The latest testing schedule posted by the College Board shows that another opportunity for the SAT is coming up in March for many people in the US and around the world, and if you’re one of the people planning on taking the test, you’re probably right in the middle of your SAT study for the math, reading, and writing sections. A good vocabulary will help you to score high in all three areas.

Math. Some of the problems are “story problems” that require you to read and understand the situation and equation they’re asking you to solve for. If you have a good knowledge of basic vocabulary, you’ll be able to understand what you’re being asked to do, and will be able to work towards the correct solution.

Reading. Obviously, the more words you know, the better you’ll be able to quickly read and comprehend the text you’re presented with on the exam. There are several different parts to the reading section. In some cases, you’ll be asked to choose the best word or words to complete a sentence. Here’s an example:

The vandals caused thousands of dollars worth of damage when they __________ the historic monument.
a – revised
b – embellished
c – desecrated
d – exculpated

In others, you’ll read a short passage and answer questions about its content, tone, style, or meaning. Again, a comprehensive knowledge of vocabulary and etymology (to help you identify the meanings of words you’ve not come across before) are essential tools to completing this section correctly.

Writing. There are several parts to the writing section, including questions on grammar and spelling. If spelling practice is part of your vocabulary study (which it should be!) then this should pose little problem for you. And if you practice writing sample sentences with your vocabulary words (another excellent learning strategy) then you’ll have a good grasp on grammar as well.

The last part of the writing section is an essay. You’ll be given a topic and asked to write about it; it might be a single question, or it might be a quote to read and respond to. You’ll only have twenty-five minutes to complete your essay, so it’s important that you can both read and understand the question and/or quote and have a vocabulary that covers the widest possible range of subject areas so that you’ll have exactly the right words to use in crafting your answer. One of the best ways to expand your vocabulary in a general sense is to read as much as you can, on as many different topics as you can find. As an added bonus, you just might recognize the quote you’re given if the examiners have taken it from something you’ve already read!

Is there an SAT-related topic you’d like us to discuss or a question you’d like us to answer? Leave your requests and questions in the comments and we’ll do our best to help. Oh, and by the way – the correct answer is ‘c’.