learning to spell them correctly. Because you’re given several different opportunities to use each word, you’ll find that you remember the words quickly and easily.

Essential TOEFL Vocabulary
(Princeton Review)

Not everyone finds using flash cards to be a helpful study method, but if you do, these are some of the best available for TOEFL study, and Princeton Review is one of the more well-established test preparation organizations. The cards give you practice using words in context and provide synonyms, pronunciation guides, and definitions to help you learn and memorize 500 essential vocabulary words.

Have you taken the TOEFL-IBT? What was the most helpful vocabulary study you did before the test? Leave your tips and tricks in the comments section.

Word of the Day: Hyperbole

May 25, 2010

This is the best post ever written on any blog in the history of the internet!

Okay, that’s a little exaggeration on our part. Actually, that’s a lot of exaggeration (though we do think this is a excellent vocabulary blog, of course). In fact, it’s hyperbole: deliberate, over-the-top exaggeration used in order to produce a specific effect. The word comes from the Latin roots hyper- (beyond) and bole (throw) and has the sense of “going too far.” Hyperbole is frequently used in figures of speech, not to be taken literally.

Example: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!

No matter how hungry you are, or how small the horse, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to eat the whole thing at one go. However, the phrase does give the listener a good idea of exactly how hungry you are. Hyperbole is an effective way to communicate an idea or an impression, because the images it evokes are usually very easy to visualize and understand.

The word hyperbolic means in an exaggerated fashion, or given to hyperbole. In mathematics, hyperbolic also refers to a hyperbola: an open curve that goes out to infinity; that is, it “goes beyond” the horizon.

Now that you know the meaning of the root hyper-, can you guess the meaning of these vocabulary words?

hyperactive
hypertext
hyperextended
hypersonic

Hyperactive means overly active. This word is often used to describe young children, or anyone who has trouble sitting still.

Hypertext is a term used in web design. When you place your cursor over an image and a box pops up explaining what the image is, that’s hypertext – words that go “above” the image. A hyperlink takes you “beyond” the page you’re currently on.

Physical therapists caution people from hyperextending their arms and legs, because that extreme flexing, or over-extending, of the joint can tear ligaments.

A loud “boom” signals the passing of a jet flying overhead at hypersonic speed, going faster than the speed of sound.

Keep studying vocabulary, and you’ll be prepared for anything – and that’s no exaggeration.

How to Have a Conversation With International Flair

May 22, 2010

The study of English vocabulary is not complete without including the many elegant and descriptive words and phrases that have come from other languages directly into the English language and remain there, used by educated speakers in the international business world, connoisseurs of the arts and literature, and sophisticated travelers from the cafes of Paris to the neon-bright streets of Tokyo. Being able to smoothly and easily use and understand these terms will help promote you in your professional life, and give you the confidence to interact with people at any level.

savoir-faire (SAHvwahr FAIR)
This French term (sometimes written savoir faire) means “knowing what to do.”
Example: Julia’s calm temperament, good humor, and savoir-faire makes her our first choice to lead the development committee.

sotto voce (SOHtoh VOHchay)
This Italian term means whispering, or speaking softly (literally “under the voice”).
Example: Unlike football announcers, sports broadcasters doing live coverage must always speak sotto voce so they don’t disturb the players.

tête-à-tête (TEHT ah TEHT)
A French phrase denoting a private conversation (often held sotto voce!).
Example: The team went up to the front of the room and, after a quick tête-à-tête, announced that they had decided on their “movies” as their first category in that game of charades.

tout de suite (TOO d’SWEET or TOOT SWEET)
This is a difficult phrase for many non-native French speakers, because the “de” is elided and only briefly pronounced. In fact, some French speakers in Canada use the second pronunciation, which is the more common one among English speakers. Note that this is a three-word phrase, even though it’s pronounced almost as if it’s only two words. Tout de suite means “immediately,” and is usually used to add emphasis.
Example: If you borrow my lawnmower this afternoon, I’ll expect you to bring it back tout de suite.

What foreign words and phrases do you find useful? Do you have problems with terms you’ve read but don’t know how to use? Leave your suggestions and questions in the comments.

How to Pronounce and Use Common Foreign Phrases Found in English

May 21, 2010

One of the problems when learning English vocabulary is that not all words are pronounced the way you might think, according to their spelling. English is notorious for having groups of letters that are exactly the same when written, but vary wildly when spoken – think of the words through, though, rough, cough, and bough, each of which is pronounced differently. The problem is compounded when you’re dealing with foreign words and phrases that are used as part of standard English, because the rules of pronunciation are those of the original language.

When you see a foreign word or phrase that you’re not familiar with, the first thing you should do is find out how to pronounce it. Many on-line dictionaries (both English and in other languages) have clickable audio links that will allow you to hear the word or phrase spoken correctly by a native speaker. It’s important that your pronunciation is correct when you use the phrase, otherwise people will either not understand you, or will be under the impression that you don’t really know what the phrase means. Link meaning, pronunciation, and context in your mind to become completely confident when using these descriptive terms.

ad hoc (ad HAWK)
This Latin term describes something that is created for a specific reason, often temporary.
Example: Before making changes to the company cafeteria, the board put together an ad hoc committee to work with the employees and discover what they would like to see done.

alter ego (AWLtur EEgo)
A Latin phrase meaning your “other side.”
Example: Dr. Jekyll drank a potion that transformed him into his alter ego, Mr. Hyde.

fait accompli (FEHT ahkomPLEE)
A French phrase meaning something that has been done which can’t be changed.
Example: Having been presented with a newly-painted office as a fait accompli upon my return after a vacation, I thanked my supervisor, even though I did not care for the shade of yellow used on the walls.

gravitas (GRAHveetahs)
A serious, solemn, responsible attitude or temperament; from the Latin for “weight, heaviness.”
Example: The speaker maintained his gravitas throughout his lecture, even though the audience was laughing at the humorous sketches he used to illustrate his points.

sang-froid (san FWAD)
Also spelled sangfroid, this French term translates literally to “cold blood” and means cool, calm, and collected.
Example: One of the guests at dinner suddenly got up from the table, threw his glass to the floor, and stalked out of the room, but with her customary sang-froid the hostess merely waved the waiter over to clean up the mess, and calmly continued her conversation as if nothing had happened.