<p>okay guys let's face it!! we are minors for this test!! How can we know all those weird-shaped words when we were born with speaking our language(not english)!!
How do you guys prepare for SAT verbal?
read a lot of books? but don't you feel exhausted with looking through dictionary all the time?
tell me what you guys do to prepare
thanx</p>
<p>I went to an English-speaking school.</p>
<p>Well... if you're a junior or something with time on your hands, read a lot.</p>
<p>I'm personally too lazy to bother with a dictionary, at least the paper one. Coming across a word several times registers the meaning in your mind if you read it in context.</p>
<p>i don't know where you live but see if the princeton review word smart books are available...they have humorous sentences that tend to stick in your head...lol..helped me a lot...i did the SAT vocab list and then did some of the GRE one...what's your weakest point??...mine was reading comp...so i practised several and looked through my answers to see what type of questions i was missing...try to detect a pattern...and then think about those questions more than others...if you have any specific questions i'd be happy to answer them...</p>
<p>Before I took the SAT, I had read lots of books in English and I this certainly helped me a lot on the test. When you read a lot - books, articles, magazines - you expand your vocabulary and thus save yourself time when studying those long SAT word lists. As Astrix pointed out, if you have the time, use it wisely and read a lot. Another useful thing to do would be to memorize the words from 10 Real SATs - most of them are bound to reappear on test day. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am in my sophomore year. too early to worry? no way
anyways thanx for all your advices.</p>
<p>No, you should worry! every moment you spent in studying words will be precious when your are a junior. Read a lot of books or newspaper. Reading New York Times editorials daily is a good idea! or Words Smart is good too. I read it and forgot almost all of it, but it is still helpful!</p>
<p>Hey, I completely agree, it's difficult for internationals. This thread is very helpful: </p>
<p>talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=2453&page=1&pp=20&highlight=verbal+tips</p>
<p>My contribution was:</p>
<p>"Maths was okay for me, so I focused a lot on the verbal. Sentence completions are straightforward--it's very important to know vocabulary, pick up on trigger words, assign "positive" and "negative" connotations to phrases, and recognize idioms. I found that the hardest SCs just had harder words. On that note, I developed vocabulary by memorizing the entire Barron's 3000 word list, but that was because I have a weak vocabulary in general and fancied kicking it up a notch (also, I had 2 months to prepare). I still recommend going through the entire word list, but definitely memorize the High Frequency list (or the Hit Parade in PR). However, anything that looks <i>too</i> obscure--just forget about it. You don't need special vocabulary workbooks either; just keep plugging away and try to memorize say 5 pages of vocab a day. About reading, it's a good idea in order to get a feel for idioms, but I wouldn't spend a surfeit of time reading when more reassuring results can be obtained from practising tests and questions. Moving on, analogies were the bane of my existence!!! I'm glad they're getting the shaft. The best prep beyond the obvious sentence formation is to recognize precise formats of these sentences. For example, memorize the list of common analogies in Barron's and know that synonymn variants are of the form "____ exhibits _____", etc. And always pick the most specific relationship that still expresses the original meaning. Finally, I despised critical reading. My first grade teacher told my mom I had "no reading comprehension," so I really had to study for that section of the SAT. In answer to the classic debate, I like reading the passage first and getting the gist. Forget about doing the questions with line numbers first and main ideas later...just go in order and be confident. Very important: before you do any questions, in a sentence summarize the main point (the "what", the aspect being considered, and the opinion on the aspect). Read the blurb to find out the source, and from that, make a prediction for the tone or message of the passage (for example, if it's written by a scientist, then it is probably pragmatic and reinforced with scientific facts). This is really great for dual passage, in which almost always you have to compare styles or tones. Then answer every question keeping the main idea you jotted down in mind. I found that I could usually eliminate choices down to 2 and then got stuck, but when I asked which one most clearly and precisely supports the main point, I got all the questions right. </p>
<p>Well, that's my wisdom. Hope it helps everyone who is worried about verbal. I know that it kept me from sleep for 2 months."</p>
<p>matheholic, thanks for advice!</p>
<p>well, I have trouble with verbal, only because I have the maths/science brain. I got to a english-speaking school so I guess that helps with my verbal.</p>
<p>First, I tried to do the whole memorising word thing - from word lists from princeton review, etc...
I drew pictures to remind me the meaning of the word.
But I found that, that didnt help much because I couldn't memorise.</p>
<p>Next, I bought a wordsmart CD from princeton review. They are good. It's like 30$ for 5 CDs! (bargain!!). Anyway, I put each CD in every stereo we had in the house and in our cars. It helps when you're just driving around and listening (but I wasted alot of fuel..).
lol I even listen to it when Im sleeping -- hoping that the words will soak into my brain or something..</p>
<p>The people are quite.. lame. They try to be funny.. but I guess it's interesting to listen to them. This method is quite useful also.</p>
<p>BUT.. THE BEST METHOD FOR ME IS READING
Yes. Reading. I read Newsweek, Time, Readers Digest. But I only read the articles that are interesting, such as reviews about a movie, planet things, stuff about the earth changing (global warming) And i skip every article on politics and war and stuff.</p>
<p>It's important to me to read only the things I'm only interested in. Otherwise, I just go blank.
When there's a word that I don't understand, I underline it. </p>
<p>(THE IMPORTANT BIT..)
While I flick through the dictionary, I think of what the word 'probably' means.
Also, when I'm 'thinking', I actually talk to myself. Yes that seems weird but that's the only way for me to focus. I make myself to think out loud.</p>
<p>Now, with reading, it's helped me learn a couple of vocabs and understand how it's used in texts!
Good luck wit everyone on vocab in jan.</p>
<p>Yeah, every tip has been mentioned.
My own experience also included reading and wordlist
I read a lot of novels (one of my interest) no need to look up all the dictionaries. Actually, if you have a good command of English (I believe you do), you can all figure it out. It really helps a lot in increasing your reading speed and most important, your guessing.
I learned the Barron's word list. It has 3500 words. Of course, I couldn't learn all that. I only learnt those marked as frequency and some as highly propectus. I made flash cards. They were useful. I put them into my pocket and whenever I had free time, I took them out to have a glance. Usually, I learned a group of 10 or 15 words. Until I was sure I knew them well (in about 4 days or more), I moved to the next one. Keep seeing and repeating the words. They will stick to your mind.</p>
<p>wow this thread is even better than going to a prep company!</p>
<p>oh and one more method..</p>
<p>as ngohuongly said "keep seeing and repeating the words. they will stick to your mind" - she's dead right.</p>
<p>So, what I also do is..
I write all these vocabulary (and thier definitions), and maths formulas, chemical forumlas.. anything you r studying that you need to memorise.. onto many loose A4 papers.
But don't cramp up words or anything. Make them look big and easy to read.
I've compiled words, formulas into about 10 A4 pages.</p>
<p>THen, stick ALL these papers EVERYWHERE (on walls of course).</p>
<p>Stick one on the wall adjacent to your bed - so if your lying down, and turn onto your side, you can easily read them. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I usually see is my maths formulas. When I'm not ready to get out of bed, I just stare at the paper and eventually, it comes into my head.</p>
<p>Stick one on your bedroom door - so when you leave ur room, you atleast catch one word.</p>
<p>Stick some in your bathroom - the nearest wall to the toilet.. you know.. so you dont get bored if you're there for quite a bit..
Also in your bathroom, near your mirror. (or on the mirror).</p>
<p>My computer's on a desk with the glass over the desk. One of my paper's underneath the glass so whenever I'm on the computer, I 'happen' to memorise one or two words/formulas each day.</p>
<p>Near your dining table. When I eat, I sometimes glance over to the paper on the wall..</p>
<p>After you've covered your walls of your house with A4 sized papers, make little ones (about 1/4 size of an A4), and stick them on your tissuebox, every door in your house, on top of your TV, everywhere!</p>
<p>But ask your parents first.. My parents were first annoyed with all these papers everywhere.. but they soon got used to it.. *our house looks really trashy though..
Also, it might help your family learn some words too?..</p>
<p>hope this helps!</p>
<p>hey, NoFX, I asked my parents if I could do the same thing and they refused :(
So I put up a board in front of my desk and table, wrote words on it and looked at it before I went to bed and after I woke up (just like you). And yeah, remember to write the words CLEARLY, as big as possible. You'll get all dizzy and discouraged when you see the cramped tiny litte letters.
And one small tip: after you have remembered the word, (if possible) replace the definition with synonyms. That way, you'll learn a lot more words.
For example: the word 'belittle', at first, I learnt:
belitte = make something become little or less...
and then:
belitte = depreciate, disparage, detract, decry</p>
<p>Has anyone used "Words for Smart Test Takers" so far?</p>
<p>My suggestion would be applicable only if you are a non-native english speaker. </p>
<p>Try to think in english. Until before 2 years ago, although attending english medium school for my whole life, i used to think in my native language. If I speaking in english, subconsciously I would think and then translate. Last year, I stopped doing that. Since, then I have been thinking in english and most of the times, if i am speaking in my native language - i translate the thoughts from english to native language.</p>
<p>I know its weird, but it helped me for sure.</p>
<p>and ofcourse, reading etc. does help a lot. esp if you start using the words in your normal daily usage (u dont want to use some 'hifi' words unless u want to run the risk of being called a 'dictionary' at ur school)</p>